At this time’s Good Value or No Cube CX500 is a notable traditional, having been Honda’s first-ever turbocharged bike. This one has again charges on its registration, so gauging its worth can be further tough. I do know we’ll nonetheless have the ability to pull it off.
Trendy BMWs have all types of devices and doohickies to assist push the envelope of functionality and driver heroics at the price of piled-on complexity and finickiness over time. Such frustrations add to the enchantment of BMW’s earlier, extra analog automobiles, just like the 2001 330i we checked out yesterday. Sporting low miles and a people-pleasing presentation, that small and laudably easy sports activities saloon pushed most of the proper buttons. One such button was the $9,995 price ticket, which earned the Bimmer a merely terrific 61 p.c Good Value win.
BMW isn’t alone within the push to make its automobiles and bikes ever higher by means of expertise and engineering. Honda has likewise lengthy been seen as eager on innovation and development. Applied sciences such because the lean-burn CVCC engine and VTEC variable valve practice are notable examples.
This 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo represents a collection of technological firsts for Honda, the world’s largest bike maker. Café clad and geared up with three-spoke solid alloy wheels, the CX500 Turbo was not simply Honda’s first forced-induction machine but in addition its first street bike with gasoline injection. It was based mostly on the usual CX500, which, notably, was Honda’s first-ever manufacturing V-twin.
That twin is a 497-cc OHV unit with water cooling in an 80° Vee configuration. The turbo is by IHI and sits within the airstream forward of the motor. When new, energy output was quoted at 82 horsepower at 8,000 rpm.
The remainder of the bike was simply as revolutionary because the mill, that includes Honda’s Professional-Hyperlink mono-shock rear suspension and TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Management) entrance forks that tied braking strain to the fork valving to restrict dive beneath heavy braking.
All that’s wrapped in wind tunnel-tuned GRP bodywork and encompasses a pair of black-painted exhaust pipes emblazoned with TURBO badging. It’s a handsome bike, albeit one that offers the looks of one thing a cop may experience. Modern checks praised the bike for its on-turbo energy, consolation, and Honda qc, whereas the bike was dunned for its weight (571 kilos moist), lack of low-range grunt, and non-linear energy utility. Sadly for Honda and the CX500 Turbo, the bike market within the U.S. collapsed in 1982, the 12 months of its launch. The bike would see solely about 5,200 models moved that 12 months, and even growing displacement to 673 ccs and horsepower to an excellent 100 in ’83 couldn’t save the bike. After solely two quick years, the CX500 Turbo was no extra.
Thankfully, for historical past buffs and Honda followers, fairly a couple of CX500 Turbos, like this clean-title instance, are nonetheless accessible on the used bike market. After all, not all are created equal, and in contrast to one other cool Honda from the ’80s, the superbly saved GB500 we thought-about a few weeks again, this bike might stand some spit and polish. In line with the advert, the bike has 8,299 miles on the ticker and boasts that with a superb cleansing, it is going to be 99 p.c as new.
Along with the elbow grease, the bike wants a battery, all its fluids refreshed, and what the vendor describes as “minor work.” Most egregiously, although, it additionally must get again in good graces with the DMV because it was final registered in 2020 and was not placed on non-operation standing then. Which means again registration charges have to be added to the tally when contemplating this bike’s $3,500 asking worth. Let’s do this proper now.
What’s your tackle that $3,500 (plus charges) worth for this uncommon outdated Honda? Does that make this twin a win? Or does that worth make this turbo a high-pressure loser?
You determine!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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