Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum

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02-17-2010, 9:35 AM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 At least I´ve got one project finished! You´ve seen a picture of this one before - from when the project was ongoing. Now it´s finished - in one piece and running absolutely fine! I got a brand new rhs front winker for it yesterday and a used, but fine saddle (eBay Germany). Those were the final missing details. As this bike is going to be a trainer-bike for m´lady it would probably be a good idea to treat it to a set of crash-bars. But first I´ll have to book a time for safety inspection. Salt and ice on the roads now, so I´ll wait until April or so. Cheers Sture   Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

02-17-2010, 9:39 AM spanish bandit Joined on 02-12-2009 southern spain Posts 5,010 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! well done sture,a really nice job,you must be proud of yourself.a cracking bike for your good lady to learne on when i feel the need,i do it,llego,ve 60,s ----------------------------- 2008.1982 honda gli silverwing [uk model ] 2010.1981 honda gli silverwing [uk model ]    Report

02-17-2010, 10:34 AM rickbert Joined on 01-05-2009 Missouri....60 mis East of KC Posts 1,384 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! That looks VERY WELL DONE OLE CHAP !!! 1982 CX500C...22K miles...owned since 10/08 My age: 45 Bike's name: "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" If you need to contact me personally send an email, I never get my pm's for some reason.    Report

02-17-2010, 11:08 AM gopher Joined on 11-06-2008 Sk.Ca. Age 56 Posts 608 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed!   1981 GL500I    Report

02-17-2010, 1:42 PM Sams GL 650 Joined on 02-17-2010 Annville PA (USA) Posts 191 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Looks good Sture,- with those dual discs and dual front calipers it should have great stopping power. Be sure to advise any (new) rider of that potetial.! sam Bikes: 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 1983 Honda GL 650 1 st Bike Honda CL 175 (1974) Age 52    Report

02-17-2010, 2:16 PM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Thanks for the nice comments! Really - it wasn´t very hard to get it to look good. Just took some time (and money). It´s no minter - far from it - more a nice looking workhorse. Not all of its history seems to have been especially great! Too much outdoor living!! About those front brakes: True - they give some really decent stopping power. A world of difference compared to dual disc single-pot setup on the European spec standard CX model. In fact - this bike had CX 500 fork legs when I bought it and a non-original master cyl variant (to me it looked like the one for a CM 400 T (single disc). As long as I had that m-cyl on the brakes were only so-and-so. Got a proper one (eBay Germany) and suddenly the bite was there, as it should. I´ve had several CB 400 N and CM 400 T, before, so I can compare. CB 400 N ,-82 stops really fine - the CM is different! I have a pair of those twin-pot CB 400 N calipers as spares. Maybe I should try them on a CX, just for fun?? Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

02-17-2010, 9:37 PM midgtmn Joined on 02-19-2009 Rochester, NY - USA Posts 285 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! I'm loving those rims, very nice look! Congrats '78 CX500 - Back from the brink! '81 CX500C- Finally Running thanks to Ignitech!    Report

02-17-2010, 11:05 PM Blindstitch Joined on 03-14-2009 Greenfield Wisconsin Posts 9,863 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! I'm never a fan of pretty starter bikes. It always gives me a bad feeling that soon one side will look like it had been dragged behind a big rig. But the better question is what's under the cover? 1979 CX500 Supertanker ATGATT makes riding a bike like a sled easier. Quick Reference    Report

02-18-2010, 12:17 AM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Stitch: You´ve got a point there - With a nice bike you´ll have to worry about damages. In that respect it was foolish to throw away the old mufflers (functioning but sad) and tidy the bike up as I´ve done. The same about the front end - functioning but not the right one! I´ll cross that bridge when I get there - most parts (except for painted parts in the right colour scheme) are easy to get from eBay (a blessing / curse). The bike under the cover is a FJR 1300. Not mine, unfortunately. One of very few in that red paint from that year. This garage is not mine - it belongs to my local bike club (me in the red jacket, in the middle - in the rhs picture). http://www.ltt.nu/ I rent a section of it and do my wrenching and keep a couple of my bikes there. It holds up to 20 bikes. Most places are used for winter storage only. Only me and one or two other club members do any amount of wrenching in the garage (I outlead them by far) - so we can keep all of our tools and machines there - unlocked and free for anyone to use, which they normally don´t. Hasn´t costed me a dime in lost property, yet. 16 - 20 C inside.  I also have a full-length bike lift there so it´s quite covenient to work in this garage, compared to my private one, which is an unheated row-house garage, where I keep my CX-es for the moment. Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

02-27-2010, 4:35 PM Sidecar Bob Joined on 03-02-2006 Kawartha Lakes, Ontario Posts 1,901 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! It looks really good except the engine is in sideways and it doesn't have  shaft ;-) It should make her very happy. Has she seen it or is it a surprise? Mr. Honda ('83 GL1000/Dnepr) summer The Famous Eccles ('84 GX650EI/Velorex700) winter WHY I HAVEN"T BEEN AROUND MUCH LATELY    Report

