Honda Cx500 Turbo Review

Used Buyer Review

Let's be straight — you're not buying a CX500 Turbo for performance. Honda's pioneering 1982-83 turbocharged experiment produces 82hp, which was genuinely impressive then but feels modest now. What you're really buying is history. This was the world's first production turbocharged motorcycle, and Honda engineered it with typical obsessive attention, complete with custom fuel injection, intercooling, and a beautifully integrated fairing. It's genuinely exotic hardware dressed in sensible clothes. The problems are real though. Turbo lag is significant — there's a noticeable pause before boost hits, which feels unsettling in corners. Parts availability ranges from difficult to eye-wateringly expensive. Specialist knowledge matters here; a backstreet mechanic touching the fuel injection system is a recipe for disaster. Find one with documented service history and verify the turbo seals aren't weeping oil. These have appreciated sharply as collector pieces. You'll pay collector prices but live with 1980s reliability. Expect to spend as much maintaining it as you did buying it, and keep mileage modest. Ride it occasionally, show it often.