2nd bike opportunity - seems too good to be true

[Leskid]

In my teenage years, I had a thing for the 84 CX650E. It just looked different, in a good way.

I found one locally with 32000kms that I'm just about to pull the trigger on later today. It's unusually clean for an 84. Most notably, the PAINT is almost in showroom condition, with a nice deep sheen to it, which I can't believe is original. The current owner only bought it 2 years ago as a first bike (he's 50!!!!! better late than never) and logically wants something bigger/faster/newer for the spring.

It runs great. I rode it in town / on the highway and the only thing that needs attention mechanically is the front brakes need bleeding. Engine, exhaust, clutch & tranny are fine. The paint, plastic, decals and general condition of the bike is... well.... it's almost showroom except for a couple of spots. The speedo bounces around +/- 10kms on the highway. I suspect a new speedo cable would fix that?

I defer to the wisdom and experience of the forum. Does anyone see anything that raises an eyebrow? Something obvious that I missed that says crashed / rebuilt or stay away. It just seems to good to be true to find an 84 in such good condition.

Should I?

Notice the reflection of the overhead power wires in the tank, above the honda logo. The paint is cleeeeaaaan. The plastic too, even the handlebar control pods are BLACK & new looking.

I could be wrong but I don't recall those chrome crash bars as being stock... Bungie?

here you can see a rough spot. That doesn't look painted but I doubt it would be a big job to make that shaft look pretty again

 

[johnny80s]

That is a neat looking bike.

 

[old&slow]

Wow ,,, very clean looking bike,,,, except for that one spot in your pictures ,,, it looks like a new bike,,

 

[Harvey]

I don't know much about that model but that sure is a beautiful bike.

 

[exskibum]

Very clean bike. And hey -- it's a Honda. While I don't really know much about the CX, IMO, if there's one brand that is at least as well built and dependable as Yamaha, it's Honda.

 

[SilverHound]

Hey you found your teenage dream bike. It appears to be in excellent condition and if you can't find anything to the contrary you should buy it without hesitation. If you don't it will probably be a long time before you find another one in such good shape (if ever) and you'll be kicking yourself all the while. As long as you're happy with the price...go for it!

 

[MotorToad]

I think you came to the wrong place if you're looking for people to tell you not to buy it.

 

[Niehart]

That’s a great bike! Honda turboed that engine and it stayed together. Go for it.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Looking real good. If the price works for you, snap it up right away. Then if you find that you've been taken for a sucker, it should be pretty easy to fool someone into buying it fom you afterwards.

 

[Old Michael]

Looking real good. If the price works for you, snap it up right away. Then if you find that you've been taken for a sucker, it should be pretty easy to fool someone into buying it fom you afterwards.

Out of the mouths of Penguins babes.

 

[Wicked Webby]

That bike is a go!!

All day!

WW

 

[Patriot]

if you don't buy it, I just might...want lotsa of pics the first day it's in your driveway

<yikes if AIW (Angelic Italian Wifey) is looking over my shoulder>

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

if you don't buy it, I just might...

While you may be able to buy it, you may have lots'a trouble registering it for the street (if you can do it, at all...)?

(some seem to be able to register Canadian bikes -- I couldn't )

The CX 'E' (Eurosport) was "Canada Only" in North America, IIRC?

 

[Leskid]

well, no one pointed out anything that I didn't catch. And motortoad is right... this is the wrong place to ask for someone to talk me out of it.

To hell with it. I'm calling the guy.

wish me luck

BTW: this bike, whenever you actually see one listed in mediocre condition sells for $3K & up. Theres one listed in Ontario right now with no pics and the guys' asking $4k.

This one is $2300 and it's almost mint. So I guess I shouldn't worry about having some fun and getting a couple bucks out of it in the spring.

Bidding starts at $2700... do I hear $2700? :lol:

 

[RadioHowie]

well, no one pointed out anything that I didn't catch. And motortoad is right... this is the wrong place to ask for someone to talk me out of it.
To hell with it. I'm calling the guy.

wish me luck

BTW: this bike, whenever you actually see one listed in mediocre condition sells for $3K & up. Theres one listed in Ontario right now with no pics and the guys' asking $4k.

This one is $2300 and it's almost mint. So I guess I shouldn't worry about having some fun and getting a couple bucks out of it in the spring.

Bidding starts at $2700... do I hear $2700? :lol:

$27.00? Hell, I bid thirty!

 

[Khunajawdge]

well, no one pointed out anything that I didn't catch. And motortoad is right... this is the wrong place to ask for someone to talk me out of it.
To hell with it. I'm calling the guy.

wish me luck

This one is $2300 and it's almost mint. So I guess I shouldn't worry about having some fun and getting a couple bucks out of it in the spring.

