Newbie

[z1100r]

Hello chaps,
I was looking around for piccies of 500 fours and found this forum...I read a few threads and thought you guys might like to see my old tub...funnily enough I'm using it everyday again....I do that from time to time....I ride all year round and have a number of bikes. As you can see I rarely clean them. The Direbladder - as my mates call it - was last cleaned outside a B&B in the IOM in 1984....oops.
  For a laugh the Fireblade sticker was stuck on at MCN Skeggy a few years ago. The rear brake drum is knackered - but has been since I dont know when - before 1984 though. Anyway, the original motor was taken out in 1986 and a 550 fitted...I did most of my miles with that. I still have the stock motor and actually totally rebuilt it a few years back. I put it in the bike to check it out and did a few hundred miles, but the clutch pushrod fell to bits, so I took the motor out again and fitted a 610cc engine I used to race. I took out the race cam and replaced it with a std one...the bike now goes really well with lots of bottom end...ride around in top all day. I love the bl**dy thing, so I bought everything to restore it 3 years ago....cost a fortune...4 new pipes, carbs, brand new rear wheel hub, blah blah...its all in the loft waiting for me to stop using the bike. I'll shut up...heres some pics..

http://www.gareth.evans9.btinternet.co.uk/CB500f.htm

http://www.gareth.evans9.btinternet.co.uk/600gallery.htm

[matthewmosse]

Hi, Im a newbie too. I've had the 500 with a 550 motor for a few years too, My advice keep on riding it, once restored you'll end up worrying about the finish, I love the patina on my old girl, the paint looks like leather... and with tarnished chrome etc going out in all weathers ain't an issue. I'm even out in the snow which is fun.

[z1100r]

I've been riding this around nearly every year since 1982...   I fell off it in the snow mid 90's...overtaking a milk float up a hill ...I got past it and went to pull back in and did a full 360 at 5mph, ended up doing the splits...my god that hurt - for years. I know what your saying, but mine had 'patina' about 15 years ago....it now looks like I've dragged it out the canal. I must do the frame before its too late, and my front wheel now has no chrome at all and I'm worried about that falling apart one day. My MOT man isn't going to keep letting me off with the lumpy back brake..the pedal goes up and down violently if you use it - i dont bother. That rack has broken twice on me....the rear muddy is off a 550 so the rack fits, but I have a spanky new 500 one, and a front. I could pick up some average parts for now I guess, I do still like using it for my winter hack..its so comfy..however with that 600 motor...it surprises a few...does about 125mph (when measured with a modern bike), my speedo stopped going past 90 years ago. If I put my finger on it it suddenly rockets up.. I want to just leave it .... but I cant anymore...must do something.

[matthewmosse]

Take a careful look at the rear foorest hangers for rot, mine went thru a few years back, left me with a bit of welding and fabrication, as a precation I strip the rear end down every so often as this is where paint seems to suffer most and I had a lot of welding to do here. then I just douse everything in hammerite and bolt it together again. I also replaced the rear guard with a fiberglass one off ebay when mine got past it. I'll re make the dead one when time allows though. The speedo off a 250 superdream fits and is accurate by the way. Also knackered rear hubs can be re lined if you have acess to a lathe. Wheel rebuilds are ok to do if you hve something to copy by the way, I had a rough looking rear wheel let loose on me, spokes rusted badly. Thats when I decided to have a go at re lining and rebuilding a wheel, I've been riding on the results for a couple of years now and all seems ok.
Ps for real fun in snow fit a sidecar. The most stable thing on the roads when snow settles and just light enough to manhandle if you get stuck.

[z1100r]

WELDING...?...Mines not that bad yet....I hope..   Its rusty where the rear muddy bolts on but not through I dont think....and the rear foot peg hangers are solid. I think it helps being covered in 25 years of chain lube and general grime....its the clean ones that rot away. I think the worst rot on mine is the seat base.
   Wheels are my biggest issue, I suspect they have become unsafe....forks need seals, and my twin disks need a bigger master cylinder..I would like a back brake at some time.... Its performance deserves a full complement of brakes.
   The original shocks are oilless and the Konis I have are for a 400-4 and too long really.....I used to use them when going away 2-up....but am back on the damperless originals at the moment. Are there any replacement shocks these days...?

[matthewmosse]

I think your right about leaving chain crud on as the last owner of mine kept it nice and clean. Rear shocks are easy enough to source, I get them from a mail order comany in town called Custom Fastners, costs about 65 for a pair and they've held out well to the abuse of hauling an overloaded chair, even managing 200 miles with a complete dismantled 500/4 in the chair. The hagons that were nearly new when I got the bike were a bit soft for sidecar use and started sounding squidgy so I put them to one side though as they are good for solo's (I think they are possible to rebuild as are konis I've heard). Hagon also do wheel rebuilding if you prefer a pro job. Don't panic about welding, Its not that often it's really needed on a bike. I went a bit over enthusiastic on mine as I've got the kit at home to do it, I think there was a flaw in the original welding that let one of the hangers fill with water. Once I'd got the bike stripped I ran a gas torch over all the supect areas and cut out and replaced anything that was getting thin.

[z1100r]

Is there a piccy of your errrm..thing ..anywhere,,,? I would genuinley like to see it.

[matthewmosse]

Hi, when the old girl is up and running I'll take a piccy and use it as my photo on profile, looks pretty standard but well worn in it's original dark green paint which has rubbed through where your knees touch the tank to bare metal. Oh yeah, and there's a whacking great chair on it. Maybe I'll find time to weld It's 'pretty' exhaust up again, a 4 into 1 system from David Silvers with the it's silencer cut off and replaced with a Triumph rockett 3 (70's) raygun jobbie. looks the dogs .......s and can be heard 6 miles from my house when I'm on the way home!