HONDA CB550 CAFE RACER

This Honda CB550 café racer is the culmination of Shannon’s vision, brought to life at Purpose Built Moto. Stripped to essentials with a sleek, classic café racer profile, the build features performance upgrades and refined aesthetics designed to balance form and function. The result is a vintage-inspired machine tailored for both spirited rides and daily cruising.

Check out the parts we used below!

The Honda CB550 is a vintage four-cylinder road bike known for its smooth engine and simple design. While it's reliable and a solid performer for its era, the CB550 in stock form can feel underpowered and lacks the handling precision of more modern bikes.

For this build, Purpose Built Moto gave the CB550 a complete café racer overhaul. The front and rear suspension were upgraded to improve handling, making it more agile in corners. A café racer seat and clip-on handlebars transformed the riding posture for a sportier feel. We installed a Flashpoint Classic LED Headlight and Mini Orbit Tail Light to update the lighting with a modern, minimalist look. The exhaust system was swapped for a custom stainless system, adding both improved flow and a sharper sound.

The result is a classic café racer that’s light, responsive, and ready to handle twisty roads.

READ THE BUILD BLOG
PURPOSE BUILT
VS
OEM
  • Modern LED HEADLIGHT
  • Full BLACKBOX Rewire
  • 3 in 1 Indicators / Tail Lights
  • Lever Pivot Mirrors
  • Ultra Bright Front Indicators
  • Modern Digital Dash

Build Video

Witness the build process from concept to completion. See how this dream bike was handcrafted in our shop.