03-02-2010, 12:41 PM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Bob, Thanks for the nice comments. the engine is in sideways and it doesn't have  shaft ;-) Yes, I´m quite aware of these obvious and regrettable flaws. But, as it´s lighter than the CX and not as top heavy either I suppose it´ll give her a chance to feel more relaxed riding it, than she feels with a CX.  It´s rather obvious that there is so much more to it for her, going for a  trip than it is for me. One factor seems to be weight and maneuverability (bike!!). Maybe the CB is so much better that it´ll motivate her to try harder. Otherwise I´ll be selling it - I don´t really need it. No pressure - if she doesn´t feel comfortable it won´t be the end of the world. She is a good and enduring pillion rider. But - solo riding has its advantages... She was with me when I bought the bike a year ago or so. She has also seen it as I´ve made progress with it and also when it was finished . She likes it a lot and told me, as she straddled it in the garage, that it feels more nimble than a CX. Time will tell!... Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

04-08-2010, 10:09 AM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Latest update: Since one week the bike is legally on the road. Safety inspection was merely just a formality - everyting was quite perfect. Only complaint from the guy was that he, when testing the brakes, slid forward on the saddle. Not the bike´s fault, he admitted - more his all-weather biking clothes. These small-dia brakes are just so much better than even the dual disc, single pot set up which is on the European CX standard and Custom models. I can easily lock the CB 400 front wheel, which would be much harder to do with a CX. Still contemplating to transplant a CB 400 twin-pot system to one of the CX-es, if technically doable. Took a couple of photos today for the insurance company. Can´t resist sharing: Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

04-08-2010, 4:42 PM Gene McCall Joined on 03-02-2006 Murfreesboro Posts 1,147 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed!" Strue, the bike looks great, next time warn the inspector or maybe just tape some sandpaper over the seat for him.  I wonder if anyone on the board has an inspection where the inspector actually "rides" the bike?  I know the folks in OZ probably have a tight inspection & probably NZ also.  I will never forget many years ago when I went to get a license to ride my bike (I think the one at the time was a 250 Puch)  the Tn. State Trooper who was supposed to test me was also to inspect the vehicle.  On the paperwork he had not noticed it was a bike.  When he approached me, he looked around and asked me where my vehicle was.  I pointed to the bike, he double-checked his paper work, walked around the bike, asked me if I could ride it, I said yes, I had ridden it to the test location.  He marked his paperwork & said "Good, you passed!  Has the better half had a chance to put up some miles?  That bike is just too pretty to allow to sit around! Gene My pictures are Here I didn't get this old by being timid, just not being stupid! 2000 ST1100 Hack 1983 GL650    Report

04-08-2010, 7:35 PM Sidecar Bob Joined on 03-02-2006 Kawartha Lakes, Ontario Posts 1,901 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed!  Sture wrote: These small-dia brakes are just so much better than even the dual disc, single pot set up which is on the European CX standard and Custom models. I can easily lock the CB 400 front wheel, which would be much harder to do with a CX. Still contemplating to transplant a CB 400 twin-pot system to one of the CX-es, if technically doable Honda used similar calipers on the GL500, CX/GL650, CB750, CB900, GL1100 and many other models. There was some discussion about changing to a dual piston caliper on this forum a year or two ago and IIRC, if you have the caliper bracket from a GL500 you can bolt one of those calipers onto a CX500 fork and it will work. There is an explanation of why a dual piston caliper is more efficient than a single piston unit in the HCSM. It has to do with where it grabs the disc. Mr. Honda ('83 GL1000/Dnepr) summer The Famous Eccles ('84 GX650EI/Velorex700) winter WHY I HAVEN"T BEEN AROUND MUCH LATELY    Report

