planning on making a cafe racer... looking to bounce some ideas/get some input

[dean owens]

hello everyone!

a while back i got a 1980 cx500 custom for about $40.00 and it's just been sitting in my backyard. here it is the day i brought it home... and actually in it's current state.

as you can see, pretty much everything is there and the engine does turn over. it's going to take a lot of work, but i'm sure i can get it on the road again.

BUT... i have all sorts of ideas running through my head and seeing as how my wife could care less about the bike, i have no one to run ideas by. ideas like color, type of gas tank, what to do with the exhaust, etc. so that's where i come you you. y'all are a pretty creative bunch and i'm sure you'll have some ideas for me.

so here's the start of the thread for me to get your input. next up, all the bikes that are my current inspiration.

 

[dean owens]

why did one of my youtube videos "embed" and the other two didn't?

so here are all the bikes i've seen that have lead to my inspiration to turn this cx500 into a cafe racer.

this is the first cx500 cafe i saw that i liked and started me down this road.

he has since removed the side covers and it doesn't look as good to me anymore.


another great one.

you can see more pics of these two in this thread. sorry, it's going to show up as a printable page. i think it's because it's an old thread.
Re: Admirer of my Cafe seat hey..... - Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum


this one looks a lot like the first one but a little simpler. more photos of this bike. Flickr: s8mikey's Photostream

this one is probably one of the best i've ever seen. take a look at the photo album for more shots. 1982 Honda cx500 cafe racer on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

i was searching youtube and saw a video of this bike. it gave me hope of doing an undertail exhaust.

here's the video
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.


this one is absolutely amazing. not sure i'll be able to come close to it but figured i'd share.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWZ_h93D3h4]YouTube - Honda Cx 500 Cafe Racer Teil 1[/ame]


another one that is pretty stunning. not sure i can go to these lengths. he had his tank sent somewhere and reshaped. sorry, you have to click on the link. it's an older archived post on a cx forum so it'll open as a printable doc. Re: Top Gun CX Cafe Racer - Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum



if you notice all of these have the deluxe or standard tanks that have a square shape and work wonderfully for cafe racers. mine is a custom and was designed to have a "chopper" look. amazing what passes for a chopper in 1980. i haven't really seen many examples of cx500c's being turned into cafe racers. i stumbled across this one and wasn't "wowwed" if you know what i mean. it's nice, but not wow.

again on youtube i saw this one. another nice one but not a wow one.
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.


this whole time i've been thinking it was the tank. and it might be... i'm still torn on tracking down a deluxe tank or trying to use my custom tank. but then one day on the cx site i saw this bike. it's nice, "original" and has a wow factor.

so anyway, those are my inspiration bikes so far. i'm torn on...
- tank shape
- what to do with the exhaust
- color
- seat
- signals (actually all lights)

i have to head to bed but feel free to start throwing ideas out there for me.

 

[Kazza]

Love it Dean.

It has a lot of potential, but I'm a stickler for keeping things original.

I wouldn't change it, just bring her back to her glory days

 

[dean owens]

you know karen, when i first got the bike i was with you. and some of the ones i see people get and chop, bob or cafe is just a shame to me because they are in such good condition. the one on the other hand will take A LOT OF WORK. i'm going to have to strip it down to the frame... most likely open the engine to replace gaskets and seals and get a lot of little parts here and there.

the frame and engine needs to be done regardless. but all the little parts to get it back to original are going to be a pain in the rump... and it'll probably cost more to restore it than to have fun with it.

if i didn't go cafe i would go bobber or brat on it. there's no hope for it getting restored.

 

[Wolfman]

I think you should go for the stripped out Cafe Racer style...get as much weight off the thing as possible, put some decent shocks on it, upgrade the brakes, and put wire wheels on it...just for starters!

Oh and some funky old school, bar-end mirrors, in chrome!

 

[krid80]

love the inspirational bikes! Can't wait to see where this goes!

 

[Wolfman]

love the inspirational bikes! Can't wait to see where this goes!

+1 on that....lots of pic's along the way too...love checking out people's projects!

:thumbup:

 

[Knabel]

Sounds like a fun project.
I am torn here. I think there is a lot to be said about restoring to it's near original status. That would be cool to ride around on a 'new' 1980 Honda. Very classic.

However, your inspirational pics are also very cool.

Keep us posted.

 

[Wolfman]

Sounds like a fun project.
I am torn here. I think there is a lot to be said about restoring to it's near original status. That would be cool to ride around on a 'new' 1980 Honda. Very classic.

However, your inspirational pics are also very cool.

Keep us posted.

But CX500 are hardly what you would call a classic bike...not the most glamorous of bikes, i reckon Cafe Racer is definitely the best thing for the bike...would make it a much better thing to ride when finished.

