[sanchez]

1979 Honda CX500 Deluxe!



So, I picked up a 1979 CX500 for $250 off Craigslist recently. After looking around at some of the options, I decided to go with most others and turn it into a cafe style bike.



When I picked it up, it wasn't in bad shape.. Dead battery, but it started with a quick jump, couple dings and dents, broken blinkers etc... It's a 31 year old bike that's been used, what can I say.



Upon bringing it home and inspecting under the seat, here's what she looked like:

And because I failed to take more pictures than that, you can't really see the other side.



But yeah... Things I need when I first saw this bike:



Good wash

(1) Front Blinker

(1) Rear Blinker

Dents pulled from tank

Paint

Bars

Mirrors (Stock ones are shady shaky)

Front Fender

Seat (Not stock, and ratty as hell as you will see)



The bike runs like a champ, the only mechanical thing I have to figure out is why it leaks oil. Other than that, just general maintenance such as carb cleaning, plugs etc. should get her running tip top.



This past week, I ordered a bunch of parts including the blinkers and small bits such as a rear brake light actuator switch etc.



I also ordered some bars/mirrors/grips which you can feast your eyes upon:

Here's how she stands now:

This past weekend, a friend and I got all dirty wrenching to get some more stuff installed, such as... VT750 Rear shocks, Harley Sportster custom exhaust (Removing H-Box, straight pipe + straight thru mufflers), new brake and clutch levers and hopefully both the blinkers, switches and bulbs.



Enjoy!

 

[sanchez]

New Toys



Got these a few days ago.. Just received the rear signal today.

We have:

New Brake/Clutch levers, new front blinker (rear is on backorder), new shifter peg rubber, new rear brake light switch, brake/tail bulbs and a license plate bulb

This past weekend I got the front end lowered, sportster mufflers fit, pipes made and the h-box removed. The rear shocks that I had purchased (VT750) didn't fit, for anyone that's wondering.. and I didn't feel like bending the frame or cutting the shocks to make them work since those both seem like kinda integral parts to me.



Here's how she sits now:

I'll update tonight after I get everything all sorted out and installed!

 

[lucky]

looks like a great start so far have you decide on a color yet or not? and are you going to be doing all the body work your self?

 

[sanchez]

looks like a great start so far have you decide on a color yet or not? and are you going to be doing all the body work your self?

I'm going to have the dents in the tank popped out somewhere, dunno where.. I'll probably do the paint myself, thinking red w/ white stripe.

 

[Blindstitch]

Watch out with the tank dents. If there are gas fumes in the tank one hot stud might blow it up. It's noted. I would probably put something in the tank first that could eat away the fuel residuals.



Maybe something like light vinegar. But it is an acid so I'm not sure.

 

[philbrewer]

Clubmans and bar end mirrors doesn't make it a cafe. That said, I like the way you are headed with the bike. Two questions:



1. Where is the oil leak coming from?

2. What are you gonna do about the seat?

 

[dbilik]

Anyone do paintless dent repair on their tanks here yet? I have seen it done for dings in cars but nothing on a tank yet, don't see why it wouldn't work. Glue pulling might work.

 

[Blindstitch]

There is memory in a freshly dented piece of metal. If it isn't mangled to bad I have seen plenty of doors and fenders bumped out with no signs of damage. I've done a few my self.



The paintless kits I have seen have airbags. They may have something new now but seems like it might be a bit tricky with a tank. Also places where the dents are usually happen on fun curves making it harder to remove.

 

[sanchez]

Watch out with the tank dents. If there are gas fumes in the tank one hot stud might blow it up. It's noted. I would probably put something in the tank first that could eat away the fuel residuals.



Maybe something like light vinegar. But it is an acid so I'm not sure.

Yeah, I plan on taking it to a place near me that pressurizes the tank. They take it off the bike, plug the bottom hole and use a fitting to shoot air into the tank to pop out the dents. There's only one really and it's pretty minor. If the air pressure can't get it, I'll have someone "massage" it out from the inside, hopefully.

