Topic: Just picked up a 73 cb500

[78whiteorbs]

Another orphan found its way home today...
Jumped on this for $300!

Ugly as sin with the putrid sulphur-esque paint but aside from the mac pretty stock. Pretty easy to bring back to stock form and ride.

Guy had it for 10 years - said something was wrong with the "shift linkage"??  said the clutch lever was broke and a turn signal was broken. Looks like a low side drop by the case rash and the signal and clutch lever. Said engine ran great 9 years ago....when he parked it.
I figure for 300$
Id take a chance and see what was the matter...Ive had every other Honda inline 70's fours after this 500...

Whaddu you guys think about this? He said its difficult to get it to shift out of gear but assured me that it was nothing internal  and the transmission was fine just some problem with the "shift linkage"lol. Now to my knowledge only bikes with linkages I can recall were the cb350's and not all of them either. 

I know the eariler 500's had a bad rep for transmission problems IIRCC....be great if it was something super simple!
Id ride it all summer with a smile if that was the case .

[Gene]

I dropped my original 550 in '85 or so on the left side - & then had a problem with the shifting. Buddy of mine grabbed the left bar and gave it a solid boot heel on the case - never had the problem again.

I'm not saying it'll be that simple, but one can hope.

[78whiteorbs]

More pix...

[Gene]

You got a deal. P.S. - I think he means the shift lever. But then, I'm not looking at it.

[78whiteorbs]

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[kerryb]

Last time I had trouble shifting, the clutch cable needed adjusting, check the easy stuff first.

[78whiteorbs]

Yeah I thought the shift lever as well but I asked the guy was it the actual shift lever your boot shifts and he said no.
I told em I didnt think there was much more that was external that could be binding or bent. We'll wheel it up on the operating table tomorrow and have a good look see.

[78whiteorbs]

Last time I had trouble shifting, the clutch cable needed adjusting, check the easy stuff first.

For sure!

[jcop550]

Killer deal!!


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[Stev-o]

Congrats, orbs, nice score.

The 500's have a clutch rod that was prone to breaking.  Easy fix if you can source one.
Pull the left engine cover....

[evinrude7]

not sure if this is helpful http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php?topic=3391.0

[78whiteorbs]

Congrats, orbs, nice score.

The 500's have a clutch rod that was prone to breaking.  Easy fix if you can source one.
Pull the left engine cover....

Thanks! Just snuck a peek....has a dyna!!! And a stack of receipts... Open maryland title. Some pretty neat inline four books I have never seen. Full color . This was a steal! Front brake is stuttering/throbbing/dragging shifts fine!
Original paint under the yellow was the starlight gold. Too bad wasnt enamel though.

[HondaMan]

After about 15k miles, if the owner did not lube it, the corkscrew-style clutch lifter wears a bump in it that inhibits the clutch lifter's travel. When the engine is hot, this can make the clutch drag for insufficient release. The "early" fix was to adjust the lifter for a [very] snug clutch lever with no travel when cold: when hot, there will be slack and a little more lift. Sometimes you can gently scrape away the "ridge" that was built up on the screw in the lifter, other times you just need to replace it (see DSS for new ones). Of, the little ball bearing inside the left-side lever got lost, then the adjuster is turned all the way in just to make it work at all: that fix is easier...

[78whiteorbs]

After about 15k miles, if the owner did not lube it, the corkscrew-style clutch lifter wears a bump in it that inhibits the clutch lifter's travel. When the engine is hot, this can make the clutch drag for insufficient release. The "early" fix was to adjust the lifter for a [very] snug clutch lever with no travel when cold: when hot, there will be slack and a little more lift. Sometimes you can gently scrape away the "ridge" that was built up on the screw in the lifter, other times you just need to replace it (see DSS for new ones). Of, the little ball bearing inside the left-side lever got lost, then the adjuster is turned all the way in just to make it work at all: that fix is easier...

Thanks HM- will check that out.

My first experience with this guy here...only ever ran points in anything smaller than a 750
Whats the consensus on this dyna-

[78whiteorbs]

This look normal?
Aluminum in the middle ? Never seen one that wasnt pure steel. Cleaned the brake caliper up.Piston was like new as well as bore. Frint brake is as new now...

Also found a mangled clutch cable end retainer like at some time it had been over forcefully stripped through and bent wide and pinched back shut. Gotta get a battery that actually fits tomorrow.

Was reading an article in a cb500 book that came with about switching the clutch plates with that of a cb450 to make it "slip proof" says the article. Interesting...anybody ever done this?

Reading through the old service tickets and came across this one- pretty funny

[78whiteorbs]

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[Deltarider]

That's the original rod. It was in all CB500s and in CB450s too. I don't know why mine still lives. I must have done something wrong, I guess  . Even in my 1976 CB500K2 (ED) it's the same part, so if anything had been wrong with it, Honda would have modified it. Clutchplates of a CB450 can be used. They could be in mine. In 1985 I was on vacation in South East Asia and bought a set in Singapore as they were cheaper there. I didn't ask for CB450 plates specifically, but back home found out they maybe are. maybe because the partnumber 22201-KY2-000 seemed a bit strange. Actually it has to do with the grooves. Those with straight grooves were better than the ones with slanted grooves. But I wouldn't worry about your plates; with your mileage they must still be new. I'd start with performing the right adjustment procedure as described here:
1 - Screw in the adjuster screw on the hand lever as far as possible.
2 - Screw in the case adjustment screw on the cable as far as possible (where the cable enters the side cover).
3 - Loosen the lock screw on the left side cover
4 - With a large flat blade or coin, tighten the slotted adjuster clutch as far as it will go. Then, back it off about an 1/8 of an inch
5 - Tighten the lock screw
6 - Screw out the case adjustment screw to take up slack
7 - If needed, screw out the hand lever adjuster to take up extra slack. Make sure to leave about 1/4 inch of free play in the lever
8 - Set the lock screw on the hand lever
9 - Set the lock nut on the case adjuster

Tip: When on the stand it's hard or impossible to shift, moving the rear wheel by hand a bit, can help.