1982 HONDA CX500TC TURBO, ALL ORIGINAL 6,876 MILES FROM NEW

1982 HONDA CX500 TC TURBO – ALL ORIGINAL SURVIVOR! 6,876 ORIGINAL MILES, IN # JH2PC0306 CM002244, NGINE # PC03E-2004062, anufactured 1/82

This Honda CX500TC Turbo epitomizes the late 70’s/early 80’s sportbike/tourer that became a permanent part of Honda's reputation and still represents a high point in the time period…

The condition of this machine is highly original and un-restored and has covered just 6,867 miles since new. The frame and engine numbers are factory correct and original. It is the 500 cc engine. The gearbox is also original to the machine. This Honda CX500 Turbo is completely original and has never been apart. I believe I am the third owner from new. It is in un-restored and almost showroom new condition, nd being in running and riding condition is hard to find on these machines after all of these years.

This machine has been part of my collection for some time, s started on a regular basis, nd ridden occasionally. When I purchased the bike, t had been in the ownership of another collector for many years who actually rode it and kept up with the routine maintenance. When I purchased the bike, checked all of the major engine, ransmission, nd braking components for wear and safety. The gas tank was cleaned, nd the fuel system inspected and cleaned along with installation of a new air filter and battery, ll fluids were changed, nd both front and rear brakes were replaced.

The tires on the front and back are Dunlops Elites, nd are the correct style and size that were originally installed on the CX500 when new. The wheels are also original to the machine and are in excellent condition considering their age, ith very nice gold anodizing.

The seat is also original and the upholstery is in perfect condition with no rips, ears, r wear evident.

The engine and transmission are in excellent interior condition due to the low mileage and absence of any type of harsh conditions or abuse throughout its life.

A complete cleaning and detailing was performed, nd although detailing on an original machine is never completed, he overall condition of the finishes is remarkable considering the age of the machine, nd is in line with the low original mileage.

The aluminum parts are also in excellent condition overall, ut due to the originality, did not want to go too far polishing any parts.

The paint is the original Pearl Altair White with Moonstone Silver Metallic, nd is in beautiful condition. The original decals are still applied to the fairings, idecovers, nd tail section. All of the fairings, overs, tc. are in very good condition and are not in need of any type of repair. Please take a close look at the photos in the photo section of the ad as well as the body of the description. I have tried to accurately represent the motorcycle not only in my description, ut also through the photos.

The CX500 Turbo on the road is very easy to handle, nd rides down the road very tight, ith no shakes, himmies, r rattles. It shifts and accelerates smoothly and holds the road as it should. The turbocharger is also in perfect working order and puts out the stock amount of boost set at the Honda factory in 1982.

There is absolutely NOTHING that needs to be done to this machine to ride it occasionally and enjoy it as a showpiece. Unlike other CX500s for sale on the internet, his one is ready to ride and not in need of any type of expensive service once you get it home.

Please let me know if you would like photos of any aspect of the bike not shown or a video of the bike running. I am happy to email them to you.

I am always looking for new machines to add to my collection and love talking shop about old bikes, o please feel free to contact me anytime if you are interested in finding something or have something interesting you are considering parting with.

TERMS: $500 DEPOSIT WITHIN 48 HOURS OF AUCTION CLOSE. BALANCE OF AUCTION AMOUNT MUST BE PAID BY CASH IN PERSON, ANK TO BANK WIRE TRANSFER, R CERTIFIED FUNDS (WITH VERIFICATION) ONLY WITHIN 7 DAYS OF AUCTION CLOSE. SORRY, O C.O.D. AND NO PAYPAL, XCEPT FOR THE DEPOSIT.

The description of this motorcycle is written to the best of my knowledge. However, am by no means an expert on vintage Honda motorcycles. Please don’t hesitate to ask for more photos and, f possible, ome and look in person before the auction ends. ALL SALES ARE FINAL! If you have any questions, lease contact me before the auction ends.

If you have any questions, lease contact me. If you live close to Chicago, encourage you to come and inspect the motorcycle in person!

