Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: manxie on June 12, 2015, 09:22:45 PM
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In the past I`ve owned two XBR500`s, great bikes but always yearned after a GB500 TT. Has anyone got any experience with the GB or comparisons? On one of my XBR`s I had some stainless front pipes made for it and had a similar conversation with the fella who made them who thought although they are similar bikes, the XBR was just better? Just looking for opinions really fella`s, and who knows....if someone has a GB for sale?? ;) Thanks
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I always think of the GB500 as the prettier sister, but essentially the GB is an XBR in an Armani suit! There are some subtle differences between them but they are very similar underneath. Strictly speaking I think the GB is slightly down on claimed BHP than the XBR - 44 for the XBR, 40 for the GB - but in real terms you probably wouldn't notice.
Price is a different matter - £2000 will buy you a really nice low mileage XBR but you'll need twice that for the same GB if not more - an unregistered 0 mile GB was auctioned at Stafford last year for £10K!!! There is one on Ebay at the moment for £5500!
The GB is a really nice looking bike, but worth that much more than an XBR.....I'm not convinced.
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Thanks for your reply. I absolutely agree with everything you`ve said and I even thought about converting an XBR into a GB but although the differences are subtle, it would be a nightmare to do. When I was looking, and if the part was available, the prices were silly...lots in the US. The tank is different, seat, mudguards, indicators etc all different. This is the one I like ....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_GB500#/media/File:Honda_GB500_Clubman_Rechts.jpg
Thanks again.
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I think the gb 500 tt is one of the nicest motorcycles ever built ,and always wanted one but they were very rare in Ireland ,anyway about 6-7 years ago I had done a deal to buy a fireblade and got to the shop with the 3 grand in cash ,they guy was off doing the paper work when I noticed a gb 500 tt it was mint ,asking about it he told me it just got in as a trade in its a clean bike has to be worth a 1500 quid ,, as I had done the deal and had a xbr 500 I let it go ,I,m still sicken that I didn't get that gb ,but the money they are going for now is crazy , tommy
ps talking about crazy prices I see someone paid 7and a half grand for james mays fizzy :o
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If you had the SJ model with the wire wheels you could make a pretty good stab at it. Different indicators and mudguards would be fairly easy. I think Carbon Moto do a GB ish seat unit and you probably wouldn't notice the tank unless they were side by side but again, is it really worth the cost? Unless you were doing it for yourself as a keeper probably not worth it as it wouldn't be a GB so the classic crowd wouldn't be interested and at the same time it would be too modified for anyone looking for a nice standard XBR. The GB is very pretty, but I also think the XBR has a certain '80's style ( apart from those stupid flappy indicators!).
This is a nice one
(http://img4.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/1346/1346619205523a3786978f245e84d6e045c98da.jpg)
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ps talking about crazy prices I see someone paid 7and a half grand for james mays fizzy :o
Fizzy prices are mad! 2 or 3 years ago really nice restored ones were going for £4500!!! :o :o EVERYONE had one when I was a yoof! .....mind you everyone also went on to buy 250 LC's and how many of those do you see.
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Recently sold my numbers matching 4lo 350LC, well about a year ago, another one I should have kept but it`s not like I`m 18 any more, I don`t think I would have lasted long on it. One of my XBR`s was the SJ model with the wire wheels but I do like things right and if I had of cloned it, I would have definitely needed the GB stuff to fit to it (expensive) Funny you should mention a GB in Ireland. Again, about a year ago I was enquiring about a minter which had lived on the Isle of Man at some point in its life, from memory it was £4500, sadly someone local in Ireland saw it and bought it. :(
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If you had the SJ model with the wire wheels you could make a pretty good stab at it. Different indicators and mudguards would be fairly easy. I think Carbon Moto do a GB ish seat unit and you probably wouldn't notice the tank unless they were side by side but again, is it really worth the cost? Unless you were doing it for yourself as a keeper probably not worth it as it wouldn't be a GB so the classic crowd wouldn't be interested and at the same time it would be too modified for anyone looking for a nice standard XBR. The GB is very pretty, but I also think the XBR has a certain '80's style ( apart from those stupid flappy indicators!).
This is a nice one
(http://img4.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/1346/1346619205523a3786978f245e84d6e045c98da.jpg)
VERY NICE, LOOKS LIKE AN XBR THOUGH? ;)
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Yeah, i know what your saying...I still like my old XBR though.
Theres a 'cheap' (£2.5K) GB here but it looks like it needs some work.
Ebay 151704765526
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/Mjg1WDM4MA==/z/mEwAAOSweW5Vcfr0/$_12.JPG)
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Don`t get me wrong, I love the XBR`s they are brilliant bikes and would most definitely have another 8) It would be interesting to find someone who`s owned both, ran both and had to buy parts for both, just to see how they compared? There`s probably very little in it but baring in mind the GB is an import, are there any problems? Dunno :-\
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ps talking about crazy prices I see someone paid 7and a half grand for james mays fizzy :o
Fizzy prices are mad! 2 or 3 years ago really nice restored ones were going for £4500!!! :o :o EVERYONE had one when I was a yoof! .....mind you everyone also went on to buy 250 LC's and how many of those do you see.
My direction to work has been a bit different the past month, but each day I see a young lad on a "fizzy". It looks in excellent nick, but there's no way it's in standard tune, or maybe even not the standard cc. It flies uphill! Hee Hee.
