New Motorcycle!

[cobrajoe]

Well, New to me anyway :D

I just bought myself a 1979 Honda CX500 Custom. I know it's not new, and it's not a very stylish bike, but I think it's going to be a ton of fun. The exterior of the bike looks beautiful (well, for the price), save for a couple scratches and one little dent. It starts and runs, but the carbs need a good cleaning, and the front brake resevoir leaks, so it's not rideable right now (I also don't have my motorcycle endorsement yet, but first things first)

It's definately not perfect, but I'm really going to have fun with it, and I got it for only $550 :D . Now I just need to wait until wednesday night when the guy will deliver it (Don't worry, pictures will come then :D )

[Piet.S]

Congrats Joe, is it your first?

[pmel018]

Many CX500s ended their lives as courier bikes here in London painted matte-black and missing anything that could be removed. Stout bit of engineering by Honda although there were a few issues at the time. Can't remember what exactly.
Phil(who rides a Triumph)

[cobrajoe]

Congrats Joe, is it your first?

Indeed it is, although I have had some experience with cycles back at home (we had a Kawasaki KZ400 I used to ride around the farm).

pmel018, I believe you are right. As far as I could research, there was a few problems with cam chains and water pump seals, but these are on my list of things to check before I ride it regularly.
BTW, triumphs are nice, I really wish I could afford one.

[TheKnifeCollector]

Congrats on the new scoot!!

[SonnyD]

Well, this is my first post here, so Howdy all! :) ....Congrats on the bike. I've been riding for 40+ years, and a good friend of mine used to have a CX 500. We traveled well over 40,000 miles miles together, him on his CX and me on my old BMW. I don't remember him ever having a single problem. I think when he passed away he had close to 100,000 miles on his, and his Son is still riding it today.
They did have a problem with the Water pump seals that I remember, but I don't think his ever had a problem with them.
I think you'll have a blast when you get it running!
Regards Sonny

[fret]

My last bike was a 1977 Yamaha 750. I liked it. It was new. The bike I liked the most was a Honda 450, an 83 if I remember correctly? Ride safe. Have fun. :)

[squad314]

Congrats on the new ride Joe.It seems to me a guy I went to high School had a CX500.Would it be white with orange stripes or white with blue by chance?That sounds like a great price on a virtually bullet-proof bike.My first bike was a Kawasaki EX500 and I had a ball on it.From there I moved into a Ninja 1000R,a HD Lowrider and my last was a HD Fatboy.I had a pile of fun on those too.

Have fun and ride safe! :)

[squad314]

Welcome aboard by the way SonnyD. :)

[SonnyD]

Welcome aboard by the way SonnyD. :)

Thank you very much Sir! :)
Regards Sonny

[cobrajoe]

Sounds like a lot of people knew somebody who owned one, and no, mine is more of a metallic brown (seemed to be popular in the 70s...).

Thanks for all the comments and well wishing! I'll keep you guys updated on the progress of this old "flying V" :D

And welcome SonnyD!!

[faca]

hi, take care of 4wheels vehicules ;-)
I´m thinking to change my BMW F650GS to a SUZUKI 2007 Bandit.........

[SonnyD]

Thanks Cobrajoe! I know exactly the color your talking about.....I bet the bike looks just about like this one!
Regards Sonny

[Piet.S]

Nice pic Sonny, allmost orginal.
Just the foam grips.
And it used to have two mirrors.
That's what Japanese "chopper bikes" looked like, back then.
79, I started working that year, and bought my first bike.

[SonnyD]

Yeah, I found this pic from somewhere. Yeah, the 70's and early 80's were still pretty good for getting a UJM...Universal Japanese Motorcycle. Not too much in the way of fancy fairings back then, easy to get to motors, and not a lot of electronics.
Regards Sonny

[cobrajoe]

Nice pic sonnyd, it looks almost exactly like mine, exept it's in a lot nicer condition :D Mine has a few scratches and faded paint, but it's just the way I remembered it when I wrote the check.

Sorry, but no pics yet, I got a little carried away in working on fixing the carbs, so I didn't stop to take pictures (also it was after dark). I will get pics soon, I'm going to be really busy the next few days.

[J.B]

Congrats Joe, nice catch.
Welcome SonnyD, enjoy the forums.

I love the motorbikes of the 70s and and early 80s including the smaller machines. In my book they are the best of all times. If you want a vehicle for the heart and fit for daily use, get a motorcycle (or car) from the 70s (or early 80s). AFAIR Hondas always run great. The CX500 looks like made for endless riding joy. The handlebar reminds me of my HD FLH bars.

I started motored riding in 1980, 1981 I had a unique Kreidler van Veen GS which is now in a museum. 1982 /1983 was a from me customized Zündapp KS 80 with only 80 ccm (not cui) and about 9 HP, my best vehicle ever and also metallic golden brown. Finally in 1994 after my car period, which included a 1973 Fiat Spider BS1, it again drew me back to the great 70s and I got a 1974 HD FLH with 74 cui, an endless love.

Joe, it´s wonderful to work on it and in so doing make it a part of yourself, enjoy. :)

Best wishes,
JB

[SonnyD]

Thanks for the Welcome J.B
I remember back in the day when the Kreidler 50cc bikes were the Terror of the class in Road Racing. Nice collection of bikes you had. Back in the 60's I had a BSA Bronze Star, and a 441 Victor and then a Triumph Bonneville, and ended the 60's with a Harley Sportster 900.
Today I"m riding a Suzuki TLR 1000 Superbike V-Twin....it's funny to see the looks on peoples faces when I pull up and take my helmet off, and they see a 58 year old "teenager" riding a Sport bike,LOL!

Cobrajoe, I did discover a few CX forums, I saw one had a disscussion that was going on about Carb rebuilds. Unfortunately I lost the link, but it should be an easy find.

Regards Sonny

[Rebeltruce]

That CX will last you forever! Those things are literally indestructable!

One of the best motors Honda ever developed, in fact I've heard stories that the reason the motor was discontinued was because they were to good!

They simply never break, I had a good friend who owned one, never took care of it, never changed the oil, left it sit outside through the winter....I can remember the thing being buried in a snow drift!

Never once did I see it fail to start! In fact I ended up buying it form him for an old GF, so far as I know she is till riding it!

[dialex]

Hi Joe, congrats on your new bike. Enjoy it and watch out for the radars