In an effort to protect the eBay user information and to help ensure the authenticity of correspondence between sellers and bidders, Bay’s new listing format does NOT display any bidder information. Nevertheless, STRONGLY encourage bidders to contact me directly to answer questions or to verify correspondence. Seller reserves the right to not accept bids or sell the bike to anyone with a zero or negative eBay feedback rating.

This motorcycle is being sold as is, here is with no warranty, xpressed, ritten or implied unless there is a warranty in effect from the factory. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, uthenticity, enuineness, r defects herein, nd makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, mperfection, efect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the motorcycle and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this motorcycle at the buyer's request PRIOR to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any statements regardless of any oral statements about the motorcycle.

Please remember that your bid constitutes a legally binding contract to purchase this item. If you require an inspection, ave it done prior to bidding. I strongly encourage all bidders to inspect the motorcycle personally or enlist the services of a professional inspector prior to placing a bid. After the sale, nspections are not recognized as a contingency to completing your obligation to your winning bid. If there are any questions regarding the above terms, lease e-mail prior to bidding.

Please do not waste my time or yours bidding on an item you do not intend to pay for. If you bid on this motorcycle and win, ou are expected to pay and pick it up in a timely manner!

I welcome ALL international bidders and am happy to assist with making shipping arrangements. I can also arrange crating for shipment on my end for a nominal extra charge. If you are an international buyer, understand it can take some time to arrange shipping, o I do not mind keeping the motorcycle for a longer period of time until pick up. Please contact me before the sale ends, f possible, o discuss the specifics.

Thanks for your interest!

For more on the Honda CX500 Turbo, lease read on past the photos…

1982 Honda CX500TC Turbo Specifications:

Suggested price in 1982 : $4,898

Claimed power: 82hp @ 8,000rpm

Top Speed: 121mph (period test)

Engine:

-Type: 497cc liquid-cooled OHV 80-degree turbocharged V-twin, 8mm x 52mm bore and stroke, .1:1 compression ratio

-Valve arrangement: One cam, valves per cylinder operated by pushrods and rockers, hreaded adjusters

-Carburetion: Computerized (digital) fuel injection

DRIVE TRAIN:

-Clutch: Wet, ulti-plate, -speed

-Final Drive: Shaft, .091:1

CHASSIS:

-Front suspension: 37mm Showa, djustments for TRAC anti-dive and air pressure, .1 in. (130mm) travel.

-Rear suspension: Honda Pro-Link, ne Showa damper, .1 in. wheel travel, djustment for air pressure

-Front tire: 3.50 H18 Bridgestone Mag. Mopus L303

-Rear tire: 120/90-17 64H Bridgestone Mag. Mopus L303

-Wet weight: 581 lbs. (264 kg)

-Fuel capacity: 5.3 gal. (20 L)

PERFORMANCE:

-Average touring range: 184 miles

-Best 1/4 mile acceleration: 12.38 sec., 06 mph ( Cycl, /82)

-200 yd. top-gear accel. from 50 mph: 79.2 mph terminal speed

-Total production: 5,343

-Total imported into U.S.: 2,525

-It came in one color scheme: Pearl Altair White with Moonstone Silver Metallic.

-The body stripes were Day-Glo red, ark gray, nd light gray.

-The "CX500" decal was Day-Glo red

-The speedometer had a 85 mph (135 kph) limit

-The wheels, ubs, nd fork legs were gold color

-The engine was a 497cc OHV liquid-cooled turbocharged V-twin linked to a 5-speed transmission and a shaft drive

-It was fuelled by CFI fuel injection

-The serial number began JH2PC030*CM000017

Best press quote:

"...we're here to tell you, fter testing four pre-production prototypes, hat not only is the Turbo one of the most exciting-looking motorcycles in recent history, t's one of the most thrilling to ride as well."

Cycle Guide, eptember 1981

All eyes were on the CX500TC Turbo, he first factory turbocharged motorcycle, ack in 1982. The promise was liter-bike performance in a middleweight package. The reality was something less. Still, he bike (along with its improved 650 sibling) is adored by a loyal, egion of followers all over the globe and one gets the feeling that the engineers put their hearts and souls into building this ground-breaking Turbo.

