Today’s featured build came into being when John was looking for a winter project for himself and his daughter. Finding a CM400 and an ’81 CX500 both in decent condition, and today we’re looking at the result of the CX500 build:
John was initially looking at a traditional cafe build but after cutting the frame down for that look he wasn’t as enthralled as he expected. It wasn’t long until he found the Barn Built Cafe Racer kits and went down the bobber route. John says that cutting the rear of the frame off was scary but rewarding!
Removing the rear part of the bike necessitated the relocation of all of the electrical components located there; the battery (a Ballistic EVO2 8-cell – eBay, Amazon) ended up under the engine where the center stand was. Everything else had it’s wires lengthened or shortened as required.
The motor has been tastefully done in a semi flat black powdercoat by Slackers Garage Shop (Grand Rapids, MI). The exhaust was replaced with a MAC 2-1 for a throatier note, and the carbs were rejetted to suit the pod filters and new exhaust.
The front end features new handlebars and dual headlights, and the gauges have been removed bar the speedometer/odometer:
The rear end is about as empty as you can get with one of these motorcycles, and you can see the new LED rear lights under the seat quite clearly. The new Shinko tyres are fresh as can be – you can see all of the nubs are still there.
John says that it was a challenging but rewarding project, and he plans to ride it for a while once his daughter finishes her build before moving both bikes on to new owners. His advice for anyone wanting to make a similar build? Do your research on parts and the process and just go for it. He’d consider this type of build above amateur level due to the skills required – something to consider.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out the rest of the builds on the list!