Topic: 1972 CB500 four restoration

[S papworth]

Hi all

I have zero experience at rebuilding any type of motorbike at all let alone riding a road bike .i have ridden dirt bikes as a kid but I wanted to start riding again I was going to get a CB750 and fix up but in Australia you cannot ride anything over a 650 I think by memory when you first get your bike licence so I looked around and picked up a CB500 four. My plan for the bike is a full strip and rebuild back to what it looked like when it came off the show room floor

This is what I am starting with

[S papworth]

So far I’ve had the bike for a week. When I got it home I gave it a good look over and gave the Kickstarter a kick and it’s free and has a little compression , checked it had some oil and whacked a battery in it , all the electrical system was working so I hit the start button and it built oil pressure and turned the light off on the dash I put a bit of fuel in the carbs, I had to do this as the lines from the tank had perished. I got it to cough and splutter a bit a few times but it wouldn’t keep running so I pulled the plugs and put a compression tester on one and four cylinders and only got 70 on one and 75 on cylinder 4
I should say this bike has sat in a shed for ten years and I am happy with a few coughs coming from the engine. The inside of the tank is in very good nick there is some very light surface rust inside it tho
The frame is straight and has no bad rust spots , the chrome is pitted and has some rust on both front and rear fenders
Over the last week I have striped the bike down labeled everything and bagged up what I could and took about 100 photos along the way bit of a funny story I had my young fella out helping me remove the engine I was removing the front engine mount bolts and I got him to remove the breather cover off the cylinder head cover , I finished the brackets and looked up and he had 3 of them out , I picked them up to inspect them and found he had snapped all 3 off in the cylinder head cover. Bugga
I plan to do this rebuild in two parts. Part one will be get the frame back to a roller and part two will be the engine rebuild
I have striped the clear coat off the wheel hubs and forks and started to polish a few bits but decided to get them Vapor blasted first
Anyway that is enough of my rambling hear are some photos of what it looks like now

[jaytee-nz]

Looks like a good basis to restore. One suggestion - when you get to the engine rebuild don't add the cylinders and head. Install the cases in the frame and then add the cylinders etc afterwards. Makes the engine installation easier and there is plenty of room to work with.
Good luck with the project.

[S papworth]

Thanks mate will do👍
Theses are the tips and tricks I’m looking for to help me with this build

[Register]

Best of luck with the build. My plan was less well formed. Purchased in a haze of alcoholic reminiscing and now nearly two years later as I finally start reassembly.

[dave500]

i like to assemble the engine fully out of the frame but leave the alternator/starter motor/oil filter housing and breather cover off to install into the frame,leaving the kicker on is a handy thing to grab aswell,install from the right side.

[S papworth]

Thanks dave
It will be awhile before I get that far I reckon but thank you for the advice
I will get home on Wednesday night from work and get to pick up the power coated frame up Thursday. I’ll reassemble the rear swing arm with bronze bushes and reinstall the triple tree with tapered roller bearings. I have got a zink plating kit and will be starting to replace all of the bolts freshly plated

Thanks
Scott