Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126419
n~ded to be. The cylinder and crankcases are integral. for no discernable reason other than automotive practice and manufacturing convenience. The engine acts as a frame member for efficiency. The air fUter snaps out, the oil filter spins on, and the ignition timing is cast into the flywh~L The big puzzle is why they retained telescoping forks and swing axle suspension. The whole design is topped by a styling exerci S I.' reminiscent of the Suzuki ·RES rotary, which makes one wonder why anyone ever buys it, particularly when it is often disguised to look lik~ a Harley Super Glide. No two motorcycles in the history of the sport could ever have been more different. But it works. The suspension is supple enough and the seat broad and deep enough to make the bike comfortable even after several hours of interstate expansion joints and back road pot holes. Despite a displacement of only 500cc it really does have enough power to pull two people plus a weekend's luggage briskly up mountains and past cars without a lot of . gear shifting. Its handling cannot be faulted, and absolutely nothing drags, even with two up. The brakes are excellent. Finally, and mosi amazing, the transmission shifts without clunking and the engine responds to throttle changes like a normal vehicle, which proves that it was not designed by the usual Honda engin~rs since no previous Honda motorcycle has ever done either one of those things. Thus the CX500 comes about as close as anything to filling the varied n~ds of the average motorcycle riper. even if you count the irrational desire to look like a Harley-Davidson; But no bike can be perfe{:t right off the showroom floor. Influenced by his needs and the limits of his bank account. every rider will want to tailor his bike more specifically to his desires. This is the reason for the existence of the accessory industry, which can allow you to turn a CX500 into a mini dresser or a semi-superbike, depending on your emotional n~ds. Since our stated intention was to enhance the bike's sports touring nature, we picked items which would enhance its comfort and performance, 'with reducing its utility. Basically we came up with two groups, one a must Jist and the other a nice list. First on the must list, particularly if you are carrying a passenger, is a luggage rack/back rest. Any passenger who will ride without a back rest either has never ridden with one or is a masochist. It reduces bitching, makes more room between the riders, and serves as a handy site for lashing loose items. The luggage rack is essential for carrying extra baggage, camping gear, etc. However, since everything is carried aft of the rear wheel, it is a good idea not to concentrate much weight there as this may seriously effect the bike's stability and handling. A good quality- back rest will retail at about $80. The second must for weekend touring is a tank bag. These make·so much sense one wonders why they are not standard equipment. Since it sits amidships, this is the place to carry most of ·the luggage, and a good tank bag will carry an impressive amount_ The one shown is an Eclipse and carried a w~kend's clothing for two, plus toiletries, thr~ loaves of French bread, a bottle of wine, and a large hair dryer. It is quickly detachable for carrying, has a transparent map pocket on top for reference while riding, and exudes quality. An excellent must for 50 bucks_ The last must· is a bargain even though over priced for what goes into it. The N.E.P. cruise control simply allows you to apply drag to the throttle so that it will hold a constant s~d without the rider's grip. This enables you to relax your right hand and use it for other chores when necessary. If you need to slow down you simply rotate the throttle by hand or flip the release. The device is simple to install, safe, and for $11 will increase your riding comfort more than any other item. Those are the must Jist - total cost $141. Without these thr~ even a w~kend trip can be a drag..On the nice list are a couple of items which could be a must depending on your climate and .riding habits. We list them in order of decreasing musmess. A rain suit (or suits) is a must in a rainy climate, a nice unless you live in a desert. A good one will keep your body dry and costs about $30_ A set of Totes will do the same for your f~t and cost $11. If you do much riding at night, a quartz halogen headlight may be a must. At $25 it's a nice thing to have even for occasional night riding. Most Japanese rear shocks wear out rapidly, so you either have to live with bad handling or buy new ones. Since OEM shocks and springs are usually as expensive as good aftermarket ones, a set of S&Ws or Boges is a nice thing to have for $85. The same can be said for tires. Certain Dunlops, Carlisles, MicheJins, Goodyears, Continentals, etc. will stop harder, stick better, and last longer than OEMs for about $100. The last nice item might not be so nice if you like solitude while you ride. The Bi-Com is a twO way intercom betw~n rider a nd passenger. It is simply a pair of tubes which run from' one person's mouth piece to the other person's ear and vice versa_ Though it takes some getting used to (you literally stick it in your ear) it can make a long interstate ride more interesting if you can talk about the insanities around you. It's worth a try .for $1 I. Total price for the nice list-$262. Total price for the whole package $400, about the cost of a Vetter Windjammer, installed. Equipped with the must list plus the intercom, we loaded up the CX500 with a friend and the French bread and set out on a w~kend tour to the mountains. Even with the load the Honda was impressive.' The engine makes good power for 4000 to 9000 rpm so that fourth gear could be used as slow as 40 mph. Noise and vibration .control are excellent which, coupled with the good seat and suspension, make the bike comfortable even after -'several hours. The good throttle response and brakes plus excellent ground clearance make rapid mountain road riding possible, even with two up, some.thing most bikes dislike. And the bike averaged 50 mpg for the whole trip. A solo morning ride did reveal the bike's one shortcoming. For really hard charging over twisty roads the bike doesn't have enough displacement. Ground clearance, handling, and brakes all allow the bike to get through the turns with s~d and safery, but the bike simply doesn't have the beans to accelerate hard above 60 mph. For this kind of riding it seems to take about a 650cc four stroke or a light 400cc two stroke to get . the job done. . After a weekend of eating, hiking and skinny dipping (there's more to life than motorcycl~) we reloaded the Honda and headed back for the city. The last hundred miles of interstate are always the most severe test of a bike's comfort. By the time we got home we weren't exactly ready for .another hundred, but we were in better shape than usual. On boring sections the backrest and cruise control. plus the Honda's comfort, make things a lot more tolerable. And there is nothing like talking about sex with an attractive woman to make the miles go by in a hurry, something the Bi·Com lets you do. Arrjving home, the tank bag was unsnapped and the bike was ready to go back to commuting. And soon, with the tires and shocks from the nice list, it will be ready to go on to the race track for some endurance racing to ~ just how flexible the CX500 really is. • 21