Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum

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05-27-2008, 9:00 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2250.jpg Here are some pics of my highway/crash bars with pegs on them. I found these on E-Bay and think they are the nicest style I have seen. The pegs I bought out of JC Whitney. I have not seen another pair of these. Hopefully the pics will show enough to give some ideas and/or allow someone to fabricate something. 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:03 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2251.jpg close-up 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:04 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2252.jpg from behind 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:05 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2253.jpg another angle 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:06 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2254.jpg side view of bike 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:06 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2255.jpg rear view of bike 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:08 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2257.jpg Me sitting from side 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:09 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2261.jpg Me sitting from front 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-27-2008, 9:10 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: 100_2262.jpg last one... Me sitting from front angled 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

05-29-2008, 9:38 PM wridley Joined on 06-28-2007 Didsbury, AB, Canada Posts 138 Re: Highway Bars  Natrik wrote: Sure! I'll draw up some dimensions and post for anyone to use. They are great, I use them on almost every ride. Give me a day or two, my band has a gig and studio date coming up, I'm a little short on time.... Have you had time to get this done? Really interested in making a set for my bike! Willy 1982 CX500C 1980 CX500D 1981 GL500I (wife)    Report

05-30-2008, 3:57 AM Natrik Joined on 04-17-2008 Eugene, Oregon Posts 268 Re: Highway Bars Sh*t! Totally forgot. I'll pull out the tape measure after work today and get a set up here. Thanks for the reminder! If it wasn't for physics and law enforcement, I'd be unstoppable..... 1980 CX500 Custom, Hondian (found someone new) 2005 Honda VTX 1800 Retro, customization in progress    Report

05-30-2008, 10:06 PM Natrik Joined on 04-17-2008 Eugene, Oregon Posts 268 Re: Highway Bars Okay, so here's the first attempt to explain how I made them. The bar itself is 28 1/4" long. Get a length about 32 or 33" long to start with so you can trim it down (a $25 pipe cutter from the home despot is invaluable for this project). 1" OD water pipe or round steel stock is perfect. You can cut off the threads of the water pipe if you use that. The flat bar is 3/4" wide, the left hand bracket (facing the front of the bike looking back) is 11 7/8" long, and the right one is 11 1/2". The difference between the two is because of the difference in height of the bottom mounting holes and the difference in the position of the headers. I used some light metal that is easy to bend to mock up some brackets, and them copied them with solid stock when I was happy with them. I don't have a protractor or anything to give the exact angles I bent them to, but hopefully you can get a good idea of how they go from the pics. The left bracket (facing the front of the engine looking back) from center of bend to center of bend, top to bottom: 1 1/8", 1 1/2",  3 3/8",  4 13/16", 1 1/8". The right bracket: 1 1/8", 1 1/2", 3 3/8", 4 1/8", 1 1/4". There is a lot of mock up and trial and error involved with positioning. I would tack it, then stand back, measure, and grind off and do it again if  I needed to. Put the bike on level ground on the center stand and use a bubble level to get it right. A pair of those right angle welding magnets are great. You will need to make spacers for the bottom mounts, and a small tab on the left bracket to clear the clutch linkage. I "borrowed" the rubber from my passenger pegs, and used soapy water and a mallet to get them on. 1" diameter is standard for peg mounts and rubbers, that's why I used that size. You could cut the bar shorter and mount folding pegs or floorboards if you'd like. Let me know if you have questions, I am also not opposed to talking you through a problem, if you PM me I'll give you my #. These are great to have. I use them every time I ride. Good luck! And the finished product: If it wasn't for physics and law enforcement, I'd be unstoppable..... 1980 CX500 Custom, Hondian (found someone new) 2005 Honda VTX 1800 Retro, customization in progress    Report

