Test Driving the Smallest engined Touring Motorcycle and loving it
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2018
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I just turned 61 in 2019 and recently picked up a 1983 650 silverwing interstate to cruse through my golden years, wish me luck.
Good luck Sir
Good luck, sir.
Good luck sir!
brian schmunk blessings
Congratulations i almost bought one in 85. I bought the 650 nighthawk Im 60 re-entry rider i ride a 2001 750 shadow have fun man. Good luck .
I am 79 years of age and still riding my Honda V65 ( 1100 cc) and enjoying every minutes of it...Kudos to me !
That's a monster of a bike!
Definitely Kudos
Sabre or Magna? I had the Sabre, and my buddy the Magna. Awesome rides.
@bunakkaptan I'm 66, had a Magna for many years. Wicked quick, made me a wheelie hero..lol
Blessed is the man who doesn't look down to read while riding a motorcycle
A 350cc bike was considered powerful when I was a kid in the early 70s....and it was!
An rc 390 is still considered a dangerous bike in india😂.....2021
350 Honda - a great bike
@@davidthelander1299 NOT have, new bike has and alltime only problems lot. clutch has plan and build totally shit, sylinder heads have alltiem broken not strong wrong plan, i has 350 honda cb but newer want take new again alltime only broken. big shit has.
I have a 400cc Suzuki Burgman, which is a really big Scooter, and the thing can hit 90+ mph. Highway speed is no problem.
@@mpoulin speed not problem today engine but little motor have big problem i has 250cc and 350 and 400 cc engine bikes at travel and totally not comfortable drive engine have too little engine shake,voice,power,etc have big problem because need use little engine full trottle alltime and not good voice,power,vipration. if engine have biggest 500cc minimum best have 650 or 750cc travel bike engines, no need use full trottle no voice lot because can drive little trottle, no voice lot no vipration lot and thats is lot better drive and funny like drive and can drive lot longtime not go tired and enjoy more drive bike. thats is, im travelling ewery summer season around europe many thousand kilometer many year about 35 year and i know what have good bike travel and enjoy drive. best longtime drive have harley or goldwing all other have toy. today if need good bike travell and city best have honda rebell 500 or 1100. litlle good in city and big engine good travell many thousand kilometer easy and sure.
IMHO Honda would make a fortune if they brought back the Silver Wing.
They make a scooter called the silver wing
They would not. Motorcycling is a dying sport and people only buy specialized motorcycles with big engines. Honda is losing market share with their mid displacement bikes. The CX was a good motorcycle with some inherent issues like the ignition and charging system. Still a great bike.
Honda did bring back the Silver Wing, in name only.The new Silver Wing is a 650 cc scooter. I never rode one but if it is anything like the Helix, it should be a nice vehicle, just not a real motorcycle.
I built a modern version of the silverwing. It's a honda vt600 with a Vetter Windjammer 4 fairing, bags, and trunk. It's awesome!
@@frankbutaric3565 IDK were you get your numbers from but small displacement bikes are flying off the shelves. Try getting any of the kawai 400s, honda 300s or 500s,...... you can find one here and there in odd colors...maybe.
I remember seeing quite a few of these growing up. I always thought it was a beautiful bike. This was the early 80’s. Speed limit was 55, and we Americans weren’t as large as we are today. This bike was very capable for the time. It’s still a capable bike today IMO.
I owned that exact model. I had it 10 years and rode it everywhere 9 months out of the year. Great bike
"It's got buttons. I don't know what that thing is. That's a thing."
You f'n crack me up.
typical of this guy. funny
Finally found my tv remote!! Damn thing is on a hondas handlebars!
I remember when a 750 was a big bike.
Did you check out the reissue? Honda put out a retro CB1100 that looked just like the 79 Anniversary Special Edition 750. Rode a brand new one last year. Superb!!!!!
Same.
To John Martin It looks similar to the Honda 750 but not the same. It is like the new Kawasaki 900 that is supposed to look like the old Z1. It has 2 wheels and the jaffa and brown colour looks about right but this is all. You can not beat the originals. We, you and me, lived back in the early 1970's when these bikes were new and the fastest production motorcycles that could be purchased. Remember "Stone", We actually lived it all.
This video is making me miss my (81?) CB750K...
@Boone Docker
Yup. A 350 was a midsized bike and the 125 - 250cc was small.
These were AWESOME. 500 or 650 version. Owned one. Miss it to this day. Smooth agile and comfy. Beartooth was no problem!
I've been dailying an 81 silverwing I got with 3500 miles for a few months as my first bike, I absolutely love it. 40-50 mpg depending on my throttle control, the air shocks don't hold air the best but it rides so smooth, rode 300 miles this weekend at 60-75 mph no problem.
Sean im a 56 year old and have ridden motor bikes my whole life, i bought a 2010 NT700 known as the deauville in england, although its only a 700 twin it is absolutely one of my favorite motorcycles ever, i have aprox 80k on it, its been all over the planet, it loves 85-90 miles per hour cruising speed. just an all around amazing bike, smooth, quite and just a friendly machine. i think ill go ahead and keep it for the rest of its life since its book valve is nothing. good times are still to come... and by the way that silver wing is a CX, honda also turbo charged that engine as well, if i remember right i think that engine came in multiple displacements 350 500 and 700. anyway that was a nice piece of history and only a respectful person should keep it, it deserves a good home
yes, basicly q cx, but the silverwing is labeled as a GL500 & 650. very nice bikes for their size and year. Honda should have continued to make the 650 for a few years. too bad they had it in the US for only 1 year
Its no about how fast you can go, but about how much fun you can have.
& sometimes you need to wait in line ups in the summer. Water cooled people...it just protects that engine a little more!
