classic motorcycle forum

Try Sunrise Graphics for the side panel graphics.
www.sunrisegraphics.co.uk

Try Motoward for your rack.
www.motward.co.uk
Email motoward@aol.com

Or try Motolink
www.yamahaspares.uk.com

Good luck

Hi Rev

What a choice!

Searchguru is spot on. Both bikes are great and are yet totaly different.

A friend has recently sold his 400 Four F2 for £2100. Mind this thing was mint and it had many show awards to it's credit, it sold real easy.

Enjoy the test rides. Don't envy you the choice or maybe I do!!!!

Whichever you choose I think you will be chuffed.

Check the headers fit the manifolds and check the silencer brackets line up with the brackets  on the bikes frame.

The 550 F series was fitted with a 4into1 as standard.

The 550K3 was fitted with a different style of 4into4 to that fitted to the 500 and earlier non UK spec 550's. Also if memory serves the K3 was fitted with an accelerater pump to no.2 carb.

Once you know the exhaust fits check the main jets on the carbs and have the carbs ballanced.

Hi

The dohc CB750 K is a good bike and is very enjoyable on todays roads. When they first came out in 79 they had a cam chain issue but Honda soon had that sorted.A couple of my mates had them new and thrashed them all over the place with no further problems.

Start the bike from cold let it warm up to its normal operating temperature where it should tick over quietly and evenly at about 1100rpm give or take a 100. If the bigends or mains are noisey walk away. If the cam chain is noisey it might just need adjusting but beware. Rev the motor and check for smoke out of the pipes, there should not be any. The clutch might rattle. If it does just pull in the clutch lever and the noise should go. As the old saying goes they all do that sir.  if it does not then beware.

If you are happy with the motor then it is simply the usual checks for bearings, crash damage and consumeables etc.

Are you making a mistake? Can't answer that one. I think that if the bike is ok then you will love riding it!

Cheers
Grizzly

Light Oil

Hi Bumble

I have had similar problems with a CD 175. I am not familiar with the 250's, so this info may or may not be relevant.

 
Behind the o/s engine cover is a gauze screen that can get blocked and stop oil supply to the cam bearing.

Also check that the centrifugal oil filter is clean.



Grizzly

Hi

CD 175 exhausts are  unavailable from Honda and are now as rare as hens teeth.

One option is to consider pattern exhausts. These are two piece as opposed to the standard one piece. However it is possable to get the seamed style of pattern silencer. You will need to get a headerpipe. If you have some OE pipes you can cut the silencer off and use the front piece of the OE exhaust.

Dave Silvers might be able to help with pattern pipes if you have no luck with the OE route

Grizzly

Yep it's true XS500's did get a rep for fragility. However I think it's worth remembering that they will in many cases have been getting thashed all over the place for mile after mile and not getting serviced as often as they perhaps should have been.
Parts price and availability can be an issue. Try contacting a Yamaha parts specialist who will give you advice on how good/bad the spares situation is for XS500's. Try:
Jim Patch 01963 364411 or
Granby 0115 9441346
Then if you want one buy one!
Grizzly