Tag Archives: kickstart

CB500T Resurrection update

Posted on January 30, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Know that nothing is more satisfying than hearing a dormant engine come to life, no matter how many kicks.

A recent trip to the parental compound yielded some garage time with the venerable CB500T. A fierce winter has prohibited much face time with the CB, but thankfully we are dealing with a 70′s Honda here, albeit the most cantankerous of the lot, and there is not much fuss to be had. Many kicks and many moons witnessed the CB sputter and start. A tune-up and down will need to be had: the carbs cleaned, points set, and valves checked before she is to roar once again.

She was not properly put to sleep lo so many moons ago and the discovery was made of float bowls full of gasoline, although there did not appear to be any gelatinous deposits; for which the motorcycle Gods can be thanked.

NMBP

She would not hold a throttle, and as such will require some tenderness.

The following work will need to be completed in order to right this ship:

  • Clean Carbs
  • Tune up: set valves, set points, set timing
  • True Wheels
  • Fix Headlight/Shore up electrical system
  • Install New Chain
  • Tune Down
  • Square Away Brakes
  • Fix/Weld exhaust flange

Non-essential but important nonetheless:

  • Change fork-oil and toss-on fork gaitors
  • Drill front rotor
  • Remove starter, garner and install block-off plate
  • Source CB450 headers and toss crossover box
  • Tires and tubes

Important spares to garner and carry:

  • throttle cable
  • clutch cable (have already)
  • rectifier/regulator (running one from OMP but best to be prepared)
  • points (have (gl1000 points are the same))

 

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CB500T Metal-bit Reconnaissance Mission Vol. 2

Posted on December 14, 2010 by | 4 Comments

As noted in my previous post, if the CB500T is EVER to be considered as a viable candidate for pre and/or post apocalyptic transport, its original design flaws must be fixed and its appetite for self-destruction quashed!
As such, as any responsible hooligan manboy hybrid would do, I am taking the steps to rectify the aforementioned maladies; and restore the CB to its former glory!

To do this, the first step that one must do is remove the left-side crankcase cover. This will reveal the alternator rotor. It is big and round and magnetic and looks you in the eye. You will need to remove this to get to the starter clutch. To remove the alternator rotor you must first loosen and remove it’s bolt, which holds it fast to the crankshaft. Note that this is a normally threaded bolt and follows the age old paradigm of righty tighty lefty loosey. We must apply counterclockwise pressure here, mind you. To get this bolt out you must either put the bike in gear and stand on the brake so that the engine does not turn…or if this doesn’t work, as it did not for me, apply the two penny trick! Of course, this is a pain in the ass and requires the removal of the right side crankcase cover but thoughtful hooligans truly don’t mind because this entails the double benefit of exposing the oil screen which you may now clean.

Fair enough. Get that right side crankcase cover off and place two stacked pennies between the crank pinion and clutch hub gears to arrest the engine.

The rotor bolt will now be able to loosen without the engine turning.

There is one more step now to remove the rotor.
The alternator rotor must be popped off of the crankshaft. You will either need a special “tool” for this step or a 16mm x 1.5 pitch bolt. Of course, this bolt is unobtanium at most any hardware store on earth.
Fortunately, for owners of 1975 Honda CB200T’s, the CB200T axle will fit into that rotor perfectly.
But, not the CB500T’s axle. It is too big.
Sochiro Honda is an asshole at times, but, we forgive him for making otherwise beautiful and reliable motorbikes.

Now, screw the CB200T axle/special tool into the alternator rotor and turn, clockwise. Keep turning, add some pressure, and the rotor will pop off.
Heed this warning: Go slow.

CB200T axle mmmm

If you are elderly or infirm and desire to keep your electric starter mechanism, you must be careful when removing the alternator rotor, for behind it is the starter clutch with all its various bits and pieces. These will fall and scatter and bounce all over your garage floor should you not take care.

Note: Hooligans and boy adventurers care not for electric started mechanisms and prefer to kick start all machines. As such, the electric starter clutch of the CB500T will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

sheared bolts, ovaled holes: no better than scrap!

As it now stands anyway, it is worth less than scrap.

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