I don't know what to do guys....

[Rikugun]

Wow, I can tell you have struggled over this. If it helps I think you made the right decision. If it was meant to be you would have come home with it that day. Deal with the hurt and move on.

[Humber]

If I can't sleep right now, I will just find and buy another and will ask you to send me an updated air-box.. but as for now, I am more than less OK with my decision... I am not saying happy because I can't be.. just ok...

[fret not]

Try thinking about a Junak for a while, then go about looking for your dream.  You may be surprised by what you might find.

[Humber]

My dear friend...Junak is total crap hehe.... if I had a choice now to be given a free nice Junak or pay for my XZ and restore it.. you have the answer...  ;D When I rode my Vision more than ten years ago, Junak was considered obsolote...  and I was a lone wolf freak to ride XZ, just because a respected Polish motorcycle magazine had written only bad things about it. I was always told that it is a stator glutton and all this stuff from the article, I should have written mine and send to those bastards. But I never cared, a cool bike it was, reliable fast and so comfortable, I had this forum, I had Rick G., great memories from riding and with these thoughts I went to take her, and this is a great bike even now, but my perspective is so different, perhaps not that different but somehow it got through and worked against... and after 10 years Junak is somehow on demand.. this is totaly freak I tell you, those who repeated the Vision was junk, restore even more crappy thing now and are happy with it and when I told them.. I am going for my XZ - you are nuts!!! this junk again? :) I don't get it.. after all these years, the bike is just a bike, and these are the people who presumably like bikes, do they really?? and this price for Junak god.. at least 4 times as much as for a nice XZ and it will never give a sort of ride a Vision can do...

However... Junak, a Polish classic, is where it should be:



BUt you see... it is still in the package, gives a hint that my hands will never touch the thing but... still last Sunday I sat on my XZ...  ;D ;D

[fret not]

Humber, my reference to Junak was meant as a joke, to consider it and discard the idea, then go for the XZ (the dream bike).  The Yamaha is far more sophisticated engineering as you well know.

I hope you find peace in your mind soon, because it seems you are tormented at this time by this situation.

Did you paint the frame silver, or was it done by a different owner?  It looks good from this side of the computer.

[Humber]

Painted it silver, but now I think better stick to oem scheme.. the bike is too old to make it look modern...

[Humber]

Guys... I bought this:



I am not utterly happy, I think it would have been better if I had gone with my old one. The CX keeps the price high though... but it isn't any better than the XZ. Stator problems as well (burnt on mine), carbs perhaps less finicky but again parts availability is just a pain. Disc brakes not available, cam chain guides - a must job - nowhere to be got, body parts, suspension parts... exhaust. Don't complain that XZ is less popular... it helps you to keep them rolling cheap, without a need to convince anyone how good XZ actually is.. and then crazy cafe butchers stay away from her.... I wouldn't suffer even one chopped for some cafe quirk...

Comparing, CX is a little bit better on the suspension side (my specimen), but the engine is so lazy.... so where am I? Have I got mad? Refusing to buy mine for less than 200bucks and buying the CX for something like $800 and already invested 200....

I should have bought my XZ or... look at this...
http://allegro.pl/yamaha-xz550-vision-jedyna-w-polsce-super-stan-rat-i5160892766.html

I think it went for the same price I paid for my CX.....

ok.... enough whining... I will have to take care of the CX thing because it is also a great ride and deserves some care.... Who knows.... maybe XZ next year?

[Rikugun]

Congratulations on the new bike! It looks to be in very good condition.

Interesting comparison to the Vision in that they are both "unique" bikes. Despite the problems, they (and yours) may have, the "Europsport" model version is much better looking (IMO) and apparently better than the "standard" versions typically seen here in the states.

Good luck with it and have fun!

[jefferson]

You new bike is beautiful and appears to be in very good shape. I didn't know of the 500 eurosport and only knew of the CX650E. If Honda would have brought these to the states I would be out some coin as I just love those things. The models we got here were left wanting to say the least. Enjoy your new ride.

