Inspiration.

Yo.

So in this installment I want to share a few bikes that have been sources of inspiration and motivation to get this old CX500 up and running.  I will reveal these in the order that I stumbled across them.

The first CX500 build that I saw was this beauty from the Wrenchmonkees.

The thing that strikes me immediately is the subtle colors used on this bad boy.  Beautiful browns and matte blacks with just a couple  of light metal accents.  The next thing I realized when I saw this bike is that the side covers are missing and the battery is not visible adding to the simple, classic look.  Oh, how about that exhaust?  Perfect.  The only thing I can see wrong with this bike is that it is not in my garage.  Actually, that could be said about the next two I am going to share.

Numero two is Moto Mucci's take.  The more I learn about his build the more I like it!  Mr. Mucci has some serious design talent and is incredibly skilled at achieving what he comes up with.

Again, subtle colors rule.  There is nothing that screams for attention, the whole look is extremely fluid. I love the seat on this thing.  Really, the seat is about the most customized thing on here.  Most of the parts are all readily available for purchase in contrast to the Wrenchmonkees build in which there was a lot more customization.  This bike is a great example of what you can accomplish if you set your mind to the task at hand!  Just because you don't have access to the coolest CNC machines and robots does not mean you can't build a sexy bike, look at it again, it is hot!

And finally, a bike I just discovered on Instagram.  This one you are going to have to "click through" for, my blogging skills need much improvement.  This bike is ridiculously tough looking.  Vintage style tires, stock paint job, which happens to match my ugly duckling, and the stock exhuast give this bike a a no frills, garage built look that is inspiring.  Bremorr's bike Now where did I put that ratchet...

CX500.

Good evening internets.  I'm firing up the 'ole blogging machine to share my new little project, a 1978 Honda CX500 with somewhere near 90K on the odometer.  My good buddy has '75 CB550 that got me thinking about older motorcycles, which led me down the slippery slope and to Craigslist.  On Craigslist I stumbled upon my project for a mere $400.  Alas, cash was short and the wife's grace for all things moto shorter.  So I perused my garage and remembered that I had a shiny roll bar for a Miata that some one out there would probably pay money for.  Ebay worked its magic, I payed an un-Godly amount for shipping, and the cash was available for a motorcycle.  Despite being listed for 7 days, the bike was still available, so my moto buddy and I made a little jaunt up north to an airplane hanger and took a look.  

The seller had purchased the bike brand new off the showroom floor in '78 and road it until 2000.  That's when it developed a "miss" and wouldn't accelerate beyond 3,000 RPMs.  So he parked it until he had time for maintenance.  But instead of maintenance he bought another motorcycle, then another.  So the poor CX500 had been sitting unused for the last 12 years.  It had a spare parts motor to come along with it and a hideous freeway sissy bar/fairing set up.  We settled on a final purchase price of $340 and my obsession with cafe racer parts, tech, welding and gear took off!

My motovation (spelling error was on purpose, moto, get it?) slash inspiration for this bike is heavily influenced from the Motomucci.com and the Wrenchmonkees.com CX500 builds.  I'm really inspired by the Moto Mucci build purely because he built it with a very slim budget!

Any way, when I get some more time, I'll post up some pics and finish catching up to where I am at in the work.  Peace!