Topic: Top Bridge Washer Specs

[jlh3rd]

and read this:

[Deltarider]

Again, that's American Honda. Does your American Honda book cover my CB500K2, assembled in... 1976?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Wow! Thanks for the research! I always figured it was a '74, since I could find anything for a "'73", but the confirmation is nice to know, thanks man! 

[jlh3rd]

Again, that's American Honda. Does your American Honda book cover my CB500K2, assembled in... 1976?

No, it doesn't. Where in the wide wide works of sports did you ever think that an authorized Honda book for domestic U.S.....that stands for United States....since I have to spell everything out for you....imports would EVER cover other countries ! ....or do you  ever think?...😂....or read and comprehend ? I've said a million times that E.U. and other countries are different. They are NOT subject to D.O.T. regulations because the D.O.T. is for ....drum roll......the UNITED STATES only......coprende?....

[Kelly E]

Yes, that's what I assumed, and the year I reference when I look up parts etc. So, Honda started producing these bikes in 1973 for a 1974 release date, yes...? Is there anything you can tell me about my frame number?

My 74' CB 550 K0 was built in 6/73' and is number 449.

[M 750K6]

Wow! Thanks for the research! I always figured it was a '74, since I could find anything for a "'73", but the confirmation is nice to know, thanks man! 

If I've read this thread right, what you have is a 1973 K0, not a '74 and if you want parts you use the K0 parts book, regardless of 1973 or 1974 build date.

I have a 750K6 registered new in 1977. Not checked when it was built. I use the K6 parts book and it's worked each time.

[Deltarider]

My 74' CB 550 K0 was built in 6/73' and is number 449.

Where does it say it's a CB550K0? How do you know? Let me help you. If you'd check the frame- and enginenumber, I bet its official name was 'CB550' and that directs you straight to the right addendum in not only the Shop Manual Honda CB500-550, but also the right column in the partslist. AFAIK 'K0' was never an official Honda denomination. We, Honda owners, have invented this. It can help in our conversation. To distinguish it from official Honda denominations like CB550K1 and CB550K2. To express it's not an official Honda denomination, I prefer to spell it CB550(K0).
If I limit myself to the CB550, here are all the different models Honda has produced:

CB550
CB550K1
CB550K2
CB550K3-A
CB550K3-CM
CB550K3-DK
CB550K3-DM
CB550K3-E
CB550K3-ED
CB550K3-F
CB550K3-G
CB550K3-U
CB550K4-A
CB550K4-CM
CB550F-A
CB550F1-A
CB550F1-CM
CB550F1-E
CB550F1-G
CB550F1-F
CB550F1-ED
CB550F1-DK
CB550F1-DM
CB550F1-U
CB550F2-A
CB550F2-CM
CB550F2-E
CB550F2-G
CB550F2-F
CB550F2-ED
CB550F2-U
CB550F2-DM
CB550F2-DK
My source is the collection of the paper editions of the partlists, all on my desk. They are an exact copy of the fiches Honda dealers had back then to guarantee that there could not be a mistake and you would get the right part.
What CMSNL or American Honda has done with this official root source, is of no interest to me. I have seen too many errors develop. For marketing reasons (read: American clientele) CMSNL was forced to give years. Sad.
Publications by American Honda are always met by me with suspicion and I have good reasons for that.
If folks follow my simple advice: identify your bike by frame- and enginenumber - you only have to do it once - you can't go wrong with ordering clutch plates, cables etc. As a bonus you will have all the info on paint, exact model of carbs, eventual modifications during the production period and... you can determine what previous owners must have altered.
Compare that bounty of information with: "Hi guys, can you help me, my bike, a 76 CB550 needs new... etc". As a consequence of this hundreds of posts are wasted on questions like: is it a K, is it an F?
I hope you now can see my point. Make no mistake: I am always here to help, but the best I can begin with, is to direct you to where you can find the answer yourself.

[jlh3rd]

Wow! Thanks for the research! I always figured it was a '74, since I could find anything for a "'73", but the confirmation is nice to know, thanks man! 

If I've read this thread right, what you have is a 1973 K0, not a '74 and if you want parts you use the K0 parts book, regardless of 1973 or 1974 build date.

