Author Topic: 1972 CB500 Four KO  (Read 821 times)

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Offline IrocRuss

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1972 CB500 Four KO
« on: April 29, 2023, 11:26:58 AM »
What is the best place or way to try to get an appraisal to price a CB500 Four to sell.  The title calls it a 1972 but based on the serial number and manufactured date of 10/71, it is a 1971 KO model.  I've been looking online for bikes for sale or sold in last year or so and not having much to compare.  I found the following link typing in "Classic motorcycle appraisal" on google and found this:

https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/search?q=1971%20Honda%20CB500%20Four%20Base&p=1&st=ymm

Latest one sold was:  https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/past-sales/1974-honda-cb500_four/TRANS%231b9681ba-b9c2-49fa-a7b9-78927e958ac3

Doesn't give any information just 1 picture. 

Any suggestions appreciated.

.


Offline bryanj

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2023, 11:49:53 AM »
The clocks, fork reflectors and seat lock tells me that is a K0 of 1971 but 10/71 makes it a late K0 so should have spade terminals in block connectors not round pin.
Here in UK, with all sidepanels, running well etc would be adout £7000 GBP but they sell cheaper in US
Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!

Offline IrocRuss

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2023, 01:25:53 PM »
Where are "block connectors", I need more info to locate them.

Offline newday777

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2023, 01:30:59 PM »
Your vin numbers are the deciding factor to model

https://dropbears.com/h/honda/cb500f.htm
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline newday777

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Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline newday777

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2023, 01:44:54 PM »
Is that your bike in the picture you attached?
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline IrocRuss

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2023, 02:21:16 PM »
Newday777, I had the Serial number table you showed, that's how I determined it was a KO, SN starts w/1xxxx.

The bike pictured is the one in question.  I restored it for a relative of my wife, just trying to help him out since he isn't that knowledgeable with motorcycles.

Offline Scootch

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2023, 03:18:05 PM »
Nice looking machine !  👍

Offline IrocRuss

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2023, 05:20:12 PM »
Just for clarification, the bike picture attached to the 1st post (not picture of sold one in Hagerty.com) is the bike I'm trying to get appraisal.  I did notice that that picture was as I received it.  There isn't much difference aesthetically from before and after restoration because most of the work done was mechanically rebuilding stuff, electrical and replacing anything rubber.
These attachments are the most current. 

Kind of looks like it may only be worth ~$3.5-4.5k range based on the few bits of information I have.  Too bad it wasn't over in the UK, seems like it may be worth double what it is here according to bryanj.
 
I'd really like to find some more references if anyone else has some.


Offline jeff d

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2023, 07:22:39 PM »
Super nice bike!  Id’d guess $6k would be typical on Craigslist, or more on Bring A Trailer.
Longtime caretaker of Hondas but new to SOHC/4's

Offline RAFster122s

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2023, 09:29:12 PM »
What is the mileage on the bike. That will determine the price to a certain extent as well. Rarely do they reach 30k miles without requiring a rebuild of the motor. Often before if they say and were not put away well or mice wrecked the motor...
Apparently low miles of stock exhausts are still fitted and in good shape...

If 7291 is actual, then you have a very low miles example and it would fetch at least 5000-6000+ on Bring A Trailer...just don't let them talk you out of a reserve to prevent it from selling too low.
They try to pressure you into listing without a reserve.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2023, 09:32:37 PM by RAFster122s »
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline bryanj

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2023, 12:21:54 AM »
The block connectors i mean are those under the lh sidepanel on the electrical plate, very early bikes had round pins that changed to spade type. Also very early bikes had a decal on the side panel below the badge saying " Honda Motor Co. Tokyo Japan" which is only shown in an early japanese parts book i have
Semi Geriatric ex-Honda mechanic and MOT tester (UK version of annual inspection). Garage full of "projects" mostly 500/4 from pre 73 (no road tax in UK).

Remember "Its always in the last place you look" COURSE IT IS YOU STOP LOOKIN THEN!

Offline Little_Phil

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2023, 07:46:24 AM »
Looks good and genuine. When you get low mileage, probably most popular colour top price will be for the least corrosion. Bad on the fork top nuts and a bit on clutch casing. What are rims, fenders, underneath pipes etc like?

Offline IrocRuss

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2023, 08:07:48 AM »
Thanks to all.  I never heard of Bring A Trailer, but after looking at website, I found what should help the owner decide on pricing.  For those interested, here is a link of 7 CB500's sold in last 3 years, 2 in 2023.  The one that is $16k is an out layer and off the charts. The real numbers probably lay between $3.5k and $7k for this bike.  It hasn't really had any cosmetic restoration, so painted and chrome parts aren't perfect and show the 50 year+ age.  Mechanically it is a very sound bike.

https://bringatrailer.com/auctions/results/?search=honda+cb500+four

Scroll down to "Completed Auctions" where I put the CB500 Four as a filter and you will see the 7 bikes.