Amen brother
I've got 250000miles on my silverwing
😯 may mine last that long
That’s awesome
yeah! that's why they made
Smaller engine bikes are hugely underrated. I worked myself up to having an 1100cc Honda Blackbird which after a year I concluded it runs way too hot to be in busy towns, it's way too heavy to really throw around in country roads, it's great on motorways (highways) but there's very little excitement in that kind of riding. I've just got rid of it and replaced it with a little CBF500. Been laughed at by loads of biker friends because I'm "not man enough" for a big bike but I absolutely love it. I can ride it harder and faster in town and twisty's and it's perfectly competent on the motorway, uses much less fuel, costs much less to maintain and doesn't put the fear of god in me when I feel one of the tyres step out a little because it doesn't weigh anywhere near as much as big tourers. But most importantly it's endless fun!
Only wise men appreciate the little bikes and their abilities.
So great to see this bike again. Had this Honda 500 Interstate for a few years after buying new in 82! This bike handles like a dream. Used for hours in a law enforcement drill team for parades in the northeast with the Blue Knight's. The only girl! Lol. Traveled to conventions from Massachusetts to Windsor Ontario, Toronto, many miles. Miss this baby!!! Thanks for taking this one out and pointing out how much a smaller touring bike can do the trick. You can pack plenty of stuff to travel. The bags also come off if you don't want to keep them on while buzzing around town. I would buy another one of these bikes in a heartbeat. Doesn't take up a lot of room and has milage is great!
Cool little bike. The biggest bikes I've owned were 750s, and I know people who crossed the continent on 1970s-era 350s without notable trouble. We've gone nuts for displacement.
jt elevenoyd to be fair the speed limit on the expressway was 55 back then, try keeping up with traffic at 75mph on a 350cc bike.
Going nuts for displacement really is the American way anyhow.
When I started riding, a lot of people drove 250 and 350 singles. 500 CC was nice, and a 650 was a real man's bike. A 750 was a monster, and Harley was just a two wheeled car. Things have changed.
enemy4 2day "try keeping up". You're kidding, surely. I've often ridden a 1982, 350 all day between 100 and 120 mph. There aren't many places the traffic sits on 120.
Modern bikes are even faster. My Honda 150 from 2001 would top out at about 115 indicated. At 75 mph you wouldn't even be in top gear.
in 1968 i rode from ohio to calif. and back ,on a honda 350.loved that bike.7000 mi. in 2 weeks
In the late 1960's Honda sold more 350 twin motorcycles in America than in any other country in the world. They went crazy for them. Suddenly a reasonably priced motorcycle that was super reliable, easy to maintain, no oil leaks, had electric starters and would do 100 MPH strait off the show room floor. The nicest people ride a Honda.
I had one, it was a silver wing interstate. I was up in Grand Rapids Michigan and was looking for a small bike to load up on my semi and have with me while on the road. I walked into a motorcycle shop there and looked across the room and fell in love. it was 1987 and had 13k miles. I bought it after a short drive then had to go back to southern IN in the truck and drive back later in week with my pickup to get the back.. sweet ride.
curious how you put it in your rig..........were you a self owner operator?
it never did go on the rig, I changed my mind when I saw this bike
I miss my Silverwing so much! Mine was much like this one, same colour, and was my only motor vehicle for eight years (2007-2016). It really is the perfect touring bike, no trouble passing semis at 80mph on the interstates. The longitudinal crankshaft V2 motor is very torquey, with plenty of power and lasts forever (based on the CX-500), driving a Kardan shaft. It was marketed in North America only in 1981-82, succeeded by a 650cc version in 1983 for one year only. Why do Honda stop producing a bike just as it reaches perfection? Anyway, my GL-500I took me to many places, and was the perfect set of wheels in Toronto when parking for motorbikes was made free. The fairing and windscreen provided superb protection, so for me ideal weather was about 7 degrees Celsius. I rode through some horrendous thunderstorms on it in New York and Pennsylvania, and it could carry a formidable amount of stuff. The Pacific Coast and Deauville are its successors, but they don't have the sheer balance and classic good looks of the Silverwing. With high-end tires it handles very well (I really noticed the difference when I upgraded to Metzlers). It handles well with a passenger, and is extraordinarily comfortable, with a straight up riding position and wonderful seats. The whole thing is very well built, and the engine is reputed to have only one or two weaker points (cooling fluid pump seal and alternator), though mine only leaked coolant after winter layup and stopped for the season once ridden. I did maintenance and smaller repairs myself, had all the manuals. For its time, it was very modern, and still very convenient (e.g. air pressure suspension adjustment, twin front disk brakes, side and center stands, etc.). The side cases are easily removable (the one here has an elaborate stainless frame, with custom mufflers, but the cases attach to the bike's own frame).
The engine of the Honda CX 500. An indestructible piece of technology. The basis for many great motorcycle conversions. An engine that will still work in 200 years. The CX 500 is lovingly called the "Güllepumpe" (manure slurry pump) here in Germany.
I had a cx500 20 years ago.
Same motor,4valve heads and liquid cooled. Reliable as and never missed a beat....had a nice vtwin sound with modified baffles... Great bike.
It’s just a CX 500 with bags, that little engine makes over 50 horsepower. Great bike
The CX500 looks so good there are lots of modified bikes with great modern designs that changed some minimal details here and there.
Also has a Pro-link monoshock rear suspension and front air forks.
Chris Lovett yep I got an79 Cx500 water cooled and shaft driven sweet bike
@@judgejimbobrowntown7600 Classic design and a super reliable engine. Good choice - I'm guessing they are going for serious money now. Had one in the 1980's and regretted selling TBH.
@@AnyMotoUSA that is the GL500 from my understanding. CX500 has dual rear shocks.
