I recently decided that I needed a project to get stuck into. The Tiger has a new exhaust - about as far as I can go there and the Bonnie has been altered a bit and will have a few more modifications but mainly under the skin and all in good time. So, me and a mate decided at Poole bike night after seeing two rather splendid BMW "Airhead" cafe racers that we might do the same only they is way too expensive! Like the cylinder arrangement and the shaft drive though and then a few bikes down we spot the possible cheap alternative - the much maligned "Plastic maggot" or Honda CX500. (The Germans called it "Gullepumpe" - get Winglad to translate). Mine has literally just arrived, delivered to my door with 12 months MOT, full tank of petrol and two almost new tyres and half customised already. My mate has bought one but it is still in Walsall and is a 1983 Custom stock bike. Main job will be sorting out the rats nest of wiring and making the instruments/ dash layout how I want it, and the tank but the frame has been shortened and the seat and rear light will do just fine for now! Not too bad for £875.00.
the much maligned "Plastic maggot" or Honda CX500. (The Germans called it "Gullepumpe" - get Winglad to translate). A 'Güllepumpe' is used to pump Gülle/Guelle (if you don't have an umlaut key) which is the liquid you get after draining water through a very large pile of cow dung into a tank - the farmers spray it onto the fields as fertiliser and everyone who lives nearby knows about it from the stink! The description is not intended as a compliment, but the CX is now quite sought after - don't know why?
Easy answer - they have enjoyed a bit of a cult following, as often happens with things that were not particularly popular when first introduced, the engine is solid and reliable (ask an 80's London dispatch rider) - apart from the very early cam tensioner problems - and they make an excellent basis for a cafe racer, tracker or scrambler conversion (see The Bike Shed or Bike EXIF). Relatively short wheelbase, V- twin engine and shaft drive - bloody cheap compared to an R80! Started the strip down last night: Tank and carbs off. My god that wiring's a mess! (another job then)
Latest pictures as I progress through the strip down. Carbs are all done - stripped, cleaned and jets and gaskets replaced. Now for the wiring - what was the idiot doing! Pleased with the clocks though - they used to be like this!
I looked at a good condition one of these some time back.The bloke sold it before i had a chance to make an offer, you might find this handy anyway. https://www.motomucci.com/blog//2012/03/aftercx500-common-issues.html. Best of luck Steve.
Hi steve, just saw this, I had one during my despatch riding days. Absolutely loved em, cam chain needed an eye kept on it and once you had that tensioned the engine made a lovely noise, in my opinion anyway!
I wondered if you did - I believe they were the weapon of choice for you boys! Mines the later model with the automatic cam chain tensioner - but need to watch the water pump seal. (I'll change it anyway as the engine is now coming out)
I used to have the other dispatchers weapon of choice the XJ650, shaft drive and took much abuse but just kept going.
'Mange tout!' as Del Boy would say. I had one in 81/82 and it did me sterling service including one memorable winter dash from Penrith to Hertford that had alarming physiological effects......countersunk purple acorn......plus an accidental airborne event two up hitting a humpback bridge my pillion had neglected to mention. The thing I most remember was its initially alarming tendency to fall into corners at low speed. It had quite a high c of g and the geometry did not quite work (for me anyway) below about 20mph for tight turns. I seem to recall mine was the B model that had all the gremlins ironed out .......about as exciting as a Honda Jazz but every bit as functional.
