Is it time to retire from this?

...........or more specifically, this;









I`ve been thinking recently about this bike.
I`ve had it years, and it has some sentimental attachment as it`s based on, looks similar to and includes parts from the very first CX i bought in 1986 and did a few years dispatch riding on.
The current incarnation of this bike started in about 2005 when it was given a new lease of life after languishing in the garage after a lay-up when the kids were small and other life stuff meant  i had a small break from life on two wheels for a few years.
I`ve done many a trip on it and thousands of miles, it has been made `around` me and fits like a glove.
It`s had dozens of modifications and gizmos attached (of varying degrees of usefulness) and i`ve spent probably dozens of weekends in the garage footerin`/fettlin`/fiddlin`/working on it/servicing. There has not been much repairing as it`s a Honda CX and it just goes on and on and on and never breaks down. I`ve had enough footerin`/fettlin`/fiddlin`now though and just minor mods or routine tinkerin` is all i require these days to keep me satisfied with the spanners (although that lattice-framed feet-forward funny front-ended CVT-driven 1.4HDI mega-scoot idea still filters through to my frontal cortex on a regular basis...)
I took it out for a little ride today to reaquaint myself with it (goes OK considering it was last used in 2018 when we went to DHR) and it`s just as i remember - a bit mundane and dull, really....
I`ve got four other bikes which provide me with different bike and riding characteristics - i`ve still got the `mota sofa`CX650 feet-forward recumbentalow, the DR800 single, the CBR1000 4-cyl and the newly acquired 1200GS, so plenty of variety there.
In fact 4 bikes is still probably too many, there`s a lot to be said for just having one bike, riding it for ever and getting to the point where it`s an extension of your body you are so used to it and know everything about it instinctively.
Swapping from one bike to another all the time can get confusing - just remembering which way to turn the various fuel taps to select `on` or `reserve` takes some thinking (or i`m just getting early-onset in my old age...)
Over the past few years i`ve been reducing the amount of crap in the garage - it`s surprising how much folk will pay for rusty shagged out old scrap sought-after classic motorcycle spare parts.
As soon as an advert mentions `rat bike` the value of your bike drops.
I`d maybe get 6-700 quid if i sold it as-is with a MOT, i reckon up to 2000 if i break it.
I`ve broken two CX650 engines the last year or so and have netted well over a grand each for all the different engine parts, and i`ve still got some major components left to sell from each engine. How about £175 for a camchain tensioner? They weren`t that when new (obsolete/not available now) As i said, classic motorcycle spares.....
I`m lucky in that CX`s are particularly popular at the moment due to the hipsters and cafe racer crowd modifying them and spare parts seem to be in demand and at the other end of the spectrum are the restorers brringing back old Jap bikes to standard condition as Jap bikes become collectable.
Other aspects that influence the decision to get rid :- i want more space in the garage (space is a luxury), old internal combustion engined bikes may become obsolete/be a pain to own sooner than we think, E10 petrol horror stories, demand for spares, and basically i know i just won`t ride it much and keeping it `just in case/for old times sake` is a mindset i`m trying to avoid. Less crap in life = less stress.
The slight positive this bike has though is it`s approaching 40 years of age in two years time so will gain `classic` status and will no longer require an annual MOT test and road tax. Not worth keeping it and riding occasionally just for that reason, though, not when i have four more interesting bikes from which to choose. Might make selling the frame and V5 easier, though!
I`ll think about it over the next few days but i think my mind is already made up over the fate of this motorbicycle...

So yeah, end of an era error for me and this bike.

Oh, and i`m defiitely not edging away from ratbikes BTW, the sense of freedom to do whatever you want to them without it being `right` or not, the ability to modify/ruin/delapidate at will and the fun/humour you get with the piss-taking attitude is something i`ll always have.

Anyway, that`s my musings for the day over with..

[/musings]

I'll miss it, you know I've got a soft spot for your CXs but I completely see where you're coming from and at least you're keeping one of them still.

I agree with the consstant need to de-clutter. And since the market value of CXs seems to be at a peak, now's a good time to sell.
I have 2 bikes, one clean-ish stock-ish Triumph Tiger 1050 for long distance high speed touring, and The Scream. Which scratches my "build a bike for the apocalypse" bike itch. I'm frequently offered other bikes. I turn them down, as fewer posessions = less stress.
Plus I have taken on the huuuuge project of a VWT5 van conversion to mild camper.
Life moves on, you need space in the garage for whatever creative project next enters your mind.

Well, that`s that then, this fucker will never turn a wheel again.

What a sad end to a distinguished and noble life, being relegated to the side of the garage in the   dumping area of shame along with the neglected bicycle, rotten fence panels, bags of solid concrete mix and the rusted gas barbeque of doom;

Wait, I wanted to buy that!

You still can, probably.

Keeps you busy for a while ;-)

It’s still available. But is in kit form…

I should av swapped it for the Buell

hi all, been in hiding for a while

agree totally with the above, less poo equals less worries, ive still got the vmax which is completely built to fit me and i love it and it has limited registration 45 days a yearwhich suits me just right

ive got the zzr11 which may ormay not ever go again, leaking cxoolant out of the3 head gasket and i don't knowwhere to start, might flog it off as a whole or parts, should get my money back. shame cos ive always wanted one but these days finding somewhere to play at 280kmh is not easy, plus the arthritis in the l hip and wrist would prevent me from folding myself on to it anyway

still got the ancient cb750 thats half way to a trailbike and again don't know where to start and will i even fit on it, rode a stock one recently and it was painfully small and cramped

i have however bought a Valkyrie ( the cruiser/harleyclone ) goldwing thing as ive recognised the need to have something soft and comfy to do distance on...except the position of the cylinders locks my legs into one pretty uncomfy position so now i'm thinking of getting rid of that too, maybe get one of the cruiser yamahas with the detuned vmax motor in it, i know i can put forward controls on it and my legs will fit

anyway beer calls....

I quite like the Valkyrie, can't fit some sort of highway pegs?

Yeah, fit some 6ft wide highway pegs

There indeed lies the problem....
I've got a set of footboards off a 6 wing which hopefully can be fitted a bit out and a bit forward. We're in lockdown 6.0 at the moment so I can't get out to my mates place in the country to do the work which is a shit
I've recently had cortisone shots into the hip and L thumb which have made life a lot better but I doubt it will fix the problem completely.
Another problem with lockdown is it's impossible to buy or sell bikes so I'm stuck in all directions at the minute
Going to try to get the zzr back together next and then rewire the Honda. At least its progress