HIGHLIGHTS
- Gorgeous 500/4 from first year of production
- Matching numbers
- Genuine Honda four-into-four exhausts bought in 2020 that were stored indoors in their boxes since the 1980s
- Sympathetically restored with original chrome and unrestored frame
THE APPEAL
The original CB 500/4 is one of the most iconic motorcycles of the 1970s, introduced in 1971 and featuring timelessly elegant styling that set the precedent for a whole generation of Japanese machines through the boom years that followed.
A trendsetter, a style icon and one of the most faultlessly reliable machines of its era, the 500/4 was the seminal example of Honda’s fantastic CB range. In 1974, the 500 was replaced by the 550, and sold alongside the more powerful 750.
500s, then, are rare and collectable things, powered by an overhead cam 498cc air-cooled engine, with electric start and a five-speed manual gearbox. Even over five decades since their debut, they’re wonderfully usable, with genuine 100mph performance and a great balance between performance and comfort.
This one is one of the very first examples, built in 1971 before the bike was even announced in Europe. It was supplied new to the USA and imported here in 2013 but wasn’t registered until 2017. The vendor purchased it as an unfinished project and et about a sympathetic restoration, preserving the original frame and chrome but treating the tank and side panels to a quality paint job in the original Candy Gold.
One of the luckiest finds he unearthed was a brand new old-stock set of genuine Honda exhaust pipes, complete with their original boxes – the previous owner having kept them specifically or someone restoring a 500/4 to factory standard.
A matching numbers bike, it’s presented in wonderful order throughout.
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
- Current V5
- Imported from USA in 2013
- First registered with DVLA in 2018 Restored in 2017/18
- All NOVA paperwork completed and duties paid
- One UK owner
- Matching engine and chassis numbers
- Dating certificate from the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club confirming the bike was manufactured in August 1971 and supplied to Honda Motor Company USA
- Over £1,200 in parts invoices from David Silver Spares – classic Honda motorcycle specialists
- Restored by the vendor in 2017 and kept as part of his private collection since
THE CONDITION
- Beautiful overall condition
- Tank and side panels repainted in original Candy Gold
- All original chrome and manufacturer labels
- Unrestored frame, still in original paint
- Wheels, lights and badges all original and in great condition
- Original saddle with two very small marks
THE MECHANICS
- 498cc SOHC air-cooled four
- 50hp, 100mph top speed
- Hydraulic front disc brake
- Electric starter
- New clutch fitted during restoration
- Overhauled with new service parts
- Vendor reports that the bike runs beautifully and is very smooth and responsive to ride
- Carburettors were dismantled ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt.
SUMMARY
The Japanese bike industry almost took over the world in the 1970s, coming from nowhere to knock the British and American bike manufacturers off their pedestals.
The CB 500/4 is one of the pioneers of that movement – a truly iconic bike that is regarded as one of the best of its era in the world, and as a result it’s actively sought-after today. This one has even more appeal than most as it’s one of the very first 500/4s ever made. 1971 models are extremely rare, but this one is a matching numbers example that’s in truly wonderful condition, sympathetically restored but largely original and a fabulous addition to any classic Japanese bike collection.
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