SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB500/550
550 K1 : up-shifting issues (mostly low RPMs)
K2-K6:
I can't see the oil making much difference to it.
Most bike gearboxes are constant mesh, meaning the paired gears are running together all of the time so you don't ordinarily engage the teeth to change gear.
The gearbox dogs are how each ratio is connected in sequence to direct drive through each pair required. These aren't usually obstructive as they have significant spaces to move them in and out of position.
The problem you describe "sounds" like you've possibly got one or more of the selector forks bent. What this does is not push the gear being moved all the way into its correct engagement, making it easy for the forces applied to push it back out from where you are trying to place it with the lever. That's how false neutrals can occur.
IF that is the case, it can't ordinarily be seen without dismantling to check the selector forks as far as I'm aware.
K2-K6:
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It's these forks that can be susceptible to bending that we discussed on another thread. These were for sale which I believe a forum member bought to replace some damaged in their own engine.
The 750 gearboxes appears to be less affected on their own versions of these forks, so although a bit clunky sometimes they are generally tough and operate correctly.
Bryanj:
It is worth removing clutch cover and clutch to inspect the gearchange mechanism.
All of that has to come off to split the cases so it is not wasted work.
The problem you have i have never heard of on the 550 so you are flying blind and looking for something unusual.
Remember Mcgintys third law:-
In a piece of machinery, no matter how reliable, at least one of everything will wear out sometime somewhere.
matthewmosse:
Not sure what gearbox bits a 550k1 has compared to cb500 or cb550k3 which is what I have experienced but on either when running and setup right they have been really nice and slick through the gearbox - my cb500/4 was regularly able to go from my place up in the hills of Mid Wales all the way to my girlfriends ( now wife ) old place in Talbot green by Cardiff, that's over 90 miles mixed A, B roads plus dual carriageway and back onto B roads and in the entire trip I would only need to use the clutch 3 times, the rest of the time I could just shift through the gearbox smoothly with not even the clutch being touched or any clunks. That is the measure of a good cb 500 gearbox, not sure my cb550 was quite as silky smooth, but close.
I had a few cb500 and 550 gearboxes act like you describe or more stubborn - yet at standstill they go though the box perfectly. I'm afraid I never bothered to resolve the issue, I had other engines so these stubborn ones are still in the loft. At least 1 was newly rebuilt by me from good used bits and all looked in good shape - I suspect it was something like the clutch pushrod on that one, as it was a 3 part affair with a ball bearing - I now believe that's not exactly as Honda intended. Back then I was using a cb550 manual as a guide and did not have this excellent forum to trawl through or ask for help.
Bryanj:
All the 550's are theme except for upgrades during manufacturing life but are completely different from 500
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