I toured southern British Columbia as a student in 1977 on a Honda CJ360, equipped with a batwing fairing and hardbags. And it was great! Simpler times. If we could only go forward to the past...
I am truly saddened that the pilot of this amazing ride for the day knew so little of its history. I owned one these - they were based on the Honda CX series - notably known as an x-wing engine class. Primarily designed for those of a taller stature, but what a great entry level touring machine for the day! The biggest kick I enjoyed was the adjustable tour trunk that could transform this machine into a "one up" ride. Honda hasn't produced anything on this level since.. too bad. If interested, check out the Honda CX 650 Turbo.. produced for two model years alone. Nice score nonetheless!
I own a 1980 cx500c that I’ve fully built. Love it. Hit 85mph in it too haha
I had a '79 CX500D, same bike just without the fairing and bags. It was a great bike, comfortable and reliable. Wish I still had it.
I put over 100K on mine. Only had one repair. A factory recall for a ceramic washer on the front of the engine cooling system. I wish they still understood this concept of alternatives and diversity in bikes.
I had that exact same problem when I 1st bought my bike. Cost me about 150$ to fix. I wasn't even upset.
that's good to know! mine is a 1983 version and she's just turning 30k! :) running sweet btw!
The Craig Vetter fairing really trannsforms any bike its put on . I had a Honda CB400 , a 1978 and it was a tiny touring bike with it on , I always wanted the silverwing though . Its great that you're calling attention to the fact that a lot of cruisers and tourers are oversized in the displacement department as a 500cc bike should be able to do everything its rider needs it to do, with the right gear of course. Thank you and wishing you many years of safe and fun riding.
My brother had one of these when he was in college at Texas A&M and later at San Angelo State. He rode it back and forth to Houston where our Mom and Dad lived for the seven years he was in college. Reliable as a rock, decent mileage and actual storage that was good at the time. Quiet enough to keep your hearing into your old age. Honda builds good stuff.
I believe that's the CX500 engine. That was a great bike.
Harley Adam yes. Same motor. The gl had a 500cc and I believe a 650cc
There was also a turbo variant of the 500.
I have a CX, such a cool bike. Only down side would be that engine sometimes in the way, and I'm only 5'8 lol
In some markets like Japan, they sold the CX500 with a sleeved-down 400cc engine to get under their insurance CC limits. I rented one of these CX400s in New Zealand years ago and toured around on it for a couple of weeks. Not a bad motorcycle, just a little slow on the freeway.
I bought a 1980 CX500 Shadow in 1983. It was sold to me as the 'poor man's Moto Guzzi'. One of the best bikes I have ever owned. I currently have a 1978 BMW R65 - showing it's age, but I still like it.
I have a motorcycle just like that it is my first bike that I got when I was 15 and I rode it for 2 years back and forth to high school. I still have it but has not been cranked in 3 decades. Nice to see one running out on the streets. Makes me want to spend some money on mine and get it running again.
I have a 81' CX500D in my garage that has been sitting there since 92'. I bought it new, rode it until my daughter was born. I am too old (64) and broke to restore it. I am thinking of donating it. Any thoughts?
Same here... was an obsessed teen. Got an xs650 special at 15 on learners while going to school... totally illegal. My Dad was furious!... I threatened to leave home if i couldn't keep it... I was, to put it correctly A FUCKEN LITTLE SHIT!... Thirty years later and getting another bike (have had 7) can't wait... still cringe at the things me and my friends did on dirt bikes road bikes etc.
DUDE! You need to do a Restoration video! :D
Wesley, if you have the money, get it running. I'm homeless and unemployed, living in transitional housing. I don't have the money for one, but there might be people who are looking for a good, inexpensive tiring bike like the Silverwing.
Besides that, it would just be fun to see it running again!
wesley you should do that, it would be a nice bike to have
Man, watching this video brought back some great memories. I had a 650 SilverWing, with just the faring, and the first long trip was from the Portland, Maine area to Lake George, New York for Americade.
The first bike trip with my father.
Thanks for the video.
I had this fabulous Honda almost 40 years ago....... thanks for the memories!
It’s great to see someone so happy.
80s hondas are the best motorcycles ever
No doubt
So true. The two favorite bikes Ive owned are this exact model of Silverwing and an 85 Nighthawk 700. God, I miss that Nighthawk.
@@shawnmlopez5125 I daily ride a 1985 XR600R. 60 miles round trip every day. Kick start. Air cooled. Carbureted. Been running hard for 33 years!!! Gotta love old school No-BS simple bikes.
So easy to work on...
I havea honda cb650 custom 1980 Great machine for 40 years old
Just bought an 82 thanks to you! This is my first bike and I love it!
Owned an 82 GL500 up until 2015 for about 10 years, decked out like the one in the video. Took me anywhere I wanted to go comfortably, reliably, and loaded down to boot. Fun to ride, great on gas at 50-55mpg even on the highway. I now have a Honda NC700X with bags (and a KLR650), which is the same horsepower but better low end grunt. While the NC is more modern, I actually miss the old 500. And nowadays the GL gets a lot of attention "i had one of those 30 years ago", "rode one in the 80's", etc. There are a lot of small displacement bikes like this that are just as good today as they were then. But people are stuck on displacement. Nice to see some present day respect, for a very capable bike like the CX/GL series!!!! Great video!
Unfortunately we live in time where you are looked at weird if you choose to only ride a 50 hp motorcycle and are happy with it.
All this talk about beginner bikes is a bunch of crap manipulated by the industry.
Agree w/you 110% !
Agree 100%. I ride a Yamaha VMax but my son and I also have a 500 Vulcan and 750 as well and the 500 is one of my favorite bikes to ride. We are both over 6 ft and both a tad over 200lbs.