Bidding starts at $2700... do I hear $2700? :lol:

I should have seen this earlier..sorry!

Here's a pic of the '82 Honda GL 500 that I owned from '92 until '99. I put 35,000 miles on it, and the guy I sold it to for $1000 still rides it to work daily 10 years later. Not sure of its current mileage or what he has had to do with it since I sold it.

Here's a bit of my experience with the Silver Wing GL, which was the slightly more touring [had bags & trunk] version of the CX. The horizontally opposed V-twin was bored out to a 650 in 83 & 84;

- the engine was bullet proof, as long as you kept the screw over bucket valves adjusted every 5,000 miles, changed the oil at 3,000, checked the air cleaner periodically (Uni Filter on mine), and kept after the brakes which were dual pot/dual disc fronts and single drum rear. Make sure the DOT 3 fluid is changed periodically also. It had a top speed of around 90 and boasted 54 horsepower at the crank. I used mine for commuting and short distance touring up to 1500 miles.

- the suspension on my '82 however, was much in need of refinement. The rear shock could not be rebuilt, and the cost of a replacement for a mono air shock was over $700 before I sold the bike in 1999. Just before I sold it, the '82 began to wallow something fierce. It nearly high sided me a few times from the bouncing it would provide around corners. I thought it was downright scary! hno-smiley:

- it would overheat a bit on long hot rides through the desert even though I managed to ride it through 5 states including California where I reside. The chrome wasn't very good in my opinion, but I live in a coastal environment of salt air, so that is probably why it took constant vigilance to keep the rust and oxidation from building up. I did paint it myself a British Racing Green (faded), but yours look primo so I wouldn't bother until it was absolutely mandatory. I did have to clean and coat the fuel tank with a plastic liner. I'm purty sure that by now, much of the rubber has had to have been replaced, and I'm not talking about the tires.

best of luck,

 

[Leskid]

Very cool - thanks for the insight & experience. But the CX650E isn't like the US model CXs you're used to.

Here's a bit of my experience with the Silver Wing GL, which was the slightly more touring [had bags & trunk] version of the CX. The horizontally opposed V-twin was bored out to a 650 in 83 & 84;

Your GL silverwing was a faired version of the US CX. With that, you are correct for US models but this CXE isn't like the GL / CX500 you were used to. The CX with the "E" (European model) designation was never sold in the US but Honda did bring some over for Canada. It featured such cutting edge (ha ha) technology as TRAC anti dive, revised sportier steering geometry, disk in the rear instead of the drum etc... Compared to my Feej, this thing handles like an apartment building in a mudslide and accelerates with the fury of a glacier.

But who cares? It's a teenage memory lane thing. This bike will never be ridden hard or fast again. It's just for cruising and polishing.

it would overheat a bit on long hot rides

Well, yours was the 500, which was pushing a heavier fully-faired bike with bags so no doubt it worked for a living. Prolly why they bored & stroked it out to 650cc. Top end on the Silverwing was 90? I was in 3 high speed chases in my youth. One was on the CX650E. I can confirm what Canadian bike mags of the time said. Back in the day, it would top-out just under 200kms (roughly 115mph).

The chrome wasn't very good in my opinion but I live in a coastal environment of salt air

Not so here in Montreal... not at all. Look at the exhaust. It's not even yellowed or blued. Chrome, plastic and paint are all pretty much brand-new looking

I did have to clean and coat the fuel tank with a plastic liner.

That was never done but it was always stored properly because when you shine a light into the tank, it's brand-new looking. No goop or rust.

I'm purty sure that by now, much of the rubber has had to have been replaced, and I'm not talking about the tires.

I of course did a surprise visit to the guy to check out the bike in it's parking spot in the garage (with the engine guaranteed to be cold, lol). A final drive seal was replaced because there was the occasional drop of final drive oil in the garage. Aside from that, nothing. It doesn't leak or burn any oil or coolant.

now.... I bought it last night but it was raining. Today is supposed to be a glorious 10 degrees and sunny so I'm just waiting to go pick it up! Buddy left the garage unlocked for me and said I could use his plate for a couple days. So all I gotta do is show up and ride away.

...I just hope it starts :lol:

 

[Old Michael]

... handles like an apartment building in a mudslide and accelerates with the fury of a glacier....

Nice.

 

[scubabiker]

The silver accents match your FJR, I don't know how you couldn't buy it, so glad you did. I recently looked at a '81 Seca 750 like I had as a kid, but it was way too far gone to be worth buying. Your right, they seemed a lot better through the rose colored glasses of memory. Just can't compete with modern technology, but it's still cool you got it, like your own mini museum.