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Honda CX500 Cafe Racer Conversion Kit Turns Your Donor Bike into a Bike Night Eye Catcher

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Honda CX500 cafe racer conversion kit

Cafe racer conversions are all the rage, and, as we all know, anything popular is often done very badly, but every now and then, someone with a bit more skill and a good eye puts his hand to the job and the finished product makes you sit up and take notice. Starting with a rather rough and ratty Honda CX500 donor bike, you can build a sweet little cafe racer by adding your own labor and this very well thought out kit from Ian Saxcoburg, a mechanical design engineer by day and savior of old and abandoned CX500s by night.

Honda CX500 cafe racer conversion kit

There are usually quite a few CX500s to be found in varying states of disrepair waiting for someone with a project in mind to take them home and show them some love. Their current owners have abandoned them because they see no future in the relationship. Ian Saxcoburg has made it possible for you to turn the old girl into quite the looker with his modular kit. There’s some minor surgery involved, but you can buy each module separately and build it one step at a time, which is nice if you haven’t done anything like this before and would like to gain some confidence in the process.

The drawings and instructions seem to be quite clear which is what you would expect from an engineer who was doing his own kit and you get the benefit of his knowledge even if your design skills aren’t up to par.

From the before and after photos on his web site, I would be very surprised if there wasn’t a sudden run on these old Hondas as everyone started thinking about their own project. You’ll be able to bask in the glory of your build and feel the pride that comes from saying “I built it myself,” even if you had a helping hand from Ian’s conversion kit.

I like this kit a lot. Well thought out, detailed instructions and the finished bike will be sure to please the happy owner. Very nice!

Thanks for the tip, Nigel!

Link: Cafe Racer Kits

Posted on Filed Under: Motorcycle Accessories, Motorcycle Builders

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Comments

  1. A good way to rescue a lot of orphaned motorcycles; looks well thought out and practical, a kit any rider with mechanical skills could build. I would find some way to fill that gaping opening behind the engine (a good place for a tool kit), and the seat looks a bit lumpy, but that’s probably padding for comfort.

    On the whole, it’s a very good effort that would yield a fine bike. It wouldn’t burn the backroads with 500 ccs, but it certainly would scoot well enough to stay with a group of friends on a Sunday tour.

    • An interesting observation and not one I’m trying to refute….just wondering since I really don’t know: what constitutes an ‘English looking’ cafe?

      I think it’s a fine idea and about 90% right, though as mentioned elsewhere the seat could use some refinement.
      I like orphaned bikes and have acx500 with a 650 lump waiting in storage for some rework eventually.

  3. Or, given some red detail paint in places like spokes it might suggest a classic Italian racer.

  4. Nice idea, too bad framebottoms en swingarms on nearly all CX’s/GL500’s are rotten. Most of the thime I don’t have a problem with DD but this time: Watch out for Dangerous Donors!

  5. Nice…………until you get to the seat/tailpiece. That stands out like a turd in a punchbowl. It’s all short and lumpy – kinda’ like me- and the proportions are strange for this style. Not sure where the battery is, either.

    Oh, and for anyone thinking of attempting to resurrect a CX500, remember some of the early ones were known for puking timing chains.

    • “Not sure where the battery is, either.”

      The battery is in the tailpiece. Go here and scroll down.

  6. Achieving that “gaping hole” is a plus in the cafe’ bike world. Minimalist mentality is what they try to get on the back half. The original British Cafe’ builders of this style were akin to the original American Choppers builders. They imparted personal style into their bikes using creativity. A large after-market parts world just didn’t exist as it does now.
    The bum stop seat is just that a stop and a nest to keep the rider in a suitable position for reaching the controls. The use of the taillight as a compartment is common and the use of a much smaller sealed battery is preffered. This design allows for the larger less expensive wet cell to be used.
    The kit allows one to make a very inexpensive, yet personalized bike. I found one on Craigs list for $300.00, a runner w/ title and tires w/ less than 1000 miles on them. It’s worth having for a young, interested person to have a go at w/out worrying about destroying a bike. They could mess up and yet I can guarantee that they will be able to ride it out of the yard. Great learning / teaching tool!
    Cafe’ Racer Magazine is a good source for ideas and suppliers.