I agree. I know an old guy with a Hyosung GV250 and he puts more touring miles up on that than I do and he is as happy as a pig in crap.
look it is bullshit that everyone says you can't have fun on a 50hp bike but a new rider wouldn't get on a zx14. bike bikes are unforgiving when you Make a mistake
ive done short 200 km on a little 25 hp 200cc Bajaj made in india. if it allows you to cruise at traffic speed its enough (max speeds down here are 120kph. i cruise at 110 without killing the engine. )
I bought my 1982 Silverwing Interstate last year, love it! The compartment on the lower left of the fairing is where the CB Radio goes, mine still has one there.
lol...CB radio 🤣🤣🤣
Bought one in 89 from a pawn store for 600 bucks. Drove it for years till my daughter was born. Damn I miss that bike. Thx for the call back.
This was my first street bike at 16. Bought a 1981 version of the Silverwing Interstate.(with paper route money) in 1985. My dad had a 1982 Silverwing he bought new as a leftover in 1984. I took my test for my motorcycle license on it at 16. Rode it everywhere. Didn't even have my own car, but had that bike...lol Loved it. Sold it before going into the Army.
I bought one in 1978 or 79. Think it was 79. It was by far my most favorite motorcycle of all. When it was new and after being broke in I hit 112 mph on it and was still climbing before I shut it down. I thought there was a cop ahead of me. I didn't do it again because it had no fairing or windshield because it was the CX 500 version. That bike was the best handling, balanced bike I ever rode as far as a road bike. I would not mind having the Silverwing you are riding. I'm convinced I would still have a lot of pleasure out of that old bike.
One of the Best ever the CX500 runs great and I had them and road them all over the US... Freeways are no problem!
First bike I had was a CX500C, basically the stripped down version of this Silverwing. Hearing the ride really brought back great memories.
Very cool ride. 15 second 1/4 mile on the first try with wet tires when I couldn't spin em hot before the launch. If I find another one like your's, it will go in the garage.
That 4 valve twin watercooled was an amazing motor. So much so, that they put out a turbo version.
I liked the silverwings so much, I found a junkyard full fairing from a goldwing (same exact fairing), welded up the bracketing, and ran it on that bike for a few years happily, radio, speakers and cigarette lighter and all.
I’ve got a 1981 GL500 Silverwing that I bought to teach my sons to ride on. I ended up falling ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with this motorcycle. Perfect for a single rider touring. Perfect in the city and the highway. Fantastic machine!!!
My first bike was an 84 GL500, and I can undoubtedly say it made me fall in love with motorcycles.
same but mines a 82 gl500 interstate which should be the same one he was driving fully dressed with duel front brakes
These smaller Honda bikes look amazing. I'm looking forward to the walk around video.
I owned a 1979 CX500 custom and then waited and bought the candy wine berry red GL650 Silverwing when it came out for the one year in 1983.. rode from southern lllinois to Daytona for Spring Break in 1984.. with a bunch of other riders. My friends CB1100F broke down half way in Tennessee.. l bungeed all his stuff on top of my saddle bags and behind the rear back rest. And my friend (5’11”, 250lbs,..) hopped on back... we rode “two up”from Tennessee to Florida and My Silverwing GL650 Interstate ran great the whole way.. like she wasn’t even breaking a sweat! She had plenty of horsepower (rated 67hp) and handled extremely well! I used to grocery shop with it all the time and it was always fun loading it up! The saddle bags even hold gallon jugs of milk! So the bike does great loaded or not. and plenty of air adjustments in both front and rear shocks to give you the ride you want. l put 67,000 miles on it before l sold it 7 years later.. to get a 1990 PC800, but wasn’t the improved bike l had hoped.. l missed my GL650 so much... so l finally bought another one a few years ago.. (so glad I did). I’ve loaded it up on many trips two up with my wife Chi town to Virginia Beach., ran like a top! If you can find a GL650.. buy it! There were many improvements made from the GL500 to making the 650.. rims, carbs, shocks, crankshaft pistons etc.. . (Probably so they could use the same stronger parts to survive in the turbo version) Both great bikes are great however many people found the 500 somewhat underpowered and thought the 650 was a better suited for the midsize touring market. But many people love the 500 just as much. Reagan’s import tariffs killed many of the bikes from coming back in 1984. I think the GL650I and many others in 1983 were like one hit wonders! The CX650 Turbo is another example. I saw a pristine one for sale for 10K! Reviews said it blew away all the 1100’s at the time. This Silverwing model will make you fall in love with riding all over again! Honda should bring the REAL Silverwing touring bike back!
I rode my bare bones 1983 gl500 from MA cross country and up to Alaska. ,88 days on road. 14000 miles total. No problems at all. 52 mpg I also went 105 mph across open stretch in WY. Did this back in 85 when I was much younger. This is my testimony on this bike
I had one of these 1982and rode it from Winnipeg, MB to Vancouver, BC and back. It was great.
Ya know. I've never heard a person say they hate honda? Some may prefer another manufacturer. But. Never any honda hate. Must be doing something right 😁😁😁
People "hate" on the cars but respect the bikes. I can tell you that the cars are just as good.
Only working on them. Maybe because I was used to dealing with Kawasakis, a lot of there stuff seemed conterintuitive. Basically parts were in the "wrong place".
Their cars tend to scream "designed by someone who never spent even 5 minutes as a mechanic". They run great, until they don't. Then God help the home mechanic.
