CX500 Project 11:59

[Brock32]

So I have wanted to start a Cafe Racer project for about 2 years now and last week I saw a bargain on Gumtree that I couldn't pass up.
An 81 CX500 that was running and licensed for around $600.
So I took off and had a look at the bike, It had seen better days. Someone had painted the tank white and the engine silver. That would be fine except they didnt mask any of it up. There is over spray everywhere, It is horrible. Anyway there is also a knock coming from the bowels of the thing that needs some attention. All in good time.

So I bought it home and the first challenging job was telling the wife that i had bought another project. We had talked about buying a motorbike for me and She said no. Oh well it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission right.

SO after i got that out the way i started stripping the bike down. Pics to follow but i am sure you have all seen a bike frame before.

Engine is on my bench, Parts are all over the shed and the frame is looking tatty and in need of some love with my angle grinder. He He.

So updates and pics to follow. I am looking forward to getting it back on the road and it looking shit hot and shiny.

Cheers

Brock

[Commander Keen]

I love the CX's I wish I still had mine. I reckon they look great as a cafe.
I'm looking forward to see it progress.

[HotelBushranger]

Looking forward to this

[Tbird tracker]

Another CX 500 Build!!! Out fuc**** standing.

[Brock32]

Ok So here are some Pics.
Oversparay!

Oversparay!

Tank has seen better days!

Seat big enough for 6 of me!

Now i have done some dodgy stuff in my time but this made we go WTF when i pulled this out. seriously....

Oversparay!


First purchase Thanks Jo!


Lots of cleaning up to do. Better get stuck into it

[Screamin TE]

Looks like you have your work cut out for you. Best bet with the rocker cover bolt would be either a helicoil or there is a product you can get that is a solid thread repair insert. You drill the hole to suit what is stated on the package then use the supplied bolt to drive in the insert. It cuts its own thread and seats and locks itself at the end. All you do aftewards is remove the bolt! Pretty groovy little thingo IYAM!


These are the blighters i was talking about!
Scroll and have a look at the merchandiser stands

http://www.seallock.com.au/threadrepair2.pdf

[Sentry]

Those screws in the rocker covers are supposed to be like that. It also caused me a second glance the first time I saw them.
What model bike is it? A,B,C,D? I don't recognise that tank. It sort of looks like the C (Custom) but a bit too much like a bubble.

EDIT: If you're looking for spares, I can either see if I have some or tell you the best place to get them. PM me; I don't check threads often.

[Screamin TE]

The screws arent meant to be bloody self tappers though!!

[Brock32]

Yeah there are three normal bolts and this mongrel timber self tapping nightmare. It was not even sitting in the original bolt hole, it was off to the side. It is a real mess i will grab a pic tomorrow morning.

The tank is also turning out to be a bit of a nightmare. It has more bog than an Irish peat farm! Anyway i will perceiver.
I will check the bike number A,B,C,D and let you know

Thanks for the link Screamin TE i will see how i go.

The bad news is that tonight with the heads off the left hand piston has about 4-5mm play up and down so new big ends. Hopefully the crank is OK. I need to grab an M18 bolt from work tomorrow to get the flywheel off and access the rest of the internals. Oh well it was a known risk.

Rocker covers got the paint stripper treatment along with the tank. All the shitty silver paint is now gone, not looking forward to the rest of the engine though.

Thats all for tonight. Will throw up some pics tomorrow.

Cheers

[Sentry]

The screws arent meant to be bloody self tappers though!!

I'll have another look tomorrow, but I think my bolts are similar. Although it's been a while since I've had the head off.

Mine is a D, which is going to have the Custom tank. There are a few modifications that need to be done to the frame, but it'll look the ducks guts when it's done. Two wheel wreckers had a spare CX500 tank; I can't remember which model it's from but I can tell you I got the best out of the two Saying that, the other one is in good nick; a lot better than your current one so it may be worth a look.

[Sentry]

I just checked my bolts for the rocker cover and yes, you shouldn't have that screw in there; I stand corrected! If they've fucked the thread on your head, you can find them on ebay for a reasonable price and generally they come with the valves etc

I had a look at my tank and you have a CX500D tank there so I'm assuming yours is a Deluxe. There were two types of Deluxe; one with the fuel/Accelerator pump and one without. You wont know which one you'll have until you strip the carburetors and aside from that, I don't know of any other difference. It only matters when you're purchasing parts (as one kit comes with the Accelerator pump.. it's just a diaphragm).

[Brock32]

Thanks for the info Sentry and the link..

Where about's are you? i might be interested in the tank could you post a pic perhaps?

Cheers

[Brock32]

OK so here is the tank



It is not pretty. Some of the damage is on the front line of the right knee indent and that is the bit I am most annoyed about. I dont think i will be able to get the line the same as the other side.

[Sentry]

Hey Brock,

At this stage I wouldn't let go of the Deluxe tank until I know it'll fit. I'd still say your best bet is to ring Two wheel wreckers and check out their tank

[agrid]

Thought you might be interested in this.

29th Sep 2011 - Strangely attractive

Spotted in a supermarket carpark - strangely attractive variation on the usual matt black Honda CX500. Although ridiculed for their weight, styling and initial reliability problems (knock, knock: who's there? CX500 big ends...)the press raved about them in 1978. Even comparison tests against the Italian competition (Laverda Alpino, Guzzi V50 and Morini 500: the late 70s was a 500-fest)found the Honda handled as well as the Latin lovelies if you allowed for its girth, but was a lot faster, better spec'd and a whole lot cheaper. This looked like the beginning of the end for the Italian bike industry, making their current success all the more remarkable.

Team blog | Team Benzina

[Brock32]

Cool, not really my style though.

On sadder news



Two shells fused into one. The bike must have been listening to some old school Spice Girls!


Looks like a hunt around for big ends and hopefully the crank will be salvageable.

[agrid]

Bummer, interesting comment in that little review about dodgy big ends. Must be a known issue.

[shedman1300]

Perth motorcycle wreckers in maddington had about 3 or 4 cx 500's a while back, they might be worth giving a try also.

[Brock32]

Perth motorcycle wreckers in maddington had about 3 or 4 cx 500's a while back, they might be worth giving a try also.

I picked up another 500 from Perth motorcycle wreckers. The guys down there are really nice and helpful. And were more than happy to get rid of all their cx500's for some reason???

Anyway stripping down tonight and hopefully i can get a running engine from the two.

[Brock32]

Ok so after two stripped bikes sitting in the shed i started sorting out the electrics on the the (hopefully) good engine.

Managed to get it popping and farting after two nights of diagnosis. But it was 10:30 and it dosent have any exhausts on it so neighbours might have taken offence if i started it in earnest.

So now i can progress with the rest of the build.
I have fallen in love with two cx500 projects . One in the UK Really stunning build
Honda CX 500 first Café build
And another in the states
The "Little Dragon" project - Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum

I have already chopped one frame ready for the single shock conversion but i will prepare the other frame to a more conventional build.

I will post some pics but we have all seen wrecked bikes in pieces so i might wait until i get some more progress.