Topic: Would I be wrong...? First response arrived, favorably!

[PeWe]

I'll see if I can use my old NOS K0 boots.
The rubber look different, matte black surface and a little bit harder (as the K2-K6 looked like back in the days) but still fresh when stored in plastic bag all years. Bought them 1987-88 for my K6 but got wrong.
They are shorter on the head spigot side.

It would be nice if the old versions can be reproduced.
My vote for that!

Per,can you find any old,hard original Honda rubber manifolds?
I've successfully used the Wintergreen mix to soften used,original rock-hard old rubber intake boots in the past.They have stayed soft for a while and would start to harden again although more heated Wintergreen oil treatments do work.

I have my old hard ones I removed when I started to take engine apart 2010.
Wintergreen is probably not available here.
Is it another name for it?

I purchased a 4 oz. bottle of pure Wintergreen Oil online about a year ago;you can mix it with different stuff 50/50 and heat it.The brand I purchased online is called 'Grandma's Home' and it was less than $25 shipped.

Thanks
I'll try to get some.

[HondaMan]

The same vendor marks appeared (TEC, Hitachi, TOYO, RK, etc.) in all the bikes, but the parts were always non-interchangeable unless the design was purely by chance the same dimensions, like sprockets, fork tubes and shocks, or chains.

Yup.  Had a Cb550F starter that had the bearings wear out, grounding the armature.  I went through the local MC shop's "junk parts" pile, and found a starter that was similar.  Same vendor brand, but out of a Kawi, if I recall correctly.  Looked similar, but enough different that it would not mount directly in the 550.  However, when I took it apart, it had the exact same bearings, like new.  So, I swapped them, and that original starter still works to this day in the 550.  I love it when I can repair something, and no one but me can tell it was repaired or original.

Cheers,

I also used Kawi shims to rebuild a CBX engine when Honda was temporarily out-of-stock of their vavle cup shims. Same shims. It's like that: the designers are less likely to be 'stolen' from one company to another in Japan than they are here, but to my eyes, it looks like they all party together on the weekends?

[JBMorse]

Is it true that Suzuki still provide tons of parts for their 70s bikes? Don’t remember where I heard that but if true, surely Honda can see the value in supplying parts!

I will gladly pay the higher price for the real deal. My last set of TEC points cost around $25 per side but, as you all know, the cheap ones just plain don’t work!

[PeWe]

When working  points are not available, electronic ignition is one working solution.
Some other parts have also got improved alternatives as chain tensioners for CB750.

So these bikes can run for many years more as long as the green maniacs do not forbid combustion engines and fuel.

[MauiK3]

For ignition, I always wonder which one of the electronic ones is durable.

[grcamna2]

For ignition, I always wonder which one of the electronic ones is durable.

That HondaMan box with halfway decent ignition points,imo.

[robvangulik]

Google for "Accent electronic ignition.."

[Greyhound]

Just keeping this alive… Count me in!

What can we do to help?

[HondaMan]

I haven't received any answer (or acknowledgement) from American Honda yet, outside of their server computer's ACK "we got your message" response.
I might try typing (! - printing...) a letter out next, if I can figure out the person to send it to, and not some lackey.

[bek1966]

Count me in too x 4 (750/550/500/350).  All that will benefit from more genuine Honda parts available.

[Greyhound]

Should I make a Sign-Up sheet? This was everyone in support of this can be organized in one list?

Mark, I can add you as an owner, so you have it handy for when the time comes?

Maybe just first name, forum name and email address?

[Oz350Four]

I'm in... CB350F and CB400F...

[HondaMan]

Should I make a Sign-Up sheet? This was everyone in support of this can be organized in one list?

Mark, I can add you as an owner, so you have it handy for when the time comes?

Maybe just first name, forum name and email address?

This might be really handy if it can be set up so that the American Honda or Japan Honda PR person(s) and marketers could take a look at it. Could it contain a website ID, such as [forum name @ SOHC4.com/.net]? This way the reader could simply review how many of "us" are out here, looking for their participation. I'd reference it in [first] my genuine snail-mail inquiries, as many businesses consider e-mail  to be too "cheap & easy" and don't put a lot of stock in it. But, if they could get an idea of just the size of these 2 forums alone, that could make a significant difference. That was the hardest part of it in the 2006-ish contacts I/we made back then, trying to make them aware of how many of 'us' were out here. Back then this forum was maybe 15% (max) of its current size, and we grew a bunch in the last 3 years!

[Greyhound]

Ok, here is the sign-up sheet...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMgfTftM5XD-zd-fEUZJpMZLpBUZET91Q5Tgl5MolOCn7Kgg/viewform



It includes only forum name, first name and email... Let me know if I should add/delete any of the criteria.

