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Hi all. Been lurking here for the last few months and didn't join until it was a done deal. well, it's a done deal. I now possess a '79 550E that has been sleeping in a garage for the last 25 years. After the owners first child came, he stored it inside and over the years it got buried under lots of stuff. I finally convinced him to give it a new home and life. He agreed. Cost: $0.
The machine is very much a rat but with only 17K on the clock. Been down at least once (thanks, case-savers). Paint is nasty, dented tank (solid, rust-free) and few other knucklehead repairs/modifications, but overall solid mechanically. I bought a battery, drained the 25 year-old (gas, heh) from the tank, pulled the VMs (never been opened), cleaned them, put them back together, then back on the bike. Changed oil and lit her up. Yippy! what a sound. Convinced the engine is solid, I can continue getting it on the road. Forks, brakes, etc. Charging system seems to be working. This machine is not a prime candidate for resto, so I will be building a Post-Zombie-Apocalypse Scrambler. It will be a rat, but a good running one.
My first street ride was a '80 550E that I sold in 2003 so I could get the Concours that I still have. Been looking for an air-cooled machine and this one fits the bill. If anyone here bought an electric-blue with silver frame 550E a few years ago from a dealer in Sussex County NJ, That was my machine.
For some reason, I held onto the repair manual and Yoshimura race header that I had used with that bike. Now I have something to put the pipe on.
Thanks to all have contributed to this site. The information I found has helped me evaluate some problems that would have had me scratching my head in frustration.
I'll be picking up my carb kits and will go through the carbs properly this weekend.
The machine is very much a rat but with only 17K on the clock. Been down at least once (thanks, case-savers). Paint is nasty, dented tank (solid, rust-free) and few other knucklehead repairs/modifications, but overall solid mechanically. I bought a battery, drained the 25 year-old (gas, heh) from the tank, pulled the VMs (never been opened), cleaned them, put them back together, then back on the bike. Changed oil and lit her up. Yippy! what a sound. Convinced the engine is solid, I can continue getting it on the road. Forks, brakes, etc. Charging system seems to be working. This machine is not a prime candidate for resto, so I will be building a Post-Zombie-Apocalypse Scrambler. It will be a rat, but a good running one.
My first street ride was a '80 550E that I sold in 2003 so I could get the Concours that I still have. Been looking for an air-cooled machine and this one fits the bill. If anyone here bought an electric-blue with silver frame 550E a few years ago from a dealer in Sussex County NJ, That was my machine.
For some reason, I held onto the repair manual and Yoshimura race header that I had used with that bike. Now I have something to put the pipe on.
Thanks to all have contributed to this site. The information I found has helped me evaluate some problems that would have had me scratching my head in frustration.
I'll be picking up my carb kits and will go through the carbs properly this weekend.
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