Topic: Idetifying Year of Make

[GeoffT]

Bought a 550 four F1 last year that was first registered in 1980. Any ideas as to finding year of manufacture?

[heffay]

it was most likely made the year prior to the date on the steering column on the frame. 

[Einyodeler]

The date on the frame is when it was put together at the factory.A lot of times here in the States if a bike was made for instance in `75 it was registered as a `76 model.I have a CB500K1 and a K2 and they`re both registered as `73`s.
The last 550K model was a made in `78 and the last F model was in `77.
Whatare  the serial #`s on the engine and frame?

[SteveD CB500F]

Post the engine and frame numbers here or PM them to Bryanj. He keeps a book.

My 550K3 was registered in 1980 but built in 1977.

[GeoffT]

Was not able to locate a year on the frame - would it be near the frame number? Or do UK models not have the year on the frame?

Found some useful info on the specifications page.
My frame number is CB550F2111237 and the engine number is CB550E1150615.
According to the specs. that suggests the bike is a 77 super sport which I had not realised as the side panel decals are not there. Perhaps some one could confirm this for me?

[Harry]

CB550K '77 SS Four 77. Code no.390.  Frame from: CB550F-2100001-  Engine from: CB550E-1135380-

[bryanj]

US models had a "vin" plate on the headstock giving year of build UK didnt have that for years but if it does have one it will be on the frame near the RH rear footrest

[GeoffT]

CB550K '77 SS Four 77. Code no.390.  Frame from: CB550F-2100001-  Engine from: CB550E-1135380-

So it is a super sport then?
and what is code 390? scuse my ignorance but i'm only learning and there's Irish blood in me veins!

[bryanj]

Code 390 is the Honda model code for that bike and all the model specific parts will have the middle part number 390 but a lot of earlier 550 parts will have been used, middle number 374, and even 500 parts, middle number 323. Any less Confused?

[Paul]

and what is code 390? scuse my ignorance but i'm only learning and there's Irish blood in me veins!

Nothing at all wrong with Irish Blood,

The Irish invented Milk of Magnesia, the hypodermic syringe, the steam turbine, the ejector seat,
John Holland - the first submarine
Nicholas Callan, a priest working at Maynooth College, developed new battery technology that using cast-iron and the result was long-lasting and cheap batteries (in comparison to the competition at the time). He went on to develop the induction coil by wrapping wires around an electromagnet and connecting one of the wires to a battery.
George Boole. He invented Boolean algebra, which went on to become a key feature of the logic system of computers.
Ernest Walton - winner of a Nobel prize for Physics for his achievements in nuclear physics;
Astrophysicist Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who first discovered pulsars (rapidly rotating neutron stars that release regular bursts of radio waves);
Francis Beaufort - Hydrographer and cartographer , originator of the Beaufort Scale which classifies the velocity and force of winds at sea;
William Rowan Hamilton - Mathematician , who discovered quaternions - an important mathematical expression used in describing 3D spaces in computer graphics.
Oh..ya ...and me!

[GeoffT]

Must confess the Irish side in my family is a 3 or 4 generations ago. I was born and brought up a Scot. Of course the Scots to have a large number of inventions and discoveries. Too many to mention here eh

[the rag]

and what is code 390? scuse my ignorance but i'm only learning and there's Irish blood in me veins!

Nothing at all wrong with Irish Blood,

The Irish invented Milk of Magnesia, the hypodermic syringe, the steam turbine, the ejector seat,
John Holland - the first submarine
Nicholas Callan, a priest working at Maynooth College, developed new battery technology that using cast-iron and the result was long-lasting and cheap batteries (in comparison to the competition at the time). He went on to develop the induction coil by wrapping wires around an electromagnet and connecting one of the wires to a battery.
George Boole. He invented Boolean algebra, which went on to become a key feature of the logic system of computers.
Ernest Walton - winner of a Nobel prize for Physics for his achievements in nuclear physics;
Astrophysicist Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who first discovered pulsars (rapidly rotating neutron stars that release regular bursts of radio waves);
Francis Beaufort - Hydrographer and cartographer , originator of the Beaufort Scale which classifies the velocity and force of winds at sea;
William Rowan Hamilton - Mathematician , who discovered quaternions - an important mathematical expression used in describing 3D spaces in computer graphics.
Oh..ya ...and me!

we got around to inventing good stuff ........ but i might spoil it