Topic: Will 1974 CB550 transmission fit 1973 CB500

[web]

Europe ended up with 500 top ends on 550 bottom ends from the factory,had to use up all the 500 barrels?

Nah that one linked up here is a homebrew one-off. They even wiped out the casing number partially, to "hide" the fact that it doesn't belong on the bike.
Someone probably did indeed break the 500 transmission on this bike, and proceeded to put his good 500 barrels on a 550 box.

Europe had the CB500 and CB550 sold beside each other for a while, with different transmissions. The 550 was not an outright successor like in the US.

So you could say they had to use up the 500 barrels as well as the transmissions :-) But apparently chose to do that in Europe only.

The CB500 continued to be sold (with small updates) until about 1977. Problematic or not - that I don't know, but last I heard, Deltariders' example was still working

Beside the red bike I also own a late model 500 transmission (i.e. one of the years where it was already discontinued in the US), but I have yet to find out if it still works.

[bryanj]

Main reason the 550 bottom end was reworked by Honda was because of the primary chain wearing into the oil gallery on the 500, which didnt show up for qhite a while. The K3 500 was because of a very big insurance cost jump for riders if bike was over 500cc.

As to werher us brits are nutters or not why did Yamaha have to do 3 exhaust mods on the 250/350 lc when it came here? Was OK in rest of world just us lot thrashed them so mercilessly they woyldnt stop leaking at the barrel.

Never mind Seasons Condiments to all and remeber when drinking at patries lean on the wall-----it hurts less when you slide down as against fall over!!!

[PeWe]

Plenty of knowledge here!

Every time I read about CB500/550 I get the thoughts that CB750 engine is much easier to work on. From totally taken apart to fully restored/ modified.

[Deltarider]

Web has been with us for only one and a half month and already now is the champion finding oddities.
Bryanj, the bike in your avatar, what color is it? The one Web owns, looks very close.
Pewe, you're the 750 guy. I know the CB750K3, K4 and K5 were not imported in The Netherlands. Was this the same for all of Europe?

[bryanj]

My bike is/was brown
UK 750 went from K2 direct to K6 i think along with F1 and 2 but no 3

[PeWe]

K3, K4, K5, K8 and F3 did not go this way.
K2 to 1975 still with K2 style gauges and rhino horn, then K6 followed by K7 1978.
K1 blinkers, rear fender and rear light was the style on all K2 and K6.
All K2 got the small bar on left side only to get bike on center stand.
K6 got the larger version all around rear part of the seat fastened into the upper shock bolts, handy for passenger to grab.

Details important to know before ordering parts from CMSNL that has charts for EU bikes, still US equipped.

[web]

I've always had a thing for oddballs. Just look at the people I hang out with