06-03-2008, 11:21 PM Big.Dog Joined on 05-30-2008 Posts 15 Re: Highway Bars Hey DNA. I'm new here and looking to find some engine guard/crash bars like the ones pictured here, or like the style shown on the L side of your bike. Where can they be found new ? Most used ones are all beat to hell ? Thanks, Big.Dog.    Report

06-04-2008, 5:26 AM DaveNearAtlanta Joined on 03-03-2006 Lawrenceville, GA Posts 500 Re: Highway Bars Great photos and writeup, Natrik. A very minor suggestion for those who are considering duplicating his work, recommend you use "black pipe" instead of galvanized pipe as it's easier to weld and the fumes aren't quite as noxious.  A few minutes with a wire brush mounted in a bench grinder will knock off the protective coating and leave shiny bare metal that's easy to weld.  After welding and cleanup, the bare metal should be painted or powder coated very soon to prevent oxidation. Big Dog, the only engine guards I'm aware of that can still be purchased new are the Wemoto ones referenced in this thread.  The other ones have long since been out of production.  If you can find a source, many folks here would like to know about it.  My Home Page 1981 GL500I 1982 GL500I 1983 GL650I This User ID is no longer used. DaveF is my new User ID.    Report

06-04-2008, 11:33 AM Big.Dog Joined on 05-30-2008 Posts 15 Re: Highway Bars Roger that DNA. Thanks, Big.Dog.    Report

06-16-2008, 6:37 PM Zach_Godel Joined on 04-16-2008 Lester Prairie, MN Posts 49 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: front.JPG And just for good measure, here are my highway pegs.  They look like crap, but they are comfortable.  Unfortunately they do get in the way a lot when working on things. 1979 CX500 Deluxe 1981 CX500 Custom    Report

06-17-2008, 6:46 PM Cxrider Joined on 06-14-2007 Virginia Beach Posts 63 Re: Highway Bars Dude, McFly #1 you look like John Travolta in that first pic from that movie where he was that mob kinpin (with the guy from the punisher) Second those bars are BAD!!! Where, how much, know of any more????? Riding a motorcycle is pure freedom that only those who ride can truely appreciate. ~ I proudly serve the worlds largest, most powerful Navy! ~    Report

06-17-2008, 8:02 PM McFly Joined on 05-02-2007 Burlington, Wi Posts 36 Re: Highway Bars I know I love these bars, but do not know the brand or where you can get any. Like I said Mine is the only like this I have seen. I happened across these from a guy on ebay and paid like $50 for them. If your taller (I'm 5'7") you would want an extension on the pegs to move them away from you so your legs are not so bent. I have been told by other people I look like John Travolta, but its quite a stretch. 1982 Honda CX500 Custom    Report

06-19-2008, 8:25 AM iradiate Joined on 06-16-2008 Posts 56 Re: Highway Bars Attachment: rr spike footpegs.jpg Just ordered a custom set made from railroad spikes. :) Will post when they are installed. Vince    Report

07-04-2008, 10:13 PM apence Joined on 07-05-2008 Alaska Posts 6 Crash Bars CX 650 Custom Hi, I know you guys are working on highway bars here, but I'm searching for crash bars for my CX 650 Custom and saw that some of your pics show crash bars for the GL 650. Does anyone know if the same bars would fit my bike? Does anyone know where I can get crash bars for it? Also trying to figure out how to add a luggage rack. Thank you, and I apologize for "crashing" the highway bar theme! 1983 CX650 Custom    Report

07-05-2008, 12:19 AM DaveF Joined on 06-11-2008 Lawrenceville, GA Posts 278 Re: Crash Bars CX 650 Custom Crash guards have been discussed in this thread. In general, GL650 crash guards will fit the CX650.  In fact, the Hondaline guards for the GL650 and CX650 are one and the same. My Home Page 1981 GL500I 1982 GL500I 1983 GL650I    Report

07-05-2008, 9:34 PM apence Joined on 07-05-2008 Alaska Posts 6 Re: Crash Bars CX 650 Custom