[BeeSharp]

Greetings! Merry Christmas!



I currently have a Honda Valkyrie and an older 4cyl Goldwing. I've been intrigued by the Honda transverse twins and am considering adding one to my small stable. Also, my boy is becoming very interested in the bikes, so thought a smaller bike might be better for him to learn on too.



Is there a basic model/year comparison done already? I tried the search function and didn't really come up with anything. I guess with every bike there are changes in years that are sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Are there certain models or years that more desirable than others?



Are there any gotchas to look for when buying a used CX or GL?



Thanks

Jim

 

[DaveF]

Welcome to the forum. Please take a few minutes to edit your profile to show your location.



You might check out the Wikipedia writeup for a description of the basic models. As far as desirability is concerned, it's mostly a matter of individual preferences. They're all good.

Any bike around 30 years of age can be expected to need some work. Common problem areas that require going into the engine are the stator, cam chain, and water pump mechanical seal. Fortunately these bikes are extremely easy to work on. It would be a good idea to read through the various topics covered in the Quick Reference thread to learn more.



The biggest gotcha that still catches me off guard is their tendency to multiply.

 

[CXSarnia]

.................The biggest gotcha that still catches me off guard is their tendency to multiply.

I resemble that remark!

 

[marshallf3]

I wouldn't put the stator nor the CDI down as a high failure rate item on a lower mileage bike however that darn mech seal and the gearshift seal are very commonly in need of replacement when you first find one. Luckily neither is hard at all.

 

[Interstater]

Valkyries, GoldWings, and CX/GL 500s go together really well, I know that from experience!



Some write-ups will mention the CDI/stator problems of the 78-81 CX's, but with the recent availability of the Ignitech unit I would not let CDI/Stator worries keep me from picking up a 78-81 if I came across a good deal on a nice one.



The support on this site is fantastic, there is no CX/GL problem these guys can't resolve.

 

[Blindstitch]

I suppose I could back that one up. I always swore if I got another cx that it would be an 82 custom because then I could get away from the cdi and 3 phase stator but really with the ignitech cdi as a replacement you get the best of both worlds.





Besides the cx's are odd bikes. Lets just say budget don't get stranded in the middle of nowhere due to a dead battery. Lots of these were used as courier bikes in cities because of the 3 phase stator that can supply power to run the bike as long as you can get it push started if the battery fails. The TI bikes won't do that for you.

 

[Dash]

Jim, I've owned four of these bikes, a '79 and '82 CX500 and an '81 and '82 GL500. Personally, I liked the '82 CX500 the best because it seemed the most rip-snorting of my bunch and I liked how it handled. The forks are different on the '82 versus the '79. Is it better? No, just personal preference. So how come I sold the CX's and now only have GL's? Circumstance. My '81 came with a windshield and I use that one as a workhorse. I only picked up the '82 GL500 earlier this year because .... because ..... because my name is Dash, and I'm a cycleholic.



Ditto what others said. From my experience no model or year is better or worse than the others. It comes down to personal preference of style, fit, and condition. Sure there are some weak spots but what motorcycle doesn't have a few. The good thing with these bikes is there are rarely ghosts - they're very straightforward to maintain and repair when that time comes.



You have a '77 GL1000 which is very similar to my '76. Without exaggeration, I can pull the motor on a CX500 faster than I can remove the carbs from a GL1000. If you do or have done any maintenance or repair on the GL1000, a CX500 is simpler and easier by a factor of 10.

 

[Trickster]

Welcome to the forum.



As mentioned, they are all similar and all good. Each with a small enough difference to not really make me want one over



the other. I have had a 81 GL 500 it was great. I like the 79 CX because its light and maneuverable. I too have a GL1000



and find the CX/GL's easier to work on, but still would not part with the 1000. CX Custom as a smaller gas tank, Deluxes



have the larger one, GL's can be had with fairing and luggage. I feel the important part for your "first" one, is to find a



cherry, regardless of year and model. Unless of course you want to start with a basket case and go from there, regardless



there is an infinite amount of knowledge here and great people to help guide you along. NOW is the time to buy (off-season).



Good Luck

 

[BeeSharp]

Thanks for the warm welcome and information.



The wiki link was very helpful.



Ease of maintenance was a nice surprise as my boy may adopt the yet to be found CX/GL.



There's a 79 CX500 Deluxe for sale locally. I agree I find the best bike deals after Christmas.

I may go look at it, any quirks to that model or specifics to look at?



I've done a little work on my GL1000.

Still in process

Valkyrie - I have the 4 & 6 Cylinder models, obviously a 2 is needed to complete the set. I just like symmetrical bikes...

I would use that "logic" with my wife, but wouldn't want her to hurt herself - her eyes might roll right out the back of her head!

Jim

 

[Cobram]

I wouldn't put the stator nor the CDI down as a high failure rate item on a lower mileage bike

I would have to disagree, based on info of dead CDI's from the group buys I host. The one thing the failed CDI's had in common was age, mileage was all over the place, from under 10k to over 70k. Just about all the OEM CDI units out there are 30+ years old, and the CDI unit failure is caused by age degradation of the internal electronic components. This is not uncommon, what is uncommon is for the original CDI's to have lasted this long, hat off to Hitachi for building them right.