Offline bek1966

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2023, 07:28:02 AM »
Nice CB500 Russ!  I have one with the same color scheme and a build date of 12/71 V.I.N. 10516** that will begin the refurbishment process in October.   Setting a budget for my project is a bit challenging because of the relatively low valuation they have here in the US.  I'm sure I'll end up putting as much or more into it as I could get from selling it, but since I have no immediate plans to sell it I'm okay with that.

It's too bad, because they're really nice bikes.  Well sorted ones go for bargain prices here.

Regards,
Brad
1971 CB750 K1 - Candy Gold
1971 CB500 K0 - Star Light Gold
1974 CB350 F1 - Glory Blue Black

Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Offline IrocRuss

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #15 on: May 04, 2023, 08:09:32 AM »
Thanks Brad.  This Honda is SN 1043xxx.  FYI, I didn't charge hardly any labor, the current owner got a really good deal from relative (he didn't inherit directly from his uncle) and we decide not to go crazy with making look brand new for the exact reason you stated, cost vs final value.  Just the part cost and trying to find quality pieces is a challenge.  If you haven't already learned this or read it from other members here, the aftermarket carb parts and ignition parts from Taiwan and China a junk.  I spent relentless hours trying to chase down problems with both systems.  Problem is it's hard if not impossible to find new OEM parts.  The biggest problems I had was condensers.  I chased carb problems (there was issues there also) more than I should of because I thought it can't be a problem because it's new.  I had 2 separate condensers fail, one with less than 500 miles, the other within hours.  I bought the original condensers from 4into one on Ebay that failed after ~500 miles, they were made in Taiwan.  After reading here about issues with aftermarket condensers, I bought new ones on Ebay that said were supplied from K&L that were made in Japan.  When I got the first set, one out of the box that said made in Japan didn't fall into the capacitance standard value between 0.22~0.26 micro Farads.  So I called and got another replacement sent from K&L but this box said made in Taiwan.  I used it because it was within spec.  I was having other cylinder missing issues after that, that I attributed to the carb issues I was having before.  I spent hours removing carbs, cleaning and adjusting until I had to start from scratch to find problem.  I turned out to be the replacement condenser from Taiwan.  Needless to say I was made at myself for assuming a new part shoud be good.  But I also was mad that the Ebay suppliers auction specifically said don't compromise quality with Taiwan or Chinese parts, only buy parts from Japan.  I confronted the seller a few months later (I hadn't worked on it for quit a while after getting replacement) and he did send another one that came directly from K&L.  I told him he should either take the statement off about buying only Japanese parts or confront K&L for going with a different supplier. 
See reply in attachment.

Sorry for my ranting, it was just frustrating dealing with inferior parts.

PM me if you have any questions about my experience with this rebuild so I don't bore others with details

« Last Edit: May 04, 2023, 08:11:04 AM by IrocRuss »

Offline Shtonecb500

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #16 on: May 04, 2023, 08:33:48 AM »
I bought mine for 3k with intentions of investing 4-5k total - I'm now at 7k due to having to rebuild the motor. I rather just finish making it nice and keep it at this point.
73/74'' CB500/550 resto-mod - sold
75' 750f 91' cbr f2 swap cafe - mock up
74' 750 chopper hardtail - complete - sold
74' CB750/836kit - Black mix & match - daily rider - always tweaking
71' cb500 K0 survivor - complete
71' K1 - CANDY GOLD/BROWN Winton kit - in process

Offline Stev-o

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Re: 1972 CB500 Four KO
« Reply #17 on: May 04, 2023, 12:20:15 PM »
Thanks to all.  I never heard of Bring A Trailer, but after looking at website, I found what should help the owner decide on pricing.  For those interested, here is a link of 7 CB500's sold in last 3 years, 2 in 2023.  The one that is $16k is an out layer and off the charts. The real numbers probably lay between $3.5k and $7k for this bike.  It hasn't really had any cosmetic restoration, so painted and chrome parts aren't perfect and show the 50 year+ age.  Mechanically it is a very sound bike.


I follow BaT for Honda bikes and classic cars, some of the sold prices just do not make financial sense, seems like they are won by someone with more money than brains!  [and/or two guys caught in a bidding war]

Collectors love original bikes and can be sometimes be valued higher that a "restored bike", especially if not done with high quality parts and workmanship [they are only original once!]

Bottom line is the bike is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it regardless of what you have into the restoration.  Sounds like you did it right and did not over invest.  I'd start a little high when pricing it [$5K?] as you will no doubt get low ball offers and can always come down on the price when negotiating.

GLWS
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........