CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

CX Customization and Modifications

CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-23-2007, 8:07 PM
I picked up this cx for $100 and started instantly to rip it down. I'm a 23 year old, own a rocket, and want a chopper/rat bike. I cut the frame, and raked it out, removed alot of extra crap, made it a hardtail, got a new headlight, and will be painting it gloss and flat black very soon...
Here is what I've done so far. Have a look at the pictures and let me know what ya think!! its definately not done yet.

Origionally...

Now...

I removed that big ugly bar that I had holding the rear end up that you see in the other pictures, and tacked these little black tubes in place to make the hard tail...

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Isaac 06-23-2007, 8:45 PM
Good GOD does that thing ever look wicked. It's so long and low now. Did you put new triples in there to rake it out? Cut the frame backbone and reweld at an angle? How'd you do that?

Bravo on the bike so far. That's a really nice looking project. Where do you plan on stashing the electrics and battery from the rear?

BTW if you've never seen bratstyle customs, I suggest you go there. They have beautiful choppers along the lines of what you're doing. www.bratstyle.com

I create steel Frankensteins.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

R80Dave 06-23-2007, 8:52 PM
While it looks cool stretched out like that there are a few things to be considered.

I am worried how long the driveshaft will last when it is running at the angles that it is turning.

Good thing you are young ... you will need a strong back to ride that any further than around the block with the hard tail.

Also, one of the weak links in many people's minds are the forks on a 500. They may not support the weight when they are stretched out that far verses going up and down.

David in Wisconsin

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

jamii t reverb 06-24-2007, 4:09 AM
nice, looks cool as hell.

if we wanted wussies we wouldve named them "dr quinn" and "medicine woman"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-24-2007, 7:50 AM
About the drve shaft, I'm not super worried about it. I figure that if there was ever a 250 lb guy on it with his 150 lb g/f or wife, (just an example), that the back will squat...thus having the same angle on the rear. I just see it now as an invisible larger couple sitting on it.
And I'm not super worried about the forks, as the wall thickness is the same as some honda cb400 6" over forks that I have laying around. And those are meant to be raked out. If worse comes to worse, I have an extra set of cm400 forks laying around that are the same as my cx forks.

-And about the neck stuff, yeah, I cut it up from the bottom, re welded the inside tube, then re-enforced the outside with I think 1/8" steel. I'll post some more pics...

Thanks for your input!!

.
Here's the neck, still unpainted.

.
different headlight

.
here's where the battery box will go.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Phil in VT 06-24-2007, 8:22 AM
It's your bike and it looks cool. You have really lowered the center of gravity on it in fact it's so low I'll be surprised if you don't center hang going into some parking areas, like I said first, It's your bike and it looks cool.

82 Honda GL 500 SilverWing Trike "Old Yeller"
06 Suzuki S 50 Boulevard Cruiser

ANY WARM DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD ONE
(unknown senior citizen)

Springfield, VT

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-24-2007, 11:17 AM
Ha ha!! Phil, thats exactly what my wife said. The first thing she said was...your not going to be able to get into any parking lots just like your volkswagen... I thought it was funny.

-my typical guy answer was...I don't care. I'm guessing I will tho when I hear a scraping and come to a hault...

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

jamii t reverb 06-24-2007, 2:24 PM
sweet, another cx /vw modder

if we wanted wussies we wouldve named them "dr quinn" and "medicine woman"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

b100koczur 06-24-2007, 5:41 PM
Cx and VW are good friends in my garage. Cx cafe, and VWtdi with Koni's all the way arround.

Brian
Duluth MN

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-24-2007, 7:31 PM
I've got a 92 corrado g60 with lambo doors, lowered, kmc trio rims, and a 2000 watt system...but this is in my "car only" garage. My bikes have their own "bike only" garage so they don't see much of each other...

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

b100koczur 06-25-2007, 8:06 AM
I'm afraid I've only one garage, but it's bigger than my house, so it can accomodate me OK. Although my house is VERY small.

Brian
Duluth MN

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

R80Dave 06-25-2007, 8:17 PM
Brian,

I thought I was the only person with a garage larger than my house ... nice isn't it???

David in Wisconsin

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Jason in PA 06-25-2007, 8:25 PM

Bad Ass!! I think it's great. I thought the com stars looked out of place with the directing my bike is going. But I think they look great on your ground pounder.

I would weld some gussets on the rigid tubing. I would imagine they would break off in no time in the fashion their in on the pictures. If this is just a mock up then I'll shut up now!

82 GL500

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

gheadbarry 06-25-2007, 9:42 PM
the raked look is kickass,
keep it up!

glad i found you guys.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

malcolm in UK 06-26-2007, 10:13 AM

When I saw the "before" pic, I thiught, NO, don't ruin it! Sell it on for a profit!

But looking at how you've lowered it is really good. I particularly like the way the rear mudguard hugs the tyre.

Now you've gone this far, please don't "rat" it, (if ratting is the same over there as in uk - matt black and looks as if no-one owns or loves it) add plenty of cosmetic detail - and lots of shiny stuff!!!

