Honda CX500

"ivan kavinski" <held.DeleteThis@bay.org> wrote in message
news:B4NTd.175630$K7.65268@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
 > Returning to motorcycling after seeing off the kids etc - from a friend
 > have
 > been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500 (95,000km) at a reasonable price
 > ($1800). The main use will be pottering around and recreational riding in
 > a
 > rural (blacktop) area. I am looking for advice/comments on this machine
 > and
 > its ilk regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Thanks.
 >
Had one for nearly a year and enjoyed it, in a strange kind of way. Mine
was the custom model 500C, raked handlebars, stepped down seat..
Handling is pretty ordinary, braking with small diameter Front disk and rear
drum was very average but enough to pull the bike up from <60km/h.

There's more than enough of vibration for freeway speeds but can be dampened
somewhat from reaching your skull with some foam grips, sheepskin etc..

Check the usual suspects, drivetrain, swingarm play, suspension leaks, wheel
bearings and coolant leaks. All not too expensive to fix but worth a
bargaining chip.

Cheap to maintain with lat heads ( valves) , can run on dino oil, clutch is
cabled ( so keep spares ) and consider changing the brake lines to braid if
they are still original.

The main reason I bought mine was a cheap commuter but quickly discoverd how
outdated it was in today's metro/commuter traffic. Decent scooters ( >125cc)
would blast the CX from the lights nearly always, so became very hesitant in
grabbing pole position at the lights. If you live away from the
husttle'n'busstle or most of your riding is freeway stuff, then you'd be ok.

I you intend to 2up now and again, take your pillion with you and try it
out. Then you'd really gauge how underpowered it is.

They called it the "poor mans guzzi" but i'd be more confident with a guzzi
( even a V50 ) than a CX500 for the riding i do.

If you're not hooked on the CX's good looks, why not see what else 2K would
get you. Yammie XJs, XS's? Kawa Z's and GPZ's? far more enjoyable and
versatile bikes in my opinion.

vifer<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

What Yr & what were the Turbo CX500s like? I've seen one around a few Yr
ago, I know they're an import, But just curious.

Aido.
Bikeless.
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

Aido wrote:
 > What Yr & what were the Turbo CX500s like? I've seen one around a few Yr
 > ago, I know they're an import, But just curious.
 >
 > Aido.
 > Bikeless.
 >
 >
They were sold here by Honda Australia, from memory in the mid 80's.

Interesting technical excercie, but with mega-lag unfortunately.

David<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

 > The plastic maggot is a heavy, slow, reliable old thing with slightly
 > odd handling.

I'd second that (and so would most people my age nearly all of whom have
ridden one!)

 > Hmm.. it was the maggot that had the alternator in the middle of the
 > engine wasn't it? Best be very sure that the electrics are in top class
 > condition and the alternator is charging correctly.

Yes, watch the alternator stator windings. They weren't well secured,
and if they go, well, first you take off the radiator, disconnect
everything from the engine, drop the engine out, you can now get to the
alternator!

The positive side is that if it's still going now, it may well have been
fixed. If not, Small Coil Rewinds down in Geelong does an excellent job.
He's familiar with the problem and has bulk experience of it. Also well
known for bike race electrics.[1]

Cheers
Goaty
1. Well he can't sit around waiting for the odd CX500 alternator to come in.
--
_--_|\ John Lamp - in beautiful downtown Highton
/ \ IRC:Goaty@aus.moto DoD#:1906 Ulysses#:10185 Vulcan Nomad
\_.--._/ <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gorider.cjb.net/" target="_blank">http://www.gorider.cjb.net/</a> Phone: 0409 512 254
v mailto:John.Lamp@bigpond.com Fax: 03 5227 2151

Hear no Evo, See no Evo, Fear no Evo<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

 > Yes, watch the alternator stator windings. They weren't well secured,
 > and if they go, well, first you take off the radiator, disconnect
 > everything from the engine, drop the engine out, you can now get to the
 > alternator!


You Make it sound far worse than it is... If you have the replacement on
hand
it takes less than 1 hr to replace and ride off again..
( with out taking every thing off the eng including the radiator )


Try this link " Ivan " as it will answer most of your questions

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://groups.msn.com/AustralianHondaCX500CX650Register" target="_blank">http://groups.msn.com/AustralianHondaCX500CX650Register</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

ivan kavinski wrote:
  >
 > Returning to motorcycling after seeing
  > off the kids etc - from a friend have
 > been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500
  > (95,000km) at a reasonable price ($1800).

The only way that's a reasonable price is if he's actually offering you
two CX500's.

It might be immaculate, but it's 23 years old. There are_much_newer
bikes which can be had for that sort of money, especially if you don't
limit yourself to shafties.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

Sayeth ivan kavinski <held.TakeThisOut@bay.org>:
 > Returning to motorcycling after seeing off the kids etc - from a friend have
 > been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500 (95,000km) at a reasonable price
 > ($1800). The main use will be pottering around and recreational riding in a
 > rural (blacktop) area. I am looking for advice/comments on this machine and
 > its ilk regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Thanks.

It'd have to be more than just immaculate for $1800, IMHO. Perhaps
gold plated, or previously ridden by Elvis or something.

Not that CXen aren't good bikes, and 100,000 isn't that bad for a CX,
but the later ones ('E') have far better brakes, suspension and chassis.
Actually, now I think about it, I'm not sure what year the 'E' models
started ... what brakes does this one have, dual-pot or single-pot?

