Am I the Pontius Pilate of this CX500?

Odontologist

Umina Beach, Australia....Where does that part go?
Greetings.
I'm a recent member, and this is my first post.
I have ridden bikes since age 17 and now I'm in my 50's and still riding.
I have never done anything to a bike, nor do I know anything about how they work.
I do however know how to read a manual.

I have had an itch to build a cafe racer for some time, and no amount of Sorbolene cream would satisfy.
I found a very decent 1982 Honda CX500 Shadow (Australian model), and set about the task of satisfying my itch.

I feel that this project will either end up something wonderful....or a total disaster.
If you come on the journey, you will find out.

I have torn down the bike and engine, although there was really nothing wrong with it.....but I was set out to learn....and I was told on another forum that unless I do things for myself, I'm a worthless turd (not exact words, but that's how I understood it).

Below are some photos of where I'm up to, and a link to more complete youtube videos if you like detail. I will add to the log as I go along, probably once a week as I keep working on it.

I welcome questions, although I need less of those than answers, and I am not thin skinned, so throw all your shit at me if you must!
But do it with a smile.
Thanks
Mario

1982 CX500 Shadow before the slaughter.
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https://youtu.be/mvYAOsI3p5w

HAD A BIT OF TROUBLE REMOVING PIPES
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STRIPDOWN PROCEEDS WITHOUT INCIDENTS
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https://youtu.be/hY3JW4_eSXY

Haaaaaghhhh!....THE WIRING
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https://youtu.be/j20pW3PNr_U

GETTING THAT AIR BOX OUT WAS A LITTLE TRICKY.....OR IS IT ME?
111030-061117220627.jpeg

THE LITTLE ENGINE.....WHAT DO I DO WITH IT NOW?
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https://youtu.be/WJWFanjFYFg

WHAT IF I PULL IT APART.....EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT?
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https://youtu.be/324sicX1c40

COULDN'T RESIST THIS PICTURE. IT'S A GREEn STRAIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.
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https://youtu.be/K5GId7VOX4g

OIL PUMP AND TRANSMISSION. GETTING IN WAY OUT OF MY DEPTH.
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https://youtu.be/UTNRmj39R0M


This is as far as I got with the videos. They take much longer to put together working on the bike.

THE MUCH TALKED ABOUT WATER IMPELLER. THIS ONE LOOKS IN PRETTY GOOD NICK.
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ROTOR OUT AND LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN THE CAM MECHANISM BARREL. VERY NERVOUS AT THIS POINT.
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[size=12pt]THAT'S THE TRANSMISSION IN MY HANDS. I THINK I'M HOLDING IT LIKE I WOULD HOLD A BABY.
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I FINALLY ARRIVED AT THE PISTONS AND CRANK. THAT SPACE WHERE THE BIG END BOLTS ARE IS PRETTY TIGHT!
111030-061117221746.jpeg


VALVES DISASSEMBLED. ENGINE PULLED APART COMPLETELY. WHAT NOW?
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Odontologist said:
I do however know how to read a manual …

A good place to start!

Welcome to the forum. This is the best place on the net for advice about pretty much any bike problems, and without too much in the way of ego issues.

Know next to nothing about the CX myself, except that the seat is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen.

Good luck with the build.

Crazy
 
did you save the small oil metering orifice from the front transmission support plate

part number 4 in this diagram they escape quite easily and bad things result

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda/motorcycle/1980/cx500d-a-deluxe/cylinder-block
 
stroker crazy said:
........................ advice about pretty much any bike problems, and without too much in the way of ego issues.

............................ the seat is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen.

Good luck with the build.

Crazy

Yes. It seems the poor ol' CX is the Shrek of the bike world. Ugly such that only a mother could love, yet with a devoted following it appears.
I have been encouraged from the posts that I have read at the patience, enthusiasm and spirit of cooperation apparent in the responses. As an apprentice........I think I'm in the right place.
Thanks.
 
cxman said:
did you save the small oil metering orifice from the front transmission support plate
............................... they escape quite easily .........

