Was raining the other day. Couldnt get out into the garden. Didnt feel like painting the stairwell.

Visited an online auction house. Came home with this ‘Thumper’.

 

 

 

1988. 18400 km. 44hp. Single. For far less than a clapped-out SR500. Produced for 4 years, this is the last. With wire spoke wheels. Ungoverned. 3 variations: 44hp(32kw) and 27hp(20kw) – the differences being cam, carb mount and jetting. The 44hp version could also be governed at the throttle, to 34hp(30kw). Dont like cities. Overheating cracks heads. Spark plug to exhaust valve. Check oil regularly!

This morphed 1989 into the GB500.

 

 

Produced for 3 years. ’85 – GB500 TT Clubman, Japan, New Zealand; ’89/’90 – GB500 Clubman, Japan, USA were the main markets. Didnt take in the US and many were ‘grey’ imported into other markets, like Germany. You can pay stupid money for good ones now. Like the SR500 this was also produced as a 400.

There is a secret part of me, deep inside, that always liked these. I remember them, new, on the floor. I had the SRX6. And, well, this was a ‘Honda’.

 

 

Ive never really got into Hondas. A mate back in the 70s had an XL250 that was a good machine.

 

 

Good enough for me to ride an SL350 for a while – like this.

 

 

These bikes are quite nice to ride. Can wind them right out. The gearing in the XBR is nice but you need to work them. Maybe, Im hooked on the low-down grunt the SR gives.

 

 

Had a quick look around. Parts. GB500 optic. Motor is basically the same. Gators, chainguard, side covers, inner/outer rear guard, toolbox, handrail, tail-light, indicators, seat. No original part tree. Found a tail-light here in Germany. Inner/outer guard and handrail in New Zealand. Have a set of indicators and gators. Seat might be a problem – may have to make a base. Sidecover mounts are different – sheet alu, meet creative violence. Toolbox is a luxury.

Hmmmmm??

 

And the XBR also has one of those button start thingies. Kool eh!