Honda-SOHC

General => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: petersy on February 28, 2015, 06:15:23 PM

Title: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on February 28, 2015, 06:15:23 PM: Just a quick hello to the forum.

I've already had some welcome advice with reference to dating and registering the CB550 I have recently bought.

I have now recommissioned the bike and sent off the registration documents. All I have to do now is waaaaiit for the DVLA to kick in to gear and hopefully I'll be on the road for April.

Only today I have bought another bike - a CB350F in fantastic condition and with only 14000 miles on the clock. I don't know what to do - ride it or wrap it in cotton wool. What would you do?
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: hairygit on February 28, 2015, 06:30:59 PM: Ride it, and have fun on it! ;)
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: matthewmosse on February 28, 2015, 07:00:05 PM: I have never had a working bike and not ridden it, basically til it broke. You Might not want to take it that far, but they are for riding.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP) on February 28, 2015, 07:04:36 PM: Nice bikes if it were me give them a thorough going over and ride them nice one
Cheers
Bitsa
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Green1 on February 28, 2015, 09:03:55 PM: It doesn't do them any good standing RIDE IT ;)

Mick
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: JamesH on February 28, 2015, 11:13:54 PM: Hi Peter and welcome. In my experience the DVLA are pretty quick these days with new registrations - just so long as the paperwork is all in order. Normally I get the v5 back in 5-7 days of sending.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 01, 2015, 10:16:54 AM: Quote from: Jamesh_sussex on February 28, 2015, 11:13:54 PM
Hi Peter and welcome. In my experience the DVLA are pretty quick these days with new registrations - just so long as the paperwork is all in order. Normally I get the v5 back in 5-7 days of sending.

That's good news as the website states up to 6 weeks. Thanks for the update.
I'll post here when I get a response.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 11, 2015, 12:45:42 PM: After sending in all the required registration forms and documents by Special Delivery (Â£7.15) and including a return Special Delivey stamped envelope (another Â£7.15) I finally got a response today.
They returned the whole lot as 'rejected'.

The reason? Because I sent the application in too early.

I asked for the registration to start on April 1st, but for this date, you have to send the application in up to two weeks prior i.e. 18th March.

Unfortunatley, the numskulls at DVLA hadn't the common sense to hold my application for 7 days before processing it, so now I have to wait 7 days and send the whole lot back again costing another Â£14.30 in postage.

Will send again on 18th and keep you up to date with the saga.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Drew400 on March 11, 2015, 01:32:39 PM: Nice bike(s) Peter,

My, not nearly so good or rare 400, is looking forward to a long and happy retirement as a fair weather only bike. Enough use to a) create enjoyment in rider and b) keep oil and bearings moving around. There's enough salt and neglect damage of 40+ years to create its unique 'patina'... no more is required.

Ride yes, neglect no.

Enjoy!

D.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 11, 2015, 01:43:56 PM: Quote from: Oddjob on March 11, 2015, 01:30:45 PM
Is the 550 Flake Sunrise Orange? looks too deep a colour to be Candy Gold Custom.

Also what's up with the seat? seems to be too high. The chrome trim on the tank and seat should form a continuous line and yours doesn't.

First detailed pic of a CB550K I've seen, fork shrouds look a little odd at the bottom compared to the 500, can't work out what the difference is.

Nice bike though, like it.

Yes it's flake sunrise orange with good tank paintwork and one good (but cracked) side panel. The other side panel was from a CB500 and was sun faded so I decided to repaint them both. Will post more pictures when I've finished recommissioning it.

