Topic: ANOTHER CB500 Four!

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Yikes, what is wrong with me! I found this 500/4 within a half-hour of my house and couldn't say No - I'm sure you know how it is...$250 later it was at my house - and I already have TWO!!     

It actually came with a 1977 Suzuki GS400 parts bike, but after seeing it in person, that bike was so gone, I pillaged off of that what I could and paid the man - I snagged a decent set of GS400 gauges, a set of 'kind of' crusty carbs (but the diaphragms still slide up and down well), a pretty rusty plastic and metal air box, a rear tail light and left side cover. I don't have any Suzukis though, so I'll probably eventually post them up here for sale.

But what I'm curious about, after I got the 500 home and triaged it, is what year it is. The frame number is CB500 102-1188 (could be '4188' - the first 'one' is hard to read), so I think it's a '72, but as you can see in the pics, it has some interesting features...number one, I love the seat! I've never seen a King & Queen seat for a CB500 before - and it's in great shape! Kinda small though; I'm 6'1" and my knees hug the tank; the handlebars seem like they're made for someone smaller too, I have to kind of bring in my elbows to get a grip on them.

 The points look really good, which is nice, but I've never seen a steering stem "jewel" like that before. I think this is a direct Japanese import - I mean, they ALL came from Japan, but I've never seen just Japanese writing on a CB500 before...

One of the gauges is smashed - bummer - it was like that when I got it - and the sharp-eyed observer will note the headlight is shifted to the left a bit; that's because when I got it off the truck I tried to put the center stand down, and the darn thing broke right off at the foot-lever, causing it to lurch to the right and out of my hand. Gravity did the rest...Got a small crack in the bucket where the right ear goes in, unfortunately, and bent the right footrest, but no harm done elsewhere. I shifted the bucket back to the left, and it's okay, except for that small crack in the plastic shell.

It doesn't turn over, it's froze up, and taking the plugs out was no problem UNTIL I got to #3 - it did NOT want to turn, so I put the torch to it to heat it up a bit, sprayed it liberally with PB Blaster and Kroil and threw the ratcheting breaker on it, gently coaxing it along...the pucker factor was high, since I have broken off plugs in old heads before and REALLY didn't want to do that, and luckily I didn't - note the ratcheting breaker bar I got at Harbor Freight a few years ago - one of the best tools I have in the shed; costs like 20 bucks and has never failed to get a stubborn bolt or nut off

And when I finally got the seat lock to open (no key - I had to use a jiggler to get it to turn), I found the whole tool kit and a rubber fuse holder underneath; very rare, and very nice! But can anybody tell me more about this bike and why it's all in Japanese? I assume it was for the Japanese market and somehow wound up over here, but beyond that I know nothing about the bike's history - and what does that writing under the triple tree say...?

[CycleRanger]

Yep, that's a JDM bike.
Congrats! Probably shipped stateside by a GI, that's how most of them got here.

[jlh3rd]

there isn't a 1972 cb500. Regardless of what CMS says. This should make delta happy, it's either a K0, maybe a K1 if/for the U.S. Here, K0s' frames #'s start with 100.....  . What's the engine #?
Lots of aftermarket accessories back in the day so king/queen seats, sissy bars were common.

jdm nice.

[newday777]

I got a 74 750 with the Japanese writing on it. A service man bought it in Germany and had it shipped back here to the US.

[Nurse Julie]

there isn't a 1972 cb500. Regardless of what CMS says. This should make delta happy, it's either a K0, maybe a K1 for the U.S. Here, K0s' frames #'s start with 100.....  . What's the engine #?
Lots of aftermarket accessories back in the day so king/queen seats, sissy bars were common.

gotta say, really curious about the japanese stuff....

There are 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 CB500/4's in every market in the world, except USA.
Edit... I should have added that here in UK, the 500/4 models are known as K0, K1, K1, K1 and K1 depending on the year 😁😁😁

The one above is a JDM KO.

[bryanj]

That is definately a K0
The small ear reflectors and the seat lock say so.
The "jewel" has a bulb in it that lights up whent you exceed a set speed, the speedo is different and a "black box" under the tank is what makes that work.
A true jdm should have fixed not folding riders footpegs.
You can go to the uk site and look in Ashs dropbox for a Japanese parts book that i supplied to Ash to copy, its the only place i have found a part number for the Honda Motor Company transfer/decal fitted under the 500 four sidepane badge

[Dr. Frankenstein]

bryanj - "A true JDM should have fixed not folding riders footpegs." Yup - it's got that! I've been trying to figure out how I'm going to bend it back after it fell over...the passenger pegs however DO fold over.  Very cool; I think I have a piece of history here...I'll have to go looking for that 'black box'...

