Dark Arts: Cowboy's Company Transforms the Humble Honda CX500

Honda’s transverse-twin has always lived on the fringes. Launched in 1978, the CX500 paired a liquid-cooled V-twin with shaft drive and a reputation for durability that bordered on agricultural. It was never conventionally pretty, never especially fast, but the 80-degree mill had serious novelty and it was dependable—and decades later, that makes it fertile ground for reinvention. Located in Taiwan, this old CX500 had another trick up its sleeve that made it ripe for the picking. 

In the Heart of Asia, stringent modern regulations make applying for a new license plate on an older motorcycle practically impossible. The only legal loophole is maintaining a continuous, unbroken registration from the day the bike was originally imported. Fortunately, the owner of this CX500 had exactly that. 

Even with its legal golden ticket, this 1979 CX500 wasn’t standing on its own merits, and the owner handed the keys to Cowboy's Company for a complete inside and out overhaul. Operating out of Tamsui—a breezy coastal district where the river meets the sea just north of Taipei's dense urban sprawl—Alex Gao and his crew have been turning out sharp-edged customs based on everything from mid-size commuters to American V-twins. 

The brief here was clear. The owner, based in Taichung, wanted a low, aggressive café racer tailored to the region’s mountain roads. Cowboy's Company responded by stripping the CX500 to its core and rebuilding it with a focus on stance, control and polished visuals.

Up front, the stock hardware is gone, replaced with a complete Yamaha YZF-R6 front end—forks, wheel and triple clamps. It’s a decisive upgrade that brings modern geometry and braking into the equation, sharpening the CX’s otherwise relaxed demeanor. 

Out back, things get more involved. The team engineered a custom multi-link rear suspension system, trading the factory twin-shock setup for improved response and composure under load. While the whole assembly’s been revised, keen eyes will spot the OE parts that remain, as well as the late-model suspension linkage. 

The revised swingarm accommodates a 5.5-inch-wide CNC-machined wheel and Dunlop Sportmax rubber, giving the bike a planted, muscular stance well beyond the reach of the old Comstars. While the shaft-drive hub remains, the OE drum brake was upgraded to a drilled disc and Brembo caliper with bespoke bracketry. 

Above it sits a handmade aluminum tail section with an integrated taillight and crisp, tracker-style lines. The fuel tank is equally considered—hand-formed and subtly sculpted to match the tail, with a GPS speedometer embedded cleanly into its spine. Rear-set controls pull the rider into a committed crouch, aligning with the bike’s café racer intent and the owner’s preference for a more aggressive riding position on winding terrain.

Twin exhaust pipes exit from the CX’s forward-facing ports, bending gracefully towards the tail slightly offset from one another. Terminating with reverse-cone mufflers, each header was heated and shaped by hand before being adorned with sculpted heat shields.  

The finish ties it all together. Working with local paint specialists Rover Works, Cowboy's Company layered black and silver tones with delicate silver foil detailing and pinstripes, creating a subdued gradient that shifts under light. It’s understated, but shows off a diverse skillset—adding depth without breaking the bike’s shadowy presence.

Much has been said about Honda’s 80-degree V-twin over the decades. The platform has garnered more than its fair share of cheeky nicknames (Plastic Maggot being the pick of the litter). Still, after seeing the absolute weapon Cowboy's Company was able to craft from the humble CX, I bet you’ll never look at the model quite the same. 

In a place where keeping a vintage machine on the road is half the battle, this CX500 doesn’t just survive—it evolves—and we’re certain its owner is putting it through its paces on those Taichung twisties.

Cowboy's Company | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by BART Photo

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