The Honda Nighthawk CB550SC is a four-cylinder
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
manufactured by
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
in the United States in 1983; one other version was sold in Canada in 1984. It had a six-speed
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...
(sixth was '
overdrive
Overdrive may refer to:
Organizations
* OverDrive, Inc., a digital distributor of entertainment media
** OverDrive Media Console, a media player developed by OverDrive, Inc.
* Overdrive PC, a subsidiary of Velocity Micro
Technology
* Overdrive ...
'), shaft drive, single front
disc and rear
drum brakes
A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum.
The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...
, side and center stands, and seating for two, with a "grab bar" mounted at the rear of the passenger seat.
The 550sc was the first ''550'' Honda offered with a dual
over head cam. It actually used the same camshaft as the slightly larger CB650 nighthawk. The engine was very low maintenance with hydraulic self-adjusting valves.
The power was rated @ 75 horsepower and roughly 36 foot pounds of torque. Fuel economy was 41 MPG on average. It would cover a quarter mile in 12.67 seconds @ @102 MPH. Though there have been various claims about the horsepower in magazines the Honda specifications in their Official American Honda Service Manual rates the HP at 64 at 9500 rpm with a torque of 36.5 lb.-ft. at 8000 rpm.
CB550C
Motorcycles introduced in 1983
Standard motorcycles
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