[travis]

Hello, new to this website. Very Cool!

I just put drag bars on my cb550. Now for the bad part. The brake lever won't fit back on. It hits the instrument light cover. Am I wasting my time trying to make these bars fit? Do I need to get a mild rise type bar?

Also, I now have no spark (all other electrical still works perfect). Is there a wire that gives problems when changing bars?

Thanks!

 

[Donald]

Aaron has done this conversion a handful of times, he's the man for these questions. I'll say this, though: When we (Aaron) did mine, we had no problems with the levers and stuff fitting back on. Also, since you had to cut all the wires going through the original bars, you may want to make sure all the new connections are solid. Most likely one of those is causing the no spark problem.

 

[travis]

I didn't have to cut the wires at all, I just rerouted them through the new bars. I would like to keep the brake lever stock, but right now it's not looking hopeful. Anyone else put these bars on a cb? They are the pretty flat drag bars.

 

[JD]

they're too short. did you cut them? you can slide the throttle and brake out to a point but it sounds like you might want to get longer bars.

the donz is right. check your connections. you have a kill switch on the throttle side. you may want to start at the kill switch. of course you may also have the clutch switch that won't let you start the bike without the clutch in. I hate that thing. who cares about safety, twist it up.

 

[JD]

oh I see. if you didn't cut them you disconnected them at one end or the other. double-check where you reconnected them.

 

[travis]

oh, does a 75CB550 have one of those clutch safety switches too?? That sucks.... So how wide of bars have you guys used in the past with no problems? Mine must be too narrow...



Edited by - travis on Jul 20 2004 2:34:53 PM

 

[JD]

it sure do. find the brown (I think) wires that routes through the left switch housing and connect them. no more switch.

 

[Rob Lloyd]

The clutch switch is actually external to the housing on the 550's. It shouldn't even be routed through the bars. If you don't have a pair of wires hanging from near the clutch lever, then the switch is missing. Of course, the switch is a normally closed switch (grounded when the clutch lever is pulled in). So, you can eliminate it just by jumpering the 2 wires together (in the headlamp? - not sure where the connection is).

Rob Lloyd
SOHC4 #174
VJMC #7013