1978 Honda Honda

CX5002012001

Up for your consideration today is my 1978 Honda CX 500. I just uncovered the old vintage girl after her winter hibernation and installed the battery that I take out after each fall season. And as like every other year, she started right up without so much as a cough. It's like winter never even came. This year I am going to be restoring an old KZ 1000 and as I have three of these CX 500 Honda's I would like to sell one or two of them and put some extra finances into the old "Kwakasaki!" This Honda CX 500 has been super reliable motorcycle and if you read up on these machines you will find very impressive numbers for reliability, economy and longevity. It has been said that you can leave these bikes parked up against a tree in the fall, throw a cover over it and walk away. Come back in the spring, and within 10 - 15 minutes of uncovering it, be riding down the road on it and that includes installing the battery. These machines have been commonly known to have broken over 200,000 miles before the first major engine overhaul and that's on a two cylinder motor, and there are still many examples of these machines to be found running today after 30 + years or so. The good. This one has everything in good working order. Great running low mile engine, perfect transmission, clutch, and exhaust. The steering is smooth, all electrical systems are 100 % operative, bulbs included, cables,(new choke cable less than 200 miles ago) and gauges all work as they should too. All fluids are clean and the gas tank interior condition is enough to make your head jolt back. The seals on the cooling system are without any leaks at all and the thermostat opperates every time with consistent readings. She starts right up and will go anywhere you want her to. She has had a new front tire last year which has done 28 miles. This I know because that is all that I did on her last year. And because that is all that I had time to do last year you should know that that is one of my reasons for selling. The seat is perfect, the lenses are great, the wheels are not mared up and all of the little black covers are still on the end of the comstar design! Acceleration is smooth and without any clunks on the shaft drive upon shifting. Still a tight running bike and barely broken in as far as engine wear is concerned. She will make somone a great commuter or touring bike of vintage recognition. The not so good. Obviously this is a 33 year old bike and just due to the age some things are starting to show it. The front brake was serviced the year before last and I didn't notice much difference. I think that down the road it could do with a refreshed master cylinder kit. This was the achiles heel on these bikes. The Honda Interstate and Canadian models came with twin front disc brakes instead of the single disc if I recall correctly. A much needed improvement. The rear tire was good enough for a season or maybe two when I bought the bike. I ordered a new rear tire when I bought the front one last year, but I waited so long for it to come in the end of the bike season arrived before the tire did. I was told it was on back order every two weeks or so. So it will need a new one in a couple of thousand miles or so, depending on who you take it to for inspection. It passed the New Hampsire State inspection but it came with a recommendation from the station that it would need a new one for this year, but as you have read I only did 28 miles all season. Next, I noticed this year that the carburettors have started to drip down the overflow tubes, about one drip per every two second or so, so these will need to be serviced at worst. The bike doesn't run or idle any different though, but when you are travelling it drips and when you stop it drips. Turn off the fuel and it stops in a minute or two. There is a couple of dents on the tank and a place where the prior owner placed a rag with some sort of paint stripper on it as you can see from the pictures. So the tank has propably been replaced at some point in the past is my honest suspicion. I think that covers all of it, if you have any questions or other areas to have me check for you, just email me and I will answer you promptly or even send you a picture if you include your email address. I have emphasized the "not so good" in full and perhaps in more detail. This is not to deflate a sale, but rather to fully inform the next owner of every thing that they can expect to know about this machine. Future issues that are yet to be discovered are just that, and not hidden items of concern to be discovered after a new owner takes possesion. This is a great machine that will not let you down. It has so much more life left in it for many years to come. It does need some attention as stated, but if you have the time and apply the desire you just may turn up on my doorstep in passing ten years from now and it would look and sound the same to me. Serious bidders only, I do not want to resell this motorcycle more than once, so ask all questions before you place a bid please. All shipping arrangements are to be the responsibility of the buyer or I may consider delivery of up to 100 miles at $1.50 per mile one way. All remaining purchse payments, including any delivery costs, must be finalised in hand before I hand the keys and title over though. I reserve the right to end this listing without prior notice if this motorcycle sells locally, (which will be this week also.) Please Do Not Bid Unless You Have Read All Of This Description. Doing So Will Constitute That You Have. Thank you all for looking today. Enjoy the week ...