The Honda CX500 is a surprise hit with cafe racer builders. It’s relatively heavy, it’s water cooled, and it has shaft drive. The frame has an odd, inelegant curve at the rear, and it isn’t particularly stiff either.
On the up side, there are quite a few CX500s still kicking around. The engine looks good, with a Moto Guzzi-style V-twin layout. And because the CX500 doesn’t have the cachet of Honda’s CB series, in most markets a CX500 is cheaper to buy secondhand for a cafe racer project.
Honda made several variants between 1978 and 1983, including the slightly mad Turbo—which boosted engine output from a sensible 48 horsepower to a reputed 82.
The best adventure bike is the one you already have. That’s the theory behind this rugged custom Honda CX500 from BJ English at Brick House Builds in Missouri. Equipped with knobbly tires, crash bars, a luggage rack, an auxiliary fuel cell, and the most ground clearance we’ve ever seen on a CX500, there’s no doubting…
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Some bikes just build easier than others. Honda CBs, Yamaha XS650s and Harley Sportsters are a few that come to mind, and you’ll find tons of parts and inspiration for these platforms. But there are many reasons it can pay to start with a less known quantity, and give a little love to the weird…
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When Honda released the CX500 in 1978, they had no idea how significant it would become in the custom world roughly four decades later. Initially released to scores of adoring fans, it eventually fell out of favor—and its design hasn’t aged well. But the revival of the café racer scene has meant a resurgence in…
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A Honda CX500 headlines this week, resplendent in classic John Player Special colors. We also cover a 1957 Indian Trailblazer, a Magni MV Agusta, a Super73 e-bike destined for Burning Man, and a look back at this year’s Auerberg Klassik event.
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There’s nothing pretty about the Honda CX500, but it does have its charms. Case in point: the owner of this CX500 picked…
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Some motorcycles lend themselves to customization, and need just a few tasteful mods to look great. But the Honda CX500 is not…
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Against all odds, the eternally goofy Honda CX500 has become a popular choice for custom projects. But it’s hard to get ‘right,’…
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It seems strange to see tire warmers on a Honda CX500. The CX is known for its unique engine layout, shaft drive…
Read more »For better or worse, some mods have become commonplace. Air boxes get removed, smaller batteries get installed, and subframes are almost always…
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Remember the notorious Honda ATC250R three-wheeler? Now you can get that funky 1980s style without the dodgy third wheel. And if you…
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Most marques have a golden era—that time when they dominated a race series, etching into memory iconic motorcycles and liveries. Honda has…
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We live in strange times. So it feels right to kick off 2017 with one of the strangest customs we’ve seen in…
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