Topic: 1980 CB650 Opinions

[mono]

Hi Everyone -

Hope you all had a good Xmas and got everything that you wanted.

Santa called me and said that someone he knows is selling a 1980 CB650, and he's asking about $300 for it.  Santa's little elf (who is currently cleaning the carbs for this bike) told me on the downlow that the guy paid $200 for it, and all he's done is gotten a new battery for it.

here's what else I know about it:
- it has a front fairing on it, so if I remove the fairing i'll need ears for the headlight.
- it's missing the side covers
- there's probably some rust in the tank, but i'll have to look at that for myself.
- it's got a Jardine 4-into-2 exhaust (condition unknown)
- 17,000 ish miles

-- so provided this thing turns over and is in decent shape, would you pay $300 for it as is?  i know that's kind of a no-brainer, but i'm still restoring my 550 and i don't want to waste money.

I'm mainly wondering what kind of resale these things have and if it's something that if i put a little elbow grease and a couple hundred into if it'd be flippable.  i know they aren't really high-demand bikes.

thanks in advance, o gurus of all things 2-wheeled.
-- Dean

[mono]

i just realized that i don't have pics, so you're all going to either yell at me about that or ignore this post hahah.  i'm going there tomorrow and making no commitments (unless it's sparkly), so i'll take some pics and slap them up here for you all to analyze.

[Blackandsilver]

Sweet deal. If nothing else you get a hot cam and new battery for your 550. You owe it to the world to buy it and throw that fairing out.


Win some lose some, it's all the same to me.

[Gordon]

You forgot one of the most important things.  Does it have a title?

[wardenerd]

send me a pic of the fairing if its for sale

[Hush]

Myself and probably 80 or so 650 owners would like to take issue with your last point that "they aren't really high demand bikes"!
For $300 a piece you can fill my shed with them!

Seriously at that price you probably can't go worng, they come back to life just as quick as any other SOHC4 and some even have the bonus of CV carbs.

[RustyStuff]

Myself and probably 80 or so 650 owners would like to take issue with your last point that "they aren't really high demand bikes"!
For $300 a piece you can fill my shed with them!

Seriously at that price you probably can't go worng, they come back to life just as quick as any other SOHC4 and some even have the bonus of CV carbs.

When did they do the switch? Mines an 80 with Mechanical's.

[Hush]

Depends what year your country released them, the very last CB650's  like the CB650CS got the CV carbs, for you that's probably 1982.
I had one, tons of power and built like a brick shizzen-house, the forks are like half as thick again as the Z model.
Still kicking myself for selling it as it was a very decent cruiser.

[onepieceatatime]

US 1981 and 1982 had CV carbs. They are not interchangeable with the mechanical carbs though without replacing the head on the engine too.

[wardenerd]

my 650 is a daily driver 35 miles round trip to work  when its warm enough 40* and up.  Fast nimble and at times scary. That bike starts everytime and runs really strong 100 plus at the drop of a hat.  Next move is to paint the tank back to original.

[cb650]

Put close to 10 K on mine this summer.  Road it to work today.   Seen a blad eagle too.  Knew I should have brought the camera.

[ThomasD883]

If it runs i say f the cosmetics. i really <3 my 650 the only downside is im 6'1 and it's a little smaller then i would like for distance crusing. On second thought id buy it just for the cam, the 550 guys are buying them like hotcakes and i bet yours would really like to breathe easier . Good luck either way

[rb550four]

I just picked up an 80 cb 650 yesterday. It's at the shop getting tires, seems the PO got 37000 miles on them. It ran okay when I picked it up, complete,needs paint, and had mechanical carbs. Didn't have a fairing on it but had a bookrack/sissybar setup on the seat...ugly enough to remove before the truck-ride home.I paid $550 for it. I figure to ride it this spring while my 550's are being rebuilt.I didn't measure the fork tubes but if thy are 35mm,and the cam is good I think it was worth the $. And I must say, it's a mystery to me why Honda made those #$%*ty looking wheels for a decent looking machine, it's a shame. PO told me he rode the rear wheel allot, So I guess it has some power. He also told me that it was for sale for months and he started at $1100 and worked his way down -100 a week if that helps.

[grcamna2]

Depends what year your country released them, the very last CB650's  like the CB650CS got the CV carbs, for you that's probably 1982.
I had one, tons of power and built like a brick shizzen-house, the forks are like half as thick again as the Z model.
Still kicking myself for selling it as it was a very decent cruiser.

Hush,
   That is styled just like the "Nighthawk"model in USA;what do they name that one in your country ?

[cb650]

In Europe it was called the "luxury custom".    Or maybe it was the UK.

[Hush]

Yeah sorry it's a CB650CL model, 1982 the last of the SOHC4's ever built so Honda were trying out some stuff for future models.

[Danno]

no no no you don't want that just give  me the guys name and number and you won't have to be bothered any more with that poor old bike (just kidding)


no seriously even if it needs a lot of work sounds like a good bet to me I would buy it now if I had the opportunity

[mono]

i never did get this bike -- the guy ended up trying to talk me up to $600 and pressure me into buying it without the carbs being on it.  it was in pretty sub-par condition and would have needed tons of cleanup.  since i'm already playing that game with my 550, i told him to call me when he can show me it's running and i'd give him $450 for it.  had no title.  never heard back.  *shrug*

[LesterPiglet]

In Europe it was called the "luxury custom".    Or maybe it was the UK.

Personally I call it a sh1tehawk.