Billed as Honda's "corporate statement," the CX Turbo was a complicated, ophisticated, olling tech-lab with savage acceleration -- when on boost. Off boost it resembled an overweight normally aspirated 500cc bike. But that sudden switch from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde is the very character trait that made the CXT so thrilling to ride. Interesting note: the CX engine was designed in the '70s with the Turbo in mind all along.

…Turbomotorcycles.org

The CX500 Turbo was released in 1982. The CX500 Turbo (also known as the CX500TC) was only produced for the 1982 model year. It was superseded by the CX650TC (CX650 Turbo) for the 1983 model year, hich was itself discontinued the same year. It had a complex for the time, rogrammed fuel injection system with redundant fail-safe systems working in tandem with a separate ignition system. Electronic system failures were reported to the driver through two dashboard displays: an issue with the fuel injection system would light a "Fuel System" light on the dashboard and an issue with the ignition would flash the "TURBO" indicator.

The CX500TC powerplant was based on the water-cooled V-twin with four pushrod-operated overhead valves per cylinder configuration used in the CX500 introduced a few years earlier. The engine case look was retained nearly intact from the original CX500. The turbocharger, t peak boost providing approximately 19 psi boost nearly doubles the power output of the engine. The engine case is changed to accept the larger crankshaft bearings of the CX650 released in the same year, hile the suspension, rakes, rame and fairing all differ significantly from the earlier CX500 and the Pro-Link rear suspension and TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control) were used on the CX500EC (released 1982) and CX650ED (released 1983) models.

The following article is from Motorcycle Classics, ovember/December 2013, y Margie Siegal:

At some point in the summer, ou may start to notice that the sunlight is fading earlier, hat the evenings are becoming cooler. You might think about your mental list of things to do while the weather is warm and realize that you didn’t do half of them. You might decide that it is time to catch up.

Many of the motorcyclists born right after World War II were entering the summer of their lives in the 1970s, nd by the early Eighties many of them were beginning to feel a chill in the air. Some decided to indulge in one last hurrah before settling down and raising a family. Some went out and bought a Honda CX500 Turbo.

When it was introduced in 1982, he CX500 Turbo was — and still is — one of the most futuristic motorcycles ever made. It not only featured turbocharging — ramming extra fuel/air mix into the engine to increase horsepower — but also computer control of the turbocharging, uel injection, gnition and numerous other advanced features. It was not only a technological feat, ut a technological feat in a beautifully crafted package.

The CX Turbo was not happenstance, ut a direct response to other currents shaping the market in the early 1980s. Yamaha was battling Honda for supremacy in the motorcycle market, nd Honda was fighting back. Honda management decided to show the world that the company was capable of a design and engineering feat that was far ahead of what any presumptuous rivals could do. That showpiece was the CX500 Turbo.

Normally, onda exhibited new motorcycles to the press only when the development work had been completed and the bike was almost ready for sale. Although nowhere near ready for the market, onda put the CX500 Turbo on display at the 1980 Cologne International Motorcycle Show and afterward had it on exhibit at the Honda Research and Development Center in Tokyo. Match that, amaha!

Turbo background:

A turbocharger is used with an internal combustion engine to provide more power, ypically above a specified RPM. The extra power is provided by the engine’s exhaust. Exhaust gases rushing out of the engine under pressure spin a turbine, hich spins a compressor, hich in turn compresses the intake air charge over atmospheric. Of course, hat sounds fairly simple in theory often turns complex in practice. Honda’s achievement lay in applying the turbocharge concept commercially, roducing a reliable motorcycle able to cope with a variety of conditions.

In motorcycling, he turbo concept began with experiments by race teams looking to get more combustible mixture into engines faster. Most of the GP race teams of the Thirties tried supercharging, different means to reach the same result. In the 1970s, rag racers installed turbo kits in their motorcycles, nd automobile manufacturers began to research turbocharging as a way to get extra performance out of a small engine. Turbo kits began to migrate to street motorcycles, nd Kawasaki America came out with a limited production turbo in 1978, he Z1R-TC (see 1978 Kawasaki Z1R-TC: Turbo Power). That bike was not completely successful.