I have a 750K6 registered new in 1977. Not checked when it was built. I use the K6 parts book and it's worked each time.

no. you're not reading it exactly right, and you are not reading everything. There is a difference between U.S. domestic imports and other countries, basically beginning in 1974.
He has a U.S. import bike. There is no such thing as a 1973 550K0 for the United States. There is a 1974 550K0.
The manufacture date on the frame tag is not a year or model designation, per U.S. Honda...for U.S. bikes only. I showed that in a pic. It's not my opinion, it's what Honda says.
For the umpteenth millionth time, I am referring to U.S. imports....ONLY.
I have a 1975 550F. The manufacture date is 12/74. There is no such thing as a 1974 550F. It is an "F0". Furthermore, this model wasn't stated to be released until the spring of 1975...per a honda statement I have. So my bike may have sat around for 4-5 months in some japanese building....who knows.

None of this is my opinion. So don't kill the messenger. If you want to have a mature discussion, fine. But none of this is meaningless American Folklore.

Finally....look at the pics....read it.
the ONLY way to confirm what model you have, however, is by the frame/engine #'s...no one denies that.

[Deltarider]

You keep on presenting American (!) Honda documents. You may read what I have just posted and you'll understand why I have reason to suspect info by American Honda. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,205307.msg2319010.html#msg2319010

[bryanj]

The original poster IS in US and therefore American so waffle all you want about europe IT IS NOT RELEVANT IN THIS CASE

[jlh3rd]

You keep on presenting American (!) Honda documents. You may read what I have just posted and you'll understand why I have reason to suspect info by American Honda. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,205307.msg2319010.html#msg2319010

look....mistakes are everywhere.
This is from  Honda, and the best I could determine was that it is for a U.K. F1 import because of the turn signals depiction, so not American........couldn't find a U.K. 550F (F0)....was there?...my notes? take it or leave them......but see the glaring misprint?.....so I throw the whole book out?

[newday777]

You keep on presenting American (!) Honda documents. You may read what I have just posted and you'll understand why I have reason to suspect info by American Honda. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,205307.msg2319010.html#msg2319010

Get OFF YOUR SOAPBOX

[Kelly E]

My 74' CB 550 K0 was built in 6/73' and is number 449.

Where does it say it's a CB550K0? How do you know? Let me help you. If you'd check the frame- and enginenumber, I bet its official name was 'CB550' and that directs you straight to the right addendum in not only the Shop Manual Honda CB500-550, but also the right column in the partslist. AFAIK 'K0' was never an official Honda denomination. We, Honda owners, have invented this. It can help in our conversation. To distinguish it from official Honda denominations like CB550K1 and CB550K2. To express it's not an official Honda denomination, I prefer to spell it CB550(K0).
If I limit myself to the CB550, here are all the different models Honda has produced:

CB550
CB550K1
CB550K2
CB550K3-A
CB550K3-CM
CB550K3-DK
CB550K3-DM
CB550K3-E
CB550K3-ED
CB550K3-F
CB550K3-G
CB550K3-U
CB550K4-A
CB550K4-CM
CB550F-A
CB550F1-A
CB550F1-CM
CB550F1-E
CB550F1-G
CB550F1-F
CB550F1-ED
CB550F1-DK
CB550F1-DM
CB550F1-U
CB550F2-A
CB550F2-CM
CB550F2-E
CB550F2-G
CB550F2-F
CB550F2-ED
CB550F2-U
CB550F2-DM
CB550F2-DK
My source is the collection of the paper editions of the partlists, all on my desk. They are an exact copy of the fiches Honda dealers had back then to guarantee that there could not be a mistake and you would get the right part.
What CMSNL or American Honda has done with this official root source, is of no interest to me. I have seen too many errors develop. For marketing reasons (read: American clientele) CMSNL was forced to give years. Sad.
Publications by American Honda are always met by me with suspicion and I have good reasons for that.
If folks follow my simple advice: identify your bike by frame- and enginenumber - you only have to do it once - you can't go wrong with ordering clutch plates, cables etc. As a bonus you will have all the info on paint, exact model of carbs, eventual modifications during the production period and... you can determine what previous owners must have altered.
Compare that bounty of information with: "Hi guys, can you help me, my bike, a 76 CB550 needs new... etc". As a consequence of this hundreds of posts are wasted on questions like: is it a K, is it an F?
I hope you now can see my point. Make no mistake: I am always here to help, but the best I can begin with, is to direct you to where you can find the answer yourself.

Luckily I live in America and don't have to worry about your european BS. In case you haven't noticed we live by our own rules, not yours.

