CB500/4 K0 UK bike

[DavidM]

I am about to start recommissioning my 500/4 K0 which i have owned for 34 years. It was last on the road in 1984. It was registered in Apr 72 and is 100% original. I have been told that K0 500/4s were never 'officially' imported into the UK. What exactly does this mean please and how would this bike have been likely to have arrived here. Many thanks for any info you may be able to give me. Regards, David M

[Trigger]

Welcome to the mad world of the SOHC.
There were only 3 K0's bought in officially as press bike, a gold, a black and a brown one. The others were grey imports brought in by dealers direct from Japan or Europe and then changed to UK spec, as the K0 was never available here and the high demands before the release of the K1  . Which are the 3 press bikes is a big question and I have searched for the answer for years.
Even the grey import units are rare to find these days. I have fully restored a K0 about 4 years ago .
Any pictures of the bike would help.

[DavidM]

Thank you Trigger , that 's very interesting. I will try to attach some pics. Would either the frame or engine numbers be of any help. I am 100% sure that this is an original UK K0 and as i said, it's condition is also totally original. I also have the original log book. I am new to this so please bear with me. Cheers, David

[DavidM]

Thank you James. I did post a couple of pics on another site (VJMC) i think, about a year ago. It was you who identified it as a K0 and i confirmed this via engine/frame nos. Unfortunately ill health has prevented me from commencing the project until now. I will post pics tomorrow and look forward to learning more about the bike. Regards, David

[Bryanj]

I have a fairly comprehensive list of frame/engine numbers with build dates if you PM the details i will see where it fits. Is there a Vin plate on the RH side of the headstock yo go along with the stamped number on the LH side?

[K2-K6]

Would this one for in anywhere,  supposed to be 1974

[Trigger]

Registration of April 1972 is too early for a press bike. The release of the K1 in the UK would of been 1st August 1972.

[DavidM]

Thanks Trigger. I will post more details tomorrow when i dig out the log book. I am quoting from memory which has been known to be wrong !!!! I will also post all relevant numbers. If it is pre press bikes would it have been a grey import? By the way, it is gold and black. Do you know when the press bikes arrived in the UK? Cheers, David

[Trigger]

Honda are the hardest people to get any information from. Is it GTT 131K ? This was not a press bike but was used by Honda in sales sheets.

[AshimotoK0]

Welcome !!  ...Not a UK bike in this review ... they used Swedish one.... and  before someone starts banging on  ..yea it's got Made in Japan stickers (same colour as Menno did mine ... has a blue metallic coat under the candy ... work that one out).

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[DavidM]

LRB453K Trigger. Am i right in thinking they First appeared in Feb 72 at the London bike show, and would this have been a K0 on display?

[DavidM]

Sorry LRR453K

[Trigger]

Never seen any pictures of the 500 at the London bike show. Doubt it would have been a UK spec one that early as they took about six months to get here back then.

[Seabeowner]

Bike show pics from MM March 72. Exhibition RHS halls Jan 72. Anyone remember these shows?  Went a couple of times.

And just to add to the K0 thread. Not it's not very clear in the shots if it has stickers on the side panels.
BUT in the full length shot of Jon and the lady (who is sitting halfway up the tank with her right leg on the tacho), it is clear (just) that it does have the stickers.

[SteveD CB500K0]

I did a couple of RHS shows in the Ltd 70s when I was a student in Brighton. It was the Racing & Sporting show.


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