Topic: I bought another CB500....

[Shtonecb500]

This will be my 4th bike and this is only my second season riding. I drove to Chicago (5hrs) to purchase a 72' CB500, no title, some MacGyver mods, and original 4 into 4 exhaust for $350. My buddy picked up a 100cc Yamaha for $200 from the same guy...it was a good road trip. We left at 2pm and returned at 2am.

I started to examine my purchase in my shop and realized that the bike had been laid down, something I didn't notice when looking it over in a dark garage. The scratch marks are up high with some damage on the clubman bars and damaged fins about 1.5 inches in length. Both of the top pipes have some scratches and dents.

I bought this bike strictly for these pipes to flip and make a little bit of money but the bike started 4th kick, and starts 1st kick every time after, the motor sounds amazing and has 20k on it and rides well...I only took it around the parking lot in first for little while.

The two top pipes are scratched more than I thought with more dents than i thought but all four pipes are solid, no holes, no cracks, just surface rust.
I was going to attempt to get a title for this bike or just keep the motor as a spare for my primary bike.
Should I attempt to pull those dents out?

[BomberMann650]

I can't remember who.  But one of those car mod television show fellas ran an experiment with dented and eventually crushed/collapsed pipes.  To determine if there would be a loss of engine performance.  The result was little to none.

You could try to pull em with a stud welder.  But you will have to polish away the marks.

If they don't leak, there is always pipe wrap!

[HondaMan]

Dang!
Why can't I find one like that here for my next book?!

[calj737]

Leave the dents as they are. You’ll only cause more damage and no repair or benefit. Welding on chromed metal requires grinding it away then you won’t “polish” jack sh!t “out or up” afterwards.

[b52bombardier1]

Its too nice to part out . . .

Rick

[RAFster122s]

Indeed...Shall I travel to pick up this monster of deceit and lies and deception?  Need to carry a good strong LED light or rechargable spotlight...to peel back the darkness.  Dive lights can be had inexpensively and replacing the batteries gives them a nice lease on life again and they are waterproof in case you drop them in a puddle or need to use them in the rain...no worries.

The little oval 3AAA lights harbor freight sells cheap are pretty nice...just wish they used 3 AA instead...longer life...but it would need a stronger magnet and weigh more...

It is a pretty bike. I like the blue.  I wouldn't kick that one out of my garage for a few dents in the pipes and rash you can attend to...(other than on the pipes...)

David

[Bailgang]

I can't remember who.  But one of those car mod television show fellas ran an experiment with dented and eventually crushed/collapsed pipes.  To determine if there would be a loss of engine performance.  The result was little to none.

You could try to pull em with a stud welder.  But you will have to polish away the marks.

If they don't leak, there is always pipe wrap!

Hot Rod "Engine Masters" did an experiment like that, when all was said and done they literally beat the daylights out of those headers but the dyno hardly noticed.

[Shtonecb500]

Whoops! I forgot to mention that the blue tank in the pictures is off of my primary bike just to get the bike running. I'll post the bike as I found it for you guys, It had some white coating on the inside that looked as though only a thin layer was applied  and the amount of cracking makes me believe that it won't be very difficult to get it out...but I have not tried removing any type of sealer or inner tank coating yet.

The tank that came on this bike has knee indents and hammered out circles for some nifty Honda emblems. I already cleaned the outside of tank by sanding it and hitting it with a wire wheel and it looks pretty good, no major dents except for the ones hammered out, needs internal cleaning a new petcock, and a new paint job. I don't have a picture of it cleaned up right now.

Here is the bike as I picked it up ($350 - now running), the next is my primary ride (blue bike 73' 500,) next is my 550 project ($600 - now running barn find) and I have one more but no pictures, its a torn down 72' with title and don't know the direction it is going yet. I was thinking about giving it to my friend for compensation for helping me with the transmission job on my truck. If I can't get a title for this new bike then Im just keeping it for parts and going to swap it with my motor in my 73' because mine needs a new top end...its spewing oil every chance it can get...it wasn't ready to take over as my main transportation when my transmission in my truck went down...many trips to Chicago have left it bruised and battered..but still kicking!

I love the hog tire this new bike came with, I like the short length of the spokes on that 16 inch rim, seems like a good wheel for a softail bobber project maybe with the 4th project bike??

[Shtonecb500]

I have a question for you guys, why are the wheels different sizes? why is it always an 18 rear and 19 front, why not 19 front and back?

[754]

Because it's not a Norton or a flattracker.. UJM has 19 and 18 combo.
 It's a great bike for what you paid, now ride the poss out of it.. try to make it to a Reunion.. several of us did on bikes that cost less than that.
 If you like the 16..run it..

[Stev-o]

You stole that bike, get a title for it.   That back rim is not stock, looks like 16"

[Shtonecb500]

Stev-O, it is a 16 inch hog wheel, I just swapped it over to my primary bike since my rear tire wasn't going to get me through the remainder of the season. I got into the newly acquired bike a little more today, adjusted the valves, the timing, cleaned and synced the carbs, and lubricated the cables. The previous owner butchered the stock cradle for the air system by creating a type of cradle under the seat just like a metal electrical box that you would weld under there. There were a couple of bonuses today, the bike has a ricks regulator/rectifier, and a Dyna electronic ignition. The valves were tight, which is to be expected.

