CX500 Cafe Racer Build

[superunknown]

So a time for a bit of an update, better late than never I guess.

Have achieved a wee bit, but not a hell of a lot, and have changed the scope of what the end result is going to be a little bit too. Lost a bit of interest in the project a couple of times due to other things going on, that's life.

The motor that came with the bike was a bit of a mess and wasn't really worth pouring money into to get going again, so I decided to turn it into a table as opposed to throwing it away, and just as well too I think, as when I was cleaning it up I found a couple of cracks in the block around the crank housing. Got hold of another engine, and decided while it was out to do piston rings, valve stem seals, water pump seal, and all the rest of that fun stuff while farting around tidying it up. Also cleaned up and rebuilt the carbs, pretty happy with how they scrubbed up.

Also got the tank and side covers painted. Yeah, I know, side covers. The reason for them is I'll be running the airbox, and this is for 2 reasons. First being that was talking to a couple of people about that, both who have worked on them from brand new, one said they don't run properly without the airbox, and the other said they will, but its a shitload of tuning and fluffing around with carbs. Can't be bothered with that.
Secondly, it also means I don't have to mess around with relocating the battery and the other crap that sits in there too.

Got most of the wiring kind of in last weekend, and this weekend it's a case of tidying it up a bit with cable routing and all that kind of carry on.

As for the change in scope, decided to go away from inverted forks on the front end and I'm keeping it relatively period correct with 90% of the bits and bobs going onto it. Rebuilt the front end with new stanchions and internals and all, cost a bit but its been done properly.
As far as brakes go, I've decided to go with twin pot front calipers off a similar era CB900 or something, whatever's available really. I'm going away from the drum on the back (not really too keen on drum brakes myself) and doing a disc conversion, and have a cunning plan for that.

Have attached some pics from various parts of doing stuff over the last couple of years too. The last one is as it sits at the moment, not liking the radiator guard, so that's going to come off I'm thinking.

[Black Knight]

Honda CX500-The most cool cafe'd bike in the world,getting a bit pricey now though and its only roughies that should be cafe'd.I have two totally unmodified ones and they are staying that way.If you want to pod filter the carbs its only a jet change to get em running OK,but why bother.

[AllanB]

I'd propose most of the airbox removal issues on bikes of that era are with people adding those piddly little pod filters that were all the rage. If you add a decent size pod it will be easier to tune. Plenty out there - K&N and Uni-filter options relative to the carb mouth size.


Brakes. Any brakes of that period are ........ less than average compared to todays.

[Drew]

The CV carbs on a CX are super sensitive to airbox volume. Take it off and it'll run like a bag of arseholes.

[AllanB]

The CV carbs on a CX are super sensitive to airbox volume. Take it off and it'll run like a bag of arseholes.

Like a Hyobag then bawahahahhahahaha

Bag or arseholes - worst thing about that phrase is the mental image it projects!

[dangerous]

speaking of arseholes... hows ya brother Drew?
hey now my hot rod CX of the 90's I never actually tried pod filters, drilled the jets out but kept the air box, thing is I built it to haul arse, a cafe style bike is more for pose so fuck it try the pods after all that is the cafe look

[superunknown]

Brakes. Any brakes of that period are ........ less than average compared to todays.

Agreed. But going for a pair of twin pots of the era for the front end is always going to be an improvement on what was on there to start with.

I did think about going to some Brembo monoblocs similar to what's bolted to my Ducati (before thinking of keeping it looking relatively 80's looking), they'd probably be a bit overkill, and with what I'd pay for an OK secondhand set I don't think I'd get the bang for buck with having them on the 500.

Honda CX500-The most cool cafe'd bike in the world,getting a bit pricey now though and its only roughies that should be cafe'd.I have two totally unmodified ones and they are staying that way.

I share that thought about only hacking rough ones to bits...
When I got this one it was in enough bits that I managed to fit it in the boot and across the back seat of the other half's Honda Accord, reckon that might be rough enough? Ha ha

[Stylo]

And I drove past a property on Port Hills Rd today, saw a lonely, original CX500 looking sitting on the front lawn with a 'for sale' sign hanging round it's neck. Didn't stop as I was was late for work.

Anyone interested I can stop there tomorrow and get some more detail

[SS90]

The CV carbs on a CX are super sensitive to airbox volume. Take it off and it'll run like a bag of arseholes.

Hmmm, yes and no.
Yes, if you take the air box out without changing the needle height and slide bleed holes and likely main jet size, it will indeed run like rubbish. However these 3 things are (needle, slide bleed and mainjet size) are all that hold you back. The quickest way is to get it on an inertia dyno with an exhaust "sniffer" so you can map the fuel curve against the rpm (or road speed) an experienced operator will be able to set it up in a few hours.

[Black Knight]

There is a guy in the States-Murray Feldman-Who has made up complete bolt on carb set ups for the CX500 using Mikunis-You get a set of fully tuned carbs,inlet stubs and all cabling for around US$600-He has sold a lot of these to the International CX fraternity.

[dangerous]

And I drove past a property on Port Hills Rd today, saw a lonely, original CX500 looking sitting on the front lawn with a 'for sale' sign hanging round it's neck.
Anyone interested I can stop there tomorrow and get some more detail

Na mate, thats a GL400, they were mid 80 imports, ewwwwie