Supporting Member knyte Posted October 27, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted October 27, 2022 Very cool. I still have my first street bike which came from a family member. An '83 Nighthawk 550C. I love EVERYthing about it except the ergonomics. It has torque for days in any gear, winds out FAST, looks fantastic, and handles reasonably well (not great, but well enough) - it just doesn't fit my frame. It needs a bit of an overhaul (I suspect the cam chain tensioner), then it goes to my g/f. 2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / VStream touring windshield / Seat Concepts: Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted October 27, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted October 27, 2022 Good trick! " put a center stand on mine as well, and there is a trick to getting that SUPER STIFF spring in place. You bend it, insert a couple of penny's, nickels. Bend it the other way, insert more coins. You keep doing that until it the spring is long enough to hook in place." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 28, 2022 Author Share Posted October 28, 2022 3 hours ago, knyte said: Very cool. I still have my first street bike which came from a family member. An '83 Nighthawk 550C. I love EVERYthing about it except the ergonomics. It has torque for days in any gear, winds out FAST, looks fantastic, and handles reasonably well (not great, but well enough) - it just doesn't fit my frame. It needs a bit of an overhaul (I suspect the cam chain tensioner), then it goes to my g/f. Don't want to be the bearer of bad news but the CCT isn't available anymore. One of the reasons I don't have an 83-85 650 here. Very limited parts availability. You "might" be able to reset it and quiet it down. Push the adjustment tighter, the spring is too weak to do it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member knyte Posted October 28, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted October 28, 2022 Rats. Not surprised. Good to know, thanks for that. 2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / VStream touring windshield / Seat Concepts: Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted October 28, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted October 28, 2022 Maybe APE makes one for it Mechanical not automatic set and forget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 29, 2022 Author Share Posted October 29, 2022 4 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said: Maybe APE makes one for it Mechanical not automatic set and forget I don't think so. This chain runs in the middle of the engine, between #2 and #3. The CCT is inside, accessed under the valve cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Wolf Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 On 10/27/2022 at 3:22 PM, knyte said: An '83 Nighthawk 550C. (I suspect the cam chain tensioner) There is a very good condition used one on Ebay right now for $65 (search "1983 honda nighthawk 550 cb550sc tension") That search also finds someone selling new springs for that cam chain tensioner for $33. Personally I have had great luck with vintage parts on Ebay if reputable seller history. 1 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple (sold). Too many bikes to list, FJ-09 is next on my list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted October 29, 2022 Author Share Posted October 29, 2022 Cool, good there are still options. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member knyte Posted October 29, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted October 29, 2022 Ordered!! @Lone Wolf I've been searching off and on here and there over the last two or three years for the right parts. Once again, this forum comes through. Can't thank you enough for the tips...stoked to get it going again! @peteinpa I hope you enjoy your 750 as much as I've enjoyed the 550. Nighthawks have good character. 2 1 2015 FJ-09 / FJR touring bags / oil plug mod / Evotech rad guard / SW Motech bash plate / VStream touring windshield / Seat Concepts: Sport Touring / Vcyclenut ABS rings (speedo correction) / Cosmo RAM mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted October 29, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted October 29, 2022 Character? It's a poor RUBE bike. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted November 2, 2022 Author Share Posted November 2, 2022 So after a long ride today my opinion has changed...I like it! I got the centerstand mounted, more carb. cleaner and E0 gas in tank. Keeps running better and better the more I ride it. It really has more than enough power for anything you need to do with it. Runs great all the way to rev. limiter. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draco_1967 Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 My first bike was an '82 CB650SC...the red-headed stepchild nighthawk, but it sounded so good with that 4-4 exhaust! It started needing a lot maintenance, and parts were scarce, so I upgraded to an '03 Nighthawk 750. I loved that bike, but as usual, I started lusting after other bikes...I wish I still had it. The Targa fairing looked great on it! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteinpa Posted November 3, 2022 Author Share Posted November 3, 2022 We keep having these awesome nice days, I'm riding! Missed the peak colors. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrustyKush Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 On 10/29/2022 at 10:45 AM, 2and3cylinders said: Character? It's a poor RUBE bike. 😉 I gotta agree. It was what the mags of the day called a “parts bin special” because it was a cheap rehash of an earlier more capable bike. It was a mere cash grab. Honda made a big deal in advertising for this 92 Nighthawk which sold new for $3999. Apparently somebody there thought there was a big demand for this kind of cheapie. It was a pretty good bike to commute on. It was so cheap it was practically disposable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Wolf Posted November 4, 2022 Share Posted November 4, 2022 1 hour ago, KrustyKush said: It was so cheap it was practically disposable. Nope. These older Universal Japanese Motorcycles were indestructible, before the days when they tried to lighten everything. I still have that model Nighthawk (they made it from 1991 to 2003) and I will agree that it is "boring" compared to my other bikes. That is the other thing the magazines referred to it as, boring. The interceptors and liter bikes of the day were not boring, I owned them as well. In the 1970's I had a Kawi Z1 and Honda 750. The bike that the magazines referred to as a parts bin special could also be looked at as a continuation of what was a good engine, etc. Not the fastest, but part of that is hydraulic valve adjusters that you never need to touch. Those bikes are bombproof and can go 100's of thousands of miles without pulling a valve cover. The Yamaha MT-09 (and MT-07) were introduced at an intoxicating low price to get sales, start excitement. Just because something was introduced at a low price does not mean it is a POS although it may have crappy suspension, etc. The Nighthawk did not stay at $3,999 price and with inflation you could compare that to the price the MT-09 was initially offered for. 1 1980 Yamaha 850 Triple (sold). Too many bikes to list, FJ-09 is next on my list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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