Clubmans and bar end mirrors doesn't make it a cafe. That said, I like the way you are headed with the bike. Two questions:



1. Where is the oil leak coming from?

2. What are you gonna do about the seat?

I believe the oil leak is coming from the front main seal or the oil filter cover thingy. The leak is populating right below where the filter is, but it just looks like a gasket problem. And I'm well aware that clubmans and mirrors don't make a cafe, I kinda hate when people do that.. LOOK AT MY HANDLEBARS I HAVE A CAFE RACER LOLOL!! But yeah, I plan on changing the seat to a fiberglass single with the hump dealy in the back, painting it to match the tank/covers and removing the rear fender/tail light and getting something integrated.



I'm sure you've seen Steve's build, which is my inspiration:

 

[Sam I Am]

Beware the tank pressurisation technique.

There were some pics on the old site of some undesired side effects.

 

[sanchez]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll definitely be researching before I do anything

 

[lucky]

i wonder if anyone has a pic of the exploded fuel tank that way you could see it sanchez it looks really neat........i think maybe blindstich has a pic of one.....

 

[dbilik]

I would look up glue pulling and true paintless dent repair, I wouldn't try the air. Glue tabs work like a welded stud except you glue the tab in place, but you can still use a slide hammer on it. The paintless metal tools should definately be able to push the dent out.

 

[Sam I Am]

Where are the dents anyway?

I dented both the tanks on my CX's; once by accident (dropped a helmet on it) and once by way of terminally frustrated slap (Bike had stalled out in traffic on the way home in driving rain with lightning). Both dents were right behind the gas cap in the centre of the tank and I was unable to pop them out and ended up with a near identical divot on two near identical bikes. What surprised me was that neither impact was really that great; it just seems to be a vulnerable spot on those tanks. Same tank as yours, by the way. What really pissed me off, besides both dents being my fault entirely, was that I really really like the look of that tank. Without the birdbath, anyway.



I ended up painting one flat black and the other camo, which made the dents a little less obvious.

 

[Blindstitch]

I think I deleted the blown up photos. Wasn't pretty.

 

[sanchez]

Where are the dents anyway?

I dented both the tanks on my CX's; once by accident (dropped a helmet on it) and once way of terminally frustrated slap (Bike had stalled out in traffic on the way home in driving rain with lightning). Both dents were right behind the gas cap in the centre of the tank and I was unable to pop them out and ended up with a near identical divot on two near identical bikes. What surprised me was that neither impact was really that great; it just seems to be a vulnerable spot on those tanks. Same tank as yours, by the way. What really pissed me off, besides both dents being my fault entirely, was that I really really like the look of that tank. Without the birdbath, anyway.



I ended up painting one flat black and the other camo, which made the dents a little less obvious.

there's really only one noticeable ding on the tank and it's like under the emblem on the right side. Not below the emblem, but underneath it. Dunno how it happened, but it's in a very strange place. If paintless tools can get to it from the filler cap, it shouldn't be any trouble to massage out.

 

[Sam I Am]

Well there's a good chance that at least one of your tank badges had been replaced!

 

[sanchez]

Well there's a good chance that at least one of your tank badges had been replaced!

Maybe, lol. It looks pretty old just like the other side. It's weird.. I'll take a picture of it. The dent is like RIGHT above the emblem, but then extends down under it. Dunno how the emblem didn't fall off, but yeah.

 

[Vado]

I've been dying to get a set of clubmans! How do the bar end mirrors work? Do they thread onto the bars or do you need special grips?

 

[sanchez]

I've been dying to get a set of clubmans! How do the bar end mirrors work? Do they thread onto the bars or do you need special grips?

It's hard to explain.. there's like expanders on mine. You put them in to the bars, then tighten the screw on the outside and it expands the little end pieces in the bars to tighten them. Kinda of like a molly screw for drywall.