I finally took the exhaust pipes off the bike today and gave them a proper soap bath and was able to thoroughly examine the condition of the back side of the pipes and behind the brackets. No major damage and mostly just surface rust but Im going to make these pipes my first serious chrome polishing job. The inside of the tank needs to be addressed, the creaming is failing and peeling away. The petcock works well after a easy clean up and  the tank needs a little work due to a couple pin holes.

I realized that the carbs weren't even seated properly after I had decided to clean them, this bike is going to run even better unless the carbs will need to be adjusted after switching from a 4-4 to a 4-2 exhaust, there are K&N filters/pods on the carbs.

[BomberMann650]

I kinda like the rusty tank 

[Shtonecb500]

Well, I thought the tire on that hog wheel would hold up but it didn't, I noticed some dry rot cracks after the first ride on it. Bought a new 404 Dunlop 140-90-16 and getting that put on tomorrow. I tried to get a title for the bike but my attempt failed. My primary bike losing cylinders 2-3 on the freeway yesterday in combination with the already consistent oil leaks and weeping led me to pulling both motors out of their frames today for a swap. The donor has a dyna S ignition already with a  regulator rect combo so I have to figure out the wiring for that. Still haven't decided if Im going to use my stock set up carbs off of my bike on the new motor with stock air system or leave the K&N POD set up carbs that came on it. Since the exhaust is off Ive been flirting with the idea of riding the rest of the season with those 4 into 4 pipes before I sell them.

Since I have this donor motor I can take my time and rebuild my motor over the winter. Some guy offered me $450 for the exhaust pipes but I didn't accept, what do you guys think? Should I just sell them and be happy with a small profit and a free bike?

[RAFster122s]

Are the pipes dented up?
If the you like the pipes, well you never will buy a set for $450 unless from a forum member.  The pipes on ebay tend to go for good money and you are likely to pay more like 600 or more for a set.


The 77-78 pipes were available still a few years ago, not sure if now   they were not compatible with early bikes if I remember right  without changes to the bike.  The early pipes like these on the 500 and early 550 pipes were not available the last I had read.  That could have changed.
So, if you wanted to put a nive Hindle or MotoGP or Dekelvik or other exhaust on the bike or another bike it might be worth condidering the offer.  The choices for four into four are extremely small to non-existant. A couple four into two choices...Mac exhausts I don't consider an option.

So, my $0.02 isn't worth the envelope to mail it.  It really depends upon the classic look is worth it to you.  Soundwise the stock pipes are quiet and efficient.  The bike having a butchered airbox area, if it is reversable, then the stock pipes are more appealing.  Modified motors are more suited to pods but stock motors and their breathing needs and torque curve and spark advance, etc tend to have fewer running and tuning issues with the stock airbox and filter system.  Will the electronic ignition be able to help you, don't think so because they do not have dynamic feedback to adjust anything.  It can be tuned to use pods but it will not run as smoothly as with the stock system.

So, lots of things to weigh.  Depends on the asthetics of the bike you want to build.
Would I buy a nice used four into four for $450, probably.  I like the look.

[calj737]

My primary bike losing cylinders 2-3 on the freeway yesterday in combination with the already consistent oil leaks and weeping led me to pulling both motors out of their frames today for a swap. The donor has a dyna S ignition already with a  regulator rect combo so I have to figure out the wiring for that.

Dropping a pair of cylinders sounds like condensers to me.
Dyna only needs power to it, the other wires run to the coils just like a standard ignition.
The Reg/Rec normally has colored wires to match the stock bike. Some, are basically plug and play.

[Detroit350f]

I was the guy who shot you the local offer of $450 considering the condition... lol. A couple of my pipes are pretty rotted on my '71 so this set would have been used and not stashed away somewhere.

I see really high prices on ebay for original pipes like this, but they never seem to sell. just from what I have gathered.

[b52bombardier1]

Vermont is easy to get a registration from which usually makes it easy in other states to get a title. Vermont never titles vehicles as old as our bikes.

Rick

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[Shtonecb500]

So,

I swapped the motor, the 71' 500 has different wires than the 73' so I had to cut and splice in a cluster from the 71' which included the rect/reg combo. Simply done.  The motor sounds and runs great but about 10 miles into my first ride the oil light started coming on, opposite of my 73' it came on while slowing down and at red lights. Once I got on the throttle the light would vanish, i just changed the oil so I know its not low, I was wondering if I left the gas on and maybe flooded it? I should smell the dip stick and see in the morning. I had just installed a new pressure switch on my other motor so Ill grab that and throw it on this one.

Now for the pipes, I don't like them lol. I want my 4 into 1 back on the bikE and I don't care for the look of the pods much because I'm a fan of the stock air system and stock carbs which I had on my bike with the 4-1 to begin with. The bike feels heavier and sluggish with the 4-4 puppies. I tried riding my bike tonight and the carbs were leaking gas everywhere, Im going to put my stock carbs on this motor and figure out a way to put the stock air system back in the morning. BTW that new rear dunlop 404 feels great!

[RandomOrbit]

Vermont is easy to get a registration from which usually makes it easy in other states to get a title. Vermont never titles vehicles as old as our bikes.

Rick

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

This is true. All my bikes have had a title, but when I first registered my bike back in 1992, I didn't need one for my '76, but I did have one from the previous owner, and they did issue one. At that time anything before 1978 didn't need a title. I haven't needed to worry about it, but it looks like Vermont only titles vehicles 15 years old or newer, so anything before 2003 should not require a title to register.