None Stable Mate

[gumby302ho]

   Its just one of those bikes that I always loved and wanted to have and I am going to check it out next week if all goes well. Its not a stable mate to the big Yamaha but rather a Honda, a flying V Honda, yes I am referring to the 1983 Honda CX650E, always loved them, loved the sound and the design, it has push rods and a snap for setting the valves, shaft drive, all around do it all motorcycle, a rare bike to sport 650 flags but really has 673cc, you dont see that often. Much much more to these bikes and parts are getting rare, I hope it works out. I am sure there are some die hard CX'S lovers out there!  The FJ is still the work horse in the stable and my dearest gal!!!!!!!!!!!  

[ribbert]

   Its just one of those bikes that I always loved and wanted to have and I am going to check it out next week if all goes well. Its not a stable mate to the big Yamaha but rather a Honda, a flying V Honda, yes I am referring to the 1983 Honda CX650E, always loved them, loved the sound and the design, it has push rods and a snap for setting the valves, shaft drive, all around do it all motorcycle, a rare bike to sport 650 flags but really has 673cc, you dont see that often. Much much more to these bikes and parts are getting rare, I hope it works out. I am sure there are some die hard CX'S lovers out there!  The FJ is still the work horse in the stable and my dearest gal!!!!!!!!!!!  

I've owned a lot of bikes and ridden thousands more for work and one of the few I have maintained a soft spot for is the CX500, if only they weren't so ugly. I was made to ride one for a few months for a Honda promotion. Embarrassed by this step down to a "small capacity" bike I at least insisted on good tyres.

I ended up loving that bike, it was great fun, but it's looks guaranteed it was never going to be cool to own one.

A modded one these days would be a great addition to the stable.

The 650E was a much better looking bike and quite good power, only about 10 horses less the the fable H2 Kwaka. The turbo was a disappointment though.

Hmmmmm........

Go for it. You have at least one fan of them here.

Noel

[Firehawk068]

The first street-bike I ever rode was my Dad's CX500.
It didn't have alot of power, but it was a great bike for commuting around town with.
His had a small oil leak somewhere between the engine and the transmission, that he never could track down.
I still have a soft spot for those bikes. My Dad owned his for a good many years, and we got to go on a few rides together once I bought my 550 Vision.
Post up some pictures of your 650! 

[Dan Filetti]

I rode with a budy that had a cx500.  We did many 500+ mile trips, me on my Maxim 550, and he in his CX.  It seemed relaible enough, although it WAS a bit ugly, truth be told.  It always reminded me of the sound of an air compressor at idle, for whatever reason.

Cheers,

Dan

[FJ1100mjk]

I like the CX650C too. A one year U.S. model.

I also like the four cylinder 650 Nighthawk from that era. Like this one that's for sale locally. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/mcy/4929874175.html

Love the chrome accent on the blue tank. They'd probably take less for it too.

Enjoy the new addition to your stable!

[TexasDave]

I like the CX650C too. A one year U.S. model.

I also like the four cylinder 650 Nighthawk from that era. Like this one that's for sale locally. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/mcy/4929874175.html

Love the chrome accent on the blue tank. They'd probably take less for it too.

Enjoy the new addition to your stable!

Marty I do own a blue 1982 Honda 650 and I bought it on looks alone. A friend of mine in Oklahoma knows I'm always looking for old UJMs. He rebuilds old English bikes--Nortons and Triumphs. An old man in Missouri had a Triumph and the 1982 Honda 650SC for sale and would only sell them as a pair. My friend called me and said I needed to buy the Honda. I said send me some pictures and he said he would but the bike looked better than in the pictures. I asked how much he wanted for it and he said what he had in it. After new tires, chain and battery he said he had $1450 in it. I drove up on a Sunday to pick it up and it looked like it just came off the show room floor with 8000 miles on it. It was still in the back of my truck at work on Monday when a gentleman who had owned one asked me how long it had taken me to restore it. Nice little bike for around town. Mostly a one year model and the last year it was single overhead cam. The 82 Honda 750 looks just like it. Runs and sounds like a sewing machine. Dave

[ribbert]

I always reminded me of the sound of an air compressor at idle, for whatever reason.

