First Start - Honda CX500 (Part 20)

[@petepistole9458]

Thank you for the CX500 videos. I learned a lot and was able to complete a quad bypass on my cx650c. While I was wrenching I eliminated the H-box and replaced the stock carbs with some mikuni-vm34's. It took a couple of months which was mostly spent waiting on parts for a 40 year old 1 year production bike. I love your style of mechanics and explanation of how to do things.. So thank you very much. I've also watched a lot of your other videos. Nice channel....

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks so much! Happy to have been useful to you.

[@NewfieCRF]

Just fired up a 1980 CX 500 Custom that was sitting since 1994. New battery, tank flush, carb cleaning, & oil change … 4 hours I was riding it. Thing only has 12,000 km on it !!!

[@NewfieCRF]

Carbs were very gummed up !!! But I marinated them in furnace oil, & cleaned jets / float valve assembly / receiver with my various techniques. And boom, she lit up in a split second LOL Yes I had poured oil in cylinders & ensured the piston were moving freely before that

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Love these CX500s. They have a special place in my heart. I've spoken about it at length in my book.

[@NewfieCRF]

@@UrbanMonkTV yes they are neat little commuters . I can do most anything with a motorcycle mechanical wise. Sometimes we overlook the small things. Topped up rear tire pressure to spec this morning, & fell in love all over again LOL She handles beautifully.

[@John_Ridley]

Appreciate the series. I've bought the book, will be reading it soon. I bought a CX500 a couple of weeks ago, after doing some work on it, I've got about 150 miles on it. The more I ride it the more I like it. My Yamaha Tracer 900 is sitting unused while I fall in love with a 44 year old bike :) I'm slowly adding shine and minimal farkles. I stripped the huge Vetter fairing and top box, preferring the naked look, but I am going to put back on a smaller windscreen - 70-80 MPH on the expressway totally naked is a bit much after 30 minutes.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for buying my book! Truly appreciate it. There's a bit about my first CX500 in there. They were still new technology at the time and I was very young. Hope you enjoy.

[@guylr289]

12.3 volts is indicating no charging. The CX charging system allows for a maximum of 14-15vdc at 5,000 rpm. If the battery is a standard lead acid type then it is fully charged at 12.7v and the charging system is designed to break even at that voltage a bit over idle. You should always see something over 13v at above 1,700-1,800 rpm in order to keep the battery charged.

[@NewfieCRF]

Always tap on your carb bowls with an extension while delivering fuel to recently rebuilt carbs

[@UrbanMonkTV]

I can see why you would suggest that and appreciate you sharing it here for me and others. Also appreciate you watching!

[@NewfieCRF]

@@UrbanMonkTV sometimes the float sticks, & also to bleed air. Often I stop the float bowl from leaking with a few taps. It’s jus part of my process. And / or open the bleed screws to ensure flow.

[@mbp2112]

Having the car running when hooking up jumpers to a bike can blow the regulator/rectifier. I did it to my '94 Magna.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching. Others have made that comment and I am happy to say that wasn't the case in my situation, but I suppose it was possible and this is a good warning to others.

[@jakmak1199]

Great upload warts and all, admire your honesty, we've all been there and you just figure it out as you go along, that's what makes it all worthwhile.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks! Yeah, real life has some warts on it, but it is still a sweet journey.

[@Rvr880]

Wooohooo! That's so exciting

[@UrbanMonkTV]

It is! I don't react much outwardly because there are a lot of things going through my head when it first starts, but inside I'm doing cartwheels (which is the only way I'm capable of doing them). Thank you for watching!

[@andyanderson2396]

Greetings from Ireland. Keep up the good work, finding the videos really informative on the CX500

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Hello from LA. 🙂

[@casidycardenas9669]

Could you walk through adjusting the idle screw for this Bike? Have the same bike and need to adjust, thanks for the videos!

[@UrbanMonkTV]

I'd start a 2 turns out from seated and then tune using a ColorTune.

[@dejonsmall9886]

Getting ready to do a second read of your book..

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Oh wonderful! Thank you! I'm glad you finally got it.

[@jsandidge1]

Jump starting a motorcycle from a running car is a good way to fry your regulator/rectifier.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching. That is not intuitive to me. Will you please explain why that would be?

[@jsandidge1]

@@UrbanMonkTV I copied this from a post on the GSResources.....The problem with jumping from a running car happens when the car regulator is set for higher voltage than the bike's. Unlike the generator in a bike, an alternator in a car adjusts the magnetic field and produce 14.4 V (or whatever) at idle or at 6k rpm. So if the bike's RR has a lower voltage limit, it will always lose. That being said, there are varying opinions on this.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@jsandidge1 Thanks! This is great fodder for an investigative video, which I am going to do in the near future.

[@stuartbear922]

I've read before that to jump start a motorcycle from a car make sure the car engine is not running.

[@mbp2112]

Remember that a blown regulator can feed excessive current to the battery, cooking it. Again, my experience with a 94 Honda Magna.

[@charlesc3232]

I have a fuel leak in that same exact spot. Mine only occurs when the vacuum port on the carb (that normally connects to the vacuum peacock) is open. If I pinch off that open hose or if I hook up the gas tank the leak no longer occurs.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Yes! I eventually ended up plugging that line and guess what?...No more leaking. Thanks!

[@marianosendic5328]

Hello from Uruguay. I have a custom honda cx500. I've seen your restoration video, congratulations. In two months I plan to travel 9000 kms. What precautions should I have? Thank you

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Hello from Los Angeles! Thank you for watching! If you've done the "quadruple bypass" if the motor is running/sounding good and mechanical seal isn't weaping from weap hole, your probably good to go. The CDIs on these vintage machines are getting old now and are a bit of a roll of the dice, but old Hondas have a reputation for getting people where they want to go. Enjoy your trip! (It should be noted that I am an optimist usually - perhaps to a fault sometimes.)

[@marianosendic5328]

@@UrbanMonkTV Thank You!!

[@allisonsailsandcanvas]

That’s from a K75/100

[@rob_u_blynde]

Exciting! I actually just got mine restarted again after fixing an oil leak. It ran but very rough before. Question: I’ve got it running, but it’s very rough idling, and backfiring like crazy, I’m talking shooting flames out the exhaust. Would this just be the carbs needing adjusting? I haven’t synched them yet or made any adjustments but I did rebuild and clean them.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks. Could be carbs but also Could be timing and/or valve adjustment. If you've got valves that are not closing all the way you could have that situation. Also if the pulse generator is rotated incorrectly for some reason could contribute. Not sure which model you have and if you had that out of the rear cover or not.

[@rob_u_blynde]

@@UrbanMonkTV thanks for the reply! This ones an 80, and I only took the front cover off to fix the leak. Any chance you’ll do a video on valve adjustment in the future?

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@rob_u_blynde Yes I will as I intend to polish my valve covers. As long as they're off, why not I figure. Thank you for watching.

[@Cromwell648]

Complete waste of thirty mins of my life.