  7. Hmmmm, 750 UK dollars is about $1250 US. If I happened to have a CX500 languishing around, and if I lived on or near the foggy isle of England, I might be tempted. Then again, I might be more inclined to purchase a similar aged machine with a few more of the attributes worthy of embellishing the time and money to customize…well, you know what, I don’t own a CX500 and the thought of spending $1250 plus what is sure to be another $500 in overseas shipping charges just doesn’t make me want to sip tea. But of course since I already own the shop and tools, this guy isn’t anticipating my purchase, anyway.

    I’ll admit to having invested, on more than one occasion, in parts, paint and chrome an amount far exceeding the value of the original and sometimes aging bike. But IMHO, a CX500 would be one of the beasts that I would encourage anyone to just dive on in, carve it up and DIY. Out of demand, out of favor bikes are great platforms to learn some skills…. and if you screw it up along the way, the loss would be????

    Hopefully not your daily commuter.

    But if it happens to be your daily commuter, and if you’ve actually kept it in shape (yep, as Dennis said, this things rot quickly around the thinly stamped and rolled lower frame and swingarm) then it might make a smidgen of sense to buy the “modules” and do the job on weekends and having it running every Monday morning. A trip well planned is usually one without unpleasant surprises.

  8. I like the engine, but this build has the proportions of a monkeybike. Loose the sofa. Stay consistantly minimalist and I think the lines will work a lot better. Gloss black and gold paint scheme would push my buttons, too.

  9. I’m thinking he went with a seat that could actually be endured for more than a short ride, and a tank that could hold more than a thimble of gas for a, no a few, very good reasons: the CX500 was the lo-po last place finisher of the 500cc class since it’s inception, and hence the cafe~ racer theme is pretty much a total flight of fancy. I remember a road test in whicb it not only placed last in the 500cc class, but was even beaten down by the smaller CM400. I’ve test ridden a few after making repairs, and even though the ground clearance is above average, the frame rigidity leaves a lot to be desired for any kind of corner carving. And speed parts? You gotta be kiddin. So it always was, and could never be more than, a commuter bike.

    So the makeover and keeping it a practical commuter, rather than a radical pc of eye candy, makes sense. Look closely, even the rear shocks (which Honda lifted from the 250 Elite “Spacey” scooter) are still stock…and adequate for this bike…one up and ridin politely.

    As for black with gold trim…well, your choice, but since that combo comes on 90 percent of every factory bike in the world (Kaw and Suzi excepted), why wouldn’t anyone making the change to an other than factory visual scheme also not change the color if already spending $1250.00?

  10. Sure, it’s easy to criticize the seat….until you spend a few hours of a stylish slab with a thin, unforgiving “pad” on it. Sure the slab looks good, but I’ll take the extra padding any day.

    I like the bike and I think the use of the tail light as the rear hump is well executed.

    • Actually, it doesn’t even take “a few hours”. After a few rides, your brain starts getting memory signals from your butt and inner thighs saying, “it doesn’t hurt, but..”. Subconsciously, the mind starts making excuses, throwing up roadblocks, excuses. You could throw a leg over and blast up to the local Applebees, but for some reason you slide behind a steering wheel instead. Invite the wifey, or whatever. You could make that weekend run, again, and look cool in the process on your CR, but for some reason the lawn just can’t wait. Have to change the oil in the car. Ad infinitum. It seems more appropriate just to keep it cleaned and parked in the driveway for passerbys to see rather than making the scene on Tuesday nights. Another bike becomes your go-to machine, because you’re too obsessed with image to have a second seat with a little more pad and a little less perfection of the minimalist line.

      Yeah, I’ve got a CR’d ’64 Bonne among the bikes here, and maybe it’s time I fired it up this weekend. Too bad I promised to help a buddy move his piano to the upstairs bedroom, and I’ll probably have a brew afterwards, and I really shouldn’t be drinkin and ridin, and…

  11. I agree with AlwaysOnTwo and HoughMade on the seat. We all too often see a cafe racer tail section with a slab of foam that’s barely functional and probably reflects the builder’s lack of upholstery skills more than any higher design sense, where this bike has a seat actually made for riding.

    As with so many things about motorcycle design, people believe what’s common is better. When a builder takes the time to try to improve something, whether he succeeds or fails, if it looks different, in the eyes of many, it must be wrong, but if they really think about it, they may change their mind and see how well it works.

