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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
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Message started by jrm8486 on 09/30/10 at 06:32:45

Title: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by jrm8486 on 09/30/10 at 06:32:45

Been looking around down here and found some good deal on these bikes and might want to build a cafe out of one,I've seen some really cool one on ebay.It seem to be a good starting point from the ones i"ve seen.

http://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009/05/08/bikepics-1661385-800.jpg

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Flemming from Denmark on 09/30/10 at 16:22:59

I owned a CX 500 Custom once. They says about it "Let it run 80.000 Kilometers - change the cam chain and run another 80.000 Kilometers :)

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Boofer on 09/30/10 at 18:51:50

JRM, There used to be a good forum on the CX500. The CX has good power, but you need to check on the year it was made. I think the first couple of years gave trouble with the stators. They ran okay at idle and low RPMs I think. But they ran rough at higher speeds. Many are still sold with the seller actually believing that a little carb cleaner or a tune up will smooth it right out. Other than that, they are great bikes. My cousin put several trouble-free miles on one. Check out the forum. Good luck. Boofer, Southeastern United States

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Boofer on 09/30/10 at 18:55:48

I just remembered. The CX was used extensively in courier service in England. Some say a few still remain in service there? Boofer

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Lupo on 09/30/10 at 21:57:52

I had a CX100 Does that count? This was my scooter before it went to Mike.http://guzzista.wetpaint.com/page/Mike%27s+1979+Le+Mans+CX100 actually I did most of the mods.

Savage content is, I'm having as much fun with my Savage :)

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Serowbot on 09/30/10 at 23:31:37

Dammit' Jrm!,... I never saw one look that good...
Now I want one... :-?...

Does the tank say Horton?... ;D...

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by PerrydaSavage on 10/01/10 at 00:25:51

Ahhhh Honda's version of the Guzzi transverse V-twin! Very, very cool Bike!! 8-)

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by WD on 10/02/10 at 15:52:26

I'd take the 500 over the old Goldwing.Lighter weight, but a lot harder to get parts for.

Check out Do The Ton. It's a cafe racer board, also covers, bobers and trackers. There are a few 500s and even a couple Goldwings over there.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by JohnBoy on 10/02/10 at 19:26:59

I put about 20K on a '76 GL1000. It was a wonderful bike, but expensive to maintain. It wound up going from nickle and dime'ing to 100 and 500 dollar'ing me.
It was designed as a very big 'Standard' bike, and was Honda's answer to the KZ1000. As I understand it, the GL1000 was envisioned to be much more of what the GL1100 was in 1980. Then Kawasaki put out the 1000 and the GL1000 was rushed into production in 1975. It was quick but heavy. Getting beyond 100mph was very easy.
The GL1000 is a blacktop bike only. I once pulled off the asphalt onto a soft shoulder and in the process of pulling back onto the blacktop I buried the rear end up to the axle. All in all, there are much better bikes to convert to a cafe racer.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Digger on 10/20/10 at 20:03:08

I had an '81 GL500 back in the day. It was like the CX500, but had a fairing and a trunk. It was SWMBO's bike, mostly

It was a pretty nice bike. The bike had about 10-15K miles on it when I got short notice orders to go overseas and had to sell it for a song, regretfully.

The only problem I ever had with it was that I had to put a water pump seal in it.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Trippah on 10/20/10 at 20:18:17

I think there was an exhaust sytem issue on the CX500, near the joint just forward of the muffler..rotted out easily or something to that effect.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by WD on 10/20/10 at 22:13:58

Cross over assemblies disintegrate from the inside out, salt air accelerates it. Run true dual exhaust, end of issue. The other biggie is they truly LOVE to spit water pump components out. My friend Mike can tear one apart, overhaul the assembly and be back on the road in under an hour. He attracts tranverse twins like the Pied Piper attracted rats. I find it hilarious, he loathes liquid cooled bikes...

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Yonuh Adisi on 10/22/10 at 11:05:45

Used to have a CX650 Custom and my oldest brother owns a GL500. The GL500 has been giving him nothing but problems though. But that is mainly because my brother will take something apart, leave it for weeks even months then try to put it back together after forgetting how it goes, then ask me to do it when I wasn't even around when he pulled it apart.

But besides all that, the GL and CX models were actually very good bikes and have some great power. And when maintained properly (IE: no brother to tear it down then forget how to put it back together) they are almost as bullet proof as our Savage engines.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Charon on 10/22/10 at 17:54:29

The CX650 was one of the few factory bikes to be offered with a turbocharger. I don't know whether the CX500 was ever factory turbocharged or not.

Title: Re: Anybody had a CX 500 or gl 1000?
Post by Boofer on 10/24/10 at 14:18:54

18333A2934355B0 wrote:

The CX650 was one of the few factory bikes to be offered with a turbocharger. I don't know whether the CX500 was ever factory turbocharged or not.

Yes the 500 was a turbo for one year. Around 80 hp.