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Messages - Oddjob
1
« on: Today at 08:30:44 PM »
No I have my pride Phil. As it is I’m getting better a little every week, I actually feel able to do a little DIY in a few days. When I’ve finished the jobs I should have finished last year I’ll tackle the 500 hopefully.
2
« on: Today at 04:03:57 PM »
The only mid ranged SOHC to feature a Primary Chain Tensioner IIRC. A nice touch which can be fitted to the 500/550 engines with a little work. Managed to source one a few years ago and intend to fit it in my 500, when or should I say IF, I ever get round to doing the engine.
Remember road testing one at Queenies and whilst it was smooth it felt underpowered to me.
3
« on: April 08, 2026, 11:58:03 PM »
Lovely James. Top class as usual. Like the colour as well.
I’ll bet those Phantoms were a bitch to get off, mine were hard as iron, even 24” tyre irons wouldn’t budge them, had to cut one off with a Dremel. I thought the original wheels were Lesters at first glance but they don’t have the right profile when you look close.
4
« on: April 08, 2026, 04:40:45 PM »
You can normally just break it with a cold chisel due to it being alloy. A Dremel risks the chance of thread damage IF you go a bit deep or it veers off target. Drive the chisel in off the edge and towards the bearing and it normally breaks where the slots are for the special tool.
5
« on: April 08, 2026, 04:38:13 PM »
Clearly a new loom. Does it have the correct blocks connectors fitted for the switchgear?
6
« on: April 08, 2026, 02:30:12 PM »
Far too many block connectors in that pic for an F1 or F2. The K3 uses them on the handlebars switches wires but they should go into the headlight, so why so long?
Good wiring/cable diagram in the back of the workshop manual and PDI instructions for the 550. Really helpful especially for the cable routing, which is critical on these bikes.
7
« on: April 07, 2026, 06:17:14 PM »
How many speedos can a bike be fitted with over a span of 50 years Roy? Mileage should be taken tongue in cheek unless the bike clearly still has say the original tyres etc.
I also prefer to reset mine back to 0 as I can then tell at a glance how the engine should be performing etc.
8
« on: April 07, 2026, 04:47:54 AM »
Not sure but I may have a homemade one of that special tool. Was it shaped like a flat letter U? You held the weights open and inserted the legs of the U into small holes in the weights?
9
« on: April 03, 2026, 01:24:20 AM »
500 kickstart and footrest. No wonder it is causing problems.
10
« on: April 03, 2026, 01:22:41 AM »
You have the right setup Johny boy. The 550f got a r/h footrest that folded up to get out of the way of the kickstart. The 550k didn’t get that. The part of the kickstart that bolts to the splines was also much much wider to get the kickstart far enough out to avoid the 4 into 1 system the 550f got that the 550k didn’t.
11
« on: April 02, 2026, 01:29:58 PM »
That all looks to be ok. Not a K model, that’s all off the F model and yours looks to be an F1. It should have green faces on the clocks. The F2 and the K3 both had blue faces.
There is a possibility the lever has been bent in the past, any damage on the underside of where your foot would push down? I do have a NOS one left if it is.
12
« on: April 01, 2026, 06:25:37 PM »
The rear brake lever on a 550f is flat steel, on a 550k it’s round. If yours is round the kickstart lever will hit it.
13
« on: April 01, 2026, 06:22:28 PM »
Not forgotten the clutch basket Neil, just been a bit unwell recently.
14
« on: March 30, 2026, 02:36:18 PM »
My son bought me a copy yesterday when he saw the 500-4 on the cover. Interesting read but a few faults. Bike is clearly a K1 yet doesn't have the handlebar mounted on/off switch for the lights, not sure whether he's reverted back to the original K0 right hand switchgear or has fitted a different type of switch elsewhere. Build and owned by a dealer yet some of it is extremely scruffy, rear brake light and points wires outside the frame instead of inside, just looks untidy to me. Not sure who advised the writer of the article on some points but he mentions that later models were fitted with an automatic camchain adjuster, never heard of that myself or even seen a reference to it. Maybe the 650 version but that had a different type of camchain anyway. Also a mention elsewhere of watching for failed primary chain tensioners when buying one, only the 650 ever got one of those and it was referencing the 500/550 at the time which struck me as bizarre.
15
« on: March 28, 2026, 07:24:29 PM »
Looks like the frame has been either damaged in the past or the bolt holes have been filled in.
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