    • If they’re common & cheap in the UK I think Viragos might be better candidates for this kind of revival/resuscition/restyling. Judging from one that was making the rounds on the Internet a
      Few months ago. CX power plant will never be very attractive to look at, unlike Say CB550 Hondas..or at least potentially Viragos.

      I read here with some concern about frame rot on CX’s. Especially having read somewhere
      That many were used as messenger bikes..

    • That comment emboddies why I read here. The writing is well “spoken” and thought out, with attention to subtleties and bringing them to consideration. The opinions seem a little more freely formed, and the reasoning behind them is well explained. The writing is in a style that is genuinely enthralling to read, and reader commentary isn’t just a tag-on, it’s part of a discussion that seems to form the continuing basis of the blog itself. It’s well written and interactive reporting on things you don’t see in just any outlet, and greatly valued. Thanks for what you do

    • I wouldn’t tell mife that she looks comfy.

      Keep the seat and add a full fairing, too. Cafe deLux.

  13. I agree about the seat — plopping your butt on an inch of foam for 100 miles qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment; at the end of the day you’d be crying for more padding. Perhaps the “lumpy” appearance could be mitigated by sewing in a strip or matching red material to the lower section of the seat, leaving the top portions black. It still would be comfortable but not draw attention to itself.

  14. B50 Jim, if you go to the link Paul attached earlier, search the modules. You will note under the photo of the seat that color options are available.
    This is a well thought out kit. I’ll bet that it leads to more kits other manufacturers and models.
    Creativity and use of some, not all of the modules, will keep costs down for those of us that like to turn our own wrenches.
    As A.O.T. mentioned, this will never be a “racer” w/o some serious suspension work. I would guess that if it can be done for reasonable dollars there would be some room for a small profit from they who can’t build but like to pose.
    In truth spoked wheels would go a long way in reducing unsprung weight but now your talking real money.

  15. It never was intended to be a backroad scratcher. Mostly it’s a good way to use all those old CX500s sitting in sheds and garages. Good examples (excepting the rust issues) can be had cheap, and tired ones might even be free for the hauling. Starting with essentially a no-cost base, the conversion will make a fun, not fast, but good-looking ride, and with the money not spent on the original bike, the budget might accommodate some decent shocks and maybe fork work. Not sure if spoked wheels would make a discernible difference given the bike’s inherent limitation, but buying some good tires would be money well spent.

  16. I’ve always been fond of the CX/GL. It’s the Honda-tech version of the Moto Guzzi. They rotate the intake and exhaust to keep the carbs from banging on knees. They minimize the torque reaction. I think the CX makes a good donor for a cafe bike. When I’ve come across nice CX re-purposing, I’ve put the pictures on my hard drive… from the NS750 dirt tracker to Doc’s Chop CX.

  17. I like this bike, and I like that it’s different. Really like the exhaust. The tank graphic reminds me of a ’60’s Allstate Mojave. The builder went to alot of trouble to relocate the battery, removed the airbox, and the sidecovers, but the gaping hole that was left between the carbs and the rear fender looks funny. Most people don’t realize that most airboxes work better and will give more power than those little pod airfilters. I’ve never ridden a CX500, never knew anyone that had one, but I know Honda sold a ton of them. If it was me, I’d buy some of the kit parts, but leave the bike more stock. Paint it cool, and then show up on bike night with something that didn’t cost much and will definitely attract attention.

  19. re. the seat; You can’t see it when the bike is being ridden but I bet the rider feels the comfort of the extra padding. CX500’s in the UK, where this kit originates, had a reputation for being very reliable once the early cam chain tensioner troubles were fixed, The Custom and De-Luxe versions with the silly 16″ rear wheel, so popular here, are a rarity over there. The bike was used as everyday transport by commuters and motorcycle messengers because it was such a good all round bike. I had one in 1979 and had no trouble keeping up with friends at reasonably legal speeds.
    I enquired and freight to the East Coast (Maine ) would be $100 which is not unduly expensive. My problem is finding a 1978/9 with the 19″ rear wheel as most around here are the De-Luxe or Custom versions; The rear wheel of which precludes them from being used
    Navek

    • @Navek, the rear wheel on all my 3 CX”s measured 18″. I checked this on the Dutch site http://www.hondacx500.nl which has lots of info and pics.
      I like the idea of a CX500 based cafe racer. Still, I feel that the original ’78 design was so ‘complete’ that no succeeding version has ever improved anything.

