Topic: A baby Wing- GL500

[CBGhia]

I just picked up this 82 GL500 from a buddy who got it last year as part of a lot. I don't have any history on the bike. On PO was big into trailer lights. The little things were mounted all over the place. 8 in total.

The engine turns over and fires a bit on starter spray, so I have that going for me, which is nice.
I know the carbs need to be gone through. I will probably go with the Randak kit. I used them on my GL1000 and I know they are quality.
Looks like all of the body work is there, except the little piece behind the seat. I plan on pulling all of the body work anyway. I have a little cafe seat that I won in a raffle a few months back, so that would be cool on there. A full on rat bike would be kinda cool, as well. I guess I will have to see.   

I found that this fairing is called a Vetter Sting.  I am kinda starting to dig the look of it. So, now I am torn about how to go with it.  I HATE the tail light.  I don't know if they made VCRs that big, so either way, the tail section needs to go. 

[strynboen]

better thek the loading system.(.have to pull the engine to get to the stator)..and vater pump..those is the only veak points on this solid bikes

[fmctm1sw]

I put a ton of work into a GL650 like that.  How's the monoshock linkage?  It's known to seize up...

[Terry in Australia]

God that fairing is FUGLY! Ha ha, the GL500 wasn't a bad bike, but it weighs about as much as a CB750, but with only about half the BHP. I had a CX500 Custom, and learned a heap about them.

The stock carbs are rubbish and there's nothing you can do to make them good, so ditch them and buy a set of Murray Feldman's (he's in North Carolina) 34mm Mikuni carbs, and throw away the pipes from the headers back (especially the intermediate pipe, it's more restrictive than the mufflers) and it'll actually flow pretty well, on a good day it might almost do the ton.

Oh, and get rid of the poxy 16 inch back wheel. Honda was too cheap to change the gearing from the original CX500 Shadow with it's 18 inch rear wheel, so the Custom and the GL would rev it's guts out without going anywhere, 6000 RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, from memory. Get a shadow rear wheel on it, and you'll raise your final gearing by around 20%. I probably sound a bit "anti", but I'm not, they're a great little cruiser with the above mods, but the only way you'll pass any other 500, is if youre going the other way........... (here's a pic of mine, below)

 

 

[CBGhia]

I put a ton of work into a GL650 like that.  How's the monoshock linkage?  It's known to seize up...

So far the linkage seems fine.  I plan on swapping an SV650 rear shock into it. Seems to be the common mod for that.

[70CB750]

Dont forget the tripple bypass:

Replace cam chain, oil seal/mechanical seal behind the water impeller, and the stator.

[CBGhia]

God that fairing is FUGLY! Ha ha, the GL500 wasn't a bad bike, but it weighs about as much as a CB750, but with only about half the BHP. I had a CX500 Custom, and learned a heap about them.

The stock carbs are rubbish and there's nothing you can do to make them good, so ditch them and buy a set of Murray Feldman's (he's in North Carolina) 34mm Mikuni carbs, and throw away the pipes from the headers back (especially the intermediate pipe, it's more restrictive than the mufflers) and it'll actually flow pretty well, on a good day it might almost do the ton.

Oh, and get rid of the poxy 16 inch back wheel. Honda was too cheap to change the gearing from the original CX500 Shadow with it's 18 inch rear wheel, so the Custom and the GL would rev it's guts out without going anywhere, 6000 RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, from memory. Get a shadow rear wheel on it, and you'll raise your final gearing by around 20%. I probably sound a bit "anti", but I'm not, they're a great little cruiser with the above mods, but the only way you'll pass any other 500, is if youre going the other way........... (here's a pic of mine, below)

Terry, Ha!  Here I was shopping for acrylic so that I can make a small screen for that fairing (not kidding, have it open in another tab right now).  I think it's so ugly that I want to keep it.

I may play with the rear wheel once I get it going.  I kind of like the idea of having a little more on the low end. 

I am going to rebuild the stock carbs for now.  Murray's carbs are nice, but spendy.  Maybe someday.

That is a clean little CX you have there!

[Stev-o]

+1 Fugley Fairing!  Youre not gonna rise that down to Luchanbach this fall I hope!

[Terry in Australia]

God that fairing is FUGLY! Ha ha, the GL500 wasn't a bad bike, but it weighs about as much as a CB750, but with only about half the BHP. I had a CX500 Custom, and learned a heap about them.

The stock carbs are rubbish and there's nothing you can do to make them good, so ditch them and buy a set of Murray Feldman's (he's in North Carolina) 34mm Mikuni carbs, and throw away the pipes from the headers back (especially the intermediate pipe, it's more restrictive than the mufflers) and it'll actually flow pretty well, on a good day it might almost do the ton.

Oh, and get rid of the poxy 16 inch back wheel. Honda was too cheap to change the gearing from the original CX500 Shadow with it's 18 inch rear wheel, so the Custom and the GL would rev it's guts out without going anywhere, 6000 RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, from memory. Get a shadow rear wheel on it, and you'll raise your final gearing by around 20%. I probably sound a bit "anti", but I'm not, they're a great little cruiser with the above mods, but the only way you'll pass any other 500, is if youre going the other way........... (here's a pic of mine, below)

Terry, Ha!  Here I was shopping for acrylic so that I can make a small screen for that fairing (not kidding, have it open in another tab right now).  I think it's so ugly that I want to keep it.