I remember deciding between a brand new Honda CB500F and a Bandit 600. My rationale to go for the Bandit was: Its cheaper and easier to customize. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Honda, it just feels a bit sterile.
even the people who hate on hondas mean that it sucks as a sports car.. mostly civics lol, for a normal day to day driver everyone loves honda... and it shows in the resale
jacob fraser yeah, we just hate "those" honda drivers. Lol
A friend of mine picked up an 82 gl500 and I’ve never been more impressed by how such a heavy old bike handles. It’s stock minus the carbs being jetted and someone modified the baffles (weirdly doesn’t sound awful, actually really throaty), and that thing MOVES for how heavy it is. I compare riding it to an actual lazy-boy couch. Much better then my first bike ( 82 400 maxim) and more comfortable, but not as quick as my second bike ( 82 cb750sc for obvious reasons). I love the 80s bikes so much that I’m currently on my 3rd (83 cb650sc purchased for $50, running, riding and clean titled). Just needs a bit of work to get it back on the road safely and will he turned into the “scrambler” style mimicking something that could’ve come out of the factory in 1983. God bless you and your business.
I had one of these and loved it. I traded down from a Yamaha 750 Special with a fairing and permanent saddlebags. The Silver Wing had removable saddlebags and removable trunk. All of the fairing accessories that fit the Gold Wing (AM/FM,CB, and intercom) could all be put on the Silver Wing. I had more room for me and my wife on the Silver Wing than I did on the 750 Yamaha. Two up or solo, it was the smoothest riding motorcycle I ever rode, including Gold Wings. Yeah it seemed like it was revving a little high, but it quickly and easily ran all the way up to red line in all five gears. I seldom had to down shift to get power to pass, just roll on the throttle and go.
Had a cx500 back in the eighties - best seat ever and a nice big tank . Would love to find one of these again.
The CX500 Deluxe had 7.something gallon tank. Gassed up at 300 miles. Many cross country trips on that one!
I had one too!
@@dangalli1 my ec model had a strange totally smooth seat cover and was the most comfy seat I ever had on a bike my cbx 1000 had a more normal pleated covering with pillion strap I had to put a sheep skin cover on it to be as comfy as the cx.
the cx seat was like a motor cross seat but wide and well shaped just totally smooth .
MPG on my 82 was 52. Recommend foam grips, lower front crash bar with foot pegs. Really sound cruiser and very comfortable. Drop a gear or two and it has plenty for the highway passing.
I'm so happy that I subscribed to this channel. Fantastic! Have been riding since 1969, and enjoy every video subject! Sincere thanks!
I'll be 70 years old this year and live in Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island, Canada.Bought a 1981 Honda GL500 Silverwing in June 2020 (same as in video) for 800.00 - 63,000km on it. After a fork seal and safety inspection I drove all last summer with NO problems. Just installed a new battery and did oil & filter change and had it for a ride.A bit cold here yet but that will change soon! Wonderful bike!
I love the vintage bikes, I had a Honda 400 Super Sport, awesome bike, thanks for the video.
I used to know a Millionaire who rode a silverwing, said he loved it. That was the first time I'd heard of a Silverwing, I was like u mean Goldwing he said no, so he rode it up to the shop and bn let me see it. he did all his own maintenance on it to.
Dude I rode that exact model for years..still one of my favorites.. I grew up in and took over my dad's motorcycle shop and these things only came in for tires,super reliable.
I sold these and rode them when they were new.It was a great time to be in the motorcycle business.New technology was changing everything we knew was obsolete.
It was great
The CX500 unfaired version was an amazing and appreciated bike in it's day. Why Honda stopped making it I don't know! A 500cc V twin with shaft drive and a pleasure to ride. Would love one if I could get my hands on one.👍
I still have my 78 CX500 I bought maybe early nineties . Got compliments everywhere I went . Someone stole it from where I had it stored and when the cops called me and told me they found it the motor was frozen . Still haven't got around to trying to get it running again but it was a sweet bike still is just not running .
Ive ridden big bore bikes all my life but the 82 silverwing (mine was silver) was without a doubt one of the best bikes I have ever owned.
I own one bought it off a friend and its still original.. No mods or anything and going to keep it as is. Its a beautiful bike. With very low mils.. He had it since the late 80 when it first came out. Iv always persisted with him to sell it to me for few years while working with him and eventually 2014 he did.. im now 34yrs and enjoying riding this beauty. I dont even have to pull on the choke to start it up just one push and its fires right up idles without needing the choke..beautifully sound👌
In 1980 I was in the Navy, and our XO had a Silverwing. He bought in San Diego and two years later rode it cross country. He said it was perfect for the San Diego traffic. He rode it to the ship almost every day. When he left to go to the Washington Navy Yard two years later, he rode off on the Silver Wing.
This was my first bike - wish I would have held on to it! Thanks for the words of wisdom
I still have one of those. Rode it for 7 years still going strong.
I restored a basket-case 1979 CX500 Custom and love it. It’s such a conversation starter. The comment I always hear from former owners: “I wish I had never sold it.” I originally bought my bike to try my hand at making a cafe racer, but as I put the bike back together, I loved the engineering and beautiful simplicity of the bike. I figured I would restore it and sell it, but I’ve become so fond of the bike and have met so many cool CX fans and owners, I don’t want to let it go. I feel like I’m part of a unique club.
Back in 75 i rode a Yamaha RD350 from Tn to Fl and back no problems cruising at 75. A 2 stroke twin. The good ole days.
I rode one of these all over New England. I loved it.
Reminds me of high school days when my buddy's family would take trips cross country, two up on Suzuki RE-5s and GT550s.
I ride a 93 FLHT H-D, have a 65 Bonney, and last month for a new Honda 125c.f. Super Cub. It is a blast to ride, and really does put a smile on your face. It offers a challenge bigger bikes can't match! I've put saddlebags on it for beer, groceries, etc., and get many waves. Going to Dr. appt., Walmart, etc.,I park it right up front where bicycles park. I find myself using it more than ever for local trips. It's a blast! Smaller can be fun!
