Topic: Anyone have a performance cam for a 1971 Honda cb 500???

[kwaggs27]

Im looking to purchase a performance cam for my bike but Im just looking for a cam with a greater overlap not any higher lift. Let me know what you have and we can figure something out.

[mlinder]

You could buy a stock 650 cam off ebay. About the same specs as the megacycle hot street cam (126-00) for the 500/550, from what I've heard.

[kwaggs27]

Arent 650s DOHC?

[shizzomynizzo]

Arent 650s DOHC?

83 and later are, but 79 to 82 are sohc!

[kwaggs27]

So Shizzo do you know if the 650 sohc cam will work in the 500 and be a performance upgrade? And does that cam have the duration overlap I am looking for without the increased lift?

[lone*X]

Surprised that this hasn't been said yet, usually is the first reply posted.  The SEARCH feature on the menu bar is your friend.  Most questions have already been ask and answered numerous times.  Give it a shot, you may be surprised at what you find.

[mlinder]

Do believe there is a tad more lift. There is more duration. Any particular reason you are looking for no increase in lift?

[kwaggs27]

It was a tip in the Hondamans post. I dont want to run into clearance problems with the pistons. There is a post of someone putting the 650 cam in a 550 but I dont know if that would apply to the 500 or not. I will have to do a little more research on this before I try it for myself.

[mlinder]

The 650 cam won't have any valve to piston clearance issues.

One, maybe two, people have had to shave a tiny bit of material off the head near the lobes for lobe clearance up there, but that's it.