cb500/cbf500 maintenance

[Scootaloo]

Approaching the 25,000 mile mark

Anything to check for in particular?

I know these bikes normally last till 100,000+ miles with relative low maintenance.

Anything engine wise I should be checking? Cam-Chain tensioner, blah blah

My suspension seems strong still, although I've noticed a creek noise (and I can feel it slightly) coming from the headstock area when I apply the front brake/the weight moves to the front of the bike. This has started happening in the last 5000 miles or so. Is this something to be concerned about?? should I be replacing/oiling some bearings of some kind.

Cheers All
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(CBF125 - 09) (CBF125 - 11) (CB-1 - 89) (CBF500 - 06) (Push Bike) (CB-1 - 90) (XL125 - 01) (VF500 - 83) (GPZ500 - 94) (GPZ500 - 95) (GPZ500 - 87) (XV535 - 94) (XV535 - 94) (GPZ500 - 87)

[The Shaggy D.A.]

CB500 Maintenance Schedule pages.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[GREENI3]

I know what you mean about that headstock noise when braking.
Mines more like a click/snap sound.

I've had the head bearings replaced as they were notchy anyway. Noise is still there so not sure whats causing it.

Steering is so much lighter though. You can really tell the difference with new bearings.
Mines on 26k so same mileage as yours.

[Pukka]

I too believed that the clicking noise was from the ruined head bearings but upon changing them the noise was still there.

The noise turns out (for me anyway) to be coming from the clutch cable. The cable sits very tight against the headstock so when the front dives i guess it allows it to move around or something. I know its this because when my clutch cable snapped i replaced it unknowingly with one for a non-faired 500 one which is about an inch shorter than the one for mine. When i used that cable the noise was much more apparent.

As for the maintenance has the valve clearance ever been checked? As the schedule above says it should be checked every 16k but i doubt many people do (guilty! i should properly get around to doing mine soon). When your checking that you would be able to decide if the tensioner needs to be changed, but as long as it isnt noisy it should be fine
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'98 Honda CB500S, '89 Yamaha FZR600 (Ongoing project)

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

It's shims not screw adjustment for the valves, apparently. Can't remember what book says but have read they'll do up to 100k (!!) without adjustment. Check out the penultimate thread on page one of the bikersoracle cb500 forum, e.g.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[GREENI3]

[Scootaloo]

Cheers for the guide, so apparently I should be inspecting and checking everything pretty much right now.

Shims/valves done at 16,000 miles the Honda dealer told me they we're fairly out of spec... so good job. (might just be trying to soften the spend!)

Oil changed every 2000-3000 miles with oil filter every other change.

Carb's Synced about 20,000 miles

I presume they mean air filter by air cleaner. I've never changed this so far. Maybe a K & N filter could be in order? You can clean them rather than replace them, worth it or waste of money?

As for the cam chain tensioner, I'm not sure how it's supposed to sound so I cannot really tell if it's bad or not.. sometimes the bike can feel a bit rough and most days perfectly smooth so not sure.

Cheers for the heads-up about the noise issue! I'll have a look and see if I can stop it.

All in all, I think I better buy myself a Haynes Manuel!
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(CBF125 - 09) (CBF125 - 11) (CB-1 - 89) (CBF500 - 06) (Push Bike) (CB-1 - 90) (XL125 - 01) (VF500 - 83) (GPZ500 - 94) (GPZ500 - 95) (GPZ500 - 87) (XV535 - 94) (XV535 - 94) (GPZ500 - 87)

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Here's one manual, the Haynes is too big to attach :-

https://www.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=64378

[edit] then again I'm not sure how relevant it would be to the CBF500.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5