Topic: CB500/4 gasket seal kit advice needed.

[ziokahn]

G'day forum members

Your advice is required on gasket/seal kits. Recommendations and brands to avoid. The prices do vary considerably.
These are several brands I've come across.
Athena, Vesrah, NE brand

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[DavePhipps]

There have been quite a few negative experiences with NE. I'm not sure about Athena. Vesrah has been good to most. There is also the cycle exchange gasket kits but i don't have any first hand experience there.

[Mo]

There have been quite a few negative experiences with NE. I'm not sure about Athena. Vesrah has been good to most. There is also the cycle exchange gasket kits but i don't have any first hand experience there.

My NE kit has been a nightmare. Oil pan gasket had to be replaced with an OEM after a few miles. Head gasket leaks like crazy, o-rings were undersized (thickness, not dia.).  I wish you could just buy an OEM gasket kit. On the whole, any brand kit would be okay for non-critical seals. For head gasket, I'd go OEM if I could do it over.

[jamesbekman]

Id go Honda OEM...

[DavePhipps]

Id go Honda OEM...

Best. Buy as much OEM as possible. Pricier but I've never heard a complaint about them.

[ziokahn]

Thanks gents for the advice. Much appreciated.

Follow my CB500/4 conversion from race to road in the project shop.

Again thankyou. Cheers

[DavePhipps]

hmmm. we are on opposite side of the world doing the complete opposite procedures to the same bake. I'm planning my 500 race build right now.

[mrbreeze]

Yeah it would be cool for you 2 to maybe swap some parts but the shipping really puts a damper on it. +2 on the oem head gasket. I haven't opened mine up yet and it's a 750 but I've heard oem is superior to all others and althena was a dud. Also heard good things about Cycle X.

[ziokahn]

DavePhipps will you be keeping us posted with the transformation on the project shop?.

My plan was to race the old girl originally but as the procrastination rolled on I turned into an old man and the thought of throwing myself down the road was not too appealing. No use being out there making up the numbers. Might as well give it your best crack.

Good luck with your mission.

mrbreeze
 
Thanks mate for your advice. Yes I think oem is the go.

Thanks again gents. Cheers