Honda CX500

When I lay awake on a balmy night, unable to sleep, I dream of my perfect motorcycle. Handling is more important than top speed, reliability and economy more important than looks (within reason). Something middleweight, light enough to flick around and good acceleration, perhaps shaft drive to save hassle. Oh, and I'll get no peace if I don't add a comfortable seat for my pillion.

A lot of people must think like this — the Honda CX500 sold very well on its introduction in 1978. Despite being hated by the bike journos for its mediocre handling and general bulk, many people must have felt it fitted their ideas of the perfect mount.

Initially, the bike suffered a mild case of Honda-itis with the camchain and surrounding region. Imagine all the bucks and brains of the Big H R&D being beaten by eighteen inches of chain. Also the top end was slightly weaker than it should have been, as a whole, but basically it was a reliable bike (sure, sure Ed.). Couriers liked it, always a good sign, and would have loved it if it had gone round corners.

Soon Mr Honda became bored with the CX. He decided to revamp it a little, and the CX Turbo was born. This had lovely little lights to show boost. If you sat in the car park, in neutral, and revved it to make the little lights come on, eventually they stopped blinking. Ever so sorry, John.

Then it occurred to Honda that the slowing sales of the CX might not be caused by the rep of the motor, but might be connected with the poor handling. Thus was born our hero, the Super Maggot, or CX500 Sports for short. This was claimed to be the poor man's Guzzi, obviously by someone who couldn't tell a Guzzi from a water bed. The new CX was restyled, with a seat extending sort of around the back of the tank. The motor was standard CX, so whilst looking a little odd, at least it should keep going. Of course, the camchain tensioner still stuck.

The main change, and the most necessary, was to the suspension. The Pro-Link rear end wallowed less than the old set-up. It's a little awkward to adjust, but the single shock lasts well. The various bits and pieces of the suspension linkage don't seize or act naughty. The front end was butched up to match. Both wheels were eighteen inchers and tyres last for six grand rear and nine grand front.

One of the problems with the original CX was its mass. Nearly 500lbs is a lot of beef for a 500, even allowing a bit extra for the luxury of shaft drive. Changing to Pro-Link saved a few pounds but the engine would be much happier shifting 100lbs less. The power step at six grand helps, but the poor thing has run out of steam by eight grand which equates to a 90mph cruising speed in top. It's happier cruising at eighty with seven grand on the tacho.

It is a peculiar mixture, this engine - it has low down pull, but also has a narrow power band. It makes the bike feel very under-geared at low revs and over-geared at high revs. Weird, huh? Once you become accustomed to the engine, in fact, it feels very usable.

Now for the handling. Yes, well, the first thing you notice is its top heavy. It also feels pretty tall with a rather upright riding position. Round town it's nice to relieve the boredom by pretending to be a police rider and try to do everything as perfectly as possible. Cars still pull out on you, though.

At any speed, the wind is directed onto a tall person's chin by the flyscreen. This is lucky because it stops you trying to go too fast - not a very wonderful state for most of the time. Try to take a sweeping bend at over 75mph and the back end, itself much more stable that the older bike, makes like a hippo in mud. It wallows. The nearest I ever came to falling off was passing a car at about eighty in the wet. The front wheel hit the white line as I re-crossed the road. It shook its head and tried to follow the white line into the middle of a car coming the other way. I had to wrench the front end to the left the next time it oscillated that way. It just shifted enough, to my everlasting joy. I've never seen a happier looking car driver either...

The bike also weaves a little at eighty, which is a shame as it's the best cruising speed and it'll return mid-fifties to the gallon at such speeds. The main problem with the handling is that it lacks a feeling of security. Although the front brake is far from astounding, even in the dry, it makes the front end go for the tarmac like Angie for the gin. At least pads can last for ten grand.

The word Sport is really a bit of a misnomer. This is Scottish for a total whopper! The most sporting thing about the bike is the neat alloy grab rail. I presume that this is to stop the pillion falling off in high winds rather than under fierce acceleration. The image Honda tried to sell the bike with was wrong - it would have made more sense to market it as a tourer with a sporting twist.

Use the bike as a tourer and it's much more at home. A fuel gauge which shows reserve at half tank level is good for a laugh. If you are in a hurry, the gas goes at forty to the gallon, so the gauge soon outlives its usefulness. Usually, the bike is fairly maintenance free, although it pays to keep the brakes in good condition. They tend to become spongy, er, spongier.

The main attractions of the CX has to be comfort and the engine. It's the sort of bike that inspires the owner with the confidence to set out for Italy on a whim. At the prices these bikes can be picked up for (£450 for one with 6000 miles), it's cheap reliability.

If I was driving in the middle of the night rather than lounging in bed dreaming, I wouldn't mind being on a CX. Don't believe the Sports tag. Rumour has it that the word was left over from the Australian launch: "And this is the CX500, Sports"...

Ralf St. Clair