CB500 Fork ears or headlight brackets

[Oddjob]

I've managed to acquire a pair of NOS CB500 fork ears, these are rare as hell and both are in really good condition except I've noticed they both have a dent on the back of the tube part. Seems to be roughly in the same place so I was wondering if they all have that as a way of avoiding hitting the tank for instance.

Can anyone who still has a decent set confirm if this is the case or not. If they don't have the small dent I'll find a way of repairing them from the inside to remove the dent.

I've had a O/S ear for some years now but spotted a N/S for sale over Xmas and decided they are better in pairs even though I won't be fitting them as I prefer the CB550 ears for my bike.

[Nurse Julie]

Yes Ken, the molded recess on each ear is standard.

[Oddjob]

Weird, never noticed that, a thing like a small dent would have bugged the hell out of me, the 550 ears for instance don't have the dent but then again the 550 uses a different tank. But when I think about it why does the 550 ears not hit the tank when used on a 500 with a 500 tank.

[Jan B]

I have 5 "fork ears" for the 500 and all are dented in the same way at the back. 

[Oddjob]

Worth a few bob Jan, especially if they are in decent nick.

[ST1100]

Italian Mold Lab makes nice replicas and they too feature the dent...

https://fb.watch/px5wEp-6BA/

(hope the FB link works for you...)

[Jan B]

Unfortunately only two of five are any good...

The replica's Italian Mold lab look good. They are stainless and €300 a set (begin 2023)....

[Bryanj]

Dont do faceace so cant look

[Oddjob]

Doesn't work for me either, can't stand sites like FB or Twitter or anything like it.

I wonder if the fact they are made of stainless will put off some of the purists

[mickwinf]

I think they do chrome plated or stainless.

[Oddjob]

Chromed ones dearer?

Are they like the UK ones or the American version?

[Nurse Julie]

Stainless steel mirror polished. I know of a lot of people that have bought them and they are over the moon with them.

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[Oddjob]

Surprised Julie, you are always so "It must be genuine parts or it's not an original bike"

Got to say they look ok, I wonder if they'll do some 550F2 ones?

[Nurse Julie]

Surprised Julie, you are always so "It must be genuine parts or it's not an original bike"
I haven't got them fitted to my bike Ken, I have a NOS OEM pair fitted. But, to be honest, by what I have seen, the IML ones are as good quality, if not better than the OEM ones.

[ST1100]

I wonder if they'll do some 550F2 ones?

They currently have the 500 K2 holders in the pipeline (CAD file ready), since they're expanding their program massively, good chances for a 550 series in the foreseeable future...

Apologizes for the FB link, but the IML web-presence is still under construction...