1982 Honda CX500 Turbo

Frame No. JH2PC0303CM002444
“Technology is a means to an end. Not a means unto itself.”
So said Honda's marketing materials for the new 1982 CX500 Turbo. Honda had made a habit of being what we now call a “disruptor” and was rightly fully aware that many might be wary of the addition of turbocharging to its motorcycles. They needn't have worried. Honda realized that motorcyclists are adventurous and thrill-seeking, and the incorporation of turbo charging as an exciting enhancement as many others had done with 1970s performance automobiles was a natural fit.
The Honda CX500 Turbo was produced for a single model year, making this particular example, a rare offering. Number 2444 is an especially original example, offered with 12,195 miles at the time of cataloging, finished in its original colors of Pearl White with gray and orange graphics. It retains its turbo-specific bodywork, gold anodized ComStar wheels, and TRAC anti-dive system. Uncommon is the chance to see, let alone to grasp, the opportunity to obtain a fine example over 40 years after its production run has ended. Honda described it best as “The concept machine of the future” and what better way to live up to that optimistic future than by putting a large TURBO graphic in someone's rearview mirror.