Barn find CB650

gggGary · Apr 14, 2013

Wife "found" this one.

Shows 4400 miles, near certain it's right. key was in it. Chrome isn't perfect but not too bad. It's never been down, was known to have been in this barn at least the last 8 years probably longer.
She's thinking it might be her "next" next bike if we can get title issues resolved, which might not be easy.
Will check to see if the engine is free next.

Just what I needed, another project. :doh:

Johnt3 · Apr 14, 2013

Wow! That is a barn find. Hey better to have the wife involved than not....

racerdave · Apr 14, 2013

KZ's are my preference, but any 4 piper are allways cool. What about that Poo under the cover?

gggGary · Apr 14, 2013

racerdave said:
What about that (Poo)laris under the cover?

Not into sleds so didn't even ask, sorry Dave. I think that was a current ride though. Too bad there wasn't cover on the bike, less bird Poo would be nice.
No mouse nest in the aircleaner.
I recently picked up an XS with a new but wrong battery in it, it's the right one for this bike!
Looks like it it might have died from a backfire, Carbs are half off the spigots, no other evidence someone tried to remove them. So I'll keep heading towards seeing if it will crank. It couldn't be that easy could it? 3/4 tank of gas in it, no rust in the tank.

PS wife made me go get this, I was kind of yeah like we need more project bikes.

sethhazuga · Apr 14, 2013

Be careful. I have one in my shop and everything it needs you have to get from honda, and half of the stuff is discontinued. they only made that bike from 79-82 and rare doesn't always mean good.
But if your looking for a project, it looks like a good start!

racerdave · Apr 14, 2013

[/COLOR]

gggGary said:
Not into sleds so didn't even ask, sorry Dave. I think that was a current ride though. Sure, forget about the fib. Too bad there wasn't cover on the bike, less bird Poo would be nice.
No mouse nest in the aircleaner.
I recently picked up an XS with a new but wrong battery in it, it's the right one for this bike!
Looks like it it might have died from a backfire, Carbs are half off the spigots, no other evidence someone tried to remove them. So I'll keep heading towards seeing if it will crank. It couldn't be that easy could it? 3/4 tank of gas in it, no rust in the tank.

PS wife made me go get this, Happy wife, happy life! Or so they say! I was kind of yeah like we need more project bikes.

Pipes ccould be worth some cash if good?

i

gruff54 · Apr 14, 2013

I know someone that may be interested in the gas tank, if you decide to part it out.
Mike

gggGary · Apr 14, 2013

It's cleaning up pretty nice. With the plugs out the motor turns, if I roll it in gear. Yeah! Carbs were nearly off the spigots, plugs (Champions) are all sooty, but no oil. Sprayed some pb blaster in the plug holes. Probably pull the carbs tomorrow.

I think I need to go find a Honda 4's forum for a bit. :laugh:

srust58 · Apr 14, 2013

If you want some good info on the good and bad of that bike check out the SOHC4 forum. Some consider it the bastard stepchild of the SOHC4 CB world. My neighbor has one and I have spent some time helping him with it. The carbs on the first couple of years are easier to deal with than the later ones. I don't think the jets are removable on the later ones, they also have an accelerator pump on the #2 carb that fails (diaphragm) especially when the bike sits for long periods of time. The stator/rotor are also known weak points in the bike. These parts are available but expensive...it's a very common failure...maybe why the bike has been sitting. Other than that it's not a bad bike...I think it's a nice girls bike (no insult intended) with the low seating position and the smooth running 4 cyl.

The cam is sought after as a performance upgrade for the CB550 if it comes to that.

gggGary · Apr 14, 2013

Thanks srust58 I found a Cb650 forum and will start there. Maybe they got tired of being called the bastard child, picked up their ball and went home!
First guess here is death by sitting. Pretty common in the great white north, don't cha know? 4400 miles, it had a replacement battery and plugs but NO missing or mangled parts. How rare is that?
Yeah a lot of those Honda 4 stators are fragile. Not a scrape from riding, even the engine guards are untouched. Few minor scratches from years in the barn are about it.
This has the early non CV carbs, I saw a blog about the non removable jets on the CV carbs last night but hanks for the heads up

In her youth my wife rode round trip to Colorado on the back of her sister's 550 nighthawk, I know what you mean about a dude or dudette's bike.

srust58 · Apr 14, 2013

It looks like it should clean up nice. I found a 76 CB750F like that except for all the dust. 25 year storage 6700 miles. Nice to find real survivors in such good shape. Thank goodness for the Great White North.

TwoManyXS1Bs · Apr 15, 2013

I think you found the next BOTM category: Barn finds...

scott s · Apr 15, 2013

The CB650 forum is pretty slow, as far as activity goes.

Try this: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php#c6

What Srust58 said is all true.

In a way, they were the ultimate development of the 500/550 line. The heads are nice and flow well right from the factory. The charging system is a weak point, but fixable.
Honda moved development to the DOHC and the 650 just stalled. Throw in some questionable '80's styling on some models (not yours) and they don't get a lot of love.

I have a 650 cam in my '78 550K. I'm also swapping a complete '82 CB650 engine and carbs into my '71 CB500.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=67907.0

That's the whole build thread. The 650 engine swap is towards the end.

grepper · Apr 15, 2013

My wife had a cb650 just like that, we sold it about a year ago. I really liked that bike. Great size for her. It had some charging problems, but getting the rotor rebuilt and a new R/R cured that. I also rebuilt the starter. It did 80 mph on the freeway just fine.

Tron · Apr 15, 2013

Nice! I found one last year in a similar state..made a fun little cafe thingy out of it..

Yours looks to be a bit newer, so your carbs would be different (better)

They are quick little bikes thats for sure!

coleman2347 · Jun 19, 2013

That bike is sweet

gggGary · Jun 19, 2013

I got it cleaned up real nice, running and charging great, brake overhauled, new battery.

Sold it for $550 it had no title and Wisconsin sucks for titles.

gggGary · Sep 22, 2019

After this bike was sold with no title, the PO calls and said he found the title! But no way to find the next owner. :doh:

So I had a bike with no title, now I have a title with no bike. :poo:

Resurrected this thread to show this pic. JRP1 is on the hunt. Pic is all he knows so far.

Looks like a haunted barn bike seeing light for the first time in decades.

JAX71224 · Sep 22, 2019

DREAMSICKLE!

Mailman · Sep 22, 2019

Is that a 305 dream?

Barn find CB650

If not now, When?

Still learning...

^ Gone not forgotten ^

If not now, When?

sethhazuga

^ Gone not forgotten ^

XS650 Enthusiast

If not now, When?

XS650 Member

If not now, When?

XS650 Member

BBQ Hunter

XS650 Guru

fiddle futzer

Bearded Sheep Whisperer

old jarhead

If not now, When?

If not now, When?

jax71224

Hardly a Guru

Similar threads