Topic: '71 CB500 solo

[Gin Rickey]

I found this clean and quite classic, I think, '71 CB500 with a solo seat.  Now, I like the idea of a solo seat, but more a cross between the size of the one on this bike (maybe just a bit bigger) and the style of the cafe' (a simple, covered, "indentation" to sit "in", minus the rear hump).  And more than that, I really like the swept up line of the frame as it rolls up to the crest of the seat brace and fender.  I couldn't find the owner (was a years-old post) to ask questions of, so, my questions for the experts (because I am very new to all of this) are:

What's been done to the rear of this CB500--rear of frame bent upward, which lowers the stance of the frame relative to the tire?  Has the lower arm been stretched to aid in this lowering (shocks are angled back more than stock, I think)?  Is the rear chrome fender extended and pushed forward and down into the position of the plastic guard?

*and if this belongs to you, please put up some pictures.  Thanks!

[Gin Rickey]

Sorry, I had trouble uploading the pic.

[bryanj]

Looks to me like its not the original fender and the shock mounts aint right

[troppo]

i agree with brianj
i`m only new to the bikes too but the shocks dont look original, could be lowered, they look as if the top mounts have been moved forward too, dont know about the mudguard either

[fuzzybutt]

kind of reminds me of the look/stance of the harley k model, which was a precursor to the sportster

[L.A. Nomad........]

Solo seats are not hard to come by. I think he's using lowering blocks, which throw back the shocks.

Nomad.

[olds-cool]

Yes, it's lowering blocks.  They move the mount point back 2-3" which gives the shocks the angle you see in the pic.  The upper mounts look stock to me.

[Tom in Newcastle......Ontario]

I bought a 78 550k that had lowering blocks on, one of the shock rods was snapped,the blocks change the angle and I think put too much stress on the rods.....something to think about

[754]

Was it the lowering blocks?
or some Closing Time Queen he packed away from a bar one night..??...

    

[Gin Rickey]

Got it.  The lowering bar is obvious upon closer inspection (between the drum and the viewer).  The fender must have been rolled up and around to give the tire more clearance, too.  All the advice in the forum seems to point toward shortening the travel of the shocks rather than stretching the arm back.  And the cb500, pictured here, has a natural arch in the frame rail behind the shock mounts that amplifies the "hump" of the rear fender and tire...my 350f runs perpendicular to the ground so try as I might, I couldn't easily achieve the same flow.  I'll think on this one for a while.  I like the look of the lowering blocks.  It's a shame there isn't a way to get that look without sacrificing the function of sound suspension.  Thanks for the input.