Malcolm

malcolm in UK

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

b100koczur 06-26-2007, 10:39 AM

To Dave,

Very nice to have a working space you can shut the door on, and walk away to refresh yourself.

Brian
Duluth MN

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-26-2007, 6:16 PM
I made these velocity stacks at work. I think they look pretty cool.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Isaac 06-26-2007, 9:44 PM

mine_us_3 wrote:
I made these velocity stacks at work. I think they look pretty cool.

Damn, that makes me wish my "at work" wasn't a newspaper.

I create steel Frankensteins.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Anonymous 06-27-2007, 1:09 PM

Like Malcolm, I would be hesitant to chop and rat a bike that looked so nice as when you bought it. My 1978, on the other hand, is quite ratty right now and I would have gladly traded it and an extra '79 engine for the one you started with. LOL! But then, I'm not very much of a chopper or rat bike afficionado. My butt won't stand the hardtail and the apehanger bars you chopper guys like so much causes the blood to run out of my hands and arms. With the low seats and forward controls choppers have, your riding position is like getting a gyno exam at the sex clinic! LOL!

HOWEVER, if that's what you like, do the best job you can and make it truly yours! There is nothing quite like living life your own way and being somewhat original. I know a lot about that!

Good Luck!

Shari

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-27-2007, 6:19 PM
I painted the front end today, mounted the headlight, and the speedo. I used the stock speedo and centered it and painted it. So as it sits, the front should be finished, except for the random wiring. All I have left for wiring is for the headlight, kill switch, start button and light for the speedo...everything else has been removed.

And I will let you all know, that when I "rat" it out, I was gunna go all flat black and stuff, but now I am doing this just like my rocket. Flat black frame, forks, bars, and engine, and gloss black rims, tank, fender, and rims. I want this bike to look all origional , like nothing you've seen made out of a honda cx, or such.

here is a link to see the finished pictures of my rocket
http://www.fzrarchives.com/ipb/index.php?showtopic=32667&st=0

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Jay in NYC 06-27-2007, 8:59 PM
Damn. That thing looks bad-ass.

1978 CX 500
MAC 2-1
Drag Bars
Cafe headlight/turn signals

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

ChopperCharles 06-27-2007, 9:33 PM

Also, one of the weak links in many people's minds are the forks on a 500. They may not support the weight when they are stretched out that far verses going up and down.

I ran 8" over tubes and had a massively raked steering stem and no problems with the forks. I went through fork seals every 6000 miles or so, but the forks themselves worked fine. I did have a fork brace, though.

Charles.

87 TW200
84 V65 Magna (x2)
75 GL1000 (in pieces)
78 CB550K
82 VT500C Shadow
Location: Durham, NC

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Floaterdave 06-28-2007, 2:44 PM
Looks Great! Keep up the good work! D

1979 CX500 C
1980 CX500 C
1980 CX500 D(Work In Progress)

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

siny 06-29-2007, 12:38 AM

WOOAOOW

This is amazing. Super man. Please send us more foto. I'm fall in love. This is best customized and most radical CX on Earth.

Siny

Modrica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Anonymous 06-29-2007, 5:21 PM
Hey guys. I painted some more, made a tail light and license plate bracket (not sure if I like it yet), wired up some stuff and best of all...GOT IT REGISTERED!! I got to take it around town today for the first time (legally) and turned at lease 100 peoples heads. Everyone took a double take. I also made a seat pan today as you can see in the pictures. I like it, and all I need to do still is make the springs out of old fork springs, and find a hinge so I can mount this bad boy.

P.S. I'm sorry to everyone with 56k...

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

b100koczur 06-29-2007, 5:33 PM
What kind of camera and quality setting are you useing?

Brian
Duluth MN

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Phil in VT 06-29-2007, 6:38 PM
Be sure not to wear baggy shorts. You might get your dork sucked into a velocity stack and caught up in the throttle plate.

82 Honda GL 500 SilverWing Trike "Old Yeller"
06 Suzuki S 50 Boulevard Cruiser

ANY WARM DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD ONE
(unknown senior citizen)

Springfield, VT

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Anonymous 06-29-2007, 6:42 PM
my camera is a wal-mart cheapie, it was like 125 bucks. Its a samsung digimax a402 4.0 megapixel. I have it set on 2272 x 1704 pixels on fine quality. why?

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 06-29-2007, 6:58 PM
sorry, i wasn't signed in, but thay was my answer

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

enriquez 07-02-2007, 6:19 AM
If you get a chance, post a pic with you sitting on it. It'd be great to see what the riding position is, looks great.

_Scott

1979 CX500 Custom

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-02-2007, 8:04 AM
lol, it kinda looks like i'm taking a crap. I really need to put highway bars on it soon.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

lanispet 07-02-2007, 2:33 PM
Damn, you work fast!

That bike looks sweet. Doesn't look comfortable, but it looks sweet. i agree with gusseting the hardtail struts.

Massively hacked-up '80 CX500C bobber/ratbike- "Doom Cookie"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-02-2007, 3:38 PM
yeah, I am going to take you guys advise and gusset them. The more bracing, the better.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

SeatSkins 07-03-2007, 11:02 AM
I love the look of that bike!

