Topic: CB500K1 Cafe to Stock (well more or less!)

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Beautiful bike.

[AndyH]

After returning the carbs to the bike and performing a vacuum sync (carbs were very close with the bench sync) this project is now essentially complete!    The bike runs well at all throttle settings and returns to the same 1000rpm idle spot.  At some stage I may contemplate a 4 into 4 exhaust but for the time being I'm happy! 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Way to go.  The bike is a looker.

[AndyH]

Thanks Don!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Congratulations, Andy.  Your bike has been nominated for Bike of the Month February 2018.  To be eligible for voting, please go to the nomination thread and post that you "accept" the nomination.  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,169960.0.html

[AndyH]

Wow, awesome!  Just to be nominated is a real thrill, thanks Don!

The bike has now become an almost daily rider....I can't sit and look at it in the shed, it has to come out and breathe some air!!


I was considering moving it on to buy another SOHC but I've kinda fallen in love with the thing!  So it stays, and I'll continue to enjoy the sweet little bike!   

[trigger]

Looks great Andy, not sure what the 500 in OZ is down as in the parts book. Maybe DR,CMSNL, DSS have to check on Honda 4 fun site

[AndyH]

Looks great Andy, not sure what the 500 in OZ is down as in the parts book. Maybe DR,CMSNL, DSS have to check on Honda 4 fun site

Have to admit I'm not 100% sure either Graham! 
I've been using this DSS parts list in combination with this General Export Model list from CMSNL.  Seems to have worked pretty well but I have a feeling that a couple of "cosmetic" things on my bike may lend themselves more to either the UK or USA.   
I reckon BryanJ and one or 2 Aussie CB500 punters might have a better idea than me! 

[trigger]

Looks great Andy, not sure what the 500 in OZ is down as in the parts book. Maybe DR,CMSNL, DSS have to check on Honda 4 fun site

Have to admit I'm not 100% sure either Graham! 
I've been using this DSS parts list in combination with this General Export Model list from CMSNL.  Seems to have worked pretty well but I have a feeling that a couple of "cosmetic" things on my bike may lend themselves more to either the UK or USA.   
I reckon BryanJ and one or 2 Aussie CB500 punters might have a better idea than me! 

It is a Honda mate, enjoy it  At least you have better weather than what we have in the UK  And I still have to wait at least 3 months to see any kind of good biking weather 

[AndyH]

Too true mate, but today was a tad too hot (38°c or ~100°f) for a ride.  We have the remnants of a tropical cyclone heading towards us in the next couple of days, so "Blue Belle" will be parked back in the shed with the cover on!! 


Weather should be good around the 18th or 19th tho', so looking forward to another ride then! 


(I'm not usually one for naming inanimate objects, but I succumbed in this instance......probably a result of one too many "sherbets" hehehe!!  )

[AndyH]

Weather has been total crap here the last few days.  A Cyclone (Hurricane) came down the west coast of WA and dumped bucket loads on us here in Perth!  Had 102mm (4") in just over 12 hours.  Shed was flooded but all dried out now.
"Blue Belle" was covered up so no problem there!
Tomorrow (Thursday) is looking good, so hopefully we can go for a ride! 


PS: Starting to seriously think of getting the 4 into 4 repro pipes now.

[trigger]

38 is a tad too hot for me, 25 to 30 is my limit.
I have always had a saying, once the engine and frame is done, every other part just bolts on. Not too hard to change the pipes. It is all the brackets, rubbers that make it a expensive job to do. Just fitted a set of repro 323's to one of my CB500K1's and she looks sweet again. Tank and panels to come back from the painters and she is finished.

[AndyH]

I love the symmetry that 4 into 4 pipes give.  To me, it looks more "natural" for these era bikes.

[Stev-o]

I was considering moving it on to buy another SOHC but I've kinda fallen in love with the thing!

Dont sell it, just buy another!


Years ago, I had a 550F, wanted a 750 so I sold it and bought the CB750.
I ended up missing the 550 so I bought another and still have both! [plus a few more]

[AndyH]

OK, I was going to start a new topic but decided to keep it in this thread.....one of the final tasks on this bike is to refurbish the wheel rims and hubs as they're somewhat grotty! 
I've removed the rear wheel and de-spoked same in the hope of resurrecting the rim but it's pretty badly pitted and there's lots of rust on the inside.  I tried cleaning it up but it still looks crap!
I did some initial research into replacement rims and while doing so, checked the tyre that I took off the rim....it's a 4.00-18 Dunlop K81 TT100.  The tyre itself is in very good condition but is not standard size for a 500. I then checked the front tyre and it's a K81 TT100 but 100/90-19!  According to the general specs for a 500K1 the tyres should be 3.25 and 3.5 respectively F and R.

Back to the rim search and I've found that Motorcycle Yamiya sell a D.I.D rim kit (F and R) for the 750s at a competitive price, even when adding on the exorbitant freight costs.  I'd rather buy from them than cheaper rims from Thailand.  If someone knows where I can get D.I.D rims or equivalent at less than $330 (AUD) shipped to my door then please let me know!!  (Re-chroming the current rims would cost me more than this!).
Finally, should there be any dramas in fitting the tyres that I have on 750 rims (assuming that the current rims are std 500 jobs)? 
TIA

[calj737]

Those tyres will fit the new rims just fine. The rear obviously would be ideally matched with a metric upon replacement, or the front to an imperial.

I may have a set of very good condition, if not new, rims to fit. It would certainly cost you less in shipping than $330 to your door. I’ll look carefully at them a bit later this AM and post back at you. I have no objections to shipping them to OzzieLand if you’d like them.

[AndyH]

That's very kind of you Cal, but just to be clear, the rims from Yamiya would be around $190 AUD and freight another $140 AUD, hence the $330 to my door.

[AndyH]

Thanks to Cal for his offer, but as it turned out my local mate had a spare set of almost new rims which are now in my possession.  Front & rear hubs etc. have been refurbed/polished in readiness for lacing to the rims.
The original spokes I've consigned to the back of the shed and now awaiting arrival of a new set from DSS.

[AndyH]

OK time for an update.
After receiving the replacement spokes from DSS, I proceeded to re-spoke the front wheel.  Well, to say I was disappointed in the result would be an understatement!  The inners did NOT fit properly even though they were the correct spokes.  It seems the head (rim) end was not bent enough or long enough.  Basically it was impossible to fit the spokes without severely bending them.


The rear spokes were also not sitting to my satisfaction so I cleaned up the originals and had them cad-plated.
I've now re-spoked and trued the rear wheel without drama.  Lateral runout no greater than 0.01" and radial runout similar.   


Had a bit of fun re-fitting the tyre/tube (brute force, ignorance, lots of soapy water and a few expetives! ) but now it's almost ready to put back on the bike.


The front spokes will be cad-plated this week then I can attack the re-spoking/truing.


The cad-plated spokes look quite good!  Will post a pic later.