Bought an 83 Suzuki GS650 GL that I put a windscreen, fork bag, tank bag, saddle bags and trunk on. Hadn’t ridden in about 24 years. Did the same thing with my previous 79 Kawasaki KZ650D. Put 10,000 miles per year on it and covered the entire East Coast in 2 weeks camping and hotelling as a graduation present. It toured and highwayed great! Put 3500 on the Suzuki since June, including a 1000 mile round road trip a month ago. My 650s did fine on the road; only drawback was only 5 gears; but plenty of power and easily kept up with Interstate traffic and passing at times, cruisng at 70 MPH and bursts into low 80s.
Good Bible verse! Still riding my 1982 GL 500 in 2019!
The Silverwing was awesome! I went to college on one. Drove it to Alaska and back.. It was awesome!
My Army roommate bought a 1978 CX500. We rode from El Paso up to Canada and back. I had just moved from a 1976 Honda 750 Sport to a 1978 BMW R100/7. All good bikes. I rode my first motorcycle (1971 Honda CL450 Scrambler) from SC (end of college) to SD in ‘75. Then rode my little 450 with a friend who had a ‘71 Bonneville 650 from SD to LA to Lubbock then I cut North back to SD. Ignorance of youth. My 450 had a 2.4 gal tank and we packed more stuff on those bikes plus my brother rode behind my friend on his Bonnie. Now I have four motorcycles and still love riding more than anything. Great verse!
Well, when you‘re living in a mountaneous region (I live in Switzerland) touring with your wife, sidecases and topcase, some 40 hp will hardly give you a great driving experience. All the more considering that at an altitude of 2‘500 meters, your motor will yield only about 75% of the nominal power. That‘s why I have a VTX 1800 and a 1300 PanEuropean
Of course. High altitude will cut the power of any engine. Most will ride this solo in any event. A 30 HP BMW used to be considered the Ultimate Touring Bike... back in the 60's. The ST1300 is a dangerous motorcycle.. with some bad high speed wobble problems. The ST1100 is superb.. but very tall and heavy. Apples and cumquats.
I've got an 84 Sabre. Talk about top heavy.
I dispatched on one of these in London in the 80s the bike done over 120,00 miles then I sold it! Great reliable old bikez
went they call the stone axe in England due to the reliability. we weren't so lucky in Australia due to the way we rode them,.... flat out, so many cam chain change outs. must be our long distances between towns,.... so high speed.
This was my first "touring " bike. Bought it in 1986 in Vancouver B.C. My wife loved it!!!
Put over 50,000 miles (pre kilometer days). Even blew a rear tire at 70 miles per hour!!
bike handled very well.
I loved my 500 Silver wing BUT it had a couple of glaring issues.
The first being the mechanically driven cooling fan . Any time I was in stop and go traffic the engine temperature would creep up into the red . The fan just did not turn fast enough at idle to pull enough air through the rad. This was solved on the 650 Silverwing with an electric fan.
You could rev the engine at stop and it "helped" keep the temp down but that's not my idea of fun.
The other issue was the weak stator if you added accessories . And since the stator is in the rear of the engine , it requires you to pull the engine out for replacement .
Also it being a 500 cc and pushing a big fairing , it requires the bike to be geared quite low , hence the buzziness
That being said the engine is fabulous . I did a cross Canada trip , right up to Whitehorse on my little Silverwing . For me the ergonomics were perfect . The fuel mileage was great .
But pulling an engine on a cx is the easiest bike motor removal, drops out on a trolley jack, radiator and all.
@@rossbrumby1957 not the easiest at all
The 1982 GL500I and 1983 GL650I have electric fans. But they still seem to let the temperature creep up when stop and go... or waiting at the US-Canada border... It's hard to know whether the fan works at all.
The GL 500 Silverwing was the little brother to the GL 1000 Goldwing. Based on the CX 500 that was introduced in 1978, I think. The CX 500 engine was also turbocharged in the beautiful CX 500 Turbo. I had a 82 CX 500 custom in two tone red. As with most Honda's, it's darn near indestructible. Nice find! I like that you start off your vids with scripture.
I remember the turbo version,red white and blue
I worked at Honda in the early 80’s they made 650 turbos also , they came with sport fairings that were pretty cool
This was my first street bike after many years on dirt bikes. After a few big highway bikes I want to go back to this machine since I'm older at 62. I picked up two basket case CX500's enough to make a complete stock bike and it will be fun to restore something. Thanks for the vid.
When I took my motorcycle endorsement test back in 1993 I had 67 BSA so I borrowed my buddies CX500 because it had brakes that actually worked.
My first bike was a Honda hawk 400 and a Silverwing was my second bike, put over 50,000 miles on it. Speed limit was 55, got over 60 mpg highway. Loved it
That's so funny, I started my son with a 78 Hawk 400, then found him an 82 Silverwing Interstate with 8k on the clock. He still rides both, as well as an 82 CX500 Turbo, and an 84 VF700 Sabre. I have been riding my 82 GL500i since 2009 and it has been the best all around solo and 2-up bike ever!
My first bike was a 1974 Honda 360 T that bike would do 90 mph with no problem and ride very comfortable I miss the old bikes 😀👍👍
Just how light are you? My '76 CB360T would only go 65-70. Great ride though for a first bike.
thanks for the memories.... rode an '81 CX500D for several years but at 6'2" it was a little cramped. Bought and rode trans North America on a '78 GL1000 ... but that CX500 was great! Shaft driven, watercooled V twin ... reliable as heck - never had it in the shop - not even once and maintenance was easy - valve adjustments, tuneups, fluid changes, no problem.