[Deltarider]

It was and is not about rules. I was trying to help. I can imagine anyone would like to know exactly what model bike he or she has. In case you have missed it, this is an international forum where the language happens to be English. In English European is spelled with a capital. I don't know what you mean by BS, but it seems you're full of it as you spell it with capitals. Please observe forum rules.

[Kelly E]

It was and is not about rules. I was trying to help. I can imagine anyone would like to know exactly what model bike he or she has. In case you have missed it, this is an international forum where the language happens to be English. In English European is spelled with a capital. I don't know what you mean by BS, but it seems you're full of it as you spell it with capitals. Please observe forum rules.

 

[bryanj]

Just to confuse you all in 1973 Honda were producing

CB 500K1 for theUK Continued till 76
CB 500k2  for Europe and US
CB 550 K0 for US

As with 750 there is and always will be arguments as to wether the first modle is K or K0

[PeWe]

Just to confuse you all in 1973 Honda were producing

CB 500K1 for theUK Continued till 76
CB 500k2  for Europe and US
CB 550 K0 for US

As with 750 there is and always will be arguments as to wether the first modle is K or K0

Or even without K?

[jlh3rd]

+1
It was just CB 750 initially........🍿

[jlh3rd]

Just to confuse you all in 1973 Honda were producing

CB 500K1 for theUK Continued till 76
CB 500k2  for Europe and US
CB 550 K0 for US

As with 750 there is and always will be arguments as to wether the first modle is K or K0

Or even without K?

um....lol....😬....well, um...the United States CB 550 K0 was ....(sorry)....1974...😳

[scottly]

The "K" comes from the Japanese word "Kai" (rhymes with eye) which means something along the lines of "new improvement".
What I find odd is that while in the US, the 750 K2 was a 1972 model, in Europe they had the K2 for several years, and skipped K3, K4, etc.

[Deltarider]

The "K" comes from the Japanese word "Kai" (rhymes with eye) which means something along the lines of "new improvement".
What I find odd is that while in the US, the 750 K2 was a 1972 model, in Europe they had the K2 for several years, and skipped K3, K4, etc.

See? The more reason to denominate in Hondaspeak and not years.

[scottly]

The "K" comes from the Japanese word "Kai" (rhymes with eye) which means something along the lines of "new improvement".
What I find odd is that while in the US, the 750 K2 was a 1972 model, in Europe they had the K2 for several years, and skipped K3, K4, etc.

See? The more reason to denominate in Hondaspeak and not years.

Except that in the US, the 750 K1 was 1971, the K2 was 1972, K3 1973, K4 1974, K5 1975, K6 1976, K7 1977, and K8 1978. I guess the US got the latest Honda had to offer, and Europe got all the leftover parts?

[jlh3rd]

so there's this....see pics.

and the CA77 dream touring 305 had early/late, but was the same model from 1960 - 1969.....United States..
no wonder things can be confusing.

[Deltarider]

Just to confuse you all in 1973 Honda were producing

CB 500K1 for theUK Continued till 76
CB 500k2  for Europe and US
CB 550 K0 for US

As with 750 there is and always will be arguments as to wether the first modle is K or K0

FYI, the CB500K2 for continental Europe was marketed in 1976-1977 and assembled in 1975-1976.
Denominating in years is fine for French wine, but not for our CB Fours as it constantly leads to confusion. It's better to turn to Honda speak denominating models like Honda did and not in years.
If I limit myself to the CB500, these were the models Honda has produced:
CB500-A
CB500-U
CB500-E
CB500-H
CB500-G
CB500-F
CB500-D
CB500K1-A
CB500K1-E
CB500K1-ED
CB500K1-D
CB500K1-F
CB500K1-G
CB500K2-A
CB500K2-ED*
CB500K2-F*
CB500K2-G*
CB500K3-ED
* At CMSNL combined and named CB500K2 GENERAL EXPORT

[jlh3rd]

The "K" comes from the Japanese word "Kai" (rhymes with eye) which means something along the lines of "new improvement".
What I find odd is that while in the US, the 750 K2 was a 1972 model, in Europe they had the K2 for several years, and skipped K3, K4, etc.

See? The more reason to denominate in Hondaspeak and not years.

no argument......'cept when it's presented as an absolute when concerning United States imports after 1974😁. It can be confusing to newbies in the U.S. that are unaware of Honda's...weirdness...concerning model, year, title, registration, frame tag manufacture date, F, K, ...it all gets back to frame/engine #'s anyway.