Honda-SOHC

General => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: martyn916 on May 04, 2021, 01:24:04 PM

Title: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on May 04, 2021, 01:24:04 PM: Hi All, a newbie and first post.

I’ve worked in automotive engineering most of my working life always in R&D or test, currently work for a company that supplies test equipment to the industry. I’ve had bikes from the age of 8, first bike was an NSU Quickly (there’s an oxymoron if ever there was one) and I’ve had bikes ever since (now 62).

I’ve recently bought a 1975 CB500/4 which although is good condition it is far from perfect. I bought it to ride not polish so perfection isn’t an issue, also bought it to keep it standard (unlike my first) but the bug has started and it is already fitted with a period set of Koni aluminum bodied rear shocks and a Dresda box section swingarm (to be fitted), I know where this is going! I had a 1972 500/4 when I was 17 so now 45 years later though it was time to relive my youth.

I’m sure I’ll be asking some questions in the near future as there are a few few things that have disappeared from the memory over the years! Just need time to ride it along with the other bikes, current collection is the 500/4 a 1972 Rickman Street Metisse (was a Police bike), 1950 Sunbeam S7D, 1993 Triumph Daytona 900, 1998 Ducati 916 and a 1977 Yamaha XS750 2D – plenty to keep me busy well into retirement.

Cheers,

Martyn
[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: cooleronthecoast on May 04, 2021, 01:29:36 PM: Hi Martyn. Nice collection of bikes you have there and as you say your new 500/4 looks nice but not so pristine you wouldn't want to get it dirty or wet. Welcome to the site.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Nurse Julie on May 04, 2021, 04:51:20 PM: Hi Martin. Great to see you on the forum and welcome.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: dave400 on May 04, 2021, 04:53:59 PM: Hello and welcome your bike looks very nice, Southport attracts lots of bikes I often ride over and have a brew at the pier on a nice day....Cheers
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Orcade-Ian on May 04, 2021, 05:43:03 PM: Hi Martyn,
Welcome to the forum, lovely collection you have there - we lived in Crossens and Banks for 30 years - my Wife is a Sandgrounder. Still have lots of friends around the area but now retired to Orkney. Lots of 500/550 fours on here - I only have their smaller siblings - 350 and 400 fours plus a few (too many!) others

Ian
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Moorey on May 04, 2021, 06:03:16 PM: Welcome to the forum .It looks like a nice 500.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: philward on May 04, 2021, 07:55:18 PM: Welcome Martyn - nice 500 (and collection!) - I had a Black 500k1 new back in 1972 which has insprired me to recently buy and rebuild a late 72 500k2 (US import). Just down the road from you in Wigan
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Laverda Dave on May 05, 2021, 08:47:06 AM: Welcome to the forum Martyn. Lots of advice and banter on here, enjoy.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on May 05, 2021, 02:24:36 PM: Hi Folks,

Thanks for the welcome and for those of you in the Lancs/Merseyside area I'm always (if free) up for a ride/meet/coffee, same goes for those visiting from afar :) For those of you who may be interested I've attached a few photos of the other bikes.

Cheers,

Martyn
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4][attachimg=5]
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on June 13, 2021, 11:32:20 PM: That's a nice looking set of Pension Pot bikes?
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Bryanj on June 14, 2021, 07:24:37 AM: Nice looking stable, the 500 is not totaly standard but close
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on June 14, 2021, 12:35:35 PM: Hi Bryan,

Just for idle curiosity apart from the grab rail and rear indicator mounts what isn’t standard on it?

Thanks,

Martyn
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Bro550F on June 14, 2021, 01:01:14 PM: Welcome Martyn,
I've done a similar thing and got a 550F2 I had an F1 in '76 as my first bike after passing my test.
Your 500 looks tidy.
I'm only down the road from you in Skelmersdale, we'll have to meet up.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: Bryanj on June 14, 2021, 01:08:55 PM: Its far too clean!! You got the main visile differences, may be more but only one pic so cant say more
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: royhall on June 14, 2021, 06:56:28 PM: That XS750 is a cracker. I used to have one of those in the 70s. A very much under rated bike. I loved mine.
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on June 15, 2021, 06:54:40 AM: Hi Bro550F

Yeah, you're not far away - meeting up sounds good.

Martyn
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on June 15, 2021, 07:05:47 AM: Hi Gents,

Thanks for the comments.

I'm not to hung up on originality as there's a Dresda swingarm under my desk waiting to be powder coated and fitted :D The speedo shows 20 odd thousand miles (not sure I believe it) but idle is fine with no unusual noises (did the primary chain on the first one I had at 18 with no real knowledge of mechanics but somehow did it!), I'll dig out a photo of my orginal bike and post it (it will be poor quality as it was with a Kodak 126 Instamatic!).

The XS750 is a nice one and very original and now I've rebuilt the carbs and fitted the correct float in one runs nicely - still drinks fuel like a small cruise liner (as did the original). The Honda is the better bike to ride ast he XS handling leaves a lot to be desired ;)

Martyn
Title: Re: Hello from Southport
Post by: martyn916 on June 15, 2021, 07:13:48 AM: Here's a photo of my original 500, highly modified and in a tasteful mirrorflake over black was a nice paint job but most definitely 1970's ;D[attachimg=1]