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Mouth-Watering Honda CX500 Cafe Racer Will Make You Go Weak at the Knees

This is, without a doubt, one of the cleanest CX500-based custom builds you will ever encounter.
Honda CX500 Cafe Racer 12 photos
Photo: Kenny Smith
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Operating in the same coastal city as Tom Gilroy’s Purpose Built Moto, PopBang Classics is a one-man venture run by ex-automotive engineer Justin Holmes. The Queensland man is now a mechanic by trade and one of Tom’s go-to specialists when it comes to paint jobs, but you’ll also see him tackling a full-scale custom project from time to time.

Justin has a great eye for detail, and that’s clearly reflected in the exquisite Honda CX500 café racer he revealed in 2016! Once a disassembled CX500 Custom from the model-year 1981, this stunning piece of machinery was built for a client named Dan. He gave PopBang carte blanche for the most part, with his only requests being fat tires and green paint.

Sir Holmes kicked things off by fabricating a bespoke fuel tank out of fiberglass, which is somewhat similar to that of a Norton Commando 961. Being the only piece of bodywork aside from the new headlight housing (which we’ll get to later), the tank wears a gorgeous British Racing Green hue from Jaguar’s color palette.

Additionally, the base paint is joined by gold leaf pinstripes and a mesmerizing stained wood effect, while a flush-mounted, pop-up filler cap keeps the silhouette ultra-tidy. Out back, Justin installed a loop-style subframe made of chromoly tubing, then he topped it off with an elegant saddle wrapped in cross-stitched brown leather.

A custom-built taillight and LED blinkers are also attached to the subframe, and all this rear-end equipment sits on twin aftermarket shocks with progressive springs. The CX500’s V-twin motor was cleaned and rebuilt inside out, receiving youthful pistons and a replacement crankshaft in the process.

Its carburetors were aqua-blasted and subsequently treated to CNC-machined air intakes, which incorporate foam filters and brass mesh screens. Heat-wrapped exhaust pipework and a hydraulic clutch mechanism round out Justin’s powertrain-related mods. Down in the footwear sector, we now find 18-inch Excel hoops enveloped in vintage-looking Deluxe Champion rubber from Firestone.

To bring about a sportier posture, the motorcycle’s swingarm has been shortened ever so slightly, as were its factory forks. These are now held in place by the repurposed lower triple clamp of a CB400, as well as a tailor-made top unit complete with LED warning lights and a digital Motogadget speedometer. Moreover, the cockpit area is also home to clip-on handlebars, adjustable control levers, and brown leather grips matching the seat upholstery.

As for the headlamp fitted further ahead, its bucket comes from a vintage bike of unknown origin, but the lens and internal hardware are all new. Fully-adjustable custom rearsets, fresh wiring, and an abundance of brass plating comprise the finishing touches. Now, we’re not sure how much PopBang’s customer paid for this commission, but he was most certainly blown away by the result!
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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