[fret not]

Humber, yes, congratulations for your 'new' bike!

Check the radiator fan to see if it is driven from the water pump.  This is the situation here in USA with the 500, but the CX650 had separate fan drive.  This is important only in that an unbalanced fan will wear the seals in the water pump prematurely.

[Humber]

Thank you guys..  tha fan is electric on this  ;D

[Humber]

It has been 2 years experience with the CX now.... I had to overhaul the engine...  ;D ;D

http://images71.fotosik.pl/262/cd011d3b53c30944.jpg

but the thing is.. never ever get rid of your Vision - it's just a better underestimated bike overally. I truly regret having taken mine off the trailer and not hauling it back home. It was battered - that's a fact, but the engine was healthy and the visuals could have been restored much more easily.

The Vision has better quality overally almost everywhere - better materials, better frame, can you imagine that you can encounter a failure of the final shaft on the CX??  such things are normal -> http://www.genebitsystems.com/david/LinkedPhotos/RearEnd8.jpg - this bike is shit I tell you :)

Vision is stronger, more comfortable, more nostalgic - at least for me. CX - is legendary, has a huge fan base - great people - but it is soft crap camshafts get seized, oil pumps get wrecked, clutch baskets get rickety... just let me show you how my rear link pins looked like when I took them out - mind that they work in plastic bearings!!! ->
http://images71.fotosik.pl/551/29bac3d6ffaa2a59.jpg

honda quality is just horrible, they are really overrated bikes, spares??  - there are hardly any available on the market now - they are are almost dead at the moment, the engine is sluggish in comparison - but still pleasant...

charging problems - there are too on the CX - but luckily Vision taught me  ;D


In POland, the community is very small so a year ago I thought... why not start a forum? and I did it so that you can visit me;)

http://hondacx500.cba.pl/

If it hadn't been for my doubts, there would be one more XZ550 forum on the web now... Instead.. I am strugglin with the CX, I would love to get the 650 though :).. but xz550.... I don't know.. it would have to be mine back again...

[QBS]

Humber, great to hear from you again.  Thank you for the real world comparison report.

[Rikugun]

Sorry you had such problems with the Honda. I'm surprised the Pro-Link bushings ride in plastic bearings - that does seem like they cut some corners. I like the engine painted black.  :)

[Humber]

There is nothing wrong with plastic there, after all the plastic bushings were intact, but the pin was shot  ::)

[Kenny]

  Hi Humber,
     Surely you can turn the engine around on that machine and make it into a real rider ! I'm just kidding , my friends wife had what we call a SilverWing back a few years ago (she had a Shadow before that) and found it very unbalanced with the cylinders sticking out , in the end she got a 84 Gold Wing like her husband.
  All kidding aside it's nice to see you are still playing with half liter bikes ,I feel guilty as I was going to send you some measurements for a windshield you had built for me/ sorry I haven't got around to it. The one I broke was super and I had many cross Canada trips behind it. I can't believe another XZ550 doesn't exist near you somewhere?
   Keep looking & nice to see you on line.
  Kenny         

[Humber]

HI.... making a new XZ550 windshield is still possible, but... it is harder because I don't have a cowl and and an old windshield to be sent to the company that makes them.... when I used to have a Vision, that was a different story.

Good to hear from you too... Visions are really common in ads, but the sad fact is mine was already 20 years when I had it, now they are 36 years and whatever I would buy here, it would need a complete resto, I did the CX engine and I am aware of the costs... and with such costs you might as well aim at GL1000 which would give you a better price when selling...

Of course we are not talking about selling VIsion after the repairs but.... I am still not convinced... I may regret not taking mine back, but... buying another? I remember carb issues that I only solved after installing the 83 carbs that RickG. was helping me to get from US. Airflap modded airbox.... all of these were on my Vision and now.. buying one without these parts and importing them again... postage cost went up incommensurably, I remember Rick sending me tons of parts, pistons, cylinder heads, carbs... at it was cheapo - 60bucks by sea.... now forget it, it is 30dollars under 1kg I believe - I stopped buying from US ebay because of it....