Two bikes for 300 bucks was a deal too good to resist. Sure, only one of the motorcycles had an engine, but the other was a 1974 Honda CB550. This 544-cc four-cylinder motorbike needed serious work, but sxecafe of Do The Ton set a budget and build a parts list. During the 1950s, British bikers tuned their café racers to reach 100 mph, or “the ton” in U.K. slang. Although most modern sports motorcycles can reach triple digits in third gear, Do The Tonners are old-school tuners, but with new-school tools such as flexible hones, honing oil, and cylinder wash brushes.The Honda CB550
“It’s a great day when it finally happens, the tools arriving I mean”, explained sxecafe while describing his engine rebuild. With its air-cooled, eight-valve, SOHC transverse four, the Honda CB550 motorcycle once delivered 50 bhp at 8,500 rpm, 30.4 lbf at 7,500 rpm, and a blazing 102 mph. These power and speed specifications surely seemed a thing of the past, however, as sxecafe examined each “dirty nasty bore wall” in the 35 year-old motorcycle engine.
“It’s a great day when it finally happens, the tools arriving I mean”, explained sxecafe while describing his engine rebuild. With its air-cooled, eight-valve, SOHC transverse four, the Honda CB550 motorcycle once delivered 50 bhp at 8,500 rpm, 30.4 lbf at 7,500 rpm, and a blazing 102 mph. These power and speed specifications surely seemed a thing of the past, however, as sxecafe examined each “dirty nasty bore wall” in the 35 year-old motorcycle engine.
Hand Drills, Hones, and Hobbyists
First, he attached his Flex-Hone to a hand drill and then loaded the abrasive “dingle berries” with a high-quality honing oil. These “dingle berries”, as the abrasive globules on flexible hones are known, produce a controlled surface finish that’s free of cut, torn, or folded metal. Flex hones work better when wet, but best of all with a high-quality honing oil. Although hobbyists have used flexible hones when dry, this can result in decreased tool life and the embedding of cast-off material into the workpiece. For best results, always use a blend of oils and wetting agents such as those found in Flex-Hone Oil.
First, he attached his Flex-Hone to a hand drill and then loaded the abrasive “dingle berries” with a high-quality honing oil. These “dingle berries”, as the abrasive globules on flexible hones are known, produce a controlled surface finish that’s free of cut, torn, or folded metal. Flex hones work better when wet, but best of all with a high-quality honing oil. Although hobbyists have used flexible hones when dry, this can result in decreased tool life and the embedding of cast-off material into the workpiece. For best results, always use a blend of oils and wetting agents such as those found in Flex-Hone Oil.
Then see the job through. As a final step, sxecafe used warm water, a mild detergent, and a cylindrical wash brush to clean the cylinder walls. Made with 6-12 nylon for efficient cleaning after honing, these wash brushes are available in standard diameters ranging from 3.5” to 6.5”, but also in special diameters to 14”. By using new-school tools to restore old-school motorcycle engines, hobbyists like sxecafe may one day “do the ton” on their rebuilt rides.
Very interesting
ReplyDeletenice blog...thanks for sharing....
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