My first bike was a 79 Honda CX500 Custom. I bought when I was 27 and put over 18,000 miles on it in 3 years. I still have it, but it's in storage with carb issues. These were also turbo versions of these bikes made. I'd really love to find one of those, but they go for good money. A guy at the British Biker Cooperative rally told me they ran these CXs in England for delivery services because they'll run 150,000+ without a rebuild. Very cool little motors!
Lol...you keep trying for that "6th" gear...like I did on my Shadow...
I do the same thing on my PC800!
I wish whoever decides how many gears a bike gets and what ratios, would pay attention to the hundreds of videos and comments about this elusive 6th gear and put it in there. There's a lot of us that would really like to have the option of not having our engines screaming at highway speeds.
The CX500 was built at a time when japanese bikes normally only had 5 gears, and harleys only had 4 gears. I had a CX500 as my first bike, a 6th gear would've been great on it (it had the power to pull a 6th gear on the highway. Back in the 55mph days a 6th gear was less of a need.
When I first got my CBR 300R, I'd try to click into 7th gear at least twice per ride. I still do it at least once a month. I apologize to my bike afterwards. In my case, I can at least upgrade a sprocket to lower the rpm's so I don't get the urge to shift up.
David S Then cry out for a 7th gear....
I bought one 20 years ago still runs great
My good friend rode his Honda Rebel 250 cross-country.
I think you may find there are a LOT of smaller-CC bike fans who have experienced first-hand that you do not need 1800cc to ride cross-country.
My son and I each got Suzuki V-Stroms. He has the 650, I have the 1000. We would trade off riding each other's bikes regularly, and the consensus was they were almost exact. While the 1000cc had slightly lower torque and a few more HP, it was offset by being heavier. The 650 with 6 speeds was more than enough for 2-up highway riding (went to Houston).
I took a long trip on my Yamaha V-star 650 with my daughter to Louisiana, awesome Spring break ride!
Just recently purchased a Kawasaki Versys X-300, 65mpg, does 100mph and is very light and agile. I'm commuting every day on this beauty.
Bottom line, don't be fooled by ads claiming you need a 1.8 litre engine to get from point-A to B. The best motorcycles are simple. KISS mode.
I bought a CX500 brand new in 1982, it was the best bike I have ever owned. It was a delight to ride and, being a shaft drive, had none of the messy and regular clarting about with a chain!
The models Honda made for this platform were the GL500, GL650, CX500 and CX650. They all had shaft drive, some had a mono-shock rear end and some of the last years even came factory turbo. That engine is a gem and super reliable once restored. My Uncles friend had a CX500 i wanted to buy but his divorce ruined any chance of that happening. I still looking out for a nice one. Even though they are a bit heavy and archaic, they munch miles in comfort.
CH2O, heavy?, archaic?, have a look at mine and then we talk!
Carlos Google Maps I don't mean offensebut when stock, they are.
The engine was DESIGNED for the turbo project - - the TURBO 500 held a record of over 200 patents . . . so many new patents for Honda to make MONEY off by licensing the new technology.
The turbo bike was NOT some kind of after-thought.
Heavy?? 520 lbs WITH the luggage isn't exactly "heavy" , but Yamaha's SECA 550 was 425 lb by comparison, naked w/chain-drive. Shaft drive adds weight.
TIMEtoRIDE900 well no, actually the bike *wasn't* designed for the turbo. It was designed originally with a supercharger. They couldn't quite iron out problems. The turbo was something of an afterthought. Either way, it meant the normally aspirated one was way over engineered.
Yeah - but did they BUILD any supercharged bikes ??
Pics or it never happened . . .
I got its brother, CX500. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but man I love that thing. It's a different animal above 5k, love it. And the seat it super comfortable. I have a NC700x which is, cool. But not as much character as the cx. Cool video
I am 65 years old. Been riding since I was 16. The biggest bike I have ever owned was a 865 Triumph Bonneville. The largest bike that I have ridden was a 1200 Kawasaki tourer. It weighed a ton. I would like to have a BMW 1170 RT. That's a little over 600 lbs. I prefer a 500 lb bike. Bigger in this case is not better. Enjoyed the show. Take care. Vaughn
i had a 1981 CM400 that looked identical with the same fairing and hard bags. i drove from Chicago to Cape Girardeau, MO once or twice a month. I drove it year round in Chicago - just waited for the plows to clear the streets in the winter. I loved that bike. I paid $750 for it with 400 miles on it.. Great bike.
As an old guy, I remember guys using 400 twins from Honda for cross-country touring. Of course this was back in the early 1970’s
william v I started riding in 1980. At the time touring on a 650 was considered perfectly normal. The push for liter+ bikes was just beginning. I regularly took trips around 175-250 miles each way on my KZ400, and never felt underpowered. Though when I later switched to a CB650-4, I did appreciate the less buzzy ride and more comfortable seat.
17 years old. 1978 I bought a new CB400 Hawk. Orange. Put a plexiglass fairing and aftermarket seat on it and saw 28 states and retired it buy selling it with 105k on it. Spent a lot of money on chains tires gears and oil changes. Never broke down. Crossed Beartooth for the first time on that bike. I laugh at these kids today thinking it takes huge power plants to go anywhere.
I rode a cb350 all over the country. Damn my hands still hurt.
I had a '78 CB400A T2 w/a Craig Vetter fairing, bought it in '93 & used to ride from NY to FL twice a year for 5 yrs. Comfortable, reliable, & powerfull enough for the highway. Wish I never sold it
What's Beartooth... Google says it's wireless something.
In 1973 I bought my first "New" bike, a purple (was a teenager, what can I say) 73 Honda CB350G. In 1974 I rode it from Maryland to Alabama to visit friends and back within a few days. Who said you need a lot of displacement for a long ride?
My very first bike was a 1981 Honda Silverwing GL500! It was awesome! And it was 40 years old and ran perfectly! Loved that bike!