CycleRanger - and I'm an ex-GI, so that makes it even more cool...! (European Theatre, Air Force (TAC), '86 - '87).


But what does all that Japanese writing next to the top nut mean??

jlh3rd - engine # is 102 3061.

So is this a '72...? Height of the Vietnam War, so it wouldn't surprise me if this is an import...reminds me of David Ball's "Riding with Private Malone"...every bike has a story...

[bryanj]

I was delivering propane and bitumen into Saigon in 1975 for shell.
Like i said look up the parts book on the uk site, i think that box is under the tank near original horn and coils but its been a long time since i looked.
Your frame number makes it a 6 or 7 1971 build date.
I own vin number 1000036 a 2/71 first day bike but too much missing to restore

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Ah, the Khmer Rouge days...must've been interesting...I was BGM 109's in Belgium...

Too much missing...? Don't the parts match up?

[jlh3rd]

Doc.
I have no idea how other countries derive and categorize eng. and frame #'s.
Your #'s , if it was usa,, are for a K0....
Also, unless I see proof, such as manuals, ads, etc., it doesn't seem honda used model year anywhere except starting in 1974 in the usa.....period!
Look at the pic, this is the kinda stuff honda did that causes confusion. They have "sell" dates but bikes may not have been released until mid year. So a K0 can be called a '71.....but could have been sold up until the K1 was released in april of '72...buying the K0 in march of '72 could be and were called '72's....clear enough?
David Silver gives model years for 500's.....CMS does not.....clear enough?
It seems you have a JDM CB500K0.....maybe it was sold in '71...maybe '72....K0 is what matters. You want correct parts, etc., you have a 500K0, japan.

Is this correct , Delta?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Hey man - works for me. I think though I have a G.I. import, and that's pretty cool, since I was one.

[bryanj]

I dont have the original engine and the cases are visibly different, i am going to build what i want with whatever good parts i have, a mix of US and UK parts but all genuine Honda where available and nos if i have it in my stash, when i get time i will also build a "tuned" 605 sleeper

[Dr. Frankenstein]

(raised fist) Power to ya bro ; A "605"?? You going to overbore? You stateside or overseas?

[bryanj]

Just a bit! Different liners and modified 750 pistons, head from mr Reick and a webcam 35a
Helps i have my own boring bar

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Oooooh, a boring bar...! That's a little too bit for this monkey. I have a vapor blaster but that's about it.

[bryanj]

Picked it up cheap many years ago, can only do over 500's though, its too big for the smaller bores

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Are you stateside, or UK?

Lemme rephrase that - the "MOT" gave it away - must be tricky getting parts over there.

[bryanj]

You forget Dave Silver started in uk! Plus with the internet you can buy from anywhere now and i have been accumulating for 20ish years mate

[CycleRanger]

But what does all that Japanese writing next to the top nut mean??

Google says:

[Stev-o]

...it has some interesting features...number one, I love the seat! I've never seen a King & Queen seat for a CB500 before - and it's in great shape!

Cool find, congrats.  I think you may be the only guy on the forum that loves that type of seat!
I've bought a couple bikes with them and first thing was throwing it in the bin.

[CycleRanger]

So I missed this sticker before.
It looks like it may be the dealership information.
The bottom line is the phone number followed by "representative".
The line above that may be the address.
Google translate might be able to make out more with a better image.
Or maybe someone who reads Japanese can make it out.

[Little_Phil]

I have a near s/n. It's manuf would be July, August 71.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Stev-o - I know what you mean; I think it looks pretty wild, having never seen such a small King/Queen seat on a little 500, but it's too small for me, I'm going to try to find a Honda bench seat like the original - but a general question is, do I need to find another manual for it? I'm not sure how to go about disassembling it with that light on the steering stem, if there's any special way it comes out, how it's powered, etc.

[bryanj]

Nothing special about engine, possibly different neutral/gear detent if it wasnt modified with the kit( check the service bulletins) the light is just a normal stem top nut with a hole bored in it and two wires going down through stem with bullet connectors

[Nurse Julie]

Nothing special about engine, possibly different neutral/gear detent if it wasnt modified with the kit( check the service bulletins) the light is just a normal stem top nut with a hole bored in it and two wires going down through stem with bullet connectors

Would the wiring go the the relay switch that attached to the horn bracket Bryan, like the JDM 400/4's and then onto wherever it ends up, not sure if it's the speedo drive or where 🤔🤔🤔