[Chipper76]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum and looking for some assistance. I'm new to motorcycles, but the classic stylings of the 70s bikes are what attracted me in the first place. I found this 1976 Honda CB 550 Four for sale for $1600. It looks decent to me, however, being a newbie I'm sure there are things I'm missing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ancientdad]

Your pictures are small and won't zoom, so it would be difficult to give you anything more than a general opinion (except for what looks like original paint). I'm not a café fan, so my opinion would reflect the lack of fenders, the bars, the seat and the potential for changes that you might not like later on (if irreversible). Bigger, zoomable pictures would help us look for things that could be trouble

 

[mike in idaho]

Current NADA retail values for a cb550, in good condition, in the neighborhood of $1350. I'm not a fan of this current "café" thing, the fact that the PO tossed the original fenders, seat and exhaust system would be a deal breaker for Me.

 

[dtsmjr8dan]

It could be brought back to a rideable machine if you can locate all the missing parts.
Of course, I'm not a fan of just stripping a bike and calling it a cafe.

 

[Lefty]

I'd give him $750

 

[phil71]

it's definitely suited for a cafe, not sure about the racing part.

 

[longdistancerider]

Important things you're looking for:
Title: is there one in current owners name and is it a clean title, not a salvage or rebuild, no liens, current tabs, etc.
Compression: is it at spec or close to it, sorry I don't know what spec is. Checked by removing all the plugs, each cylinder tested by cranking until the gauge stops rising with the throttle wide open. This will also test the starter and battery because of the prolonged usage.
General check: any rounded off nuts/bolts, missing nuts/bolts, sheared off etc. Does it roll freely in neutral. Once started are there any rhythmic clunks/knocks heard or felt in the engine.

 

[Oldgeezer]

What is mileage? 40K miles worth much less than 10K original miles.