Remember me
Many things can stall a custom motorcycle project, but the most common culprits are time and money. So what does it take to get a build back on track? For Ian Ketterer, the answer was a little serendipity and the right client.
Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Ian is a trained aircraft machinist who has plied his trade in everything from the aeronautical industry to wastewater management. He retired seven years ago, turning his attention to building custom bikes as BlackSilver Customs. But the story of this 1982-model Honda CX500 goes further back than that.
Ian started working on this sharp street tracker a decade ago, with a slew of modifications on his list. He made good progress, too, but client work and financial priorities eventually forced him to park it.
The project was kick-started again when a new client saw the partially completed CX500 on Ian's social media channels and asked him if he'd consider building another one in the same vein. “I could see that I wasn't going to get to it in a hurry, so I offered it to him,” says Ian. “The deal was done, and he paid me to finish it off.”
Luckily, Ian had a solid foundation to work with. He had already rebuilt the CX500's quirky V-twin motor, with fresh black and silver finishes on the outside. The air box and stock wiring were gone, and the fuel tank had been lifted at the rear to level it out and to provide space for the electronics.
Further back, Ian hacked off the CX500's awkward subframe. He replaced it with an elegant unit that uses a traditional tubular construction up top, supported by a pair of waterjet-cut steel plates.
“The subframe was designed old school style, with a piece of cardboard and scissors,” Ian tells us. “Clint Hudsonberg from Alpha Design and Tech Services helps me create digital files from my rough sketches and ideas, and arranges waterjet cutting for me.”
Ian had lofty ideas for the CX500's running gear, starting with a major front-end update. On went the forks and brakes from a Kawasaki ZX-10R, gripped by a set of machined yokes.
For the back, Ian designed a unique center-mount setup that uses two shocks, linked to a chunky machined brace at the swingarm's side. Ian searched high and low for a suitable set of shocks, eventually landing on a pair of faux-lins units from a pit bike. “They work surprisingly well,” he adds.
A whole lot of work went into the classy laced wheels, too. Ian started by disassembling the OEM Comstar hoops before machining a set of flanges that could accommodate spokes. He worked more magic on the rear hub, which was converted to a disc brake arrangement with a Yamaha XJR1300 caliper.
The rims were shod with 18” Kenda K280 tires in matching widths, giving the bike a lithe street tracker vibe. And that's about as far as the bike got during the first phase.
When Ian's client eventually stepped in and convinced him to drag the CX500 back into the workshop, the commission came with a laundry list of new features. The first big job was building a bespoke wiring harness around a Motogadget mo.unit Blue, including a keyless ignition.
Up front, low streetbike bars were fitted with Motogadget grips, switches, and bar-end turn signals, small bar-end mirrors, and gold-anodized levers on Yamaha R1 perches. A Motogadget speedo, housed in the top yoke, and an LED headlight were added to complete the cockpit. The back of the subframe sports a slim LED taillight, and a pair of LED turn signals that are wedged into notches that Ian cut out of the tubing.
Ian also designed a one-off radiator cover and expansion bottle, added an electric fan, and swapped all the brake lines for Venhill parts. Finishing touches include a two-into-one exhaust system with a Geoff Talbot end can, Arata rear-sets, and custom-made brake fluid reservoirs.
The Honda's shimmering paint job looks original, but it's actually brand new. Expertly executed by Ian's go-to guy, Mo at Spraybikes, it's a replica of the color scheme that adorned the client's father's Honda CX500 Custom, back in the day. Neat vinyl upholstery by Alfin—a third-generation automotive upholsterer in Cape Town's outlying suburbs—adds an extra dash of style.
BlackSilver’s long-running Honda CX500 street tracker has finally crossed the line—and it’s done so with panache. The stance is spot-on, Ian’s craftsmanship shines, and the livery drips with nostalgia.
Like a braai and a cold beer on a hot summer's day, it satisfies on every level.
BlackSilver Customs Facebook | Instagram | Images by Wes Reyneke
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