successfully sold don't mean it wasn't promblematic?,Europe ended up with 500 top ends on 550 bottom ends from the factory,had to use up all the 500 barrels?or was it a road tax thing?either way the 500 transmission wasn't around.
Believe me, the combo 500/550 that Web has acquired, is a rarity. We're not talking the much later K3 models. That's a different story.
All I can contribute to a somewhat balanced overview, is that overhere the CB500 gearbox had a good reputation and was much praised for its smoothness. Personally I have never met or heard of one that had a problem. In both the socalled riders reports* that are in my archives,
not one complaint has been filed that concerns the transmission, nor in any of the other articles in French, British, German, Italian and Dutch magazines that are in my collection. Mine has worked for 135.000 kms** flawlessly and still does. Clutch likewise. I can't rule out there have been problems with some early models over where you are.
What always strikes me, is that, in spite of the tens of thousands that have been sold
ever since (here up to early 1977!), some will still continue to say: stay away from a CB500 transmission. Why? What knowledge do they have? It demonstrates how the internet works. Just repeat what you think is
safe to repeat and you will
at least be rewarded with 15 minutes of Andy Warhols fame in the world wide web. But misleading it
is, as it is based on hearsay and
always comes unquantified. If the issues the early model possibly had, had
not been addressed by Honda, the company would not have survived. Having said that, this does not apply to you: you and Bryanj are always to the point and demonstrate first hand knowledge.
* The last one compiled of the experiences by 39 riders over a total of 2.338.462 kms, which equals 6 times around the world!
** In my archives there's also an article about a guy that at the time of the article had done 225.000 kms with just regular maintenance and still used his CB500 as a daily ride.
