British Market 72 CB500/4

[Flyr767]

Bought my bike from PO who bought it new in 73 from a dealer in England. Bike has the lower handlebars and a few other small differences which mark it as unique to European market. (Or so I've been told) It has the holes in the front mudguard for the original license plate bracket and I was wondering if someonew knew where I could find a holder for an old fashioned euro-style retro license plate for it. Thanks, Chris

[bryanj]

Differences on UK model were:-

Bars
Rear light bracket with small rear light
Rear Fender
Rear winker brackets
No rear grab bar (just a "lifting" handle)
Headlamp has a replaceable bulb and a "Parking" light bulb
Different RH switch
Small clocks
Front licence plate which was Honda part number 61131-283-600B

These were no longer required from sometime in the 70's (cant remember exactly when) but you may find one somewhere. I remember a great "scrapping" of the plates party at the time when all were removed and junked----basically an excuse for more beer drinking. I will try round some UK wreckers if you wish but may take some time.

You could always cut the curved "slicer" out of some thin alloy sheet and use some of the small Mecanno brackets to hold it

[USN20]

Fitting bolts for curved plates and a matching set of reproduction plates can be found here:
http://www.pl8s.co.uk/Bike-Plates.php

For a finishing touch, add a UK road tax disc holder:
http://www.poplargreg.co.uk/taxdiscs/taxdiscs2/discholders.htm

And a reproduction road tax disc to match your reproduction plates:
http://www.poplargreg.co.uk/taxdiscs/taxdiscs2/indexdiscs.htm

[Flyr767]

Excellent, Cheers! Just what I was looking for. I still have the original square rear plate mount with the small dealers medallion on it on the bike. If I mount a retro plate on the front and back and put my  PA plate on a side holder is that still street legal, or will I have some 'splainin' to do?  Chris

[bryanj]

What was the dealers name and address, its surprising how many of them are still working!

[USN20]

Excellent, Cheers! Just what I was looking for. I still have the original square rear plate mount with the small dealers medallion on it on the bike. If I mount a retro plate on the front and back and put my  PA plate on a side holder is that still street legal, or will I have some 'splainin' to do?  Chris

Unfortunately you won't be able to run the REAR repo UK plate legally. Having the FRONT repro UK plate and tax disc on your bike is OK. Any rear license plate other a state issued gives the peace officer probable cause to pull you over and most likely receive a citation. That's the way I rembember the law back in PA (2006) and it's the same way here in NV. The rear repo plate would be good for show purposes or at bike night.

Fitting a US license plate on the narrow UK bracket can be done, but you will need to add a few additional holes in the bracket and plate. Would look something like this:



If drilling extra mounting holes is unacceptable, consider finding a Black US Taillight bracket: 84701-292-671B (supersede 84701-292-305B) as it looks very close to the UK bracket and was used on the following models :
 
CB175-K1 1971 175 Super Sport 175 Street
CB350 1968 350 Super Sport 350 Street
CB350-K2 1970 350 Super Sport 350 Street
CB350-K3 1971 350 Super Sport 350 Street
CB450-K3 1970 450 Super Sport 450 Street
CB450-K4 1971 450 Super Sport 450 Street
CL175-K5 1971 175 Scrambler 175 Dual Sport
CL350 1968 350 Scrambler 350 Dual Sport



I have the UK and US brackets and still can't make up my mind ...

[Flyr767]

As you can see here, my bike came with a large-ish plate riveted to rear plate bracket. I'm assuming its original since it has the dealer's logo badge on it. Slocombe's Sales and Service in Neasden, by the way. Kind of cool, so I kept it on and attached my PA tag to it. Guess I'll get a tag made up for it and fab a bracket for the front mudguard. Anyone got any good closeup photos of a correct bracket? Cheers

[SteveD CB500F]

They are still around:

www.slocombes.com/about.htm

[Flyr767]

well whaddya know, huh? Nice to see they're still in business. Do you think the yellow plate with the Slocombe's badge is an old license plate with the numbers removed? Looks like some i've seen in pictures.

[SteveD CB500F]

Looks like it. Can you post a bigger picture?

[bryanj]

Back in the 70's i traded with Slocombes on a weekly basis, at that time they were the only people that kept BMW frames on the shelf as a spare (the importers even ordered on!!). They had a fantastic parts department and owned the whole Block of shops. Even tried to sell me some Ex BMW Police Demonstrators once---complete with Blues and twos!!! Head mech was a great bloke and let me in on several airhead "secrets" for the workshop.

That was almost certainly a sticker on the rear number plate where the original UK reg numbers will have been peeled off.

Nice to see a bike that has gone the "wrong way accross the pond

Have you got a pic of the RH switch?

[Flyr767]

Yep... here is the rear license plate, looks like it was pop riveted onto the holder. here is the right hand switch as well. What did you mean by smaller clocks? Having some trouble finding correct bracket for front license. No one seems to have that part # in the system anymore. No real surprise. Where, by the way, would one mount the tax disc and holder if one wanted? Cheers

[bryanj]

Thats a UK switch i think as it has the "P" position for park but there should be an "Off" position as well.

The UK "Tax Disc" is legaly supposed to be fitted on the LH side of the bike in front of the rider and was usually fitted to a fender stay mounting bolt at the bottom of the fork so the plod had to bend down to see it. You can get copies of old british discs or if you ask nicely i will scan one and email it

[SteveD CB500F]

Translation Service:

"plod" = "Mr Plod the Policeman" (from UK childrens' learning to read books)

My '72 has a separate on/off switch on the bar (I may have a picture)






Don't seem to have one...

here's one of the small clocks though.

[bryanj]

Steve that seperate on off switch was a 750 part and got fitted to a lot of 500 as it was possible to go direct from high beam to parklight with gloves on!!! Not a good idea when earoling it down coutry lanes!
got one on mine too

[Flyr767]

If any of you UK enthusiasts have a line on a bracket and maybe an old plate for the front mudgaurd, I'd love to hear from you. Cheers, Chris

[mcpuffett]

Hi, Carpy makes the some brackets for a front number plate, cheers Mick.

[dave400]

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/