Cheers,

Dan

That's very funny Dan, that's exactly what they sound like.

Noel

[FJ1100mjk]

Marty I do own a blue 1982 Honda 650 and I bought it on looks alone. and it looks like it just came off the show room floor with 8000 miles on it.

Dave

Nice bike (and friend!) that you have there Dave.

[gumby302ho]

   This is not the bike that I will be looking at nor as clean, this is the 84 CX . In my minds eye I find these machines easy on the eyes, if your into motor design this motor was thought up fresh right off the floor, very unique 4 valve per cylinder flying V, not like the guzzies but at 80 degrees, look at the straight path from carb to exhaust that the air path takes, anyway I just always loved them. Honda took the 500 and punched it out to 673 and even put a turbo on one. Hey Noel, out of all the Japanese turbo's that were tried and tested in the market, the CX Turbo was the best in class and in the day they said it was the only Turbo that lived up to its name. I heard they are peaky and come on quite harsh was one downside.

[gumby302ho]

Here is the Turbo, rated as a 650 and this non aspirated little fella makes 100HP.

[PaulG]

I have read they were very popular in England for couriers due to their bulletproof reliability.  A 500/650 was on my list of bikes to get but I bought the FJ instead.  There are plenty of used ones out their that could be got cheap as a spares donor to keep it running for a long time.

...... Runs and sounds like a sewing machine. Dave

Nothing beats the sound of a sewing machine like an old air-head BMW.  This was my '78 R80/7 S that I never should have traded in for that '97 R1100 GS (which got T-boned 2yrs later).    55HP or so, and it could run all day and not miss a beat.  Similar to the CX in ease of maintenance and reliability.  You will have a blast with that bike.  About the only difference is the few degrees in the cylinder layout.

[ribbert]

......Hey Noel, out of all the Japanese turbo's that were tried and tested in the market, the CX Turbo was the best in class and in the day they said it was the only Turbo that lived up to its name. I heard they are peaky and come on quite harsh was one downside.

I was working for Honda when they came out. We got the first one in the country but just had to park it in the window for many weeks until the official release date. We were under threat of death if we fired it up and rode it before then.

Maybe because I was young, or the wait had created too much anticipation, or the hype around turbo's overstated, but whatever the reason, all I can remember about riding it was that is was disappointing.

You are right though, they were widely acknowledged as the best sorted turbo of the era.

Noel

[gumby302ho]

......Hey Noel, out of all the Japanese turbo's that were tried and tested in the market, the CX Turbo was the best in class and in the day they said it was the only Turbo that lived up to its name. I heard they are peaky and come on quite harsh was one downside.

I was working for Honda when they came out. We got the first one in the country but just had to park it in the window for many weeks until the official release date. We were under threat of death if we fired it up and rode it before then.

Maybe because I was young, or the wait had created too much anticipation, or the hype around turbo's overstated, but whatever the reason, all I can remember about riding it was that is was disappointing.

You are right though, they were widely acknowledged as the best sorted turbo of the era.

Noel

I swear you have had some of the best jobs Noel!!

[ribbert]

I swear you have had some of the best jobs Noel!!

Yeah, well, you don't think I'm going to talk about all the crappy ones in between do you? The job at Ford was certainly an interesting one on many levels.

Noel

[gumby302ho]

 Well the deal did not go down. This moron was not honest, no battery, no paperwork, wanted me to follow him to get it changed over. The guy jump started the bike and started rev'n the crap out of the old girl then he shut it off and went into his house, came back 5 mins later and I ask him if it will go down the road then instantly this 52 year old teenager had a hissy fit in front of my daughter and saying ya know I dont care if I even sell it and walked away again. This came out of nowhere, my daughter said she almost laughed because she couldn't believe it. I just drove 200 plus km's and my self governed tach just about peaked off of red line and it was a good thing nothing else came out of his mouth. Worst encounter with anyone selling anything private. Taped up signals with electrical tape, broken clutch lever, tach did not work, brakes were all toast. its like he did not want me to check it out, something was fishy with this guy and this bike %&+#&%@ moron.