The first adventures |
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In the first days after the purchase there where lots of things to do. The
license plate for instance, was not the correct GAIK model. I had to
make a choice : old-style dark-blue plate, or new standard yellow plate.
The dark-blue plate was more 'original', but also did cost € 37,50 more.
So I choose the standard plate. A new chain-lock, some tools and I was ready to roll... |
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I did send Robert in Utrecht an e-mail, telling him that I had found a
motor, and wishing him the very best with the sale of his CX500c. A
few days later, while checking the internet, I found out that the ad
was removed. I concluded that he also had sold his CX. That wendesday-evening I called Theo. I told him that I now had a CX500, and I wanted to show him. 'No problem' he replied. And 15 minutes later I arrived at his house. Theo walked out, apparently recoqnising the sound of a CX500. He showed me around in his garage. A BMW and a Silverwing, in peace together side bij side, and the floor and two or three workbences filled with parts of a CX500(b). All kinds of Honda CX500 items were lying around. original Honda manuals, dealer-workshop books etc. Even an original Honda CX500(a) owner's manual, brand new. I could've spend hours there. When I left I told him that my first concern was a bike-cover, because I don't have a roofed place to park my CX. "Wait a moment" he said, "come on." From a smal attic he pulled a folded canvas package. It was a perfect canvas motor-cover. And so I have the CX a little bit protected in the wet and cold Dutch nights.  |
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I tried to remove the spark-plugs with my standard tools. The color
of the plugs can tell you a lot about the adjustments of the engine. And,
if you want to adjust the valves, you have to remove te spark-plugs.
The first normal spark plug wrench that I tried was clearly too big, but
the second one did seem to fit, and with enthusiasm I started to turn
the handle. After a few turn the feeling got on to me that there was
something wrong. This wrench was, just as the first one, to big.
Worse, what I thought was the 'grip' on the plug, had produced a
groove in the aluminium of the valve-cap. A few days later, after acquiring a fitting tubular spanner/spark plug wrench I took the precaution to use a vacuumcleaner to remove some metal-flicks that could have landed around the spark-plug. The plug looked perfect. Light brown residu, not fat or what else. That was alright. |
Checking the oil level was not easy. The dipstick was quickly found,
but ....In the 'Owners Workshop Manual' I found a neat picture showing how to remove the dipstick. But it did not show the high- or low markings. I assumed that oil in the marked area was NOT allowed. If that was the case, the oil level was right, just in the middle.  A week later I recieved a CD from Frans, and on that CD there was a digital version of another workshop manual. This time with clear pictures how to read the oil-level on a CX500. I think I did set a record on adding oil! I removed the oil-filter. I did not have a new filter at hand, so I was not able to check all. I looked into the filterhousing for any signs of small, tiny, or even big pieces of metal, aluminium or otherwise. Slowly I turned the filterhousing, looking, searching. Nothing to see, and I even don't know what I'm looking for. A few small, black grains was the only result of all my searching, grains with a sandish structure. I didn't know if it was good or bad, but was sure that there was no copper- or aluminium colored powder in the olie to be found, according to my suspicious, although untrained eyes. Due to lack of a new filter I placed the old one back. The oil level still looked good, so I didn't worry. All seems to be O.K., so it's time for a short ride..... |