I've got a couple questions for ya now that you have me re-thinking the bobber look that I'm currently going for on mine.

Are those the stock fork tubes?

Do you have an angle measurement on the steering tube?

If not an angle, do you have a measurement for how much you stretched the neck open after you cut it?

1980 CX500 Deluxe -"Ugly Bob"
1981 CB650 chopper in progress - "Low Budget All-Star"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Timothy_D 07-03-2007, 2:09 PM
What in your lifetime did your testicles do to you that causes you to punish them so?

Two CX500 Turbos, GL650I, CX650C, CX650E.

Why do I own five bikes? Because I'm not married. DUH! (and I haven't taken a vacation in two years. . . . )

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-03-2007, 3:39 PM
I ride a rocket too so they have always been punished. They haven't known any different. =)

As for the fork question, yes, they are the stock tubes. I bought some 6" over tubes on ebay for a cb450 or something and they didn't fit (too big in diameter) so I dodn't want to buy triples so I made do with what I have. Give me a second to go measure for you..............................................................it looks to be at an angle of approximately 43 degrees. I opened the neck up almost exactly 2" on the bottom. I hope this helps, but to throw in my two cents...I really like the way your bike is going. I LOVE the ape hanger bars, but my wife hated the look of them so I couldn't do it. (well, I could, but I didn't want to have a bike she disliked)

here is a picture I made to better see the angle

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Isaac 07-04-2007, 6:59 AM

mine_us_3 wrote:
I LOVE the ape hanger bars, but my wife hated the look of them so I couldn't do it. (well, I could, but I didn't want to have a bike she disliked)

What?

I create steel Frankensteins.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-04-2007, 7:08 AM
it was in response to seatskins reply about maybe doing something different with their bike. I was saying that they should keep going how they have been because it looks awesome, and that I like the look of the bars but I couldn't do them.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

DAVID 07-04-2007, 1:50 PM
I think Issac was showing his disapproval of you caring what your wife thinks. Or the fact that you like the look of apehangers.

82 GL500
81 KDX175
If all else fails, read the instructions

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

SeatSkins 07-04-2007, 4:54 PM
Thanks for the info and the kind words!

Here's the most recent pic... all I have left to do before it's rideable is find an ignition switch and finish fabbing the seat.

The paint is rough right now, but I plan to do it right when winter comes. I'm also planning a jockey shift and forward controls.

1980 CX500 Deluxe -"Ugly Bob"
1981 CB650 chopper in progress - "Low Budget All-Star"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-04-2007, 5:05 PM
where did you get the rear fender? is it 7" wide? also, did you make your seat pan like I did? if so, thats awesome!!

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Isaac 07-04-2007, 5:30 PM

DAVID wrote:
I think Issac was showing his disapproval of you caring what your wife thinks. Or the fact that you like the look of apehangers.

I'll go with door #1 and #2, but the former was what was implied.

I create steel Frankensteins.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

mine_us_3 07-04-2007, 6:28 PM
ok...i'm lost. sorry.

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

fll1441 07-04-2007, 6:53 PM
You're not lost at all. It looks like your bike is shaping up nicely. You work fast.

I also think Ugly Bob is going to look good when it's done.

1982 CX500 Custom

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

cobrajoe 07-04-2007, 11:27 PM
I'd love to see more of both of these bikes, both the chopper and the bob job look beautiful. It really makes me wish I had a welder in my little garage.

I guess I'll just do what I can with what I got..

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

SeatSkins 07-05-2007, 3:09 AM
I got the fender on ebay... it's a 6" wide flat fender. it fit really well without any modification.

Yeah, I made the seat pan also...

Here's a rear view so you can see the fender better.

1980 CX500 Deluxe -"Ugly Bob"
1981 CB650 chopper in progress - "Low Budget All-Star"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

SeatSkins 07-05-2007, 3:13 AM
By the way... here's a pic of what it looked like when I started. I got the bike for free from an ex-coworker.

1980 CX500 Deluxe -"Ugly Bob"
1981 CB650 chopper in progress - "Low Budget All-Star"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

enriquez 07-05-2007, 5:34 AM
Seatskins,

Did you lower the rear at all when you made it a hardtail? If not, the tight rear fender really makes it look a lot lower. Great job, I look forward to seeing the finished project (for both bikes).

_Scott

1979 CX500 Custom

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

SeatSkins 07-05-2007, 6:04 AM
The rear is lowered almost 4 inches, and like you said, the tight fender really adds to the low look.

1980 CX500 Deluxe -"Ugly Bob"
1981 CB650 chopper in progress - "Low Budget All-Star"

Re: CX Chopper project. (lowered and raked)

Jay in NYC 07-06-2007, 7:03 PM
Those velocity stacks are nice!! Anyone ever just use the rubber intakes that went to the airbox as a velocity stack, then attach pod cleaners to the ends? Seems like it might work to maintain the airflow for the venturi....

1978 CX 500
MAC 2-1
Drag Bars
Cafe headlight/turn signals

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