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Stumbled on this sideways CX500 flat tracker Freddie Spencer rode. Not historic in quite the same way, but certainly interesting.

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I owned the a CL350K2 exactly like this one. It was a big step up after my CA95 and CA77. I was crushed when it was stolen from behind my College dormitory during the 1971 Fall Semester. :cry:
 
Having just scrolled through this thread, it's been like a magic potion injected into my dormant memory cells!! The advertising in those days was obviously a lot less restrictive in the USA than here in the UK. What we did enjoy was the Grand Prix racing, so, take your computer and a pair of headphones, lock yourself away in isolation, and enjoy www.vintagebike.co.uk. and click on to the "sounds" section. Food of the gods.
 
Not exactly a scan but it worked.

Interesting! The Dream in the lower right corner of the ad is one of the really early ones with a dry sump engine and an oil tank on the right side.
 

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Interesting! The Dream in the lower right corner of the ad is one of the really early ones with a dry sump engine and an oil tank on the right side.

I had heard about them but never saw one in person. Is what appears to be the right side cover actually the oil tank? Interesting they went from dry sump on that bike to wet sump on (pretty much?) all their bikes and then back to dry sump on the CB750 when it was introduced.
 
They were quite a bit different, than the later ones. A crank mounted clutch, crank mounted breaker points and magneto/coil assembly (with a camshaft mounted distributor), a two port head with a manifold to mount the single carb. Quite a machine.
 
I saw one at a parking lot show a few years ago. You can sort of see the intake manifold in the photo. Note the handlebars, too.

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Wow, the bars look like they belong on a scooter. I'm fascinated by these early Hondas but not enough to want one really. Imagine owning one of these when they first came out, compared to all the other bikes on the road in the late '50s and early '60s. Back then the Japanese stuff, particularly Honda since they blew the door open for all the others, did not get the respect it would 5 or so years later.
 
Stumbled on this sideways CX500 flat tracker Freddie Spencer rode. Not historic in quite the same way, but certainly interesting.


My buddy bought a CX500 Turbo years ago, but didn't tell his wife for a while so it got stored at my place
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The rent fee was that I got to ride it from time to time. Rode it around town a few times, was not impressed. Then I took it out on a two lane highway out side of town. When that turbo kicked in I was REAL IMPRESSED. That was a rush
 
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My buddy bought a CX500 Turbo years ago, but didn't tell his wife for a while so it got stored at my place

The rent fee was that I got to ride it from time to time. Rode it around town a few times, was not impressed. Then I took it out on a two lane highway out side of town. When that turbo kicked in I was REAL IMPRESSED. That was a rush

I've never had the pleasure of riding one but I'm sure it's fun. Great way to collect the rent too :lol:
 
Sold my CX500, non turbo, to get my 250. Lovely bike to ride, fantastic engine sound, but incredibly top heavy. Very difficult to move round.
 
I've mentioned this before, but an ex boyfriend of my sister had a CX500, rode it like a loony. One evening he wheelied it down our road, something I didn't think possible on one of those bikes. As above, lovely engine note.
 
I've mentioned this before, but an ex boyfriend of my sister had a CX500, rode it like a loony. One evening he wheelied it down our road, something I didn't think possible on one of those bikes. As above, lovely engine note.

I'd have enjoyed seeing that. The CX500 was somewhat underpowered for its weight, and that combined with the opposing reaction from the shaft drive would have made the CX pretty difficult to lift the front wheel I'd imagine. Do you recall if he was sitting or standing during?
 
Seated, so far as I remember.

I could wheelie my CB175, by revving the nuts off it then dropping the clutch. Wheel would point skywards, but I lacked the skill to keep it up. Story of my life ...
 
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