Thanks Man (CXMan)
Good call. I did save the 3 oil orifice tubes, 1 at the transmission block, and 1 each at the cylinder heads. But I did lose a locating dowel for the rear cover. One stayed in the case, but the other went walkabout.
I measured the one I had and it was 9.97mm OD x 14mm long. I found one on ebay 10mmx14mm for a Honda postie but after looking at the Partzilla diagram it seems they are 8x14mm. I'll wait till I get ir to see if it fits.

That's a great resource. I had found David Silva, CMS and Wemoto, but Partzilla seems to have the little things, like dowels and Orings.

Thanks again CXMan!

PS: what do those oil tubes actually do??
 
that is not what i a m talking about the part that gets lost if a aluminum part it looks like a short bullet and it has a metering hole thru it

scroll down thru this you will see it sitting in a picture by itself and where it goes

https://motofaction.org/motorcycles/honda-cx-gl/replacing-front-engine-cover-what-check-honda-cx500-gl500-cx650-gl650/
 
welcome from sunny (today anyway) Melbourne, you'll find a few folk on here who share your unaccountable love for the maggot and have done some nice things to them. theres a few cafe'd ones getting round Melbourne too
good luck and look on the bright side, it can't end up any uglier than when it left the factory
 
if that little part does not get back in you wont have full oil pressure and the cam journals will be running dry

and the block gets ruined quickly
 
Spotting a CX500/GL500 project always halts me in my tracks....they can be transformed into really interesting machines.
 
So the engine and bike are dismanteled.
Now to start with painting engine parts.

I used VHT engine enamel primer and Black pearl.

I have been told that spray can paint won't last.
I have no previous experience with painting engines. Any comments?

Here is the video .



https://youtu.be/giecOYmFjS4
 
With the engine completely pulled apart and cleaned, it's time to start checking engine parts for wear and if still within tolerances as per figures given in the manual. A set of vernier calipers, micrometers, bore gauges, thickness gauges, and plastigauge was an essential, if slightly costly investment.

Here's the detailed video.


https://youtu.be/ZyaBBrhYVOI
 
Time to start putting the engine back together.
Could only get one size of bearing shell for the big ends.....This engine used a different size for each piston (one green and one yellow).
The one that needed the yellow but got the green shells instead ended up with a pretty tight oil clearance at the crank pin. The tolerance is between 0.028 and 0.052mm, with a service limit of 0.080mm.
The tight one ended up around the 0.030mm using Plastigauge for verification. Let's hope it works. May need an extended breaking in period.
By the way....I'm not setting any speed records here.



https://youtu.be/IAN8QsVAzq0


https://youtu.be/F93EcRvK9YA


https://youtu.be/BCj2_vkPLWw
 
With the engine rebuild complete, it was time to see how the maggot was going to start looking.

111030-151217032046.jpeg



So I laced up the front wheel. Its a Sun 2.75 x 18 rim with a Cognito conversion hub.

111030-151217032134.jpeg



Fitted the tube and tyre - an Avon AM26 Roadrider 110/80 x 18

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A pair of USD forks from a 2007 GSXR-600, and Cognito top and bottom clamps and stem to complete the front end conversion.

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.....and corresponding axle to go with it.

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Front end assembled

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Bottom clamp has adjustable turn stops

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The top clamp has slots for Motogadget instrument and lights

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Starting to take shape now.

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I have no fabrication experience so I bought the seat and cowl. This one is by Cafe Racer KIts. It's their Roadster version. I'm still not sure if I like it. Its a great and comfortable seat but I find it too high........

111030-151217032921.jpeg



.....but the I do like the shape of the cowl. Maybe I'll try my hand at fabricating a seat that is lower and shows off more of the cowl shape.

111030-151217033000.jpeg


111030-151217033028.jpeg
 
From here, it just looks like you need to adjust the bottom edge profile of the seat to match the frame. The frame has substantially more curve than the seat.
 
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