Oil cooler on a 1972 CB500 K1. Should it stay or should it go?

[Honda Al]

Hi all,

I've just bought a 1972 Honda CB500 K1 as a winter project bike. I was going over it and discovered it has the optional oil cooler (little radiator, feeds into an oil filter adapter plate, etc.) and would like your opinion as 1. Do I need one for the UK? 2. Would it do more harm than good removing it and returning to standard?

Thanks in advance, Alan

[Norniron]

If you decide to sell it il give it a new home!

[Trigger]

Hi Al, Depends on how original you want the bike. Will not do it any harm with it on or off.

[matthewmosse]

A photo would be handy, it is something I intend to fit to mine at some point - not genrally needed on the 500, but mine did get hot in stop start traffic due to the sidecar making it hard work for the bike and precluding filtering.

[Honda Al]

As requested, pictures.
Alan

[deltarider]

The 500 is quite healthy thermal and doesn't need an oilcooler. If you insist on having one, be sure it has a thermostat. If it doesn't have one, the oilcooler will do more harm than good.

[matthewmosse]

Ooh, quite a pretty bike too, I have quite a soft spot for the green ones.

[Bryanj]

Only needed it using big overbore, lumpy cam and lots of right wrist

[Honda Al]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I might dump it then when I do the oil and filter change. Along with those rusty downpipes and muffler exhaust

[SteveD CB500K0]

By "dump", I'm assuming that you will offer it up here to a new deserving owner

This place thrives on free parts and (even freer) advice.

Steve