[HondaMan]

Many thanks, Greyhound: I will forward a link or copy of this list of members at the appropriate time!
Here is a copy of the text of my intro letter to Honda Powersports:

Hello, my Name is Mark Paris, owner of SHOP4Shop.com.
By popular request, I represent thousands of Honda owners of the famous SOHC4 series of Hondas, specifically the CB750K, CB750F, CB500K, CB550F, CB550K, CB40F, CB350F and CB250F four-cylinder, single overhead cam motorcycles, worldwide. Many of us are members of the worldwide internet forums known as SOHC4.net (UK and Europe) and SOHC4.com (USA, AUS, NZ, et al), among other similar Honda SOHC4 Rider Groups.

Sochiro Honda was a most excellent engineer and astute businessman who also, unlike his contemporaries, respected his customer base. For that reason, his company generated a loyalty toward Honda that unlike any other Japanese label. In return, Mr. Honda honored us by vowing publicly that Honda Motors Company would always supply the critical parts for all of his motorcycles, and was often quoted for this statement.

Today we respectfully request that Honda Motor Company also honor this statement, as we have many thousands of his motorcycles still running and in use, worldwide. The aftermarket (i.e., non-Honda) parts being made for these motorcycles are garbage and are causing many of these fine machines to become parked or unsafe to ride, even after full restorations, because of their poor quality. We can provide a list of these critical parts: it is not a great, long list, but these are critical parts that make these motorcycles safe as opposed to the results when the aftermarket parts are used in their place. Honda was supplying these parts as late as 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic seems to have caused their lack of availability.

Please respond with your thoughtful reply to this issue. There are many thousands of us awaiting the reappearance of these parts, and the news of them will be spread quickly via our forums when they arrive. Contact me any time with questions, or to request the 'short' list of these critical parts we desire.

Thank you for your kind considerations.

[grcamna2]

Thank you Mark.

[goodtryer]

That is great!

[PeWe]

Look good Mark!
A minor detail.....
One more 0 for the CB40F
You might have seen it in the letter you intend to send to the gods (creators) of our bikes.

[69cb750]

The aftermarket (i.e., non-Honda) parts being made for these motorcycles are garbage and are causing many of these fine machines to become parked or unsafe to ride, even after full restorations, because of their poor quality.

....
During a recent board meeting .... some guys want us to make parts for a fifty year old motorcycle ....  What should we do ...

[bek1966]

All signed up.  Thanks HondaMan & Greyhound!

Brad

[Stev-o]

Ok, here is the sign-up sheet...

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMgfTftM5XD-zd-fEUZJpMZLpBUZET91Q5Tgl5MolOCn7Kgg/viewform



It includes only forum name, first name and email... Let me know if I should add/delete any of the criteria.

Signed up.. Thanks

[ofreen]

Me too, thanks

[HondaMan]

Look good Mark!
A minor detail.....
One more 0 for the CB40F
You might have seen it in the letter you intend to send to the gods (creators) of our bikes.

Uh-oh!
Maybe that was a racing bike...there was once a 2-cylinder 50cc and a 4-cylinder 125cc GP racer. The 50cc did well, the 125 not so much (too heavy, they said). The competition made a 50cc 3-cylinder once, too.

[HondaMan]

We have a first response, and it seems favorable! I'll send my [preliminary] list to her next.

Response:
Thank you for contacting American Honda Powersports Customer Relations. We have noted the information you have submitted thus far. Please feel free to reply with any further information so that your suggestions can be accurately documented for internal purposes. You may reference case # 12404816

Sincerely,
AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Amanda
Powersports Customer Relations

[Bodi]

In Japan, wandering around Osaka, Hamamatsu, and other cities I saw things that surprised me. There is a wild mix of industrial and residential that I have never seen in North America. A chemical supplier on an otherwise residential street?

I found what were apparently family run "factories" the size of a two car garage or so producing motorcycle clutch or brake cables with relatively simple tools and solder pots. Lacing wheels. Making wiring harnesses. Larger shops with a couple of injection molding machines making various very identifiable bike parts. My local friend (I do not speak Japanese) asked at one place and they said they were making parts for new motorcycles.

So not every part comes from a huge factory. Obviously, castings come from a foundry... abut I did see one small foundry making small sand cast aluminum somethings in a mixed neighborhood, fumes pouring out of the furnaces and pour line. I did not see anything like an engine casting plant, those would be in a manufacturers factory somewhere I assume.

There was one place assembling carbs for small engines but the kind I've seen on small utility engines, not bikes.

This was summer, so they were working very visibly if not out in the open.

Hopefully some of the parts we would like to have still have the specs and any special tooling still available. I think there are plenty of small shop entrepreneurs there who will make anything they can.