bought me a mo,sickle!

[Windy Miller]

I have a very similar one - no fairing though and a rear drum brake, but basically the same bike. Mine is really old and scruffy now, but it's been absolutely marvellous! Typical Honda reliability, and certainly fast enough to make you smile! Handling is quite good too - rear tyre chicken strips down to about 6mm now! I find mine a little light at the rear end, so the back wheel locks up easily under heavy breaking, so you may want to watch out for that! Would I buy another one? Most definitely!

 

[Paul G]

I had a Honda once.

Even the clock was slow.

 

[daleyd]

I had a Honda once.

Even the clock was slow.

LOL, Hondas have a rep for being boring, and I guess some of their bikes probably deserve it.

But when you look at some of the racing bikes HRC have produced over the years, just wow!!

RC30, RC45, NSR500 (Eddie Lawsons 1989 beast would probably be top of my list of "wants" in my fantasy garage), NR750/500, the 6 cylinder racers from the 60's, the RCV moto GP bikes............I'm off to dribble in a corner for a while

 

[shakyman]

LOL, Hondas have a rep for being boring, and I guess some of their bikes probably deserve it.

But when you look at some of the racing bikes HRC have produced over the years, just wow!!

RC30, RC45, NSR500 (Eddie Lawsons 1989 beast would probably be top of my list of "wants" in my fantasy garage), NR750/500, the 6 cylinder racers from the 60's, the RCV moto GP bikes............I'm off to dribble in a corner for a while

ive had a few honda cars they may seem boring at first,but they grow on you!my favourite was prelude 2.2 v-tech very good engineering and utterly reliable..hope the bike is as good..!

 

[shakyman]

I have a very similar one - no fairing though and a rear drum brake, but basically the same bike. Mine is really old and scruffy now, but it's been absolutely marvellous! Typical Honda reliability, and certainly fast enough to make you smile! Handling is quite good too - rear tyre chicken strips down to about 6mm now! I find mine a little light at the rear end, so the back wheel locks up easily under heavy breaking, so you may want to watch out for that! Would I buy another one? Most definitely!

wont be doing any of that hailwood or surtees stuff!(showing my age)chicken strips?..with dipping sauce i hope?..

 

[daleyd]

ive had a few honda cars they may seem boring at first,but they grow on you!my favourite was prelude 2.2 v-tech very good engineering and utterly reliable..hope the bike is as good..!

There is no such thing as a boring bike!

 

[waldershelf]

I used to have a '96, CB500 like the one in the OP, except mine was blue and didn't have the little fairing. Reliable, easy to ride and service, the one thing to be careful of is keeping it clean, they can corrode away before your eyes unless you look after them. Not the fastest bike in the world but will easily exceed any speed limit by a licence losing margin, a good choice for returning to biking after a break.

 

[Wallace]

I had a Honda once.

Even the clock was slow.

Civic or Accord?

 

[Paul G]

Civic or Accord?

A 400 Wet Dream

 

[atomant48]

RC30, RC45, NSR500 (Eddie Lawsons 1989 beast would probably be top of my list of "wants" in my fantasy garage), NR750/500, the 6 cylinder racers from the 60's, the RCV moto GP bikes............I'm off to dribble in a corner for a while

There was a link on here (I think) a while back of a little Honda smoker with about 25 gears. Was pretty cool.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

A 400 Wet Dream

I've got a 1979 CB400A Hondamatic !

Paul H

 

[Paul G]

Actually my Supper Dream was the most exciting bike I ever rode.
With a top speed of 89mph and shod with a pair of Chengshin"s my heart was permanently in my mouth.
Every approach to a corner or junction resulted in a squeal of complaint from these wonders in rubber technology
that could only bring looks of admiration from anyone within earshot.
When the vibration from the flatspots became unbearable I changed to Shin Hung Golden Boys but the bike was never the same.

I've had bikes since with more power and better handling but they were tame in comparison.

