1971 Honda CB

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Offered for sale here is a 1971 Honda CB500 SOHC Four. This is an original, complete, running bike that I purchased several months ago. The 500 was a revolutionary bike, the smaller version of the iconic CB750 that was introduced two years earlier. This first-year 500 has some unique attributes that the later models did not have, such as the smaller and more attractive tail light. These are great bikes that were way ahead of their time. They have great power and handling, can keep up with modern traffic and are reliable enough to ride long distances with confidence. the story behind this one is as follows. Almost 20 years ago I bought a '77 CB550K from a local guy, and when I went to look at it this 500 was sitting next to it in the shed. My eyes lit up when I saw it, but at the time, the owner had no desire to part with it. He enjoyed taking it on occasional rides around town when time permitted. Fast forward to 2013, I ended up getting in touch with him again and was able to get him to finally sell it to me. The bike had not been run in about 4 years when I purchased it. Before storing the bike, the owner drained the fuel system completely. I got the bike up and running again, made a few repairs and have ridden it locally about 150 miles over the last few months. Current condition of the bike is as follows: The motorcycle starts relatively easily, runs well, does not smoke or make any strange noises. Once warmed up, it idles nicely. Clutch works great and the transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears. Lights and turn signals work, although the left signal flashes very slowly. Electric start works as it should and so does the kicker. Bike runs down the road well, runs smoothly and has good power. The previous owner was very particular about fuel system maintenance. He only used non-ethanol fuel in the bike which he bought from a local airport, and drained the tank and carbs every fall before putting it away. Both brakes work, but the front does not have good stopping power. I did change the brake fluid, flushed and bled the system. The hydraulics seem to work fine, I think it is more of an issue with the pads being contaminated with an oily substance. The fork seals do not leak at all and the suspension works well. This CB500 appears to be in original condition. I did not notice any missing parts, incorrect hardware, improper repairs, or anything of that nature. I installed a new set of OEM Honda clutch plates, as the clutch was sticking up from age and sitting. I also installed new gauge setting rubbers since the originals had disintegrated from so many years. Right side mufflers are solid and have nice chrome, but a few light dings and nicks. Chrome is decent on left side mufflers but not quite as nice. Each left side muffler has a very small rust hole starting to develop, tried to show it in the pics. Metzeler touring tires are in good condition with no dryrot and very good tread depth. The previous owner replaced them at some time in recent history. Mechanically this 500 seems solid and reliable, but I would suggest going over it before any kind of serious riding. I would go over the brakes and replace the pads. I have not inspected the rear drum/shoes, and although it seems to work well it should at least be inspected and cleaned. I would also check the valve adjustment and sync the carbs, only because I have no idea when that was done last and those are important details to keep a bike like this in top tune. As for the cosmetics, the pictures pretty much tell the story. Paint is all original. Tank paint is not faded at all, but there is some damage to the right side that appears to be from fuel spillage. Still very presentable. Right side tank badge is missing. Tops of side panels have some fading, and there are some small cracks in the panels but not obvious or major. Seat is original and in nice shape, I did not see any tears and the foam is nice and firm. Engine finish is very good for a bike of this age. Chrome is nice, I've spent a lot of time polishing most of it and it is very presentable. Frame paint looks nice, may have been touched up in a few places but hard to tell. Overall the cosmetics are typical of an original bike that has been used and ridden but was well cared for. This would be a great bike to ride as-is and enjoy the back roads, nice enough to take to shows, rallies, and vintage events this summer. Or would be a good one to restore, if you so desire. I'm more of a collector and not so much in to the cafe racer thing, but these Hondas do lend themselves well to cafe-type mods. Anyway, I had planned on keeping this one a little longer but have just come across another vintage bike that I just had to have for the collection, so I have decided to pass this one on to someone else who will hopefully appreciate this classic icon of motorcycling history. Original early '70s Hondas like this are becoming more and more scarce. This CB500 has a clear, transferrable Pennsylvania title. It is located in Souderton, PA 18964 and will need to be picked up at my location (can also be picked up in Boyertown, PA 19512). Buyer must pick the bike up or arrange shipping, I am more than happy to work with your shipper and help load the bike. Payment must be received and cleared before bike will be released. Non-refundable paypal deposit of $150 is due within 48 hours of auction end. Balance of payment due when bike is picked up. Payment of the balance in cash at time of pickup is preferred. Please contact me before bidding if this is not possible. This bike is sold as-is, where-is. Please ask any questions prior to bidding. Thank you!On Jul-11-13 at 18:02:24 PDT, seller added the following information:Just want to add some additional info here: Battery is AGM type, Motobatt brand that I have has excellent results with. It's about a year old. Right side panel has a small crack on the top edge that has been repaired. Left side panel is missing one tab. I do have a nice left lower muffler that will be available to the buyer to purchase for reasonable price. If the bid goes above $2000, the nice muffler will be included free of charge.