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Yes I know when I started looking about three years ago at getting an XBR again (owned two back in the 80's) I thought about getting a GB mainly for the looks, bit sportier etc. soon realised they seemed very over priced for what is pretty much a make over of the XBR. I even went to the trouble of making up some fibreglass side panels similar to the gb's and forming the seat hump /pan, soon realised again that ultimately it was still an XBR and not a GB. That's when I decided to go the whole 9 yards and build a full on cafe racer, I ended up with a fully rebuilt motor complete with high comp piston and brand new mikuni carb (professionally done) and full one off stainless exhaust a complete ground up rebuild on the whole bike and all for approx the same price as the average GB. I know which I wud rather own and more importantly ride. Michael
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sounds like a nice bit of kit....any photo`s? :)
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High manxie, I don,t know how to post photo,s on the site, however I noticed the the day that my bike now appears in google images. Type in HONDA XBR CAFE RACER. Don,t put honda XBR 500 in there ( mines not 500 now you see but approx 560cc) click on images scroll down a few photo,s and mine is the one with the white tank and black seat ump, on a paddock stand, think there,s a couple of photo,s on there. Be interested to see what you think. Regards Michael
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Looks lovely!!! Great pics on your web site too !!! Now I know why you`d rather ride this 560cc than a GB! Would you like me to add the picture of your bike? 8)
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Oh very nice! ;D
(http://www.moto63.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/20140831_003-1200x799.jpg)
http://www.moto63.co.uk/motorcycles/honda-cafe-racer/
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your xbr looks horrible ;D only joking it looks great tommy
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forgot to ask where did you get the seat thanks tommy
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Thanks for the nice comments fellas, glad you all like it, the seat unit is one of my own tommy, as is the rear hugger/mudguard, i designed the seat hump around the XBR to hopeful compliment the lines of the frame and tank together. The bike has changed slightly to the photo that Steve (very kindly) posted, the exhaust system is slightly different now as I've cut away all the lattice work on the footrest hanger and installed a neater looking silencer, no rivets on the reverse cone, still all stainless. The bike goes and sounds as good as it looks and gets plenty of attention when I go out on it. Cheers Michael
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Hi all, I see every now and again, mention of a GB500TT seems to generate a lot of interest. This weekend I will attempt to re-size some pictures I have of mine, and post them for you all to peruse. It is a 1989 American model, that was brought into this country by an American serviceman who was over here for three years. He returned home ...... and left this fine example. It has done ......... 4,800 miles only, and now resides........ under my stairs...!! I hope to get the pics up tomorrow. Tony
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Look forward to seeing them Tony....keep me in mind if you ever want to sell ;) Cheers, Steve.
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Since you don`t mind here`s another pic of your XBR, it`s a credit to you...looks great fun to ride and will be nice and punchy with a 560 ;D
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Pictures as promised.....
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Picture as promised
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Yet another picture as promised....
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Would you believe , even one more picture....!!!
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Lovely!! Bare me in mind if it`s ever for sale ;) ;)
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Hi manxie, thanks for posting the picture, yes it goes very well indeed. Pulls very strongly and the power does,nt drop off like a standard XBR, it,s also had a bit of mild porting and a custom inlet manifold. It is great fun to ride. Oh and can I just say, everything is always for sale ;) ;) ;D :D. Regards Michael
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Hi moto 63 was thinking of putting my XBR back to standard but thinking about cafe racer now
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Hi manxie, thanks for posting the picture, yes it goes very well indeed. Pulls very strongly and the power does,nt drop off like a standard XBR, it,s also had a bit of mild porting and a custom inlet manifold. It is great fun to ride. Oh and can I just say, everything is always for sale ;) ;) ;D :D. Regards Michael
:-\ Hmmmm, PM sent :-\ Thanks.
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Would you believe , even one more picture....!!!
don't think I,d be watching the telly ,I rather look at that gb , beautiful bike tommy
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Thanks for the nice little comment Tommy. You probably will have noticed that the silencer has had the reverse cone cut off. ( rather neatly I might add ). It came like that..... It also came with a brand new unused genuine Honda silencer, enabling it to be put back to standard when it is MOT time....... I often wonder, If I ever decided to part with it , how much would the exhaust be worth if sold on its own...? Regards ... Tony
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Good morning wart ,
Thanks for the comments on my cafe racer, glad you like it. Really quite humbling to think it may have inspired you to build one. If you are interested i have the moulds for the seat hump and rear hugger/mudguard so replicas of mine can be reproduced. The bike will hopefully be on the "thumper club" stand at the carol Nash classic bike show at Stafford in October if you fancy having a good look round it. Regards Michael
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Yes Michael, I love your bike. I will post pics of my better halfs XBR 600 on a new thread shortly. I also love the GBs, but are they really worth twice the price of a good XBR? I know of quite a few over here, but the problem now is that their owners don't ride them, as A) They are worth too much to risk, and B) owners don't want to increase the mileage on them, and so affect their value. So they now seen to have entered the realms of the dreaded investment motorcycle :-\
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Moto 63 How much for copy of seat ect ?
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Thanks for the nice little comment Tommy. You probably will have noticed that the silencer has had the reverse cone cut off. ( rather neatly I might add ). It came like that..... It also came with a brand new unused genuine Honda silencer, enabling it to be put back to standard when it is MOT time....... I often wonder, If I ever decided to part with it , how much would the exhaust be worth if sold on its own...? Regards ... Tony
Are you thinking of selling...including silencer? You can PM me with a price if you are? ;) ;)
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Morning wart, I,ve PM,d you regarding the seat hump. Cheers Michael
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A shout out for Manxie... Hi Steve, Log-on, you have a PM. Regards Tony
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Hey Tony, PM replied, thanks, Steve.