Clutch plates

[toucheturtle]

Does anyone have a preference as to which brand are best for the CB500? My clutch is a bit abrupt which I believe is common on the CB500s. In the Brooklands book on the CB500s and 550s there is an article which recommends fitting CB450K0 plates instead 22201-283-000 which supposedly cures the problem. They have since been superseded by 22201-MA7-000 plates. Has anyone tried using these or are the modern replacement plates less harsh?

[florence]

I think one has to put up with the fact that Honda clutches generally from this period are pretty horrid.  It is one of the joys of ownership

[SteveD CB500K0]

I've seen that article (I have the book too) but have never heard of anyone actually doing it.

Bryan??

[Bryanj]

Never changed the plates in a 500 yet. One i had years ago would slip from start off if you tried hard then every gear change till you eased off----seemed to give a quicker take off and even with 2 years abuse never actually wore out!

Grabby on the 500 is frequently down to the pushrod being broken and/or the mechanism needing lube

[matthewmosse]

I've only ever had a slightly slippy clutch on a 500, not even after 100 000 miles were the plates worn near the limmit. I'll be putting in new springs when I finally get round to rebuilding the motor but the plates still have plenty of use left in them.

[Yoshi823]

On my old black/green commuter 550F1 I had a slipping clutch. Luckily I had some spare plates for the blue 550F2 that came with the bike, so I used them. Strangely though, the new ones were the same thickness as the old ones, which I still have. But the new ones worked a treat, &, together with some washers that I used to preload the springs, worked very well. There was no grabbiness or abruptness to the 550 operation...as has been said, maybe it was a 500F function.

[matthewmosse]

500 has a rather different clutch mechanism to the 550, and in my expirience although it had issues with slipping, I still prefer the 500 version having had a few problems with the 550 system- but that is probably down to running bottom of the markett bikes as cheap transport, it's something of a surprise to me to see the old bikes I got into as cheap wheels becomming 'classics' and not altogether entierly welcome in some repects, spares have in some cases rocketted in price, calipers mudguards etc.

[florence]

Matthewmosse, I agree, this used to be a very cheap bike to run and still is mostly.  I have had the same clutch plates in for fifteen years and very little adjustment has been needed.  The plates do not wear out.  I have often thought that I will try pre-loading the springs as mine is a bit slippy but I have never been bothered to get a gasket and take the side cover off. 

On the american forum several people seem to have found that different oils affect the clutch operation so it may be worth having a look there.

 

[matthewmosse]

cheap comma oil the cluch doth not like at all...........