I had a Honda CX500 when it was new, which has the same engine as in your Silverwing. I only had a plexiglass windscreen and no bags. It had a big gas tank for the time… over 5 gallons. I loved it. Handled like a dream, and easy to handle. Very quiet bike. Only issue for me was the battery would drain quickly if I didn’t ride it every day. Only had electric ignition; no kickstart backup. Needed a Battery Tender that’s available today. Happy to see one again after all these years.
I bought one last may for my first bike. $800. I put 5000 miles on it. I sold it this year because it developed a carb issue I couldn't figure out. Other than that the only problem I had with it was the seat was very uncomfortable. So when I got my 750 shadow this year, it was a different world. lol But I miss that bike. Glad to see you show one off!
Joes World There's a guy here named COYOTE ADVENTURES that said he sold his for $800. Wonder if it was yours. Lol.
RS7JR Ive talked to Coyote! Wasn't the same bike.
My first bike was a 1980 CX500, only kept it for about 9 months, but was still a fun bike. Great little motor and super easy to work on.
Joes World What a coincidence.
Joes World then when your Shadow gets a flat tire you will sale it?, those GL carbs are really easy to fix and really easy to get parts for so I figure that you are not a handy man, are you?
I sold Hondas in 1982 when this motorcycle came out. My boss/owner of the shop took one for a test drive and immediately took it into the service department because he thought it did not run correctly. He expected it to be at least close to the available at the time GPC 550 Kawasaki, this is Zukey katana 650, and the Honda CX 500 turbo that he had ridden..
But there was nothing wrong with it. He just did not appreciate the way this motorcycle was designed. It was not supposed to be a rocket ship for a 19-year-old.
The CX 500 motor was actually designed in the mid70s to be a turbo charged engine right from the start. That’s why it does not have separate cylinders from the engine cases. It is one block.
I love the way that they spin the clutch in the opposite direction of the crankshaft to offset any torque reaction when blipping the throttle, the way BMW and Guzzi motorcycles do. Honda also twisted the cylinders so that the intake manifolds are closer together and the exhaust pipes are further apart. The reason is, with the carburetors close together, they don’t have to have separate cables which are hard to keep in synchronization. They can be on a single pole cable when a bell crank which goes out of sync in frequently. Also the exhaust ports being further apart, have the exhaust headers Missing the frame & the radiator..
Because of the rotation of the shaft in the transmission coming straight out and spinning in the same direction as the crankshaft. There is not a 90° change of power direction at the engine. The only place the power has to turn 90° is where the driveshaft spins the ring and pinion gears in the rear wheel. Each time you turn the power direction 90°, you lose around 10 to 15% of your power
This CX 500 engine is pretty bulletproof. 1982 had two wee links.. The 1980tomorrow had capacitor discharge ignition. Earlier models also had the same ignition system. The problem with it was, when you are pushing the starter button, that starter drew some of the power needed to power the ignition system, making these motorcycles a little resistant to start right away. That was cured in 1983 when the ignition system was changed to transistor ignition. Those machines started as they should/as in quickly.
There was a story in motorcyclist magazine about 25 years ago about a guy and his girlfriend that traveled around the world on a CX 500/2 times. Between the first and the second trip around the world, the motorcycle was stored in the hall of his sailboat in pieces, and occasionally was sitting in bilge salt water.
On his trip around the world, it was not a let’s get this over with quickly or trip, this was a take your time and smell the roses trip. The only problem he mentioned in that article was, a broken shock mount, which was fixed by what he termed a jungle mechanic. He said jungle mechanics can fix anything. As a post to dealership mechanics which are afraid to touch a motorcycle if it’s even dirty, as he put it.
I have had dozens and dozens of motorcycles since 1968. Dozens and dozens. My favorite engine of all the motorcycles I have had it was my Honda CX 500 the locks, which I put a Canadian turtle backseat on, which resembles the BMW R 100 RS seat, I put on the CB 400 F lower bar is on it, and a set of Koni shock absorbers.. that is my favorite motorcycle I ever owned. I am sorry I sold it. I paid $500 for it, put about $400 into it including tires, and I was riding it daily with the tank bag and no faring. Some guy came up to me and offered me $2000 for it. The way I look at offers like that is, would I pay $2000 for this motorcycle?, My answer to myself was no I would not pay $2000 for it. So I sold it. If I had kept it it would be the same as paying $2000 for it. The man I saw the two was a guy in his 60s who was a tractor-trailer driver that drove long distances. He actually took the motorcycle from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Seattle Washington in side one of his trucks that he was doing a delivery. And he rode the motorcycle back from Seattle Washington to Pittsburgh, stopping in Kansas, and Colorado to visit two of his other relatives.
That CX 500 would pop at 2 miles an hour in a Shriners parade if required, and it would come on to the cam around 6000 RPM and it had guts. Plenty enough for me. Those motors are pushrod motors, and they still revved past 10,000 RPM safely. I believe redline was around 10,500 RPM.
Because Honda did what I thought was a copy of a Moto Guzzi Engine layout, that got me interested in Guzzi.. Honda came out with the first CX 500 standard, it was black with a red stripe on the gas tank, in 1978. That’s when I got interested in the fact that they copied Guzzi.. I ended up buying a Guzzi sp1000 in 1979. Since then, I have had 4 guzzis.. my current one is a Norge GT. They are not fast, a Japanese 600 sport bike would leave it for dead.. but I love the relaxed loping power delivery right off of idle. That’s the way the CX 500 was. I am constantly checking for a CX 500 standard which was only 1978, or a CX 500 deluxe which had the same fuel tank as the 1978. I am not crazy about the CX 500 custom with the peanut gas tank ..
I hope to find one, someday