Back in the day, Honda dealers called this a "tune and service". The "tune" part meant the engine and the "service" part referred to the chassis. Powersports industry leaders later devalued the phrase, preferring instead, "scheduled maintenance service". The Big Four Japanese OEMs were the least organized at the dealer level in regard to this service, despite the owners and service manuals clear recommendations, leaving it up to the individual mechanic to interpret. For example, I always serviced and charged the battery, whereas none of my fellow mechanics did so. Here is how I do the service.

1. Check cylinder compression. At altitude correct to sea level figures for analysis. This engine was produced with 170 psi. Fifty-plus years later you can accept 150, which indicates wear you can live with. Less however demands a rebuild. Why ride a 500 that runs like a 250?

2. Remove and service battery. A wet type needs the most attention, including level check and specific gravity reading. All types get terminal cleaning and bench charging, followed by a load test. Inspect and clean the cables also.

3. Change oil and filter. I use only factory oil filters. Watch out for the washer that sticks to the filter--don't throw it away. Every third time replace the drain bolt washer and every couple years drop the oil pan to inspect and clean. The 500/550 uses a well-engineered o-ring style pan gasket that should be replaced.

4. Remove tank and sidecovers.

5. If your gas is not stabilized and over a month old, drain it out and replace it. I keep mine stabilized year-round, ridden or not.

6. Inspect petcock for leaking. It is rebuildable. Make sure fuel hoses fit properly. The brass nipples often get loose, many times coming out with the hoses. Separate them from the hoses and after coating them with thread locker, gently tap them back into the petcock. Inspect the sediment bowl on the earliest bikes and consider fitting mini inline fuel filters.

7. Visually inspect everything but particularly the control cables, wiring, drive chain, shift and kick levers, throttle and clutch cable freeplay, brake pads, fluid level and condition, and shoe wear, oil leaks at cam cover gasket, head gasket and oil pan gasket, fork seals, carbs' fuel leakage, tank petcock leakage, engine left side seal leaks, tach drive seal leak, and handgrip tightness.

8. Do the lift-from-sprocket test of the drive chain. Once lift is detected start looking for a replacement and when tooth root is exposed, replace. You won't ever have to replace the sprocket if you keep a good chain on it. Lube the chain on its inner run, at the side plate juncture.

9. Replace front brake fluid that has darkened. Glycol fluid should be replaced every two years or less. Use silicone fluid to avoid this and make your front brake almost maintenance-free.

10. Tightness checks: handlebar clamps, fork axle clamps, shock mounts.

11. Adjust valve clearances. I use 0.005" (0.13mm) for improved starting and idling. Every other time I replace the valve inspection cap o-rings.

12. Inspect spark plugs. This includes replace every 3000 miles. NGK D7EAs. When replacing gap to 0.032".

13. Inspect plug wires and caps. This includes measuring the caps' electrical resistance, an indication of their age-deterioration, and replacing when over 5K ohms. Plug wire trimming is necessary every so often as well.

14. Check shift lever and rear brake lever heights.

15. Service/lube/adjust brakes, clutch, drive chain, and tire pressures. Tire pressues are always too low. This is expected. I run 32 psi front, 38 rear.

16. Feel wheel spokes by squeezing. Spin wheels to catch runnout. Look for the inner tube stem tilting out of vertical. Scan tires for tread wear and injuries, and age cracks in the sidewalls.

17. Lube clutch cable and clutch lifter mechanism and swingarm pivot.

18. Inspect air filter. If you have the later funky rebreathing system, retro to the earlier non-rebreathing. Your air filter element will last longer.

19. If your carbs have been occasionally overflowing, they should be removed and rebuilt. Short of that, drain the float bowls into a container and look for contaminants. Bowls that won't drain easily need their drain screws rehabilitated.

20. Service ignition points and adjust ignition timing and cam chain tension with engine running. Points or condensor replacement on Honda's SOHC fours, once the system is properly serviced, is rarely necessary. The points can last 20,000 miles and the condensors I have never found to need replacement.

21. Synchronize carbs and check pilot screw settings using an EGA. At same time check throttle response and idle-down. Experienced Honda mechanics typically set the pilot screws a touch on the rich side (3 to 3.5% CO) for best throttle response.

22. Listen carefully for exhaust leaks.

23. Check battery charging, lights (including instrument illumination), and horn. Adjust rear brake light. Charging should break even at 1300 rpm headlight off and no higher than 1700 rpm headlight on. Higher indicates an unnatural imbalance between loads and output due to wiring or component issues. The output is adjustable and any issues need attention.

24. Reinstall fuel tank and sidecovers.

25. Check and if necessary adjust steering bearing tension using the fallaway method. Every Honda that has come to my shop in the past ten years has had loose steering bearings.

26. Adjust front brake caliper. This single-action caliper works best when the "dead" piston has a certain amount of drag on the brake disc. This is the reason for the adjustment. Use all-metal pads for best braking.

27. Tighten speedo and tach cables at their instruments. They are always loose on customers' machines. There is even a Honda service bulletin on carefully using slip-joint pliers to tighten.

28. Test ride, looking for performance issues.