[Danieltech]

Does anyone know of a rear swingarm swap that would give me a disc brake in the rear? Drum is just not doing it for me. I am keeping the frame stock so I need a whole swingarm/wheel swap in. I can weld the brakets in for the master cylinder but nothing more than that.

 

[cafeteria_racer]

How about a dual-disc front end. That should do it for you.

 

[Danieltech]

I am still trying to get away from drum rear.

 

[joe c]

yeah, that picture of the mac on the 550f with the disk rear is interesting isnt it. i wondered alot about it.

jc

 

[Geeto67]

off the top of my head I would suggest finding a cb750F rear rim from 1975 or 1976 (spoke rim). I know that some of the honda chopper guys have mated the cb550 rim with the cb750 sprocket carrier so hopefully it will work in reverse. The axle diameter should be the same so you will need spacers and the rear caliper setup. The only other rim I can think of off the top of my head that would work in a cb550 would be a 70's harley davidson sportster hub but you may need to lace your stock rim to it.

If you are willing to travel outside the realm of spoke rims the ex500 and ex250 ninjas should be close enough that you coudl fab some spacers and shims and get the chain line close.

As far as converting your swingarm if you have an axle mount brake setup you may be able to use your stock swingarm and just weld a tab for the brake stay.

There is no bolt on setup for this as far as I know, you are in custom territory so I hope you have a good dial caliper and patience.

BTW what is not doing it for you on the drum? those Honda Drums are the best of the jap drums, if you don;t have good stopping power then the thing isn't set up right. Usually it is either the shoes are junk , the wheel is cocked slightly, or the linkage is not set up. what problems are you specifically having with your drum?

 

[joe c]

at least i thought there used to be a pic of the 550 with a disk on the rear. i thought it was a red bike. i just went through and looked and couldnt find one. although there is a 750 there.

jc

 

[Geeto67]

could you have been thinking of this bike:

http://www.zokeisha.co.jp/motomoto/d/P-30.html

this is also a cool site, though no cb550s.

http://www.bratstyle.com/

edit:

found this pic of a cb500:

http://sohc4.us/?q=node/141

The swingarm is aftermarket and the wheels are period lesters or morris mags. They are out there but expect to give a body part if you find one.

If you want to go the high dollar route JMC will make you a swingarm to take any wheel you want, but chances are you will be shelling out a grand when all is said and done. There are other firms too than can supply you with the swingarm but the rear wheel is all you. There aren't many small bore motorcycles that have a read disc because they don't really need one.

Edited by - Geeto67 on Dec 22 2005 12:59:20 PM

 

[joe c]

i have 2 unmounted unpainted nos lester mags if anyones interested. id have to see what they are really worth.

jc

 

[aaron]

If they are the same as the set goes for the 8 valve Triumph, they're worth quite a bit.

Aaron

 

[joe c]

i dont know, and dont know how to tell.

that guy looks like he needs a little more cowbell.


jc

 

[Geeto67]

I got a fever, and the perscription is more cowbell....

Lesters are bike specific, the ones for a cb750 won't fit cb550s or cb400s, same with the triumph wheels and the HD wheels although techincally you can get anything to fit with work. You basically have to compare the measurements to the stock wheel to see what it will fit.

BTW Yamaha and Harley copied the lesters and some goldwings were outfitted with them from the factory. Real lesters have the logo cast into them, same with morris mags.

 

[Danieltech]

The brakes are not bad, but as with all things discs would be better. As far as using a HD hub the lacing pattern is different. On the other hand if the 750 hub can work won't the whole wheel work? It should be the same size right? I have no problem welding tabs onto the swingarm. I was just hoping to find a complete swingarm swap that was already set up for disc.
Daniel

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
The brakes are not bad, but as with all things discs would be better. As far as using a HD hub the lacing pattern is different. On the other hand if the 750 hub can work won't the whole wheel work? It should be the same size right? I have no problem welding tabs onto the swingarm. I was just hoping to find a complete swingarm swap that was already set up for disc.
Daniel

Even if the cb750 hub works who says the whole rim will work? The rim could be wider than your chain line can accomidate. Like I said I have heard of guys using cb750 carriers in 550 hubs to get thinner wheels in the rear (for choppers) but I have never done it. You can't jus presume that you can put a wider wheel on your bike and it will work even if the hub does work (which nobody is gauranteeing). Some of the cb550 wheels are definaly thinner than the cb750 wheels stock for stock, Don't know if the F and K use different wheels (I suspect they do). What you don;t want is get a 750 wheel, adapt it to work and then find out that the chain rubs the tire.

"I was just hoping to find a complete swingarm swap that was already set up for disc"

I have heard this probably about 20 times this year, if that is what you want do the leg work. most guys when they hear what is involved in figuring it out usually balk, but eventually someone is gonna have to step up to the plate and it might as well be you. When I figured out that fzr swingarms are almost a bolt on for kawasaki triples It actually took a lot of research and trial and error. I spent whole weekends in the motorcycle salvage yard with a dial caliper. Here is what I recommend to you: carry a dial caliper and a tape measurer with you everywhere. Surrond yourself with bikes. Take lots of measurements of your bike and carry it with you everywhere. Critical measurements are from the center of the wheel to the face of the sprocket, and the width of the swingarm pivot. I find that usually if you explain why you want to measure a complete stranger's bike they wil be pretty cool with it.

DOn;t be afraid to expirement, it's what makes the world go round.

 

[joe c]

mine say lester on them. im pretty sure, 99% they are for a jap bike.


jc

 

[UngaWunga]

quote:
mine say lester on them. im pretty sure, 99% they are for a jap bike.

They're most likely worth some $dough. I imagine that they're something wierd like 16" rear and 19" front? If so, they're probably for an early gold wing.

 

[Geeto67]

quote:

quote:
mine say lester on them. im pretty sure, 99% they are for a jap bike.

They're most likely worth some $dough. I imagine that they're something wierd like 16" rear and 19" front? If so, they're probably for an early gold wing.

Actually, 16" rear and 19" front was a real common sizing for lesters for japanese bikes, a lot of chopper builders bought them for cb750 and kz900 chops. If thay are 19 and 18 and for a kz900/h2 the kawaski triple guys will pay big bucks for them. If they are for an early goldwing/77-78 cb750F then denis kirk was wholesaling new ones on ebay for $100 a rim (I think they have only rears left). Is the rear setup for a drum or a disc? That will help figure out which they are. Are there numbers on the rim? I might be able to scare up the old lester part numbers if you can get them.

 

[mikeo]

Joe, Those Lesters are for a cb750 honda up to about 76 I think. I got them from Frank C so he should be able to tell you for sure what years they fit, but they are 750 Honda.

Mike O



Edited by - mikeo on Dec 31 2005 8:15:21 PM

 

[Geeto67]

joe if they are for a cb750 I might be interested in them. let me know if you want to sell.

 

[Camelhairy]

quote:
joe if they are for a cb750 I might be interested in them. let me know if you want to sell.

I was told they would fit the early seventies CB750. I got them from George.

FC

 

[joe c]

ike will tell you what he wants for them. ive had them for about a year, and have no use for them and the person who was supposed to get them form me didnt. its mikes call. i dont know if they are setup for a drum or disk. mike or frank would know. i'll box and ship em. mike?

me