[R3SC]

It is with heavy heart that I have now decided to sell my very, very early CX500.

It was manufactured in 1977 and first owned in the U.K. by Honda U.K. as one of their very first publicity bikes and I have a letter from Honda supporting this.
it is frame number 22 and engine number 28 and it’s been restored to absolutely “As New” condition.

It benefits from a brand new NOS exhaust system. NOS rear shocks, NOS seat, etc, etc, all of which are genuine Honda.

No detail has been missed and no expense has been spared during its restoration, it is stunning. It’s done around 50 miles since the restoration back in 2019 and because of health issues I just can’t use it anymore.

It has to be viewed to be believed. A truly one off surviving example and is probably the earliest complete CX500 to still exist and to be in this condition.

I also own possibly the earliest known CX500 engine which is the rarest of rare sand cast prototype engine and is engine number 4, —- the 4th CX500 engine ever made! This is a viable engine as it’s been stripped and rebuild and will run. This engine is also going to be for sale under a separate sale.

The bike is located in Sheffield and considering the exceptional condition and historical significance of the bike the asking price will be offers around £6200. You will not find another one like this.

If anyone is interested in the bike itself and needs more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

 

[reclinedrelic]

you make big claims but post no pictures of the engine or frame vin??

Did you send him a PM asking for more pictures and information?

 

[SirFoxx]

Did you send him a PM asking for more pictures and information?

its a for sale ad. if he claims its one of the earliest in existence, shouldnt that be a highlight of the ad, with said pictures posted? i get that i could dig through his history to find the info, but if you are going to make honest bold claims, at least back the claims up by spending 2 minutes to take pictures of the serials and vin for the ad

 

[R3SC]

I had mistakenly assumed that most rational and well informed CX owners would realise that it would be incredibly foolhardy to advertise something with very specific features when those features were not true!?

I have many photos of the bike during its rebuild and restoration and I did say if anyone wanted any further information I would supply it so please see below.

Rest assured that I am a man of the highest integrity, however, my use of informed assumptions may be somewhat lacking.

Regards.

 

[R3SC]

Images as requested. Engine 2000028. Frame 2000022.

 

[PDC-500B]

View attachment 215472

A very nice restoration!

For the information of those across the pond from the UK, those VIN plates aren't fitted to bikes normally destined for the UK market - just the frame number is stamped on the steering head where that plate is fitted. That's one reason why many UK owners don't know the actual model year of the bike they own - they are just going by the date of registration, which may or may not be the same as the model year. This bike may originally have been destined for the US, but was sent to the UK for the Honda UK press fleet, and probably modified to UK specification (twin front discs and lower handlebars to name but two differences).

 

[WingMan71]

Very nice! Has to be hard to let go of it, but many of us get to that point with a favorite bike that we've had for a long time.

Looks just like the bike in the magazine article about the origins of the CX500 that I just posted up in the "General" section tonight.

 

[bahn88]

Nice bike
Is the Vin plate a USA one....?...looks like the one on my (import) 750
Not being conversant with UK laws...has the bike ever been registered in the UK, or will it be treated as an import with some hoops to jump through....
(me had to get a copy of the import certificate.....and an engineers certificate in my case, even though it was on historical reg for the best part of 10years with previous owners)

 

[nolimitz]

its a for sale ad. if he claims its one of the earliest in existence, shouldnt that be a highlight of the ad, with said pictures posted? i get that i could dig through his history to find the info, but if you are going to make honest bold claims, at least back the claims up by spending 2 minutes to take pictures of the serials and vin for the ad

Insert foot, chew vigorously

 

[SirFoxx]

I had mistakenly assumed that most rational and well informed CX owners would realise that it would be incredibly foolhardy to advertise something with very specific features when those features were not true!?

I have many photos of the bike during its rebuild and restoration and I did say if anyone wanted any further information I would supply it so please see below.

Rest assured that I am a man of the highest integrity, however, my use of informed assumptions may be somewhat lacking.

Regards.

I never doubted what you had, nor would most other members. But if youre going to sell something so rare, why not make it the highlight of the ad? just my .02

 

[DouginEasternWashington]

I never doubted what you had, nor would most other members. But if youre going to sell something so rare, why not make it the highlight of the ad? just my .02

Your original post sounded a little offensive to me. The OP clearly stated if you wanted more information to message him. That isn’t complicated. Keep inserting your foot!

 

[SirFoxx]

.

 

[CXPHREAK]

You will make nasty sounding comments.

EDIT You seem unrepentant judging by your emoji.

Keep it up.

 

[PDC-500B]

Nice bike
Is the Vin plate a USA one....?...looks like the one on my (import) 750
Not being conversant with UK laws...has the bike ever been registered in the UK, or will it be treated as an import with some hoops to jump through....
(me had to get a copy of the import certificate.....and an engineers certificate in my case, even though it was on historical reg for the best part of 10years with previous owners)

If it was imported by Honda UK back in 1978 as new and unregistered for use in the Honda UK press fleet, I doubt there would have been any problems getting it registered at the time, despite it having a US VIN plate. Honda UK imported quite a few new bikes direct from Japan every year...