Honda’s Turbo:

The basis of the CX Turbo was a proven slogger, he CX500. a V-twin that was often derided for looking like it came out of an air compressor, he CX500 was the sort of bike you bought to get to work every day, o matter the conditions. Bombproof it was, xciting it was not. As a platform for innovation, owever, he CX500 had potential. It had liquid cooling, haft drive and mag wheels. The first V-twin ever built by Honda, t had four valves per cylinder, ed by constant velocity carburetors. The 1981 version of this bike had Honda’s innovative Pro-Link monoshock rear suspension, hich moved weight under the rider and featured more progressive damping.

Honda took the CX and re-engineered it into the Turbo. Reasons for choosing this bike as the platform for turbocharging included its liquid cooling, hich enabled the engine to cope with the increased heat of turbocharging. Another was displacement — midsized bikes had quite a following in the late Seventies. Kazuo Inoue, he top man in Honda’s R&D department at the time, nd the leader of the Turbo project, old Cycle Guide, We set out to make a little motor and measure it by the performance standards of a big bike.”

According to Inoue, he project was made more difficult by the CX’s V-twin configuration and its smaller displacement. But Honda was able to make the CX500 Turbo work despite the difficulties, roducing more than 230 patents for the components in the process. The turbocharger was built to Honda’s specifications by IHI. Honda mounted it in front of the engine to take advantage of available space and additional air-cooling. It was one of the first production bikes to feature computer-controlled fuel injection.

The front fender employed small scoops to direct more cooling air to the engine, hile air-assisted front forks and dual front discs, ach with twin-piston calipers, ook care of business up front. The front end used Honda’s innovative TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control) anti-dive system, hich linked the brakes to the fork valving: As the brakes were applied, he calipers pivoted, ressing on fork valves to restrict compression damping. The wheels featured the ComStar rib pattern, ith a wind tunnel-tested fairing dressing the bike.

After more than a year of letting the public peek at the project, he CX500 Turbo finally arrived at dealerships in the spring of 1982. Cycle World got its hands on a production bike for its April 1982 issue. Much of the article was devoted to the complex systems making up the new Honda. Basically, ir was routed from the front of the CX though an oiled foam air filter and then into the compressor part of the turbocharger. From the turbo mounted in front of the engine, ir traveled to a plastic box (called a surge tank), nd then through reed valves and intake tubes into the cylinder head.

Fuel passed through a fuel filter before being pushed under pressure by an electric fuel pump, here it was fed to fuel injectors that released a precisely calibrated flow of fuel to the intake tubes. The whole operation was controlled by a mini computer in the tailpiece, hich got continuous feedback from multiple sensors. Fail-safe systems were built into the computer so that even if several sensors failed, he bike would run well enough to make the trip to the dealer.

Cycle World staff either loved or were irritated by the Turbo. On the plus side, t was a comfortable, eliable sport tourer. The fairing worked well to keep the rider out of the airstream, he seat was comfortable and the handlebars were in the right spot for most testers. Vibration was low and controls, xcept for the somewhat heavy shift lever, ere easy to operate. The horsepower boost came on at about 4,000rpm and, or many testers, as FUN. Detractors of the Turbo cited its weight, ot-great low-speed handling, ack of low-end power and difficulty controlling the motorcycle when the boost came on strong.

Other magazines tested the Turbo, nd came away with basically the same reaction. Road Rider noted high fuel consumption and the lack of a fuel reserve, ut the editors also said the bike’s turbo boost was pure, rin-producing fun. “The Turbo works well as a sport bike on back roads filled with long, ast, weeping turns,” Cycle said. “The Turbo’s precise steering is just a touch heavy,” Cycle continued. “On fast winding roads, he CX500’s power characteristics make the bike difficult to ride hard. The Honda’s turbo lag delays engine response by a second or two ... sport riders must learn a new riding technique.”

