What did you do with your CB500 today?

RESULT

Managed to get out on the cb5 today, didn't help me get rid of my cold and had to stop a few times but god had I forgotten how easy it is to work this bike unline my cb4, suppose that's the twin vs inline 4

hi james the best way to avoid a cold in winter is to eat raw onion and ham sandwiches, I have been doing that for the past thirty odd years and it does the trick every winter

Jameshambleton wrote:forgotten how easy it is to work this bike unline my cb4, suppose that's the twin vs inline 4

Interesting point there. I sort of thought the cbf600 il4 I used to ride when learning was easier than the 500 in some ways. It was smoother, at least. Whereas the 500 twin could be a little bit lumpy and fluffy in comparison - though its lighter weight and "smaller" vibe more than off-set that. Then again the extra lard of the 600 often made it feel more stable somehow.

Anyway, I'd be into reading more about a comparison between the 500 and 400.

trevor machine wrote:

Jameshambleton wrote:forgotten how easy it is to work this bike unlike my cb4, suppose that's the twin vs inline 4

Interesting point there. I sort of thought the cbf600 il4 I used to ride when learning was easier than the 500 in some ways. It was smoother, at least. Whereas the 500 twin could be a little bit lumpy and fluffy in comparison - though its lighter weight and "smaller" vibe more than off-set that. Then again the extra lard of the 600 often made it feel more stable somehow.

Anyway, I'd be into reading more about a comparison between the 500 and 400.

I'll get something written up once I've removed the restrictor washers out of the cb400, as there is a massive dead spot in the mid range like what was on my cb500 when that was restricted. Gearing on my cb4 is also -2 on the rear as my cb500 is +2. I'll get something written up when I'm off college for christmas.

Here's my tyres (they actually arrived the other day):



Sadly in between me ordering them and now I've manage to f*ck my back up - no idea how, I did have a cold so I may have pulled something while sneezing So I'm not going to be fitting them or riding my bike for a few days, at least.... which is a pain!

I'm going to be going over to Lancaster and then heading up to devils bridge tomorrow if anyone wants to pop along, just remembered I owe @skyrider a cuppa there too... bugga

oh thanks james  yes that's nice but sorry I wont be able to make it tomorrow I have to take my mum out on her usual sunday outing and it could be cleveleys , will have a brew hopefully early in the new year

be careful on the bike tomorrow james the roads have been wet and dank around here all day and now its next door to freezing it could make things interesting 

wet and dank... oh damm gurl 
Shame I'll miss you, I'm hoping to be at devils and lanks more this coming year. Use to freezing temps now anyway, heated grips are a life saver as is a neck scarf to keep the wind off your face.

a neck tube is a brilliant piece of kit as is heated grips

good news james its a lot warmer out than it was last night enjoy your ride

skyrider wrote:good news james its a lot warmer out than it was last night enjoy your ride

Doubt it'll be that warm going across the tops from Hawes, I've decided to go ingleton way rather than going to sedbergh as the road is in better condition. I've planned it so I *should* be home before 3 aka when the temp plummets around here.

On you guys' recommendations, went out to halfords and got myself their massive socket set on sale. 90 pieces, which I figure should be plenty more than I'll ever need, reduced from £150 to £50, not a bad saving. It's also the advanced one so it's got the all important lifetime warranty for when I inevitably break something.

as   you say that is a decent saving well done and happy Christmas

Yes i have halfords set  over 10yrs there very good,  i am surprised halfords have had no oil deals this christmas  as they did last year...

wornsprokets wrote:Yes i have halfords set  over 10yrs there very good,  i am surprised halfords have had no oil deals this christmas  as they did last year...

I'm also disappointed at the lack of oil deals, I'm all out of engine oil and the cb400 desperately needs an oil change.

wornsprokets wrote:Yes i have halfords set  over 10yrs there very good,  i am surprised halfords have had no oil deals this christmas  as they did last year... :evil:

Oil does make good Christmas presents, hence no deal :) If you can afford to wait then it will, eventually, come down in price.

Well yesterday I went to lancaster, and then went onto Morcambe bay and too this shot with my dslr. 


I ended up going to visit a friend in Kendal who I've been seen since he was in major trauma unit in preston, so that was good and ended up missing Devils Bridge after all.

200 miles done today 






I had to pull up on the m62/a1m link slip road as I realised my pocket with my phone and wallet was open from Ferrybridge services oops. 

Bike is stupidly mucky so she'll be getting washed before heading upto Devils Bridge tomorrow at 1:30ish although I suspect that my standard reg/rec has died on me today. so that'll be getting swapped out and tested tomorrow morning.

After all the salt & crap lately, the brakes were making that intermittent dragging sound - that gets you noticed in slow traffic. On centre stand, back wheel hardly spinning at all & the front not much better.
After work tonight, got pads out and put the toothbrush & brake cleaner to work inside the calipers as best I could. Couldn't be arsed taking off the calipers as I couldn't face the absolute torture of re-fitting the back wheel again (and I need the bike in the morning). Didn't bother with the front one either. 
Filthy back pads (hardly worn at all) cleaned & refitted  but the wee spring fell out and that was a job to get in with the poor light - until I remembered reading somehwere on here (I think) about the dab of grease trick. 
New EBC  front pads were a right pain to get in, a bitch to get the pistons backed off, faffing about with resevoir cap & fluid....but got there.
Cleaned the discs & wheels spinning freely again, took her for a short spin tonight and all good. Goin to do a bleed over the hols and that'll be job done.

jonny10 wrote:After all the salt & crap lately, the brakes were making that intermittent dragging sound.....

The sound of imminent annoyance!

You can still make a worthwhile difference without taking the calipers off - TBH doing anything (rather than leaving it) is a lot better than what some people (don't) do.

I did my rear when I replaced by swingarm in the summer - all of a sudden my rear wheel didn't make that rhythmic scraping sound any more ;)

So far THIS YEAR I have removed the restrictor fitted when I bought it but never needed, done the front wheel bearings, Adjusted the steering head (head race bearings prev year ) engine oil/filter, new clutch lever, bled front and rear brakes, checked front and rear pads, New spark plugs, new brake lever and same side foot peg, another new brake lever - Ahem !  , checked and adjusted the clutch cable, new battery, new rear tyre ( front to be done ), fitted a top box, bought some vinyl wrap which I think I'll do in the warmer weather, and stripped and rebuilt a spare engine for it which I'll swap out at the next oil change to save wasting oil. I want to rebuild its original engine to eradicate a very intermittent knocking. Assuming is a piece of tooth or selector fork or something similar rattling around, but nothing revealed from taking the engine covers or sump off. Nothing on this bike seems beyond the WIT of a DIY mechanic.

Old habits die hard with my cb500, idles on both pots but once it's under load it misfires at 3k and when it's not under load 4k rpm and above it only fires on one pot. 

Thankfully thunderbird 2 was at home ready to go so I limped my cb home at the speed of a 50cc scooter.... 30mph swaped bike and of I went to Devils Bridge, got a few nice shots at met up with Wayne who also has a   

hi hope you had a good visit to the bridge I was working today so couldn't make it, luckily you went today and not tomorrow by all reports its going to be well nasty

Jameshambleton wrote:Old habits die hard with my cb500, idles on both pots but once it's under load it misfires at 3k and when it's not under load 4k rpm and above it only fires on one pot. 

let me know when you find the problem, ive got the same thing going on