:thumbup:

 

[dean owens]

so i think it's safe to say that jamie's excited about my project. too bad you don't live closer.

because i'm still working on getting the paperwork straight for the bike i have time to dream, plan and discuss. so here we go.

I think you should go for the stripped out Cafe Racer style...get as much weight off the thing as possible...

definitely. only problem is that it's not the lightest of bikes and there aren't that many places to shed the pounds. the easy places are to chop the front fender a bit, get rid of the rear fender and take the center stand off to be put on for tire changes.

other possible places are removing the h-box (part of the exhaust between the headers and cans that links the two) and separating the two pipes or removing it to make a 2-1 system. i know that will get rid of more weight but i do like symmetry. really like the undertail exhaust but i'm sure that doesn't help with weight and it might be more than i want to tackle.

then there's removing the airbox (under the seat) and putting pod filters on... which usually leads to removing the side covers. but that's all plastic. not sure how much weight it'll save. i might do the pods for performance but i think i'll leave the side covers. other cafes look good with that empty frame but cx's just look goofie like that to me.

the other thing i could remove is the plastic mudguard at the rear wheel. but if i did that and pods the bike always has to be ridden on a clear day.

...put some decent shocks on it...

last thing on the list, but check.

...upgrade the brakes...

at the minimum i want to change the caliper. it's a single piston caliper. the 81 or 82's had a dual piston. but i'd really like a dual disk setup. to my knowledge there are no drop in replacements that'll give me dual disks. the best i can do is look for the whole front end of a silverwing or other bike that will fit without much modification.

...and put wire wheels on it...just for starters!

:rof::rof::rof: here's the trouble someone went through to put spokes on their cx. i ain't got that sorta time, money or knowhow.
CX / GL MCC :: Album

Oh and some funky old school, bar-end mirrors, in chrome!

bar-ends are a go... but chrome? in some ways this is another inspirational bike in that i really like the color scheme.

 

[dean owens]

love the inspirational bikes! Can't wait to see where this goes!

+1 on that....lots of pic's along the way too...love checking out people's projects!

:thumbup:

thanks guys. still very early on. just planning. but i'll be taking picks and keeping you updated and asking for ideas along the way.

 

[dean owens]

Sounds like a fun project.
I am torn here. I think there is a lot to be said about restoring to it's near original status. That would be cool to ride around on a 'new' 1980 Honda. Very classic.

However, your inspirational pics are also very cool.

Keep us posted.

But CX500 are hardly what you would call a classic bike...not the most glamorous of bikes, i reckon Cafe Racer is definitely the best thing for the bike...would make it a much better thing to ride when finished.

:thumbup:

don't get me wrong. i have a special place in my heart for these transverse twins and hate to see them scrapped. i know they are plastic maggots and top heavy and all... but the engineering on them is quite amazing. they are easy to work on... and last forever if taken care of. there was just a thread on the cx forum asking who had 100k on the clock. they posted of people who they have met or used to be on the forum with crazy milage on them. one guy bought his silverwing new and last they heard put 250k on it with only having to change the stator. that's crazy.

i agree. it's a classic. not a popular classic, but a classic. and if it were in better shape i might restore it. but since they make such nice cafe racers...

 

[dean owens]

so first question...

since y'all've (can i have two contractions in one word?) had a chance to look at my inspirational bikes i'm curious what y'all think about the tanks.

should i track down a deluxe (boxy tank) or make the custom (teardrop tank) work?

i'm pretty torn. the deluxe works so much better for the look and holds more than twice as much gas (about 5 gal vs about 2). but it'll be more money. trying to do this on the cheap. what's your thoughts?

 

[ozzieboy]

I goofed when I sold my XS400 (with spare donk) recently, and as soon as I sold it I decided it would've made a reasonable track bike. It'd never be a power house, but still could have been fun.

My suggestion would be that you replace pretty much all the bolts with stainless as this will make it easier to maintain. You'll get many years of having your Allen Keys snicking into place if you are careful and use good tools.

You may be tempted to try gold passivating. I did. I found it turned white in a very short time, and it does weaken the parts.

When I did my XS400, I got the forks hard chromed, to make sure there was no pitting so the seals don't leak. LOL...I did a lot of things to make life easier later on.

Rather than painting headers black, or extractor wrapping them, or even getting them chromed, I would go with ceramic coating.

I well remember how everything used to scrape the deck with next to no lean angle, so getting everything up higher will be your biggest challenge if you're going to track it.

The underseat exhaust might be a good idea for this.

I remember the forks having an unwholesome tendency to flex when hard braking into a turn, so if you can track down some chunkier forks ( Like the red one you've got a pic of, may have done) and make them fit you'll be loads better off.