Winds of Change:

There was another cold wind blowing in the U.S. besides the end of the Baby Boomers’ summertime and the clash between Honda and Yamaha. The economy was suffering and a steep recession took hold from July 1981 through November 1982, nd the bottom dropped out of the motorcycle market. Honda and Yamaha had been exporting lots of bikes to the U.S., nd to get unsold inventory out of warehouses, oth were selling motorcycles for rock bottom prices. Threatened, arley-Davidson petitioned the International Trade Commission for relief, esulting in the ITC imposing tariffs on 700cc or larger Japanese motorcycles.

Despite the gloomy economic outlook, amaha introduced its own Turbo shortly after the launch of Honda’s Turbo. Kawasaki and Suzuki were not far behind with their own offerings, ith the KZ750 Turbo and XN85D, espectively, ntroduced for 1983. All of these turbocharged motorcycles must have been extremely expensive to build, ut for the moment, he bean counters held off.

For 1983, onda punched out the CX Turbo from 497cc to 674cc and raised the compression ratio somewhat (7.8:1 versus 7.2:1) for an increase in power from a claimed 82 to 100. This would prove to be the CX Turbo’s last hurrah: 1983 was basically the end of the road for the turbo wars. The motorcycle market was not improving, nd the bean counters at Honda (and the other factories) finally got the upper hand. Honda, amaha and Suzuki dropped their turbos, ith only Kawasaki holding out, roducing their turbo until 1986.

Ownership is Everything:

Motorcycle journalist Clement Salvadori has said the CX500 Turbo deserves to be in an industrial art museum, nd owner and collector Zeki agrees. “It’s the look! The overall design was cutting edge — so much attention to detail. Fit and finish at every angle you look at on this bike is excellent.” Zeki continues, The CX Turbo was one of the most technologically advanced bikes of the day. As a designer, really appreciate some of the design elements, uch as the integrated blinkers, he beautifully formed body, he anti-dive fork lowers and the seat that wraps into the tank. The gold anodized wheels are a beautiful piece of technology. The dash gives the feeling that you are in the cockpit of an airplane.”

Zeki says he breaks out his Turbo every two or three months for a ride, nd he is always impressed by its reliability. “Nothing goes wrong — I just have to keep the battery charged, nd it starts on the first touch of the button.” He says the Turbo is a little top-heavy, ut likes the feeling that “you are sitting more in the bike, nstead of on top of it. You also feel that there is a lot of bike in front of you, ith the large, ide tapered tank.

“It’s basically a cruising bike,” Zeki continues. “Once you get out on the freeway, r on a country road with big long sweeping turns, he turbo is in its element. It’s an open-roader. It’s not like the Kawasaki turbo, hich is more like a jet. The Honda is more like a turboprop airplane. It’s a gentleman’s turbo. It just cruises along and then you crack open the throttle, it the turbo response — you just roll on and it kicks up and goes galloping away. I am just fascinated by the machine. It’s sexy, nfectious to look at — it’s candy to the eyes.”

And from Hemmings Motor News:

The early 1980s saw a spike in the use of small-displacement turbocharged engines among automakers, hanks in part to their combination of performance and fuel economy. Even motorcycle manufacturers were not immune to the charms of forced induction, nd for four glorious years, tretching from 1982 to 1985, ll of the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers offered factory turbo options. In 1982, onda introduced the first designed-from-the-ground-up turbocharged motorcycle, nd the CX500 Turbo would go on to become one of the most influential motorcycles of the decade.

Though the 1978 Kawasaki Z1R TC was technically the first production motorcycle with a turbocharger, t was little more than a stock Z1R with a bolt-on turbo kit. Designed more for marketing purposes (to help the factory sell its aging Z1R superbike), he Z1R TC quickly developed a reputation as an ill-handling beast that was terrifyingly fast in a straight line, ut not particularly enjoyable on a track or twisty road. When Honda set out its design goals for a turbocharged motorcycle, very aspect of the bike, rom the engine to the frame, airing, uspension and brakes was factored in to the equation. From the onset, onda wanted to launch the first mass-produced turbocharged motorcycle with electronic fuel injection, dvance its knowledge of small-displacement turbocharged engines, nd offer a “concept motorcycle” with a chassis stout enough to handle the engine’s additional output.

