This 1981 Honda CX500 Custom remained with a single owner until being acquired by the seller in 2018 and subsequently rebuilt as a cafe racer with an Airtech race fairing, a fiberglass tail section, clip-on handlebars, rear-set foot controls, upswept reverse-cone megaphone mufflers, Honda Boomerang ComStar alloy wheels, a ZX-6R inverted fork, and a Ninja 650 monoshock. It also features an NWT Cycletronic electrical control unit, dual front Tokico radial brake calipers, and an aftermarket multifunction gauge as well as a custom coolant tank, front fender, black vinyl bump seat, and license plate bracket. The bodywork is finished in Candy Apple Red with silver center stripes, and the bike is powered by a 496cc V-twin linked with a five-speed transmission and an enclosed driveshaft. This CX500 cafe racer is now offered at no reserve with a clean South Carolina title in the seller’s name.
The Airtech race fairing, fiberglass tail section, and Benelli Mojave steel 1.75-gallon fuel tank are finished in Candy Apple Red with silver center stripes and the bike was fitted with a custom aluminum front fender. Additional custom parts include the rear-set foot controls, black vinyl bump seat, and license plate bracket. The seller notes some cracks in the fairing from a tip-over in the garage.
The bike was fitted with an inverted fork from a 2006 Kawasaki ZX-6R that features Tokico radial brake calipers, Suzuki GSX-R1000 brake rotors, and an 18″ Honda Boomerang Comstar alloy wheel. Out back, the bike has a Kawasaki Ninja 650 monoshock mounted in a custom bracket as well as an 18″ Honda Boomerang ComStar wheel and a Honda CX650 Turbo rotor. The wheels were mounted with Bridgestone tires during the build.
Clip-on handlebars are mounted underneath the polished top triple clamp carry NWT switches and a left-side bar-end mirror, and they frame an aftermarket tachometer with a digital speedometer. There is no ignition key, and the bike has been fitted with an aircraft-style rocker safety switch. The starter button’s safety system requires holding the button for two seconds before the motor kicks in, and it will only run for five seconds at a time. The digital odometer shows 122 miles ridden since completion of the build. Total mileage is unknown.
The liquid-cooled 496cc V-twin features a longitudinally oriented crankshaft, dual Keihin carburetors, an aftermarket exhaust system, and an electric starter. The bike was fitted with an NWT Cycletronic control unit, UNI air filters, a custom coolant tank, a Shorai battery, and a stainless-steel radiator grille. Overhaul work during the build included replacing the timing chain and guides, rear seal, mechanical fan, starter bearings, water pump seal, and stator. The seller notes that fluid seeps from the water pump seal.
Power is routed to the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission and an enclosed driveshaft. The final drive fluid was changed and the axle greased in 2025.
Photos taken throughout the build can be viewed in the gallery.