Honda-SOHC
Other Stuff => Desperately Seeking!! => Topic started by: Laverda Dave on February 07, 2022, 04:44:14 PM
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Hi All,
I've been thinking about what to do as a next project once I've finished rebuilding the Triton.
I'd like to do something a bit different to my usual of restoring a bike back to stock condition.
Having thought for a few months I'd like to build something a bit off the wall but not radical. To this end and having restored the CB250RSA previously that I've owned for 20+ years I thought I'd have a go at building a sleeper, in other words a CB500RSA. This uses a FT or XR SOHC engine slotted into a CB250RSA frame. It was a common mod back in the day to do this conversion.
My starting point will be to obtain a decent FT or XR engine and these are really hard to find. CB250RSA rolling chassis are much easier to find crashed, bashed, barn found or hacked about.
I've been looking on eBay for a while but engine wise there's nothing about other than bits such as crankcase halves etc
If anyone has a complete FT or XR500 engine laying around or knows someone who has can you let me know. I don't expect it to be perfect, I'd be stripping it down anyway but as long as the cam and head bearings are ok and no broken fins I'd be happy😁
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Hi Dave
Have you considered SLR 650 / dominator motor - same base engine I think?
I was looking at building an FT based flatracker and then hit on the idea of SLR. I actually have a motor (not for sale) but if you want any dimensions.....? I think the Lecky start was more reliable on these too?
They do suffer cam issues too but opens the net out if this route works for you?
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BUilt a flat tracket fpor a pal last year froman SLR donor bujke.Brilliant engine and do have a better starter but as a motor theyre brilliant and dead simple to work on. Dirt cheap to get a complete bike too.
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BUilt a flat tracket fpor a pal last year froman SLR donor bujke.Brilliant engine and do have a better starter but as a motor theyre brilliant and dead simple to work on. Dirt cheap to get a complete bike too.
Got any piccies of what you built out of interest?
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Yeah, they're on the phone and I can only do one at a time so bear with.
It was bought by a pal from a bloke in Abberdeen, who MUST have used it as a boat anchor as it was the rustiest bike I have ever worked on. Simbly knackered!
My pal finished it off when I came down to Bristol last year so these are a few of how dreadful it was and a few of the process. The motor, however was fantastic and he didnt want to split it so I painted it complete in the garage. Not my preferred method but it came out reasonably well.
It had 17" rims off a donor in the pile and a shock off a 2001 Triumph T509 so we could rebuild it plus it had a remote reservoir as my pal's a fat git and he needed it! His name's Lard......... I kid you not, He needed it;D
It became a flat tracker as we had to cut so much knackered rusty subframe off it that it was the easiest option. It had a CG125 tank on it, Renthal bars, Yorkshire Tea tin battery box, brembo twin pots from a 1997 Ducati 748, bear trap pegs and moto gaget gubbins to fit. I left the project at that point and moved here. Ive not heard much about it for a while so I suspect it will be at the back of the shed lurking in the 'to finish' que. It ended up a build from what we could gather rather than what we could spend on. It appeared that as long as it had Honda on it, it would probably fit with minor nannying. It was a good chuckle through the first lock down.
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Pile of bits to start
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I haven’t got any others on this phone but you get the gist. It was built for a giggle.
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This is what inspired me. FT500 based. Personally think the standard FT is pig ugly.
[attach=1]
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Thats mint, I can see why you want to do one and a fairly steay one to do too.
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Those are some really nice builds.
I did think about the 650SLR and also the XBR500 engine but being the RFVC engine I thought it would look to radical in the CBRSA. I did actually consider a GB500 bike but they are way too expensive for what they are imho.
I read an old performance bike mag and came across an image of the bike I want to build, its perfect, the engineering and mods that have gone into it make it look like the 500 single Honda should have built instead of the FT. If anyone sees an engine for sale please let me know ;D
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That one looks really good Dave. I can see why you want to do that build, hope you can get the bits you want.
When newer, a friend ran a XL500 R which was seriously quick on country lanes in comparison to most things around. Also remember it had a 9mm bolt in the head somewhere as I think I remember that correctly.
Went on to own a FT 500 when living in USA which true to form suffered from starter gear problems. A while ago, but think he rebuilt the starter gear system while using modded bushes possibly to get more durability.
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This is what inspired me. FT500 based. Personally think the standard FT is pig ugly.
(Attachment Link)
Some of the best looking bike wheels ever made I feel, nice looking modified there.
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I prefer the Lester wheels, far stronger with the I beam spoke construction and the polished edges/rims really made them stand out
Are those ABE wheels? sure my BIL has some ABE wheels.
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Genuine Honda
[attachimg=1]
Think it was the only bike honda used that design though, possibly :) but as mentioned, look similar to ABE type.
In a similar way, Kawasaki copied the Morris mags that they used on their racers to make production wheels
[attachimg=2]
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That FT sure is one fugly bike.
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That FT sure is one fugly bike.
I agree, that's why I only want the engine ;D. I remember when these first came out and Bike magazine undertook a road test of one, they slated it, slow, heavy and ugly they called it. The Ascot name was only given the the US bikes in honour of the Ascot racetrack in California, we just got FT500 over here.
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Those are some really nice builds.
I did think about the 650SLR and also the XBR500 engine but being the RFVC engine I thought it would look to radical in the CBRSA. I did actually consider a GB500 bike but they are way too expensive for what they are imho.
I read an old performance bike mag and came across an image of the bike I want to build, its perfect, the engineering and mods that have gone into it make it look like the 500 single Honda should have built instead of the FT. If anyone sees an engine for sale please let me know ;D
I read that,it was a great build and the guy had jujst improved on what was there without really sensible mods.
Saw this tonight, thought it a nice one. Bet its a giggle but maybe not those tyres, not into that.
https://www.bikeexif.com/honda-nx650-dominator-hb-custom?omhide=true