CB500 what to look out for

[open]

Hi,

Now I have my full licence I am looking for bikes!
Gonna hopefully view this tomorrow:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/honda-cb500-yello/1002147652#gallery-item-full-3

What things should I look out for as I aint got the foggiest?

My mate who knows more about bikes said he would come viewing with me, but he's not free till sometime next week and I dont want to pass up on the chance to get it by waiting.
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"Calamity - A more than commonly plain & unmistakable reminder that the affairs of this life are not of our own ordering."

[s]Baotian BT49qt-9 --> Honda CG125 (4 speed) '51 plate ----- 03/11/2012 Mod 2 PASSED! --> Cb500s[/s] Revoked

[Hobgoblin]

that ones been relisted on ebay twice by same seller https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-HONDA-CB-500-S-YELLOW-/221150906770?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item337d9f0992
view it, like it, make an offer?

Try here: https://www.cb500club.net/forum
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Plodding along on my CG

[stinkwheel]

The exhaust is slightly dodgy-looking

Standard CB500 exhaust is black painted mild steel. That has what looks very much like aftermarket stainless headers fitted onto the back half of a standard exhaust (presumably cut-off) which has remarkably fresh paint on it.

Not the end of the world, it's a cheap bike but check they haven't snapped or bodged any of the exhaust studs on the cylinder head and have a good poke about around where the header pipes meet the silencer for signs of rust and to see how it's been attached. From personal experience, if the headers have let go, it would be almost impossable to undo the clamp on the back part of the system without destroying it.

A CB500 has a mild steel stud with a long, chrome-plated hex nut (long enough to totally cover the stud) holding the headers on, not a bolt.

Check for pulsing on the front brake at low speeds.

Also check for cracks round the holes on the rear disc, cracks in the fairing near the little storage compartment on the right and (since I've never seen a yellow CB500S) make sure it's a UK model with a MPH speedo and an E-marked healight (dips to the left, has a capital letter E in a circle on the lens).
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[_mjs_]

Some old ones with sky high milage develop the 'clutch rattle' - a knocking sound when the clutch is disengaged. I'm sure there are videos of this on youtube... basically pull the clutch in while the bike it ticking over in neutral to test for it. It's supposedly caused by the basket becoming chipped or worn.

The older rear drum brake versions can develop a clunking sound when the brake is used. This is easily fixed by removing the brake torque arm and replacing with new washers.

Check the yokes and the frame above the rear wheel for rust.

None of these things really affect how the bike work, they're absolute tanks! Might help you haggle down the price however
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Previous Bikes: 2006 Honda XR125L > 2003 Yamaha DT125R > 1996 Honda CB500
Current bikes: 1997 Kawasaki ZZR 600 E5 > 2006 Honda Varadero XL125V

[open]

Thanks alot guys - with this I feel a lot more confident.
Will let you know how it goes.
____________________
"Calamity - A more than commonly plain & unmistakable reminder that the affairs of this life are not of our own ordering."

[s]Baotian BT49qt-9 --> Honda CG125 (4 speed) '51 plate ----- 03/11/2012 Mod 2 PASSED! --> Cb500s[/s] Revoked

[open]

So I got it in the end. Is a little scruffy but rides smoothly.
Rode it home - was the first time riding a big bike!
Was really fun.

Need to get it restricted ASAP, if not I will never get round to it.
____________________
"Calamity - A more than commonly plain & unmistakable reminder that the affairs of this life are not of our own ordering."

[s]Baotian BT49qt-9 --> Honda CG125 (4 speed) '51 plate ----- 03/11/2012 Mod 2 PASSED! --> Cb500s[/s] Revoked

[_mjs_]

[magicman-alex]

Great bike. I've got the same one in black. It was my first big bike too. I kept it though. Still love it!

I'd recommend getting a Haynes manual and doing a service to start with.

Also - a common fault with this bike is that the fan earth (at the top of the radiator) breaks/comes away so your fan won't kick in. It's an easy fix, you can just re-make the earth, but it's definitely worth checking. Have you tested the cooling system or had the fan come on yet?

On my bike, the fan normally kicks in when the temperature reaches the halfway mark. Overall, they run pretty cool though.

[covent.gardens]

The reg/rect is worth checking as its a common problem, its on the left of the bike under the plastic cover and looks similar to this

https://img1.jpegbay.com/gallery/000658533/1_m.jpg

If yours has "fins" then it's a replacement part, if its smooth as in the pic its original, check it for any cracks and undo the bolts to check for corrosion. If it's corroded clean it, if its damaged replace it, as the minimum a faulty one will do is murder your battery.

The sub-air filter or whatever they call it, is probably worth replacing when you have the tank off next, nobody seems to change them and they just fall to bits

[Ingah]

Not so useful to OP now he's bought it, but i would say to check all the consumables carefully. Some have been mentioned above, but just a handful of consumables will add up to a goodly chunk of the purchase price.

I would avoid high-milers that have been looked after with anything less than meticulous care - bearings, bushes and seals could well be shagged out on a bike that's got an owner that only replaces the absolute bare minimum to keep it on the road. And nothing costs money like having to pay someone else to do the labour because a nice 'easy' repair job has been severely complicated by previous owner neglect.

About regs/rects: The cheapest 3rd party replacements on eBay were, last time i checked, the ones without fins... The ones with fins are sometimes better because they are likely to stay cooler (increased surface area).
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-- Ingah

[cimbian]

Do the tyres have more than 2mm of tread
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22PlusY
Current: Moto Guzzi 1100 Breva. Previous: Honda XL650V TransAlp
Bearded, Balding, Born again Buddhist Biker