Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: deltarider on May 20, 2026, 08:15:49 AM
-
'Marktplaats' is a very, very popular site for second hand goods in Holland. Ebay is not, btw.
This bike is an exact copy of mine, be it, this one has run less than 14.000km and mine 142.000.
What is your opinion on the price? https://www.marktplaats.nl/v/motoren/motoren-honda/m2401308465-honda-cb500-four-100-origineel
-
Around £6300 at todays prices, I suspect that would be a good price in the UK.
-
Its a lovely looking bike but at that price would you ever use it?. Its only worth what somebody will pay.
-
Well... from personal experience, I can say that the bike is at least good for another economically sound 130.000km or 50 years which ever comes first. ;)
What I myself would worry about: how good are - after such a long period of inactivity - all the rubber seals?
Any of you guys who can shed some light on this?
-
Price isn't bad, but depends if you want to buy it.
Seals, try listing them, plus the camchain tensioner and primary drive rubber as those are most likely a controlling factor for economics of running such an engine.
It's a strip, inspect & replace the vulnerable parts to give it decent chance of fulfillment in happy future miles.
If the rest is good, it will,ultimately be worthwhile for somebody looking for original model in that condition.
Some buyers will be losing that whole amount in depreciation on a new car, if not careful. This bike will likely keep its cost over coming years with, all but, nil depreciation.
The A-preciation will be in the happy miles spent riding it.
-
If it's stood without being lubed and turned over despite the low mileage it might need a rebore and almost certainly a head overhaul for regular use.
Even so it looks a solid starting point, at todays prices to restore it fully will cost enough to mean it is unlikely to be a good investment. I believe most of us expect to make a loss in end value even with our free labour.
A lifelong friend of mine sank quite a lot of money into a Facel Vega that he later replaced with an E type Coupe. He used the E Type regularly over the last 8 years, he is unable to find a buyer, I suspect he will loose more on the Jaguar than all my bikes added together.
It's relative I think, restoration is a hobby, some expect to make money, most of us dream of breaking even though that dream might be fiction.
-
Quite right, Ted. I replaced every bearing, seal, guide, chain, shell, ring, buffer, cable…..on my F2. Including paint, seat, chrome and the rest I’m left with a mechanically and cosmetically ‘perfect’ bike that will never be worth what I have spent.
But it was worth it for the learning, entertainment and enjoyment. Plus I know it’s ‘almost’ perfect. One day I might even ride it.😁
-
That is so true Phil (Sesman), the sense of achievement when removing a seized bolt, finding a NOS part, getting the electrics to work, removing an oil seal, all these hurdles seem to tick the boxes in my brains reward center
The feeling of pride when a stranger comments positively on your bike when at a petrol station etc. The knowledge that you are a custodian of a great piece of engineering history that will continue when we are gone to another place. Negative comments about some detail of originality probably made by an armchair pundit can't deny the efforts we make to keep these bikes running. Each of us owns our own bit of bike history, complete with associated memories of our youth.
-
Ahem, guys, the bike in the advertisement has just about finished its break-in period...
-
Ahem, yes. But it’s also old. While not guaranteed, there remains a risk that seals, orings and potentially the primary drive rubbers are shagged. It’s also difficult to ascertain its use, possible abuse and what damage has been done to a little used standing bike, assuming the mileage is genuine. Having said that it’s the basis for a viable proposition. Personally I’d be expecting to spend money, but I’m a cup half full type of person. Potentially a realist. I think it’s too dear. But again, I’m from Yorkshire.
-
Mileage is not an indicator of mechanical condition. It depends on how the mileage was done, I’ve seen engines where the owner never went above 3k and it’s scrap and others where it was ran to the red line in every gear and was in good condition. Only by starting it and listening to it can you be even half sure.
It could have done the mileage in its first year and been sat ever since. If so, avoid.
-
[...]
It could have done the mileage in its first year and been sat ever since. If so, avoid.
That was what I was asking: what will detoriate after a long period of sitting? I myself have no clue and I like to learn on this.
Then this: over a year ago the owner has invited me to come over to inspect the bike for its originality. This after we had had a phonecall. He was worried that possibly the side panels were not original. I could assure him they were, but that there was something that was odd to me: the cover on the alternator. So I offered to come over to inspect the rest of his bike. I had made a long list of what to inspect and on my trip towards his garage I was actually a bit worried that I had to inform him on some things that were wrong. For 45 minutes I went through my list with all the details to check and - believe me - I know all the details of the CB500K2-ED in Excel Black. Everything was right. Only the coils had HT leads that were not routed as original. Then to that cover on the alternator. It's not on any CB500 I have seen, except for the later K3 model. It's the only thing I had no other explanation for that - seen the engine- and framenumbers - it was obvious that his has been one of the very last of this ultimate serie of the oldstyle CB500s ever built and that Honda had already fitted the new style cover. No damage, everything was how it should be and I could tell by other details that there had never been a wrench on that bike yet. Everything was correct. It started perfectly, idled like new, brilliant response etc. I could conclude by feeling the resistance to remove the side panels that they had not been much of before. Before my arrival, I had been convinced I would find at least something, but... nothing.
About the coils that had its HT leads not routed like original. Maybe coils have been replaced after a mistake made by a PO. If you leave the bike and have forgotten to turn the ignition OFF, the coils may not survive. I had a teacher in school who had this happened to his '60 Opel.
I have tried to persuade him to keep the bike - he had not been riding it as he didn't have his license yet - saying that he would never find another one like this. Now after over a year it seems he has concluded that he wasn't to take riding lessons to get his license and so it is for sale.
-
I would have squirted a small amount of oil into each bore before trying to start it. If it's been standing for so long, the bores would be dry and initial startup not lubricated.
The coils are not an issue, maybe the leads were not routed correctly in the first place or at a service. They could have also been disconnected for cleaning and not put back correctly.