Pure Motorcycles have mastered the art of refining the CB500 and have put several stunning examples together. Some are cafes, some are set up more as brat/trackers, but they are all crowd pullers, as we saw at Wheels & Waves in Biarritz this year when we got to ride around on Blue Moon for the weekend. The photos really don’t do these bikes justice as it’s the attention to detail that makes them lovely and a lot work goes into unique paint finishes, often capturing areas of original patina or paint.
Whether configured as a cafe or brat this family of machines, all based on the mid seventies CB500, make the perfect beach-hopping bikes, which is just as well, as owner David Chapius and his Communications Manager William Guerin, are based in Cannes in the South of France. Jeans, sneakers, T’s and an open-face lid are the only required accessories.
This bike is “Black Beauty”, Pure MC’s fourth ’76 Honda CB 500. The forks have been shortened and the rear shrouded suspension lowered, with the wire spoke wheels powdercoated black and wearing a pair of genre-defining Firestone deluxe tyres, while braking is taken care of by twin ventilated discs.
The engine is in it’s original set-up but with electronic ignition, velocity carbs and a Marving Racing exhaust. The large yellow-lensed headlamp is original but given more prominence by the use of mini indicators, front and back and tiny instruments. The old school cafe racer seat is from a Suzuki 125 which has been re-formed by hand for racy monoposto looks and two-up practicality.
The list of mods looks short but these bikes reek of hand-finished quality, detailing and choice of components, from the controls and grips to the tail lighting and fender. We’re very pleased to have anotherPure Motorcycle Ceebee to share with you all on The Bike Shed.
