What would you recommend

[crunch90]

Thing about the CX, especially that early type, is that it is, like the Cub, a completely pure example of what Honda more than any other maker was so obsessed about...Pure form follows function. Every part of a CX, from it's pushrod valve gear (lighter than OHC so lowers mass height) to the clever shaped front of the instruments, (deflects high speed wind and shapes it into a cushion to press against the upper chest to support the rider at high touring speeds) is designed to make the bike a brilliant high speed distance muncher. Low maintenance, extremely comfortable, capable of cruising at the ton and capable of around 50 mpg at the ton too...

That's a great find and Sochiro really knew what he wanted to do with the CX and its VERY difficult to improve on a stock Cx500A or B (apart from the camshaft recalls)...It's is however surpassingly easy to f*** one up! Feed it fully synthetic and it'll roll round the clock and still sound as smooth and quiet as when it was built...up until a few years ago you'd still see late '70's CXs on the courier routes in London, some with hundreds of thousands of miles on them...

Very nicely put GB, and I've never heard that about the clever shape of the front instruments.

[Jon]

Thing about the CX, especially that early type, is that it is, like the Cub, a completely pure example of what Honda more than any other maker was so obsessed about...Pure form follows function. Every part of a CX, from it's pushrod valve gear (lighter than OHC so lowers mass height) to the clever shaped front of the instruments, (deflects high speed wind and shapes it into a cushion to press against the upper chest to support the rider at high touring speeds) is designed to make the bike a brilliant high speed distance muncher. Low maintenance, extremely comfortable, capable of cruising at the ton and capable of around 50 mpg at the ton too...

That's a great find and Sochiro really knew what he wanted to do with the CX and its VERY difficult to improve on a stock Cx500A or B (apart from the camshaft recalls)...It's is however surpassingly easy to f*** one up! Feed it fully synthetic and it'll roll round the clock and still sound as smooth and quiet as when it was built...up until a few years ago you'd still see late '70's CXs on the courier routes in London, some with hundreds of thousands of miles on them...

Very nicely put GB, and I've never heard that about the clever shape of the front instruments.

I've never read it either...I figured it out myself while riding one......Just put your hand in front of your body and move it up and down to feel the 'blade' of shaped air bearing against your upper chest.

...It was quite a revelation and explains why the instruments have that high sloping front and look sort of weird.

I then discovered that on a typical Brit twin with a European riding position, the big round headlamp does the same job...it acts as a fairing and generates a lens shaped high pressure 'shield' of air where the top edge bears against the riders upper chest, allowing the rider to 'lean' against it at higher speeds. It works incredibly well and my W650 ( with UK style touring bar fitted) which is a fairly faithful replica of the classic UK spec twins in terms of shape and ergonomics (albeit a bit bigger all round) allows the rider to be perfectly balanced at 85 mph, neither being blown backwards or falling forwards while leaving the rider's head in clean, non turbulent air.

Sochiro must have known this as the CX500A and B, almost uniquely, mimic this feature along with the classic 'Brit' 'sack of spuds' riding position, perfectly sited footrests and narrow, low touring bars. Very few unfaired bikes have been designed from the outset to be perfect fast long distance tourers ...A point that everybody missed when they came out and prompted Honda to restyle the bike to appeal visually to the ignorant masses rather than function perfectly for the enlightened few!

A further point of interest is that US spec bikes, with their taller 'pull-back' handlebars which generally set the rider further back totally lose this aerodynamic feature as the air 'lens' breaks up into swirling turbulence a bit further back leaving the 'export bar' equipped rider buffeted and rocked by the broken noisy air!

it's probably why they love those gross fairings they are always fitting...

[krazy kev]

Please don't get a Harley.

the Victory is much better. whos got my winning lottery ticket Apparently they are much better made than a harley