  20. I am sorry, you are right Simon the rear wheel on the ‘standard’ CX’s is 18″ and 16″ on the De-Luxe and Custom models. Ian (maker of the kit) has pointed out to me that with its higher profile tire the rolling diameter of the 16″ rear wheel is close to that of the ‘standard’ 18″!

  21. These “Moto Guzzi copies” have always been a pipe=dream project for me. Nice to see somebody did it! The exhaust really came out well, beautiful bends.
    For the seat/rear light combo I suggest a compromise between a pancake-thin slab and the sofa.
    Check out this steam-punk job by the wrenchmonkees:
    http://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cx500
    I could do without those overdone tires, though.

  22. If you look around for a while you’ll find a number of these CX500 cafe racers and some of them look really nice, but I don’t think I stressed the point strongly enough in this article, what makes this one especially worth mentioning is the kit. There are lots of custom builders who can build one for themselves or someone else, but Ian has put together a kit so anyone with the desire to put in the effort and learn along the way can build one, too. That’s a big difference.

    A couple of our advertisers, Ryca Motors and Phil Little Racing, like Ian, also offer kits you can use to dramatically change the look of a more common bike you already own or can buy inexpensively. It’s an option that gives the buyer the opportunity to ride a custom bike for less cash and it gives a skilled builder a way to earn an income helping more people have something special they otherwise couldn’t afford to buy and may not have the skills to figure out how to build on their own. It’s a win-win.

  23. I referred this post to a friend who is a recent returnee to motorcycling. He’s been busily modifying an older KLR650 but has been interested in certain oriental cafe racers. These kits are indeed the perfect bridge for the neophyte wrench.
    My own evolution started with a youth who loved to ride but feared the day she wouldn’t crank or fire. I discovered that all that stood between my humble finances and legendary machines was a willingness to understand and repair these mechanisms. I now know that 50% of the motorcycling experience lies in the conversation between myself and the men who brought these bikes into existence.
    Any of these kits is a great opportunity to own and ride a machine that is not just an acquisition but is instead an expression.

  27. An impractical poorly conceived idea: supercharged CX/GL torque monster

    Honda turbocharged and fuel injected the CX to a factory warrantied and reliable 97hp. All that plumbing isn’t very pretty. In these days of Megasquirt DIY F.I. controllers and the vast powers of the interwebs, it might be possible to glom on a small supercharger.

    Is there something spinning under that front cover that can drive a belt to blower nestled between the cylinders? A conventional looking exhaust and a small blower that’s pushing air right off of idle could make for a nice “real world” package. The roll-on power and torque of a literbike in a compact (though not so light) package.

  29. Does anyone have any info or links about that engine?
    Personal experience?
    Just wondering about V-Twins running across frame.
    They should be kept nice and cool with all that airflow right?

    • The Honda GL500/CX500 has a radiator and a water pump. There are no problems with cooling. The Moto Guzzi has the same engine layout but is air cooled. It has no cooling problems either.

      I rode a Honda GL500 for years. It is an amazing engine. The bike has some quirks.

      Weak brakes. A high center of gravity. Lots of ground clearance. If you have the legs for it, you could actually use a stripped down GL500 as a dirt bike, especially with the Pro-link rear suspension. I rode mine off road quite a bit. It’s a little on the heavy side for a dirt bike so you would need some long powerful legs to really get into rough terrain. The wheelbase is too short for riding with a passenger. The seat is situated very far back in the frame. So far back that a passenger will actually be seated slightly BEHIND the center of the rear wheel. That makes the bike handle poorly when carrying two people and very wheelie prone, especially considering the high center of gravity. If you have crash bars on your bike and the bike falls over, it is so top heavy it will actually roll up over the crash bars and lay there upside down with the wheels off the ground. Sometimes it will do this even without crash bars.

      For riding only by yourself, the bike is extremely comfortable and will run for many many many miles. Ludicrous miles.

        • wow

          I have never seen that taken that far before. When I first got my old GL500 (the plain version) years ago, I rode it out to my uncle’s place to show it to him. The first thing he said when he sat on it was “this wouldn’t make a bad dirt bike.” I thought he was nuts. Then he fired it up and took off across a field. When he came back I gave it a try across the same field and decided he wasn’t that nuts. It really was an “ok” bike for off road use, and could be better with the proper tires.