CX500? Anything I should watch out for?

[BA80]

Hmmmmm.......you're exactly right Marty. I thought I had read that somewhere but a short search says I'm wrong.

http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/cl...nda-cx500.aspx

[jetmechmarty]

Well then, go enjoy some turkey with friends and/or family!

[Robsweetland]

Make sure to use correct spec coolant as head gaskets can be a bit dodgy

[BA80]

No turkey, ham. Got a small but quite sufficient ham dinner planned for the girls and I.

Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

It's nice and warm outside but there's 100% chance of rain today or I would take a ride.

[IanDMacDonald]

A funny side note: after we bought the CX, it developed the cam chain tensioner failure. We took it to Anderson Honda in Bloomfield Hills. Turns-out, Honda issued a recall for the fix. So, the nice service technician fixed it for us. As we picked-up the bike, the service manager was FURIOUS that we were not charged for the repair. Turns-out, the recall was from the early 1980's. Short-story, we walked-away with a repaired bike, free-of-charge.

[Bonz]

Do recalls have a shelf life? I have an '82 CX500 Custom Deluxe and it's a great 'round town bike but runs out of any measurable steam above 70 mph. FWIW, it was not one affected by the recall. Really like the 60-ish mpg when donking around 50-55 mph and handles nice and light. It's my 3rd favorite bike behind the ZRX1200 and XS1100 simply because I do ride a good bit of interstate and it just doesn't have the nuts to do it. No meaningful acceleration reserve at 75 -80 mph and gas mileage tanks to 33 mpg at that speed. The 80 SG gets 35 mpg pushing those speeds and the ZRX1200 pulls 50-52 mpg with the CVK40 carbs from a ZZR1200 grafted on.

[motoman]

The earlier CX500 had valve train oiling issues, but was resolved on the later models.......just an FYI.

[Bonz]

Actually, the early CX's (or any CX for that matter) had no oiling issues. For one thing, they are a pushrod 4 valve per cylinder engine with the cam in the block so Honda could keep engine height to a minimum. No known oiling issues with that set up. However, the CX had bad cam chain tensioners up until some point in 1980. Any bike that had the recall fix has a series of 3 punch marks on the engine case by the serial number.

The Honda VFR series of V-fours (early Interceptor, Magna, Sabre models) were the ones that had issues with getting oil to the camshafts and had issues with the top end in that regard.

[BA80]

3 issues I experienced with mine were..

#1 the cooling fan knock

#2 a module in the dash causing the temp guage to read hot when it wasn't.

#3 The first engine lost all oil pressure for some reason and destroyed itself.

[Bonz]

Bummer on the oil pressure! I like my new-to-me CX, but gawd, it is slower than a June bug in July. I guess 497cc isn't 1101cc, huh? It is a nice handling little bike for sure.

[BA80]

Yeah, it's a chore to keep up 65 - 70 mph on the highway. I rode mine between DFW and College Station quite a few times. Comfortable and good handling but you just can't pedal fast enough.

[Bonz]

At elevation on I-25 heading south (long, steady uphill the whole way, 30 miles) between Denver and Monument, it'll pull 83 mph redlined in 4th (9750 rpm) or 85 mph WFO in 5th on the lesser inclines. That is about keeping up with traffic or a hair faster. What was 60 mpg one day running back roads at 50-55 mph becomes 33 mpg the next day doing that run. I ran the 80 SG the same speeds deliberately to get a comparison of gas mileage and the XS would do 34 mpg at 80-ish mph on the same stretch. The 2001 ZRX1200 is in another world. With the CVK40 carbs from a ZZR1200 grafted on running pods, I pull 51 mpg day in and day out on the same run.

Looking forward to riding season again already, need to get the western rally back on the map next summer.

[BA80]

Yeah, me too.

I don't mind 30mpg, an extra gas can (for bike and me) is really no issue.

[Bonz]

That bike is 'a loaded down! CX500 just might take it off the one...

[Bonz]

Last post... CX500 just might take it off the line...

Dang auto-correct and 10 minute edit limit.

Can I ask for a reconsideration of the 10 minute limit? Purpose, rationale?