'81 CX500...Round 2?

I got a little jealous of a couple very good CX builds I've seen come up in the past few months, and was inspired to get back on my project. I was a little side tracked on a '67 CL90 project which is now sold. Here's the old post: http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=7897.0

I figured I'd just post a few pictures showing how it's evolved up until it's current state.

Bought with full fairings, luggage racks, highway bars, king/queen seat...
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/3358489609_8631a62df8.jpg">

Stripped off all of the above, as well as
-removed air box (replaced by K&N pods)
-removed exhaust crossover H-box (used the mounting points below the gearbox to install battery box. You can see it behind the brake pedal)
-replaced shocks (although I don't really care for the chrome look)
-removed every useless piece of plastic or metal
-using the headlight and tachometer from a '71 CB350 (that I sold in pieces midway through the project)
-swapped in some clip-ons
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/3547440450_9d8d4d8087.jpg">
-cleaned up all the old electrical
-still working on my seat idea. I chopped up an old tank for the cowl, but need to get the rest of the pan sorted out.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3666032223_f24f28b2bb.jpg">

I'm now stripping it down to the frame so I can get some pieces welded in. Then various things will be sent off for powder. Whatever doesn't get powdered will probably be polished. And I'm stripping the motor of whatever funky coating was on there; but I'm not sure if I'll repaint it.
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4320447579_f81aca2b44.jpg">

I really like that seat and wanted something shorter on mine but with our regualtions I'd have to have hung a long fender out the back anyway so didn't bother. Anyway, another CX build for me to watch

Cheers
Steve

Steve F said:

I really like that seat and wanted something shorter on mine but with our regualtions I'd have to have hung a long fender out the back anyway so didn't bother. Anyway, another CX build for me to watch

Cheers
Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks. I actually got inspired by your build to get working on mine again.
I chopped up the foam and seat pan from the old king/queen seat.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3537138663_f30a575644.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3537971576_73f1b23e13.jpg">

Spot on! If you can keep that triangle below the seat empty you'll have a fantatsic looking bike!

Love the bars and the single big rev meter too.

miob said:

Love the bars and the single big rev meter too.

Click to expand...

lovin' that stripped metal tank too. Looks to be in good nick. Wish I could find me one that looked that good nacked.

ian

Well there's not much left of her. Got her completely stripped down to the frame. A couple things need to be welded in:
-Plate underneath the seat to mount rectifier/regulator and starter solenoid
-Chop about an inch more off the back end, cap the ends, and weld in some additional support between the rails
-Weld in a few mounting points on the swingarm for a simple "hugger" type fender. I want the fender to move with the swingarm rather than having it mounted to the frame.
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4337874803_1100662773.jpg">
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4338617520_578298bbd1.jpg">

After that, it should be ready for powder. Going with a similar color scheme to this (brown frame, black wheels, etc):
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_E15jc7J5CoU/Sxd7pIgbtoI/AAAAAAAAJ7o/ilz9nR51Jx4/s1600/8.jpg">

GoBears0305 said:

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4337874803_1100662773.jpg">

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you lookin' at replacing that duct tape with anything ;D

nice colour-scheme too

ian

Exhaust came today. I'm not too sure about the muffler though. I had a couple emgo shorty mufflers and wondered what it would look like with that instead.

Before:
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4345382266_5712b2830d.jpg">
After:
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4344641979_8760a07f17.jpg">
Side by side
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4345382838_9cd77cbd4f.jpg">

Wish I could show it on the bike, buuuuut...well she's in pieces. I'm anticipating nixing the chrome look too.

Since I don't have welding equipment or friends who weld, I had some modifications done to the frame by Norman Racing in Berkeley (Dennis is like a jedi master of welding):
-cut frame up to the shock mounts and cap the ends
-weld plate between frame rails at back end where I can mount the seat pan
-weld plate between frame rails at front end where I can mount electrical components
-cut passenger foot peg/muffler mounts and grind down smooth



Also welded a shorty muffler to a 2-1 pipe setup. I didn't like the huge muffler that came with the pipes, and wanted to keep it all short, simple, and unobtrusive.


Now I gotta get everything back on the bike, get electrical mounted and routed exactly where I want them, get the seat together, and then disassemble again to get things powdered.

Where did you get the muffler?

sharperdill said:

Where did you get the muffler?

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It's an EMGO Shorty muffler. I forget exactly where I got it, but just do a search and it should come up. I do have an extra one if you're interested (was planning on doing 2-to-2 with the stock pipes, but went 2-to-1 with aftermarket pipes). Just PM me.

I wont be needing it any time soon and I may end up going a different route. That exhaust looks sweet.

Love your work!

Thanks! I keep going back and forth with different ideas. And the project was on a long hiatus at one point. But I think I'm back on track.

Looks amazing GoBears0305! Really nice. That color scheme is terrific. I would keep the pipes chrome though. IMO it would look killer to have just one shiney chrome bit. Very race inspired. Keep it up man!

Great looking project. With a CX500 of my own I will be following your progress closely.

What size pods did you go with, 54mm? Thanks.

modtec said:

Great looking project. With a CX500 of my own I will be following your progress closely.

What size pods did you go with, 54mm? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I've got a second wind going on this project and am hoping to have it done by early summer if not sooner.

The pods are 54mm K&N oval pods.

Re: '81 CX500...Round 2? - Seat progress

The problem with the CX is the infamous dip in the frame where the seat goes. The method that seems to be the most common is welding on rails and then mounting a flat seat; and if you can fabricate a couple pieces to follow the lines of the dip, then it looks pretty nice.

BUT because I hate wasting good metal (and foam) and the original seat pan already follows the lines of the dip in the frame, I decided to just do some modification. What started as a king/queen 2-seater (see earlier posts) has been mocked up into this:




It's a mix of metal and cardboard right now...and a sacrificial suzuki tank, but it should be ready to go to a welder soon enough. Just gotta do a bit of trimming and final measuring.

Re: '81 CX500...Round 2? - Seat progress

that does look nice

Those lines are nice. I never thought that a liquid cooled bike could look this tight, and well put together. To tell you the truth, I loathed the cx500 platform until I seen what you have done with it. Everything just looks right here. Out of curiosity what tire and sizes are you running?