I may play with the rear wheel once I get it going.  I kind of like the idea of having a little more on the low end. 

I am going to rebuild the stock carbs for now.  Murray's carbs are nice, but spendy.  Maybe someday.

That is a clean little CX you have there!

No worries mate, I sold my Custom for a huge profit a couple of years ago, but I've got an old shadow here, and once I can find another Custom frame I'll build another "C", it was a great little bike, just needed some extra grunt. Cheers, Terry.

[MoMo]

I've had a couple Silverwings, great bikes that should have been made as a 650, which Honda eventually did but too late to save the model line. All problems associated to the model have been mentioned.  I think it is foolish to put a lot of money into that bike, ride it as is or customize it to your liking...Larry

[RAFster122s]

I have a cx500 78 with the 18" rear and the early comstars weren't as ugly as the reverse comstars. The original cx was nicknamed the plastic maggot by the British.  It is a tag I don't mind
The CX-GL forum has a book Larry created and sells with excellent results.  Cleaning and chasing the brass with properly sized numbered drills to remove any build up. The carbs do much better without the nasty normal rep after given Larry's treatment. 
Triple bypass is nice peace of mind. If you have the TI ignition then you won't have one of the failure points. Stator upgrade if you dont along with the ignition system upgrade is a way to bypass the weak points.

It is correct that Murray has a lot of performance he has developed for the bikes if you are willing to spend the money.  You have to decide if you want to invest in it or be married to it for a while after the investment.  They can be great bikes and dependable.  Just have to like their quirks.
Murray can build some potent hp out of the bikes with the proper mods. But, would you rather put that money into something you can do?  As last I knew Murray didn't necessarily share his methods and build secrets as it is part of how he makes money.

[Terry in Australia]

And that's fair enough David, Murray's invested a lot of time and money into these mods, so it's only fair that he can get a return on his investment. I didn't think his stuff was expensive, but I forget how cheap some of you guys are able to pick up bikes for on your side of the pond. Cheers, Terry.

[CBGhia]

Cheap?!?!  I had to pony up $300 for this pile!

[RAFster122s]

Easy upgrade for better brakes is to switch to dual piston caliper and pickup the interstate model's right fork leg which has dual caliper setup.  I thought 82 gl500i had the dual front brakes but not the std silverwing.
the dual piston caliper has a couple different mount brackets, have to get the shorter ones to work.

300 isn't bad if it doesn't have major issues.  Check tensioner, water & oil to ensure that they are staying separate and clean electrical as you would any bike. Good idea to get it going then if it chrcks out to change rear shaft oil and don't forget to add the honda moly additives it specifies. Ebay is decent source or there's a good dealer in olympia WA to order the parts from.
Your gonna spend 200-400 for good tires. Etc
I have bt45s on mine.

[RAFster122s]

Terry,  yeah I don't think Murray is getting rich snd he has lots of happy customers.  The guys that have gone whole hog on massive rebuild for torque and hp love it.  Turns the bike into a monster by comparison and some real good numbers on dyno but I don't recall the specifics.
I don't think they are overpriced , just not cheap. But real gains never are. There isno substitute for cubic inches...

[fmctm1sw]

so the Custom and the GL would rev it's guts out without going anywhere, 6000 RPM at 60 MPH in 5th gear, from memory.

I can confirm that with the '81 CX500 Deluxe I had.  That was one smooth running bike, I liked it.  My GL650 isn't quite that bad though...

[Terry in Australia]

Cheap?!?!  I had to pony up $300 for this pile!

Ha ha, over here they're really popular with the "Cafe Racer" crowd, which is ironic considering that they're as slow as a wet week in Toledo. I saw mine advertised on Gumtree (Craigslist) for 700 bucks and rang the owner right away. He couldn't be available for me to collect it for a couple of days, and in the interim his phone had gone mad with offers, and while I was at his place on the Saturday he had two calls offering him up to 2000 bucks for it, but he was a really genuine guy, and he told them "No", and took my 700.

I had problems with the ignition, so I bought a special "black box" from a guy in Adelaide that solves the ignition problems without pulling the engine apart to replace the stator, I bought Murray's carbs, I rebuilt the forks with new seals and progressive springs, I installed new rear shocks, bought an 18inch shadow wheel, installed new Pirelli Sport demon tyres, ditched the poxy stock exhaust and installed some booming megaphones, gave it a service and changed the coolant (don't use the new acid based stuff or it'll dissolve the solder in your radiator and cause leaks everywhere) and called it done.

I saw a BMW K100RS SE ABS on eBay one night and bid on it, and got it for 2200 bucks. Problem was, I had no room in the garage for it, so I put the little CX on eBay starting at 1500, and it sold for $3280! Woohoo! I bought the old shadow for 500 bucks from a member of the CX500 forums shortly afterwards, he waffled on about it being his baby and how the new owner must look after it lovingly, blah blah blah, and when I went to collect it, it looked like it'd been dragged out of a drain. Anyway, that project's on hold for awhile, as I need a CX500C frame for it, before I can continue.

They are a great little bike, I just wish I'd kept the 650 engine I bought, then re-sold. Cheers, Terry.

[Stev-o]

"Slow as a wet week in Toledo"?  What the heck is that??!

[Terry in Australia]

"Slow as a wet week in Toledo"?  What the heck is that??!

Well according to John Denver, he spent a week there, one day...........