Front forks

[oldboy]

In the process of rebuilding a supposedly totally rebuilt 1972. 500. (think I've been fleeced!!) When I rode the bike briefly the front end felt rock hard. Played about with different fork oil and check that everything was straight. Today I removed the fork springs which measured 480mm in length. According to the manual they should be around 425 to 450mm. Plus also there is no long damper rod in these forks making me think there later forks. Would I be right in this assumption?? I've also ordered some progressive springs from Bike Barn as my previous order with Performance Parts never did arrive after waiting nearly six weeks (buyers beware!!)   

[Seabeowner]

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg. Check the back of the fork legs as some are marked (341, 390). Don't think the 323s were marked. According to the manual the spring length is the same 500 and 550 at 451.7mm (but that may be a mistake as there are a number of errors in manual)

[oldboy]

Yes I'm beginning to think that the lengths give in the manual could be wrong.

[Trigger]

Never believe everything you read in a manual or a parts book   

[deltarider]

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg.

Not on my K2. Scroll down in: http://www.honda4fun.com/home/faq/generali/111-cb500-differenze-k0-k1-k2. The Parts List for my model so far is 100% accurate.

[Trigger]

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg.

Not on my K2. Scroll down in: http://www.honda4fun.com/home/faq/generali/111-cb500-differenze-k0-k1-k2. The Parts List for my model so far is 100% accurate.

As I said, don't believe everything you read. A quick scroll down and incorrect info on the switch gear, master cylinder, sub loom, and grab rail 

[oldboy]

Now I've seen this comparison site I'm afraid to start looking at my supposed 72!!!!!! Brilliant site though

[JamesH]

In the process of rebuilding a supposedly totally rebuilt 1972. 500. (think I've been fleeced!!) When I rode the bike briefly the front end felt rock hard. Played about with different fork oil and check that everything was straight. Today I removed the fork springs which measured 480mm in length. According to the manual they should be around 425 to 450mm. Plus also there is no long damper rod in these forks making me think there later forks. Would I be right in this assumption?? I've also ordered some progressive springs from Bike Barn as my previous order with Performance Parts never did arrive after waiting nearly six weeks (buyers beware!!)   

They sound suspiciously like 750 springs...

[deltarider]

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg.

Not on my K2. Scroll down in: http://www.honda4fun.com/home/faq/generali/111-cb500-differenze-k0-k1-k2. The Parts List for my model so far is 100% accurate.

As I said, don't believe everything you read. A quick scroll down and incorrect info on the switch gear, master cylinder, sub loom, and grab rail 

The topic was the damper. Nevertheless all info for the K2 model (ED, F, G) there is correct. Also the CB500K2 Parts List for continental Europe is correct. The only thing you could maybe debate on, is the depiction of the front spring, but who can blame that Japanese fellow for borrowing a pic from elsewhere to avoid drawing all these windings over and over again.

[Trigger]

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg.

Not on my K2. Scroll down in: http://www.honda4fun.com/home/faq/generali/111-cb500-differenze-k0-k1-k2. The Parts List for my model so far is 100% accurate.

As I said, don't believe everything you read. A quick scroll down and incorrect info on the switch gear, master cylinder, sub loom, and grab rail 

The topic was the damper. Nevertheless all info for the K2 model (ED, F, G) there is correct. Also the CB500K2 Parts List for continental Europe is correct. The only thing you could maybe debate on, is the depiction of the front spring, but who can blame that Japanese fellow for borrowing a pic from elsewhere to avoid drawing all these windings over and over again.

If you scroll to the top of this thread, the topic is 1972 500. No mention of a K2   

[deltarider]

If you scroll to the top of this thread, the topic is 1972 500. No mention of a K2 

With al due respect, my reply (#4) was a reaction to the statement in reply#1 where it says:

All 500s K0-K2 had the long damper and this was screwed into the top bolt of the fork leg.

That statement is incorrect. I've limited my reaction to the topic: the fork and did not bring up anything else like: switch gear, grab rails or whatever. FYI, the European K2 came with the same front legs that were on the CB550K2, the ones that have the front disc mounts both left and right. All these details are in the parts lists. I strongly recommend them, the more now various models surface just about anywhere in the world. Of all the Honda documents that I've seen, the parts lists have proven to be the most reliable by far. The Shop Manuals may have errors and so do the Owner's Manuals, the parts lists that I've seen, don't. No wonder; dealers had to rely on them.

[oldboy]

I'm not actually 100% sure what year/model it is. Registered in 1972. Was informed it had been put back to original spec, but whether that's K1 K2, import or UK I'm now not sure, but with all the info on this forum it's something else to investigate. Thanks for all the reply's so far I'm sure over the coming months there will be more question.   

[Nurse Julie]

Well you can narrow it down.... If its a 1st registered UK bike it can only be a K1 (There are a very, very few 1st registered CB500/4 K0's but they were never imported here officially and we know most of them) We never had K2 in the UK model range. Look on the log book, it will tell you if it's imported and if its an import from USA it will have date of manufacture on the VIN plate, UK bikes do not have this.

[Bryanj]

Pm me the full frame number and i will tell you where it fits in my "list" of compiled numbers and build dates

[deltarider]

There never was a model K2 for the UK.
There was a CB500K2-A marketed in the US in 1973.
The different K2 for continental Europe did not arrive before 1976. It came in 3 submodels:
ED European Direct Sales, F the French type and G the Germany type.
For those interested, its parts list is here:
http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500/CB500-76/CB500-76_1.pdf
http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500/CB500-76/CB500-76_2.pdf
http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500/CB500-76/CB500-76_3.pdf
http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500/CB500-76/CB500-76_4.pdf
This CB500K2 (ED, F, G) was probably assembled in 1975-6 and marketed in continental Europe in 1976-7.
Partslist of the rare CB500K3, a model probably assembled in 1977 and marketed in continental Europe in 1977-8, is here: http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500-550/CB500-550_K3-K4.pdf
Also useful to identify, after scrolling down, can be: http://www.honda4fun.com/home/faq/generali/111-cb500-differenze-k0-k1-k2.
I have no knowledge of any CB500 model nor CB550 that is not covered in one of the parts lists found here:
http://www.honda4fun.com/materiale-documentazione-tecnica/parts-list/parts-list-cb500 *
http://www.honda4fun.com/materiale-documentazione-tecnica/parts-list/parts-list-cb550
Identification is relative easy: compare engine- and framenumber to those found in the first few pages of the parts lists. You only have to do this once and you'll immediately have all the info on: what carbs fitted, area codes, color schemes and what has been modified from what serial number on within that particular models production timespan. That info is a starting point. If you encounter parts on your model that seem odd, you could consult the other parts lists in an effort to reconstruct what POs may have changed and to verify if such a part is compatible.
I feel the need to apologise for repeating this message so many times. Believe me, my initial goal was to offer access to documents to all of us and so outroot unnecessary posts. The irony now is that I am repeating posts myself.
* Unfortunataly some of the parts lists published at Honda4Fun, in particular the early CB500 models, are in a poor resolution. They may be found in a beter quality elsewhere, possibly here?