Don’t Fight It, Feel It: Auto Fabrica Embraces The CX500
When faced with a Honda CX500 in the shop, the first thing most builders do is ‘fix’ the frame. It looks awkward…
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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.
Has PopBang Delivered The Best-Looking CX500 Yet?
The turnaround in the reputation of the Honda CX500 is quite remarkable. Despite its unsavory nicknames, the water-cooled V-twin is now in…
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The Pursuit of Perfection: Eastern Spirit’s CX500
Three years ago, Poland’s Eastern Spirit Garage exploded onto the custom scene with one of the best Honda CX500s ever built. Its…
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Turning Japanese: Ed Turner remodels the CX500
Whenever a new Ed Turner build hits our desks, we do a double take. Karl Renoult—the enigmatic Frenchman behind the brand—certainly has…
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Ready to race: Sacha Lakic’s CX500 cafe racer
Who’d have thought that the humble Honda CX500 would one day join the CB750 and SR500 as a staple of custom builders?…
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Urban Scrambler: Caiman’s Honda CX500
South Africa is a motorcycling nirvana—especially for dual-sport riders. From the winelands in the Western Cape, all the way across to the…
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Top 5 Honda CX500s
Let’s be honest—Honda’s CX500 is not going to win any beauty contests. With a short wheelbase, high front end, awkward looking subframe…
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Class Act: Noah Blum’s 1980 Honda CX500 custom
The Honda CX500 is a stern test of any builder’s skills: although it’s cheap and readily available, it’s not an attractive starting…
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Honda CX500 custom
The Honda CX500 is not the prettiest of motorcycles. Launched in 1978 and produced for just five years, it attracted a wide…
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Dave Mucci’s slinky Honda CX500
Five years ago, I’d never have picked the Honda CX500 as a target for custom bike builders. But it’s now rapidly finding…
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Honda CX500 by the Wrenchmonkees
The Honda CX500 has always lacked the cachet of the earlier CB550 Four. Which is ironic, because the CB550 was little more…
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Honda CX500 cafe racer
Honda’s CB series of motorcycles tends to get all the attention on the custom scene. But a surprising number of CX500s are…
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