My XS400 tank looked awful and a bit dorky when I got the bike. It was white with primer, and dented. I got it fixed and painted, and in the nice red colour, and on the bike with all the matching bits, it looked pretty sweet. (I like the look of the second one you posted. (maroon with the gold stripes).

Another cheap option for your frame, is if you can find a sandblaster and do it yourself (nothing easier than blasting paint off) and then get it powder coated. My frame looked magic and cost me 20 bucks to do, as I had a blaster at work. Blast the rims also and either respray or mask and powdercoat (I sprayed mine, but they deteriorated faster in appearence than the frame.)

Next, suggestion, pull off the clamps and saddles from brake lines etc. and give them a blast and get them rechromed.

I was given my XS400 (didn't even know what it was) in it's components pieces in cardboard boxes, and within 3 months and no more than 800 bucks (including buying a wrecked bike with a running engine for a spare and that's with our cruddy OZ prices for everything), I had this lovely piece of work to hoon around on.



Of course it's a hopeless picture, but the bike was looking like a modded new bike. It pretty much was...lol.

Hope some of this might help.

Oh! and watch out for cheap mufflers...lol....I blew the guts of mine out through the end heading into work one day....wow was that a loud ride...lol.

 

[dean owens]

wow. nice bike.

i would like some better forks. the stockers are 33mm and were not designed to be used taking hard corners. the silverwing forks aren't much better at 35mm but i know if i can get them that the triple will drop right in with no modifications. and i can pick up a fork brace for it to help out some.

wasn't thinking of making it a track bike... more of the look. but you bring up a good point. i wonder if upsweeping the cans would give just as much clearance as the undertail system?

 

[tuningfork]

bikes #1 and 4 get my votes for the nicest representations.

Bike #4 would look even better IMO with the all-black rims of bike #1. The tail of bike #2 is pretty cool though if it was finished to the spec of #1/#4. (vs the chrome fender on bike #1 although that is REALLY nice restoration).

The exhaust of bike #4 is very nice although the header wrap is a little rough-looking compared to the nice work on everything else, I think a smooth ceramic coating would look the best. I am not sold on the undertail, unless maybe you integrate the outlets into the bodywork. I saw a bike recently (a Formula450 trackbike) that had a slick integrated undertail.

I like the look of the bigger tank.

The "Ace Cafe" type logos on some of them are cool as well.

Sounds like a fun project and that engine design makes for a unique look, Almost like a Moto-Guzzi.

 

[RJ2112]

wow. nice bike.

i would like some better forks. the stockers are 33mm and were not designed to be used taking hard corners. the silverwing forks aren't much better at 35mm but i know if i can get them that the triple will drop right in with no modifications. and i can pick up a fork brace for it to help out some.

wasn't thinking of making it a track bike... more of the look. but you bring up a good point. i wonder if upsweeping the cans would give just as much clearance as the undertail system?

Seems to me, you should be able to find a set of FZ6 forks around here.... it'd be pretty cool to splice on the whole front end, and it would be worlds more stiff than what's on the CX now. Anyone who went to the R6 setup should have some bits collecting dust....

Dr. John in the '80s went racing with the Moto Guzzi motor, and had to build a frame and final drive to do so. I'm all for lightening this thing as much as you can, and bringing the suspension and brakes up to date.

As far as the fuel tank, it's possible that a local metal smith could split the tank, and widen it to increase the volume. 3" wider would probably add more than a gallon of fuel. If the air box is under the tank, removing that cavity and putting a flat bottom on the tank would add more than the 3" wider would do.

 

[ozzieboy]

As far as the fuel tank, it's possible that a local metal smith could split the tank, and widen it to increase the volume. 3" wider would probably add more than a gallon of fuel. If the air box is under the tank, removing that cavity and putting a flat bottom on the tank would add more than the 3" wider would do.

I'm guessing the air cleaners are under the side pods, the battery is under the seat, and there is a straight, frame member running from the headstem to the back of the tank which the underside of the tank sort of 'folds' around.

I left out the seat from my earlier post. My XS400 seat was a work of art. Was originally flat, and spongey. Had it sculpted to separate rider and pillion, elevated slightly to help the pillion get a view, and using three layers of different density foam produced a firm but cushioned ride that I could (and often did) sit on all day with no discomfort. It cost me under $100. I spoke to an upholsterer on a slow day and described exactly what I was trying to do, and he nailed it first time.

 

[Wavex]

sick!!! :drool:

Can't wait to see your end result.

 

[von_trippenhopf]

CX500's have no right to look this good!
Over here they are looked on as dispatch rider hacks, most of them get ridden into the ground.