Paul G

 

[norlander]

500 twin is near 2 wheel perfection-on some roads.There used to be a CB500 cup series and those lads did not hang about-there were some fast boyz in there.
Your age has got nowt to with it-I've been riding bikes since I was 16 and I'm 64 now and still riding like a **** at times and can still give some young pups a hard time on my heavy owd hardley dangerous.
I just been down to Barcelona via Andorra for a booze up - went to bed at 3- got up at 6 and rode back leaving the younger guys festering in their doss bags.
If its got 2 wheels and its yours its the best-no matter wot its engine capacity ot wot names on the side.
You might think you have toothache after the first few rides-nah-its the grin on your face that does that.
Welcome back to bikes-enjoy.

 

[shakyman]

500 twin is near 2 wheel perfection-on some roads.There used to be a CB500 cup series and those lads did not hang about-there were some fast boyz in there.
Your age has got nowt to with it-I've been riding bikes since I was 16 and I'm 64 now and still riding like a **** at times and can still give some young pups a hard time on my heavy owd hardley dangerous.
I just been down to Barcelona via Andorra for a booze up - went to bed at 3- got up at 6 and rode back leaving the younger guys festering in their doss bags.
If its got 2 wheels and its yours its the best-no matter wot its engine capacity ot wot names on the side.
You might think you have toothache after the first few rides-nah-its the grin on your face that does that.
Welcome back to bikes-enjoy.

well got it safely home..!first 20mls i was very carefull(and slow!) then started to relax as my confidence grew, first impressions are light, good powerband,good brakes,it feels very well balanced,and a bonus it sounds good! its several engines in one throbby and tractable at low revs,bassy bark in the mid range then....arm stretching howl at top end...it feels like a well sorted bike thats one your side...plenty quick enough for me,yet not too intimidating...cant wait to give it a proper run..!i think its got a aftermarket silencer,stainless by the looks of it,any way im well chuffed,certainly brought a smile to my face..!

 

[ronan]

It looks nice and clean, best of luck with it.

 

[Robotstar5]

Just got to modify the fence mounting bracket so you can clean/service the bike now?

 

[shakyman]

Just got to modify the fence mounting bracket so you can clean/service the bike now?

lawnmower,wheelbarrow,cb500,all three at once....nothin to the legendary shakyman universal fence post device!

 

[MrFluffy]

Its a truism for me, Honda's really are boring, but, much less temptation to take to bits to make better, so you end up riding the things when all your more interesting stuff is in bits and right now thats what you need by the sounds of things.
I have one honda (xl600) with 8 other bikes, and you could fall asleep on it its so boring, but its sat in the barn waiting ready while my much more interesting bikes are all mostly in bits in the shed having stuff made for them.

 

[shakyman]

Its a truism for me, Honda's really are boring, but, much less temptation to take to bits to make better, so you end up riding the things when all your more interesting stuff is in bits and right now thats what you need by the sounds of things.
I have one honda (xl600) with 8 other bikes, and you could fall asleep on it its so boring, but its sat in the barn waiting ready while my much more interesting bikes are all mostly in bits in the shed having stuff made for them.

sounds about right...dont get me wrong i love tinkering and restoring older vechicles..but it takes a lot of time and costs a lot more than you probably bargained for..in fact i enjoy looking at other peoples cars/bikes more than the hassle of doing it myself! this honda for less than a grand ticks all the right boxes...a very usable machine indeed..

 

[Wedg1e]

Actually my Supper Dream was the most exciting bike I ever rode.
With a top speed of 89mph and shod with a pair of Chengshin"s my heart was permanently in my mouth.
Every approach to a corner or junction resulted in a squeal of complaint from these wonders in rubber technology
that could only bring looks of admiration from anyone within earshot.
When the vibration from the flatspots became unbearable I changed to Shin Hung Golden Boys but the bike was never the same.

I've had bikes since with more power and better handling but they were tame in comparison.

Paul G

You never tried the Nankang Hedgefinders or - maybe worse still - Avon Skidmasters then?

I too ride a tedious old Honda, the sort of thing you see tubby middle-aged blokes bimbling around on trying to look like Mr Plod, secretly harbouring desires of riding a GoldThing.
However I ride it in the company of two Ducati Multistradas, an Aprilia Futura and a Kawa ZZR1400... and I try not to be left too far behind