-----sharks<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

"sharkey" <sharkey.TakeThisOut@zoic.org> wrote in message
news:slrnd1vq59.m8h.sharkey@anchovy.zoic.org...
 > Sayeth ivan kavinski <held.TakeThisOut@bay.org>:
  > > Returning to motorcycling after seeing off the kids etc - from a friend
have
  > > been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500 (95,000km) at a reasonable price
  > > ($1800). The main use will be pottering around and recreational riding
in a
  > > rural (blacktop) area. I am looking for advice/comments on this machine
and
  > > its ilk regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Thanks.
 >
 > It'd have to be more than just immaculate for $1800, IMHO. Perhaps
 > gold plated, or previously ridden by Elvis or something.
 >
 > Not that CXen aren't good bikes, and 100,000 isn't that bad for a CX,
 > but the later ones ('E') have far better brakes, suspension and chassis.
 > Actually, now I think about it, I'm not sure what year the 'E' models
 > started ... what brakes does this one have, dual-pot or single-pot?
 >
 > -----sharks

Don't these bikes have the barrels as part of the crankcase so the engine
has to be stripped down the get a rebore? It might be up for one at this
stage of it's life. Not something I would like to contemplate. Separate
barrels for me.
Stephen<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:40:36 +1100, IK <I.K.DeleteThis@start.com.au> wrote:

 >ivan kavinski wrote:
  > >
  >> Returning to motorcycling after seeing
  > > off the kids etc - from a friend have
  >> been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500
  > > (95,000km) at a reasonable price ($1800).
 >
 >The only way that's a reasonable price is if he's actually offering you
 >two CX500's.
 >
 >It might be immaculate, but it's 23 years old. There are_much_newer
 >bikes which can be had for that sort of money, especially if you don't
 >limit yourself to shafties.

Yeah, but the CX500 is a CLASSIC!, IK.


---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]
'81 Suzuki GS450-s
'87 BMW K100RT

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.dmcsc.org.au" target="_blank">www.dmcsc.org.au</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 19:49:35 +1000, Peter Cremasco
<crumpetDELETE.DeleteThis@irc.com.au> wrote:

 >On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:40:36 +1100, IK <I.K.DeleteThis@start.com.au> wrote:
 >
  >>ivan kavinski wrote:
   >> >
   >>> Returning to motorcycling after seeing
   >> > off the kids etc - from a friend have
   >>> been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500
   >> > (95,000km) at a reasonable price ($1800).
  >>
  >>The only way that's a reasonable price is if he's actually offering you
  >>two CX500's.
  >>
  >>It might be immaculate, but it's 23 years old. There are_much_newer
  >>bikes which can be had for that sort of money, especially if you don't
  >>limit yourself to shafties.
 >
 >Yeah, but the CX500 is a CLASSIC!, IK.
 >

Sorry Peter.... we all know the CLASSIC is the Kawa gpz900R


beer mate?

Johno<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

How's that? Because some stumpy actor gave everyone the impression he was
chasing F14's down the runway on one?

Pah!

JustAL

"John" <*RemoveTheLetterBox*Hondavfr8@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:s6i02119avnnvc9lnrkuk62h9lek0fnp0f@4ax.com...
 > On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 19:49:35 +1000, Peter Cremasco
 > <crumpetDELETE.DeleteThis@irc.com.au> wrote:
 >
  >>On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 13:40:36 +1100, IK <I.K.DeleteThis@start.com.au> wrote:
  >>
   >>>ivan kavinski wrote:
   >>> >
   >>>> Returning to motorcycling after seeing
   >>> > off the kids etc - from a friend have
   >>>> been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500
   >>> > (95,000km) at a reasonable price ($1800).
   >>>
   >>>The only way that's a reasonable price is if he's actually offering you
   >>>two CX500's.
   >>>
   >>>It might be immaculate, but it's 23 years old. There are_much_newer
   >>>bikes which can be had for that sort of money, especially if you don't
   >>>limit yourself to shafties.
  >>
  >>Yeah, but the CX500 is a CLASSIC!, IK.
  >>
 >
 > Sorry Peter.... we all know the CLASSIC is the Kawa gpz900R
 >
 >
 > beer mate?
 >
 > Johno
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 20:31:50 +1030, John
<*RemoveTheLetterBox*Hondavfr8@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

 >On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 19:49:35 +1000, Peter Cremasco
 ><crumpetDELETE.TakeThisOut@irc.com.au> wrote:
 >
  >>Yeah, but the CX500 is a CLASSIC!, IK.
  >>
 >
 >Sorry Peter.... we all know the CLASSIC is the Kawa gpz900R

The GPZ900R is THE classic.

The CX500 is still A classic.

---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]
'81 Suzuki GS450-s
'87 BMW K100RT

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.dmcsc.org.au" target="_blank">www.dmcsc.org.au</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500 

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 19:49:35 +1000, Peter Cremasco <crumpetDELETE DeleteThis @irc.com.au>
wrote:
   >>> Returning to motorcycling after seeing
   >> > off the kids etc - from a friend have
   >>> been offered an immaculate 1982 CX500
   >> > (95,000km) at a reasonable price ($1800).
  >>
  >>The only way that's a reasonable price is if he's actually offering you
  >>two CX500's.
  >>
  >>It might be immaculate, but it's 23 years old. There are_much_newer
  >>bikes which can be had for that sort of money, especially if you don't
  >>limit yourself to shafties.
 >
 >Yeah, but the CX500 is a CLASSIC!, IK.

Did we agree about that? I dont think we all agreed that?

paulh<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Honda CX500