Anyone have/had an original Silverwing (CX500 based)

Just wondering if anyone has owned a version of the original Honda Silverwing 500 or 650? These were light touring bikes that were available with various levels of Honda factory touring gear and based on the CX500 engine. Later it was based on the 650cc version engine. Here is a 500, fully outfitted.


They are still popular with an active community of aficionados. Though not a Silverwing model, we had a CX500 Custom and it was a great bike. The bikes suffered form the habitual Honda weak front suspension, and was top heavy due to the tall engine sitting high in the frame, but was stone-reliable and easy to work on. It looked like this one, but in red.

I didn't have one but I remember them. I thought they'd be an excellent solo touring bike, especially the 650. The trunk was a little too narrow, giving it a sort of dorky look. Overall nice bikes though.

Fellow inmate "Hammy" has a GL 500 Silverwing, it's in pretty decent condition, and it is for sale, in fact. Currently though Hammy busy riding in the IBA's ~5000mile/5 day Butt Lite rally on one of his other Honda's.

Drop him a PM next week if you are interested in it.

Tim

I had one of the original CX500's ( 1978). Not much for power 2 up but was bullet proof....

Had a 1980 CX500D that I rode to work 40 miles each way in Ct. in the 80's. Never let me down once and always started and got me there even in the single digits in the winters. Although the rods were loose, it still ran at 124,000 miles when I sold it.

GL 500 was my first touring bike, 1980. Rode it on my first ride to Sturgis; 600 mi. Didn't have it long; a drunk ran a red light, and totaled it. I missed 6 mo. of work. Bought an 81 Gl 1100 as soon as I could get my leg over it. Some guy from China that didn't have a clue about traffic lights totaled that one. Off work another 6 mo's. Bought and 83 GL; and the story goes on.    harley

There is a really nice looking one with a smart Jawa Sidecar for sale at the moment in Queensland Aus.. only asking $Aus3800.00. Trouble is thats 4000 Km away and I don't have the dough. A great Asian Moto Guzzi!

Being a classic and all its the best setup I've seen in a long time. I bet you liked the Lilac 350 V twin (common name: Le Mans....LOL) as well. This was a nice bike, except the vibes killed the frames.

A bit of trivia guys, Ever heard of a Lilac? Back in the late 60s there was a BMW clone from Japan which looked the part but was a woefull bike. Real collectors item if you can get one. All about they were good for was to put on show. I think the factory name was Marushu or something like that. Anyhows, they were actually a Vee twin, because they had 179 degrees between the pots unlike the boxers of the BMW of the day.(Another painfully slow bike) they only reason the R50/R60 were used was they looked the part,and no one complained about the handling much was they didn't go fast enough to actually need handling.   

Hardee41, Keep in mind, when you are riding the swing at first at low speed, IT DOES NOT HAVE A CLUTCH! Also the pillions don't like banging their helmets on the back of yours when you change gear. :lol!:

I had a '78 Vetter-equipped CX500. Despite the raving reviews, in my opinion it was one of Honda's less impressive implementations of a motorcycle.





One of the better bikes I ever had (actually still have it) is my '74 CB750. This photo was taken circa 1979 coming home from Sturgis with the bike on the I90 off-ramp and the Missouri River in the background. The old air-cooled single cammer CB750's were the absolute most reliable and indestructible motorcycle Honda ever built. There is none of the Goldwings ever built that can match one, and I have owned every Goldwing model Honda ever built. Today, this CB750 has 391,000 miles on it, but it has been in storage for 13 years now. Last time I rode it to Sturgis was in 1998. It is stock except for a Kerker 4-into-1 on it:

Chris Olson wrote:

I had a '78 Vetter-equipped CX500.  Despite the raving reviews, in my opinion it was one of Honda's less impressive implementations of a motorcycle.

But as far as UJMs go, it was one of the best  

sctr199 wrote:

But as far as UJMs go, it was one of the best  

Well, it got that "reputation" for being somewhat revolutionary at the time for being a liquid-cooled v-twin with a chain driven cam and pushrod actuated valves to keep the profile narrow. But realistically? They had serious problems with the cam chain - so bad they were recalled and all the fixed ones had a triangle of three punch marks on the block by the engine serial number. All you had to do was plug in one extra light bulb and burn the alternator stator out, which meant pulling the engine out of the bike to put in a new one.

The engine was a stressed member and the frame was limp as a noodle. Front suspension wasn't any better. The shaft drive jacked the rear suspension around like a pogo stick. And the counter-rotating transmission was one of the worst clunky shifting affairs I have ever seen.

Both the CB550 and CB750 were far better motorcycles. The CB750's mostly had all their engines robbed eventually for three-quarter midget racing, which has a 45 cubic-inch limit rule. The ones that didn't get engines stolen for midget racing got turned into choppers and they show up at Sturgis in droves every year.

I know the old CX-based V-twins got a loyal following. But they were never really my type of motorcycle.

we had a pair of CX 500s. 0ne was a Brown Silverwing with all touring gear and other was plain. I triked the plain one for my wife. used Hyundai pony diff.narrowed 18 in on left side. . used original rear CX 500 shocks. made swing arms from 2 by 4 channel. used fenders from boat trailer and a homemade rear body' she didnt like it ,so drove it all winter in 30 below with studded rear tires and a studded motocross frt tire.used it 4 yrs before someone talked me out of it. my pictures were all in photo valbums that burnt in my shop last November.. have built 12 trikes from scratch..

It was known in th UK as the "plastic maggot"

I had a new 1979 CX500 Standard like Chris had and even the same color but without the Vetter or side cases. Before that, just to name a few, was a new 1974 CB750, a new 1976 CB750 automatic, a new 1978 Yamaha RD400 and the CX500.

I really like it because it was just different and a 'poor mans' Moto Guzzi. It had acceptable power and lots of nice features and was my first bike with 'shaft drive.' I kept it for a while and then traded it for a new 1981Yamaha XS1100 Standard, which I immediately put a Windjammer Vetter 3 fairing with lowers on.

The CX500/ 650 and especially the TURBO model are all collectable and have a cult following.

Sam:)