'80 Honda CX500D Street Tracker Project

Have plenty of time to look while I build the Ninja 250 Cafe Racer for my Wife. If the Virago is priced too high, will look at other bike manufacturers.

Here's how I lift the front & rear wheel off the ground at the same time. When building the bike, did not re-install the center-stand. Only takes 30 seconds to install the center-stand temporarily. Use a piece of plywood to lift the rear wheel enough to raise the front wheel off the ground at the same time. Use a triple tree lift for the front. Initially considered using the rear paddock stand to lift the rear. After trying the old center-stand, did not give rear paddock stands another thought.

It's clear, in the 80s, and plenty of Carolina Blue on hand, time for a CX ride!







Like the name of this company:

Regarding CX wheels - I too like the larger dia 18" rear when keeping comstars on the bike over the 16" wheels.
Unless you're doing a bobber it just looks out of place.

One problem I found was the steel web supports in the front inside section of the stock CX swing arm prevented running a large 18" tire. I ended up grinding some of that away then re-welding the web to allow bigger tire options.

Spoke conversions are not very difficult.
I have seen some really nice cafe and bobber cx builds using spokes.

I did spoke conversion on mine since I was already using spokes with a 21" front wheel.

I have another CX in the barn that I had thought about doing a cafe. This threads build has inspired me to do a tracker instead - your CX looks really cool. And there are so many cafe builds out there already, I really like having something different than the masses.

pics and how I did the wheel conversions are on pages 1 and 4 of the build thread: (for those other CX guys that consider spokes)
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46633

Wow, That's a fine CX500DS!!!!!! Now you have inspired me.

Like the wheels, vapor gauge, machine/fabrication work, everything you did!

Since I built a CX Tracker for myself, and building a Cafe Racer for my Wife. She already has a CRF230L and I sold my KLR. Next build after her Cafe Racer should be a DS machine! Makes sense to me!

We have lots of great places to ride DS about an hour from the house!





Here's how the 120/90/18 Kenda Challenger fits in the CX swingarm:



Log cabin down the road, always liked the roof!