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F model handlebar change

9K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  PiedmontBuckeye 
#1 ·
Anybody change bars on the f model? If so. What did you come up with?
 
#4 ·
I first put on the 1" risers, but was not happy.

At the end of last season I mounted the bars from the 500X on my 500F.

I also used the brake and clutch cable from the 500X.

I like the extra height, but have not put many miles on it since then.....the bike is in NC, and I have been stuck in FL on business.

Hope to get to NC in Oct.

jb
 
#6 ·
Wow, the conversion to the 500x handlerbars was pretty cheap!

Hope you like it
I do like it.....a more upright riding position for an old guy.

I rode with the new bars for a couple hundred miles of local riding...but no all day rides.

The internal weights were not replaced because I want to install some Barkbuster handguards when I return to NC.

The price of the 500X bars, along with the matching cables, was less than other bars alone....indeed a bargain.

jb
 
#9 ·
I ordered the throttle cables as well, but didn't use them.

Think I may have rerouted them, but am not sure.

It's been 6 months since I've seen the bike.

Will answer your question in a few weeks, when I hope to escape from FL.

jb
 
#10 ·
JB - The new Bike Master GP Touring handlebar cost $20 OTD from a local dealer. 500X bar with cables surely must cost a lot more than that. Rick
> The price of the 500X bars, along with the matching cables, was less than other bars alone....indeed a bargain.
 
#17 ·
JB. You look like you did a really good job on yours.

When you purchased your 500X bars, where did you buy them and do you still have the part number? Did you have to purchase new X cables for clutch and throttle? Did the F brake hose work without replacing?

Thanks
 
#18 · (Edited)
JB. You look like you did a really good job on yours.

When you purchased your 500X bars, where did you buy them and do you still have the part number? Did you have to purchase new X cables for clutch and throttle? Did the F brake hose work without replacing?

Thanks
***IMPORTANT*** see following post about the brake line.

Don't recall offhand where I purchased the parts, though I usually buy all OE parts online from Partzilla.com

I wasn't sure what I would need, so I ordered the bars, the brake line, clutch cable, and throttle cables for for the 500X. As I recall the total at the time was under $100 usd.

I ended up needing the the brake line and the clutch cable, but did not need the throttle cables. And as seen in the photos, I had to re-route the electrical cables.

.....logged in to my account at Partzilla and found the order:

Order Items

17910-MGZ-J81 - CABLE A, THROTTLE1 $8.01
17920-MGZ-J81 - CABLE B, THROTTLE1 $7.83
22870-MGZ-J81 - CABLE, CLUTCH1 $10.94
45125-MJW-J81 - HOSE, FR. BRAKE1 $14.13
53100-MGZ-307ZA - HANDLEBAR *NH303M* (COO) (MAT AXIS GRAY METALLIC) $28.73

Subtotal: $69.64 Shipping & Handling: $9.95 Tax: $0.00 Total: $79.59

I love the price of Honda parts. By comparison, I recently ordered new handlebars for my Triumph Street Twin...$126.

jb
 
#19 · (Edited)
*************
:surprise:An important fact I just recalled. :surprise:
*************
My 500F has NON-ABS brakes. On non-abs bikes the front brake line goes from the brake reservoir on the handlebars directly to the front brake caliper.

I'm not sure because I haven't seen a CB500 with ABS, but on my Triumph which has ABS, the front brake line does NOT go directly to the front brake caliper.

The brake line goes from the handlebar to the ABS controller, which on the Triumph is located under the airbox.

Then a separated brake line goes from the ABS controller to the front caliper.

I checked the parts fische on Partzilla, and on the ABS version, it show 2 front brake hoses, both with part numbers different from the one I ordered.

Perhaps someone with an ABS CB500 can verify the brake line routing.

jb
 
#21 · (Edited)
I had a chance to stop by the local Honda shop and examine an ABS CB500X.

Indeed there are two front brake lines on the ABS bikes. Each hose connects to a rigid brake line that goes to the ABS modulator, located under the battery.

The connection of the hose to the rigid brake line appears to be swaged, so it is not easily disconnected.

This means it is not an easy job to install a longer front brake line on an ABS CB500.

It is not impossible, just not easy.





jb
 
#23 ·
I just bit the bullet and decided to go further than my 1" risers gave me. So, I purchased the items listed by someone earlier in this thread - to the CB500X bars. GREAT improvement! Also, virtually NONE of those buzzing vibes that put my hands/fingers to go numb.

The X bars are almost exactly 3" taller than the original F bars. I did have to use the X clutch cable, but all other cables and brake hose (non ABS system) were still usable without much trouble - except for re-routing.

I am still going to replace the two throttle cables to the longer X cables. Even though my F cables just work, they do get somewhat tight when the front is turned completely to the left for locking. I want a little more space than that.

One hint: When doing the job, I did not have to remove the seat or the tank. I probably will when I get around to doing the throttle cables. However, when doing the clutch I disconnected both ends, then I took the upper end of the new X clutch cable and cable-tied it to the end of the old cable's lower end. Then, all I had to do was to pull the older cable up and out, and the new cable simply followed it. That part was a piece of cake.

For what I did, the job took me about 2 hours. I took it our for about a 30 mile ride and it was much better - not leaning forward as much and not putting weight on my hands!
 
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