Topic: Detective Work for my CB500 K1 from Fort Collins

[Honda Alan_UK]

Hi all,

Last October I bought a Honda CB500 K1 1972 in the UK that had been imported from America. The dealer couldn't tell me anything about the bikes previous life in the US (they import loads of machines/parts monthly) but they did supply me with the title.

It came from Fort Collins, Colorado, and was sold about August/September 2015 (exported Sept. 14th).

Does anyone have any suggestions where I might be able to find more details about the bike? Or perhaps someone on here knows about it?

I've attached a picture of the bike when I purchased it. Mainly original apart from the major difference being a 4-1 Kerker exhaust. Oh, and wrong fork ears for the year.

Any help or advice very much appreciated. Alan

[Mantree]

Unfortunately there are alot of old CBs here in Fort collins so tracking down any particular history on the bike will be difficult but by the looks of the pipes I would say student at the University owned it

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[Honda Alan_UK]

I can supply all the details from the title of course if it helps.

Interesting that it might be a student bike, apart from a couple of small quirks it's mainly original and started first push of the button. Also, the only way to describe this would be, it was sprayed with WD40 and then ridden through the desert! The dirt that came off it was tremendous!

[Mantree]

Well I can tell you there is a very good chance that the maintenance performed on it was done by a guy named Ray who used to be the only mechanic in town who would touch old honda bikes but has retired.  As for riding through the desert we are considered a high mountain desert here and the salt on the road eats just about any vehical almost any vehicle over 20 years old has rust in the wheel wells from the crap they spray to melt the snow and it sticks around for a month or 2 in to spring so even bikes get it.  My guess on student is based on the old 4into1 with a new pipe on it alot of students don't spring for new header when they operate the exhaust.  We also have two schools in Fort Collins so large persentage of the population are students

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[Mantree]

There's a few members here from Fort Collins. In fact, I believe Mark Parris is from near there, but I may be off a bit. You might search the Project section of the Forum, or even the Bikes for Sale section to see if it turns up.

I doubt a "student" owned it if it wasn't hacked up and converted to pods. 

Any more the hipsters are going for stock.  If my bike hadn't been modified as heavily as it was befor I got it I would have done a bolt on set of forward controls and some wireing upgrades and left it relitivly stock but my uncle chopped it in the 80s so that option was long gone

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[faux fiddy]

rxman griffin is in CO.  Maybe pm him to see if he can find any local info.

I would try to find a tag number, then you might get information on PO's through public records.

[Honda Alan_UK]

What's a tag number? I've not heard of that before.

Alan

[faux fiddy]

Tag- Metal License plate- state system id of the bike having taxes paid on it, annually in most states.

[Honda Alan_UK]

Is the tag number located on the title somewhere?

Alan

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

rxman griffin is in CO.  Maybe pm him to see if he can find any local info.

I would try to find a tag number, then you might get information on PO's through public records.

I don't know. Check in with members Ichiban 4, Gordon, CB650, Heffay. See if they know anything.