CX500 cafe bikes - a couple builds I just finished...

[Phil Tarman]

Bought a new GL500 a few years later and hated it. Didn't have the power due to compression ratio being dropped. Got ride of it pretty quickly.

DJ, I was just re-reading this thread and saw your post. My GL650 was a huge improvement on the GL500, which was indeed a terribly anemic ride. So naturally, they quit making the GL650 after one year. Probably because they upgraded the Goldwing and the fairing wouldn't have worked as well as it did. As far as I know they never made a GX650 (unless -- it's all been so long ago -- there was a GX650T).

 

[EX Winger]

I really like the looks of both of them, I am partial to the black one though as it sort of brings back the memory of my new wen I got it 1957 BMW R-50Though it was never a true cafe it had the appearance, very short bars, 27 litre Hoske tank ETC. Keep up the good work!

Eldon

 

[elizilla]

There is actually a CX500 build going on in my garage even as we speak. I have a young neighbor, who lives in an apartment nearby. He has discovered a welcoming den of motorcycling so he spends most of his free time here, always willing to help with any project. Anyways, he picked up a dirt cheap 1979 CX500 that had been parked for 27 years. He is painting my deck for parts and is working on it here. He wants to do it up cafe style.

I had forgotten this thread but now that I have been reminded, I'll hafta show it to him.

What are you using for the front ends, with those upside down forks?

 

[Bear]

I dropped the Yamaha on myself this winter. It was only a foot up on the lift. There was no damage to the bike because I was the cushion. It did take me 15 minutes to get out from under it. I called the Y, which is less than a quarter mile away, and they provided "Muscle" to get the bike upright. The wheels were still on the lift. It took three of us.

My XS looks like a Cafe Racer, but is not. A lot of the XS650s are being chopped and cut up making them fairly scarce in the stock configuration. Mine has Clubman Bars, Bar End Mirrors, Bobbed Rear Fender, a Bikini Fairing, 2 into 1 flat black exhaust, and a professionally done paint job. The engine is essentially stock except for the electrics and is powder coated gloss black. All the engine bolts and other visible ones are chrome. The previous owner unfortunately cut off the mounts for the centre stand because he lowered the bike by at least an inch and a half. I need to lower the foot pegs to a more comfortable position.

 

[ARKNT]

I dropped the Yamaha on myself this winter

I had the rear tire off my XS650 years ago and pushed it forward off the centerstand. The swingarm landed on my big toe. ER trip for stitches.
Now if doing something similar, I tie or strap the centerstand to the front wheel so it can't fold up and bike fall like that. Sometimes learn the hard way.

Brad