Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 01, 2022, 10:14:44 PM

Title: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 01, 2022, 10:14:44 PM
Can anyone tell me the distance when off the stand from the ground to the seat please?

I'm trying to work out how much taller the 500 is compared to my 400?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: robvangulik on August 01, 2022, 11:15:04 PM
Maybe this site could be helpful http://cycle-ergo.com/
According to them the 400 is 30" high and the 500 31.7"
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Bryanj on August 02, 2022, 01:10:03 AM
Not just the seat height but width matters
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on August 02, 2022, 06:23:23 AM
You have to sit on one Ted.

Who’s near Derby?


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Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: K2-K6 on August 02, 2022, 08:29:38 AM
As above for sizing, you need to assess the peg to seat distance along with how far back along the bike the pegs are in relation to where you are comfortable sitting.

The old "high mileage" rider stance of putting your feet on the rear pegs while riding a non busy section can give you an idea of what helps your joint placing Ted. With feet back and knees a little downward it then opens your hip joint angle a little to see if that helps in looking at other bike peg/seat geometry.

Standing around talking at a bike meeting place, someone rides in, pulls to a halt and CRASH straight on his side as his right leg didn't deploy on command  :-[ but the nature of biking community had about 10 people immediately run over to help him up as leg was under bike etc, no real harm done with just a small scratch on bike and a bit of thinking to do.
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Nurse Julie on August 02, 2022, 08:38:38 AM
The height is very, very similar but the width of the seat means there is less leg length available to touch the ground with your feet. Compared to you Ted, I'm a midget and can touch the ground on both sides with just over half of my size 4½ feet 😊😊😊😊😊
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: bruxby-clive on August 02, 2022, 08:57:39 AM
Hi Ted I am north of Leicester if you want to come over to sit on a 500, unfortunately it is not quite road ready so I cannot bring it over to you.
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Matt_Harrington on August 02, 2022, 09:29:15 AM
The height is very, very similar but the width of the seat means there is less leg length available to touch the ground with your feet. Compared to you Ted, I'm a midget and can touch the ground on both sides with just over half of my size 4½ feet 😊😊😊😊😊
I suppose it depend on how long your legs are!  ;) :)
Matt
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: SPR on August 02, 2022, 10:04:31 AM
You are welcome to come and try mine ... when it lands :) I'm Chesterfield

Simon
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 02, 2022, 10:51:11 AM
You are welcome to come and try mine ... when it lands :) I'm Chesterfield

Simon

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the offer all I need realy is a sit on - let me know when it lands and I'll take a run out to Chesterfield it's not far away.
PM me please with your area / postcode nearer the time please.

Thanks Ted
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: SPR on August 02, 2022, 11:05:31 AM
Hi Simon,

Thanks for the offer all I need realy is a sit on - let me know when it lands and I'll take a run out to Chesterfield it's not far away.
PM me please with your area / postcode nearer the time please.

Thanks Ted

Have sent a pm :)
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 02, 2022, 11:15:04 AM
Maybe this site could be helpful http://cycle-ergo.com/
According to them the 400 is 30" high and the 500 31.7"

Thanks for the link its very informative in terms of riding angles.

400 for me is 13 deg lean forwards,Knee angle 77 deg, Hip Angle 74 deg.
500 for me is  0 deg lean forwards, Knee angle 78 deg, Hip angle 85 deg.

The advice on the site says the 400 is more crouched on the hip angle by 11 deg, knee 1 deg difference.
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Oddjob on August 02, 2022, 01:26:42 PM
The 500 was renowned for riding like you were sitting in an armchair.

Funnily enough my BIL came up yesterday to ask for some advise on my other 500 he seems to have adopted. I had to take it for a short ride to check out some noise, it felt small and low compared to my 1300, the seat however felt very wide between the legs, not uncomfortable just different. Been a long time since I rode a 500 and it was like coming home, big smile on my face even though the bike felt horrible, big carb problems and exhaust leaks due to using Dave Silvers exhaust brackets which misalign the 4 into 4 system. Still enjoyed it though.

Have a try Ted, you'll be surprised how comfy it is. 
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: philward on August 02, 2022, 08:20:14 PM
The 500 was renowned for riding like you were sitting in an armchair.

Funnily enough my BIL came up yesterday to ask for some advise on my other 500 he seems to have adopted. I had to take it for a short ride to check out some noise, it felt small and low compared to my 1300, the seat however felt very wide between the legs, not uncomfortable just different. Been a long time since I rode a 500 and it was like coming home, big smile on my face even though the bike felt horrible, big carb problems and exhaust leaks due to using Dave Silvers exhaust brackets which misalign the 4 into 4 system. Still enjoyed it though.

Have a try Ted, you'll be surprised how comfy it is.
Has your BIL fitted those high bars I gave him yet Ken?
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Oddjob on August 02, 2022, 10:44:12 PM
Believe it or not but no. I did ask him the other day but he reckons he's been trying to sort the engine out for so long now he's not had the time. The engines been out of the frame and apart 5 times now just in this present year. 3 gasket sets fitted, new camchain, new primary and he still couldn't fix it. He's got the carbs apart today, it was really lumpy, didn't want to rev, sounded like it was on 2.5 cylinders at 1400 revs, just bloody awful and he kept complaining of this tapping sound from the top of the engine, changed the camcover, rockers, cam, valve stem seals. Turns out it was an exhaust blow, the exhausts are so misaligned they don't touch the copper gaskets at the head all the way around.

Sometimes it just needs another pair of eyes and ears to solve the problem.

Oh and he also has a bent crank, the rotor oscillates slightly and catches the stator, the gear change was so stiff I suspect he's also bent the gearchange shaft. 
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: philward on August 02, 2022, 11:00:21 PM
And thats your bike!
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: Oddjob on August 03, 2022, 12:06:26 AM
Yeah. well he has to repair it at his cost. Trouble is he keeps hitting me up for spare parts.
Title: Re: Hond CB 500 height question.
Post by: deltarider on August 03, 2022, 11:56:54 AM
I suppose it depend on how long your legs are!  ;) :)
Matt
I have long legs. Decades ago I've pulled the footrest rubbers from the pegs, to create a bit more legroom.One could make a profile in the pegs, but I never bothered. My feet never slided of the pegs, as these bikes hardly vibrate. Besides, my shoe soles have profile, which has proved to be sufficient.
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