Work on the project began in 1977, nd Honda engineers quickly decided that a twin-cylinder engine, s opposed to an inline-four, ould be the best option for both weight and simplicity. The engine would need to be liquid cooled for reliability, hich narrowed the field of prospects to the transverse-mounted CX V-twin engine that Honda was developing at the same time. Changes were made to ensure that the engine could withstand the rigors of forced induction: The block castings were made thicker, orged pistons were specified and larger end and main bearings were used. The cooling system was designed to cope with the added heat of turbocharging, nd even a larger-diameter clutch was specified to handle the additional horsepower. To protect against detonation, he compression ratio was lowered from 10:1 in the normally aspirated CX engine to 7.2:1 in the turbocharged variant.

In many ways, he mechanical bits of the CX500 Turbo’s engine were the smallest of engineering challenges to overcome. Though information of turbocharging four-cylinder (and larger) engines was plentiful, o other manufacturer had ever tried to add both turbocharging and electronic fuel injection to a V-twin engine. Each presented its own challenges, ut both presented obstacles that seemed to increase exponentially, nd at one point Honda was said to have as many as 50 engineers working on the project. By period standards, he technology was mind-boggling: The computerized fuel injection gathered data from seven sensors and an electronic air flow meter, hen processed this via two control maps. One, alled the “boost zone” map, hose settings based on RPM and boost pressure; the second “throttle zone” map was determined by RPM and throttle position. Adding to the complexity, oth were further adjusted to factor intake air density, ntake air pressure and intake air temperature.

The V-twin engine proved especially challenging to turbocharge, s the design can suffer from “intake air stagnation” between intake strokes. Honda’s solution was to develop a pair of plenum chambers, ncluding a resonance chamber and a surge tank, hat smoothed out the force-fed engine’s throttle response. Even the turbocharger design called for innovation: The smallest commercially available compressor at the time of the CX500 Turbo’s development measured 60 millimeters. While this would have produced (more than) ample power, t also would have generated significant turbo lag, o Honda worked with supplier IHI to develop a smaller 48mm compressor just for the forced-induction CX500 engine. The net result was 77 horsepower at 19 PSI of boost, ompared to 47 horsepower from the standard CX500 engine. In terms of performance, hat gave the CX500 Turbo the ability to sprint through the quarter mile in 12.38 seconds at 106 MPH, n the way to a top speed of 125 MPH, utting it in virtually the same league as the one-liter superbikes of the day

As for the rest of the bike, onda spared no expense in making sure the CX500 Turbo stopped and turned as well as anything else on the road, oo. The frame received additional gusseting and the suspension used Honda’s race-proven Pro-Link aluminum swingarm rear and an air-assisted front fork. Honda also employed its TRAC system (for Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control) on the front fork, hich was intended to keep the nose of the bike from dropping when a rider grabbed a handful of front brake. Completing the package was a wind-tunnel tested fairing that gave the CX500 Turbo a futuristic look, ided in part by the ultra-modern fonts used on its graphics (including the “obruT” badge just below the windscreen, dvising those who pay attention to mirrors to yield the lane).

The CX500 Turbo’s fuel injection and ignition systems also provided a rudimentary self-diagnostic feature, nd included perhaps the first “limp home” system deployed on a motorcycle. Though the bike was almost incomprehensibly complex for a machine of the Reagan era, t was also particularly robust (once an early production cam chain tensioner issue was resolved) and quickly found favor among motorcycle couriers in Europe.

Riding the CX500 Turbo was an experience that blended equal parts boredom and terror. Grabbing a handful of throttle at corner exit produced little in the way of acceleration, t least until the tachometer approached the 5,500 RPM mark. Then, he rear shock would compress, he front fork would unload and the bike would squirt toward the horizon, eeling as if the rider had mistakenly hit a button marked “afterburner.”

Though a superb sport-touring mount (with minimal turbo lag for the day), ustling the plus-sized Honda through a mountain canyon took equal parts timing and bravado. As many riders soon found out, he CX500 was a challenging motorcycle to ride fast, articularly if one wanted to be smooth as well.