 

[R3SC]

Good Morning All,

Could I just say a few words before I answer all of your valid questions.

The purpose of restoring this particular bike was mainly to try to ensure that bikes such as this continue to exist. They are and will remain part of motorcycling history.

A restoration such as this cost much more than the bike is worth so it’s not about money either.

I thought that advertising this bike on this forum would be the best way forward in order to preserve it and to preserve its history for future generations and you guys form the largest knowledge pool out there relative to this particular model.

I could have, and may still have to resort to the likes of eBay but this would leave the bike open to individuals who are not interested in the marque but who just want a bike to ride and in my view, the bike could be exposed to the risk of being bashed, crashed and trashed within a few years and this would lead to it being in a skip as scrap metal, all history lost. I don’t want that and I suspect many of you don’t either.

I‘m also not interested in squabbling and veiled accusations of dishonesty by certain parties, I consider posts of this type unnecessary and unduly provocative and feel that there is no place for these types of comments amongst true enthusiasts. I just want for this bike to go to a good home!

Anyway, answers to questions.

The bike was manufactured in September 1977 and first registered in the U.K. by Honda U.K. on the 1st November 1977 and I have documentary proof of this in the form of the original typed licence application by Honda U.K.

To this day it still carries its original “S” suffix registration plate which was issued back in 1977 and is all legal and ready to go.

It has had seven owners since new, me being the seventh and I have copies of pretty much all of the registration documents for each owner in turn.

On this particular bike, as well as the stamped aluminium VIN plate on the headstock, the headstock is also stamped with the chassis number as well.

I considered this to be normal practice at the time as when I restored this bike, I restored another nearly identical bike but about a year older and it too was a U.K. bike and carried both the stamped aluminium plate and the numerically stamped headstock.

There were quite a few subtle differences though, a good example of this was that on the earlier bike, the engine crank cases were never painted and came with a plain die cast finish, this finish remains intact.

Images of the engine ready to be fitted into the frame.

So, a really nice honest early bike being sold by an enthusiast.

Once again, if anyone is genuinely interested in the bike, please do not hesitate to contact me for any further information or images.

Regards.

 

[CXPHREAK]

Hi mate, the numbers speak for themselves, as does the general excellent condition of the bike.

Good luck with the sale and I hope that it goes to somebody who will appreciate it for the excellent example that it is.

 

[PDC-500B]

On this particular bike, as well as the stamped aluminium VIN plate on the headstock, the headstock is also stamped with the chassis number as well.

I considered this to be normal practice at the time as when I restored this bike, I restored another nearly identical bike but about a year older and it too was a U.K. bike and carried both the stamped aluminium plate and the numerically stamped headstock.

There were quite a few subtle differences though, a good example of this was that on the earlier bike, the engine crank cases were never painted and came with a plain die cast finish, this finish remains intact.

I have to admit I've only ever seen those headstock VIN plates quoting the model year on bikes imported from the US, never on bikes that were originally destined for the UK market. UK CX500s, as well as a stamped headstock frame number, had a VIN plate on the frame rail below the right hand side panel, but the model year is not given.

Also, all CX500 engines crankcases were left unpainted (like my 1981 B) - it's only in recent years that people have tended to paint them silver to cover up corrosion discolouration.

 

[R3SC]

Hi PDC-500B,

I think you’re right. I’ve just looked back through my photo library and found the images below and it clearly shows the VIN plate on the lower right frame rail! Strange what memory can do but I am an old git now and I could have sworn it was on the headstock but photos don’t lie!

Slightly later bike in the number range around 21,000 but still a 1978 model. I managed to get that on its original U.K. reg number as well!

At one point it looked like I was breeding CX500’s!

Regards.

 

[bahn88]

Just to add wasnt implying anything...
The plate looks USA...the giveaway is reference to federal laws....
However any additional plate...like in Oz often is found under the seat..once complianced...im in the process of doing that with a 750....as i mentioned not conversant with uk laws...hence my question about "hoops to jump"....if any...
My plate....

 

[308GTSi]

Just to add wasnt implying anything...
The plate looks USA...the giveaway is reference to federal laws....
However any additional plate...like in Oz often is found under the seat..once complianced...im in the process of doing that with a 750....as i mentioned not conversant with uk laws...hence my question about "hoops to jump"....if any...
My plate....

Queensland only had the plate on the frame near the right hand foot peg. The steering head only has the chassis number. We have the odd procedure in Qld for imports where a Modification plate with no listed modification is used to get a vehicle initially registered. I asked a mate in the police about modification plates with no mod listed and the best information he could get was the plate should not be on a vehicle.