[Dan Boy]

So this is my 1982 CX500. I've seen a lot of these CX's being cafe'd and to be honest I'm a bit late to the party. I always wanted to do something a little different so I went for a single sided swingarm. I also like to see the rear and front wheel matching so this set are from a BMW.

Exhausts - I plan to make from raw stainless, they can then colour as they like with a single silencer slung under the engine.

Cheers, Dan

 

[TrialsRider]

Howdy So many questions like how long was that engine under water? and does it still turn over with compression

 

[TrialsRider]

Nice wheels and forks by the way

If you can get the BMW fuel tank it will likely be aluminum and a sight better then the rusty old Honda ones.

 

[TrialsRider]

Highly advise ditch that tank, post a photo of what's left of your frame, because your frame has no lateral rigidity with the rear triangulated section removed, what's left would crack in use now that you put serious tires and suspension components on it, & no way would that pass a tech inspection for road or track use in any developed country unless you put some lateral frame support on there between the steering head and the rear swingarm support bracket.
Your bike is actually very typical CX unless you scratch build a new frame of your own design.

 

[Teazer]

Welcome Dan.
Don't take this the wrong way but different choice of suspension and wheels but apparently the same mistakes and a Sabre tank? An interesting choice. Unfortunately CX cafe racers all tend to look like they came from the same styling studio and how come I never see any of them actually being ridden? Asking for a friend.

Ask teh right questions and there's enough collective knowledge here to point you in the right direction.

 

[Dan Boy]

Well the engine certainly does look like its been under the sea for a while! You can see how well it will clean up by looking at the valve cover already done for a test.

The tank will stay but will be modified.

Ill post more pics as I work on the exhaust.

Cheers, Dan.

 

[TrialsRider]

The problem with your fuel tank is that it is way too early to be on there, unless you are just building an art project. The fuel tank is ~40 pounds of dead weight load, it's not a frame member, it adds stress to the chassis not strength and it's useless if the engine doesn't run.
How pretty the metal polishes up would be no surprise and the least of my concerns, if your engine doesn't crank over with healthy tested compression you are looking at an engine rebuild and that's not an easy engine to work on. You live in Britain, don't they have mandatory vehicle inspections there? The Honda GL/CX 500 had marginal adequate frame strength before you took an angle grinder to it, although I have seen worse, I seen one where the guy cut away even more of the frame thinking the engine is there to hold the wheels on. ... Fact is that engine is going to do everything it can to go in a different direction then the rest of your bike and the part you hacked off does a lot more then provide somewhere to mount a saddle. If your goal is to build yet another fenderless rolling indoor art project it will work just fine, if you are building a motorcycle for a human to actually ride I would fear for their survival, although I suspect the chance of such a motorcycle ever seeing road insurance, a license plate and being ridden to any extent is slim to nil. Best luck with your art project Dan

 

[Dan Boy]

Not a great fan of the 1980's Honda exhaust mounts so I've come up with my own solution that will allow me to use a larger OD tube for exhaust. Also making a silencer that will sit under the engine.

 

[dirkchecken]

this is a “twist”.

 

[Teazer]

Now that is very different. There are a couple of those in classic/vintage racing in Australia.

No silly seat up in the air type frame modifications. Focus on function and not on looks.

 

[dirkchecken]

. There are a couple of those in classic/vintage racing in Australia.

this is off the bears FB page i think. its amazing (not really)that the bike is raceable with what looks to be a 110-100 rear /front tire combo and not a 180-120 rear /front combo. bigger isnt always better

 

[Teazer]

Good points. Many race classses restrict tire/tyre sizes to what was available or common in the era and as such skinny rubber will be the only option.

And with shaft drive, it's exponentially harder for most people to find a way to go with a wide rim and rim protector.

An a relatively light underpowered bike will not keep fat rubber up to operating temperatures.

 

[CaTacL1sm]

Wasn't there some maniac on here a few years ago that converted CX500 comstar wheels to spoked wheels by drilling out the rivets and drilling the hub for spokes?

 

[Dan Boy]

Wasn't there some maniac on here a few years ago that converted CX500 comstar wheels to spoked wheels by drilling out the rivets and drilling the hub for spokes?

You can actually buy kits to do this. Drill out the comstar spokes and bolt on a spoke ring and lace it to a new rim. Kind of crazy but I've seen a lot of people do it.

 

[Dan Boy]

Making progress with the exhausts. I'll add a little tail pipe from the side of the silencer.

 

[CaTacL1sm]

You can actually buy kits to do this. Drill out the comstar spokes and bolt on a spoke ring and lace it to a new rim. Kind of crazy but I've seen a lot of people do it.

Which is crazy because I'm pretty sure that's a step down in overall performance... unless you change rim size

 

[Dan Boy]

The rear sets I designed have come back from manufacturing and look great. The logo is mine.

 

[CaTacL1sm]

Nice.

15+ years ago with my CX500, I switched the footpegs, lengthened the shifter, and bent the brake pedal to do a poor man's rearsets

 

[Dan Boy]

 

[TrialsRider]

What's holding your front forks on