No idea about the seat. It feels and looks good so it's staying (I don't want to go over budget). I've taken off all the chrome around the seat trim. It looks neat and tidy with the resultant white, but I'm looking to use chrome tape to keep the original appearance.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 11, 2015, 02:08:15 PM: Seat pan picture below....
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 11, 2015, 02:28:25 PM: Just remembered - After removing the seat, I plonked it back on just to take a picture of the bike to send away with the registration, hence the high appearance, as it wasn't fixed to the bike by its hinges or catch.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 11, 2015, 02:31:32 PM: Quote from: Oddjob on March 11, 2015, 01:53:21 PM
I have a brand new CB550F side panel in Flake Sunrise Orange if you ever need to get an example of unfaded paintwork for a paint match.

As the tank is original, I took the colour from that. I think I have as near match as I'm going to get with the paint I'm using, but still have the laquer coat to go on the panels.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 12, 2015, 07:44:59 AM: As they rejected my application anyway, I could have waited until the seat was finished and fixed the seat on properly. Ah well - I'll be re-applying on the 27th.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Lynx on March 19, 2015, 04:06:47 PM: I Pete,

Do I recognize your 350 from the Kineton classic meets? I've seen a red one there before.

Steve
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 19, 2015, 05:19:16 PM: Steve

I was told that it came as part of a private collection in Scotland.

Hence the reason I don't know whether to ride it or keep it as it is and let it appreciate in value.

Pete
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: LesterPiglet on March 19, 2015, 05:57:14 PM: If you bought it to make money don't ride it.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Green1 on March 19, 2015, 08:15:52 PM: I would still ride it.I bought mine as an investment but that soon went out the window as I enjoy riding it so much. ;D
Its gradually becoming less stock and dare I say a little scruffy if you want to buy something as an investment buy a rembrandt ;)

Mick
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 19, 2015, 08:34:22 PM: Wish I was in the Rembrandt league Mick.
Fortunately my CB550 should be on the road in a few weeks, so at least I'll have something to ride.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 24, 2015, 12:26:58 PM: Sent my CB550 UK registration forms off again today.
Let's see how long they take to process the form.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: JamesH on March 24, 2015, 03:35:32 PM: Fingers crossed - I reckon you'll have a V5 in your hand by the end of next week all being well...
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on March 24, 2015, 05:04:34 PM: I'd be happy with that.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on April 05, 2015, 10:54:00 AM: Quote from: Jamesh_sussex on March 24, 2015, 03:35:32 PM
Fingers crossed - I reckon you'll have a V5 in your hand by the end of next week all being well...

Good guess. I got my V5 yesterday (Saturday) so it took 10 days.

Lesson learned - if you want to register a bike to start from the begining of the next month, send in the application about 6 days before the 1st of the next month, otherwise you'll get your application back and have to re-apply, and at Â£14 return Special Delivery post, it will cost you Â£28 to apply twice, plus the registration fee of Â£55.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: JamesH on April 05, 2015, 11:22:18 AM: Well done and great news. Now go enjoy and post some pics..
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on April 07, 2015, 02:15:57 PM: Pics as requested below.

Video here:
https://youtu.be/afr0xtu7k7U

Now ready for the weekly Wednesday rallies at Hoar Park.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Lynx on April 07, 2015, 02:17:35 PM: Very nice. Well done.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Green1 on April 07, 2015, 11:21:58 PM: Looks great 8)
Not a fan of the pipes though sorry

Mick
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on April 08, 2015, 07:18:17 AM: I know what you mean Mick, but original pipes are difficult if not impossible to get.

Even an aftermarket set would cost close to a grand.

If I can get another CB500 to recommission, I'll be somehow trying to get 4 exhausts fitted, but I won't be paying silly money for them - I'll try to make them up on a budget.

At least the ones that are fitted now are much more solid metal than the original silencers.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Green1 on April 08, 2015, 11:40:31 PM: They could be worse you could have slash cut pipes. ???
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: petersy on April 09, 2015, 07:07:39 AM: I think I know the type you mean.
With a megaphone stuck on the end of each one, you could potentially have a good result.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: matthewmosse on April 09, 2015, 08:14:39 PM: I have a similar set of pipes, personally I think they are ok, though I have yet to fit them to a bike.