Nothing beautiful about Honda CX500, but it has its charm. Case in point: the owner of this CX500 chose this car for the industrial look of its engine and its fun nature. The rest, he switched to studying English BJ at Brick House Builds in Missouri.
BJ is no stranger to the humble Honda V-twin and comes in several CX-GL and GL versions. “It’s a very versatile bike to build,” he said. “Think of them as Sports athletein that they are not excellent at anything, but kind about everything! ”
His casual attitude believes how much work was done to make the 1981 CX500 sizzling hot street watchers it now is. The project started with a bike less than the sponsor’s ideal, and a short timeline filled with expectations. “Customers want a high-end custom car that is easy to fool, but also comfortable and fun,” says BJ.
“When we arrived, the bike was unfortunately deformed. It was revised but incomplete, and unfortunately it was very poorly done. When I went to push the bike into the shop, the entire saddle and rear of the bike fell from my hand… so bad. ”
One of the biggest upgrades here is the engine, which was replaced by BJ for the 1983 Honda GL650 Silver Wing. Since the engine was towed from a broken bike found at a scrapyard, he did not know what condition it was actually in — so it was completely rebuilt.
Work included some light hauling work, along with custom intake manifolds. Some of the internals have been upgraded for “peace of mind” and the clutch has been rebuilt with new discs and stiffer springs. BJ still keeps the original radiator of the CX500 but has added a large Suzuki fan.
Carbs are fresh and inhaled through a pair of shell filters. BJ built its own two-in-one exhaust tips in stainless steel, adding a Competition Werks silencer at the end.
“When it is dialed on the dyno, the tires make 61 hp,” he confirms, which we are very pleased with. On the bike, you notice the most torque, as it just feels heavy, even at low RPM where you use the bike the most. “
The CX500’s chassis has also received a significant overhaul. BJ has upgraded the front end with a reverse fork and a Tokico double disc brake from the Suzuki GSX-R1000. The swap is done using a Cognito Moto accessory kit, which includes the new CNC-machined fork and wheel hub.
Gone are the unmistakable (read: ugly) Comstar bangles of the CX500. The new wheels come with 17-inch Warp 9 rims and road-focused Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires.
The tail of the CX500 is also not detached anymore. BJ built a new subframe with a neat roundabout at the back, balancing out the old bike’s shape in the process. A subtle kink in the down tubes tightens the entire design.
Lowered, BJ secures the swingarm and welds in reinforced shock mounts to transition the CX500 from a dual shock to mono setup. The main shock absorber is a Ducati 900SS unit.
The bodywork of this street tracker is simple, yet perfectly sized. Up front is the fuel tank of the CX500 ‘Deluxe’ model, fitted with a recessed sub-cap. BJ also adjusted its stands to balance it; It now blends seamlessly with the new subframe and handcrafted rear end.
Lift the saddle and you’ll find a neatly organized electronics tray, featuring the NWT Cycletronic ‘Morty’ system for rewinding the bike.
BJ clients are placed in an upright sitting position, so this Honda features a Renthal 1 1/8” sport handlebar with a significant amount of raised headroom. They are equipped with Domino controls, new levers and switches, and turn signals at the end of the bar. (There was a set of end-of-bar mirrors, but they were removed because of these photos.)
A Koso digital dash sits behind a small bib, with vintage-style headlights mounted on hand-made brackets. The car is packed with subtle elements – including a hidden cabin exhaust, an aluminum radiator overflow tank and a custom gearshift linkage. Even the side racks of the bike are customised.
We also had to give BJ the highest score because the lie was judged extremely well. “The client and I work well together on color,” he says. “We knew we wanted a very timeless Honda show for this bike, but a little more subtle in the way the logo and lettering went.”
“I drew a mockup of the Honda wings that link at the angle of the valve caps and help them transition into the tank, both in shape and color. At the back, some simple HRC letters help fill the fiberglass rubber. ” Slipstream Creations handles the paint job, while Rich Phillips Leather handles the blue ultrasuede upholstery.
Hard enough to make a Honda CX500 with a skeleton neck look good. But pull that together with a bike that is literally disintegrating? That should be taken seriously.
10/10.
Brick house construction | Facebook | Instagram | Photos of James Fawcett at Creative Slipstream