04-09-2010, 12:17 AM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Gene, Thanks for the comments! She, who´s trying to look after me, hasn´t been on the bike yet. In the meantime I´m using it for short spins - errands and such - sort of "shaking down" period. There are always some adjustments to do.. I´ve told before - M´lady is a very careful person and as there has been a lot of other things going on for her, recently, she hasn´t felt  prepared to try the bike, yet. I don´t want to stress her. Safety inspection: Yes, it seems they´re doing a tight one in my country, but it varies a lot between stations. A test ride is mandatory, but they´ll probably skip that if you turn up with your bike in lousy weather. I´ve experienced that they don´t do it at winter. It has something to do with safety issues for the personnel. I even doubt they ride the bike in heavy rain, but can´t tell for sure. Some years ago they had this steering head bearing craze. The slightest notch - hardly noticeable - and the bike would fail the test. Also fork oil seals have been a favourite of theirs.. Seems they´re a little more tolerant nowadays. And some testers are really detailed. I had one pointing out to me that I had some of the footpeg cotter pins on the top, but they should be down. He said vibrations could "eat" them and then the pins would fall out and the pegs fall off. It was just a comment, but well worth listening to... A couple of years ago my friendly bike dealer asked me to take a SRX 600 to a test station in a nearby town. The whole bike was a mess, but the owner / customer wanted it inspected. The fork seals were leaking massively. I had to stop a couple of times (30 km ride) to wipe the forks - otherwise I would´ve had fork fluid all over the brakes. The steering head bearings were a disaster. As I rode, I could feel a huge play, holding my left hand over the bearing area. The steering head "climbed" up and down on the steering stem, as I was working the front brake. Not just, but a lot. Noises too.. As I came to the station, well in time, I stayed outside and took my rag to wipe the fluid off a last time. Then the guy came out, saw me and waved me in with the bike. I realized the cause was lost and, sometimes being a relatively honest person, even pointed out that also the steering head bearings were bad. It was so obvious. These two faults were far worse than those I´ve failed on on my own bikes, before. Not even in the same league. Guess what! The bike sailed through with no faults! I couldn´t believe my eyes. He must have been on drugs, or something. Totally insane. But I know he is an occasional customer at "my" Honda shop. Until some few years ago the inspection test ride was just around the testing station. Now it includes a spin in the neighbourhood - some few minutes ( 3-5). Some years ago a d------d of an inspector even managed to wreck a heavily tuned GSX1100R. He had been warned about the bike´s capacity, but replied "I know these things - I´ve been on the track a lot!". He doesn´t work there any more... Regards Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

04-09-2010, 7:12 AM gopher Joined on 11-06-2008 Sk.Ca. Age 56 Posts 608 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Sture (in Sweden) wrote-  "She...  hasn´t been on the bike yet. "      I think you have probably enjoyed the project Sture.     Looks crisp and clean like your other bikes.    Maybe your good wife would like a vintage Goldwing, or a PC800, or an early ST?   ; ) 1981 GL500I    Report

04-09-2010, 9:11 AM RichNCT Joined on 03-02-2006 Connecticut, USA Posts 3,463 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! Gopher, there you go making assumptions.  Sture never said "wife".  Refueling on The James Bay Road, 2009 Born to be relatively wild (for a grampa x 3) GL650I, CX650E, CX650T    Report

04-09-2010, 10:26 AM Sture (in Sweden) Joined on 03-13-2006 Lund, SWEDEN, born -41 Posts 911 Re: At least I´ve got one project finshed! M´lady isn´t my wife. I´ve never been marriaged. Living in sin is more fun! I have three children together with my departed lady - no marriage there either. As I´ve managed to steer clear of marriage so long, I believe a marriage at this age would only complicate things a lot, heritagewise. M´lady has one grown-up son, I have two grown-up daughters and one sort-of grown-up son. It´s far from uncommon to live like this in my country, especially for people of my age or somewhat younger. Nowadays people seem to get married pretty soon. Yes - sometimes I´m contemplating other bikes. I´ve owned an ST 1100 (-95). A heavy but very competent long-haul tourer. M´lady definitely prefers the CX "sofa" before the ST 1100 saddle. It ended so that I found myself not using that bike much - for the last two years I owned it, it spent most of its time in the garage. Therefore I sold it. Don´t miss it! I´ve seen some few PC 800:s. A couple on Isle of Man and one or two in the UK. They were never marketed in my country. Too much Tupperware for my taste! Same goes for most Gold Wings - at least 1200 - 1800. I´ve tried most of them and how sweet they may be they are too much for me. I want something with reasonable weight and not too complicated (or expensive). Yes - the GL 1100 (faired) would probably fit the bill (just). Sweet engine and good rider´s comfort. Relatively cheap, nowadays too! May very well buy one, if I ever manage to clear out most of my CX-es and parts. I must admit that I´ve enjoyed my recent winter project a lot! It isn´t the first time I´ve bought a half-decent bike to fix up during the winter. Most of them have been sold in April - June, giving me a slight profit, which has helped to finance other stuff. I try to make them look good - not perfect - haven´t got the patience (or know-how) for that. Last wednesday I saw a nicely restored bike at the biker café I´m visiting, now and then - classes better than my meager attempt with this CB 400 N. It was a CB 400 F -75. Spotless! Picture No 5 from above , right row: That´s how they should look! http://www.lisascafe.se/100407.aspx Sture Honda CX 500 (B) x 4. Honda CB 400 N (C) Superdream -82. M´lady´s learner bike. Yamaha SRX 600 -86. Project, currently in wait mode. PAV 40, Czech single-wheel bike trailer. Project with many stand-stills.    Report

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