Photo: Heartbreak Cycleworks
Is this Anna a girl? Yes and no. Anna is the name of a very important girl in the live of Neall Dollhopf, co-owner of Heartbreak Cycleworks, a Michigan-based bike workshop. But Anna is also the name of one of Heartbreak's creations, a modified Honda CB550.
The CB550 was Neall's first "big bike" and it found a special place in his heart, just like his former girlfriend Anna. And as the human Anna grew and changed, the old CB550 followed the same path.
So Neall first thought of replacing the 550 engine with the one from a 650, as it was direct swap. The engine fitted like a charm, but the wiring and electronics did not, so Neall realized there was more to this bike than simply bolting in a new power unit.
And this is where all the fun begun: Nell went on and made a custom tail for the bike, which was to accommodate the custom in-house seat. He also wanted a drum brake in the front, and sourced a wheel from an old Honda CL450, while the tank came from one of Heartbreak's earlier build.
The '78 tank, silencers and some other parts were cleaned of all paint, chemically etched and then stained to a darker look, with the new attire sealed in. Velocity stacks came in place and now Anna is a different piece of machinery, as it is significantly lighter than the stock bike, and has 20 extra HP.
This may be an old bike telling an old story, but Neall says it's really great for chasing hard bigger, newer and faster bikes. Some things live forever, or so it seems in Pothole Lane, Michigan. Via Return of the Cafe-Racers.
So Neall first thought of replacing the 550 engine with the one from a 650, as it was direct swap. The engine fitted like a charm, but the wiring and electronics did not, so Neall realized there was more to this bike than simply bolting in a new power unit.
And this is where all the fun begun: Nell went on and made a custom tail for the bike, which was to accommodate the custom in-house seat. He also wanted a drum brake in the front, and sourced a wheel from an old Honda CL450, while the tank came from one of Heartbreak's earlier build.
The '78 tank, silencers and some other parts were cleaned of all paint, chemically etched and then stained to a darker look, with the new attire sealed in. Velocity stacks came in place and now Anna is a different piece of machinery, as it is significantly lighter than the stock bike, and has 20 extra HP.
This may be an old bike telling an old story, but Neall says it's really great for chasing hard bigger, newer and faster bikes. Some things live forever, or so it seems in Pothole Lane, Michigan. Via Return of the Cafe-Racers.
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