Tagged: 1982

December 28, 2015

All-Original GP Machine: 1982 Suzuki RGB500 Mk7 XR40 for Sale

Ridden by such luminaries as Barry Sheene and Randy Mamola, the two-stroke Suzuki RGB500 was eventually developed into the dominant machine you see here, but it went through a significant evolution following its introduction in 1974. As you’d expect, the bike always had power to spare, but high speed handling was suspect at first…

By the time the 1982 bike rolled around, Suzuki had moved to a “square” 54mm x 54mm engine for a grand total of 495cc. It was far more reliable than previous iterations and featured the same stepped cylinders seen on the RG500 Gamma road bike that had the rear pair of cylinders raised up slightly higher than the front pair. With a dry weight of 292lbs and 120hp, the bike could reach speeds of up to 170mph, which is pretty terrifying considering the tire technology of the time.

Fascinating details seen in the photos include the square-four’s complex throttle cable assembly and the anti-dive front system on the front forks.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 RGB500 Mk7 XR40 for Sale

This is not a street bike folks, this is the real deal, A real factory Suzuki GP road race bike… This bike has the stepped square 4 motor with magnesium crankcases, magnesium carburetors, and dry clutch… The Chassis is loaded with magnesium, Titanium and Aluminum, stuff you would expect to find on a factory race bike… First year of “Full Floater” monoshock suspension… Chassis number 42 motor number 49… Bike is in unrestored, excellent condition, just as it rolled off the race track in 1982… This bike from part of the team Heron Suzuki stable, bike has been museum store in Japan since last raced… these bikes are tad more rare than a TZ750 and much more powerful… It is the perfect bike to dominate vintage racing and is eligible for the “classic TT” in Phillips island This is a rare opportunity to own a real factory GP bike, don’t let it slip by, you’ll be sorry if you do…

With a beautiful period paint scheme and tons of rare, race-spec parts, this bike may not have been ridden by any famous racers to any notable victories, but it’s also available at a price much lower than you’d expect to pay for one of those machines. Bidding is just north of $25,000 there’s a ways to go until we hit the $65,000 Buy It Now price. It’s in impressively original condition and would make a stunning collector’s piece, but hopefully, the rise in popularity of vintage racing will see this bike returned to the track.

-tad

Suzuki

October 3, 2015

Vintage Grand Prix: 1982 Suzuki RGB500 for Sale

When Suzuki dipped their toe back into Grand Prix competition in the early 1970’s, it was with a production-based, water-cooled two-stroke twin from the T500. But while that bike did see some success, it was clear early on that a ground-up redesign would be needed. What followed was the twin-crankshaft, disc-valved square-four format that we all know and love from the RG500 Gamma road bike. In racing trim the RG500 was extremely successful in the hands of riders like Barry Sheene and variations the bike were a dominant force through much of the 1980’s.

Of note are the air-assisted anti-dive forks, something that I’m sure works well here or they would never have been included, although roadgoing versions are of dubious value. Also of note is what appears to be a coolant expansion tank on the inside of the front fairing, something I haven’t seen on other examples.

This one comes to us from our new best friend Gianluca over in Italy and is clearly photographed, something you’d expect when we’re looking at so rare a machine, especially considering an ex-racebike could be in very tatty condition.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Suzuki RGB500 for Sale

model year 1982

VIN 10003
Engine 10072

This is an Iconic model and does not need any presentation. The bike advertised has a very low VIN number, it was rebuilt 15years ago and rarely used, just paraded, it comes also with original cylinders. This is the bike bought and used my Riondato (Italian Champion in the 350cc class) beetween 1982 and 1984 in the Italian and European Championship including the 200miles of Imola.

Race and collect! Bulletproof investment.

Bike is currently located in 33080 Roveredo in Piano, Pordenone, Italy but I can get them delivered all around the World at cost, no problem.

Clearly photographed and in beautiful, but well-used condition, what more could you ask for in an eBay listing? The original listing also includes some period photographs of the bike in action, although the paint scheme has changed since then to a more traditional Suzuki blue-and-white design, a decision that works for me: racebikes get crashed, painted, re-painted, torn apart, and rebuilt, so “originality” is pretty relative anyway.

-tad

Ducati

May 5, 2015

Practical Classic: 1982 Ducati 600SL Pantah for Sale

After the humiliating failure of the parallel-twin 500GTL project, Ducati was quick to introduce the v-twin Pantah that had been developed in secret by Fabio Taglioni, who was convinced that the parallel-twin wasn’t the right direction for the company to pursue. It kept the iconic, smooth 90° “L-twin” configuration, but replaced the bevel-drive and tower-shafts of the earlier motor and substituted cheap and quiet toothed rubber belts. The upside was greatly reduced production costs, the downside was relatively short service intervals, although belt-changes are a pretty simple operation and many owners do the work themselves.

The new bike had impressive specs, with a claimed 50hp from its 500cc engine and a five-speed gearbox. Unlike the earlier bevel-drive bikes, all of Ducati’s twins now featured their Desmodromic valve actuation. Wet weight was 443 lbs. and the bike could reach a top speed of 115mph. The 500 was superseded by the 600 in 1981 that, thanks to revised gearing, had an almost identical top speed but better midrange punch, with power increased to 57hp from the 583cc engine.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Ducati 600 SL Pantah for Sale

I bought it in 5/12/2006 from a collector and I kept it the in garage all this time without riding it. The previous owner did ride it and the motorcycle has normal wear on it. It is otherwise in great condition.

Also included are two original Italian helmets. Buyer is responsible for pick-up.

Obviously, a couple old helmets are best for display, but still pretty cool to have. Keep in mind that, if this has been mostly sitting since 2006, it may need some attention before being ridden: hoses dry out and crack, tires get hard, electrical connections can corrode, and gaskets can leak. That being said, the bike does run, and the seller includes this video of the bike running.

For a long time, these were very inexpensive to buy, although not all that easy to find. Considering the relatively high miles, I think the seller might be aiming a bit high with a $6,700 Buy It Now price. But these are ground zero for Ducati’s modern bikes, and provided the foundation for virtually every two and four-valve twin produced, making them historically significant and the ideal practical classic, with good parts availability and real-world ability.

-tad

Kawasaki

March 5, 2015

Even Better Than the Real Thing? 1982 Kawasaki GPz 1100 Eddie Lawson Replica Replica

At the tail-end of the twin-shock era, bikes like the Kawasaki GPz1100 were king on both road and track, although the writing was on the wall and lightweight, monoshock sportbikes like the GSX-R would soon end their dominance. These dinosaurs were heavy and stable, with ubiquitous air-cooled four-cylinder motors that were nearly unburstable and could be tuned to produce enough straight-line speed to keep even jaded quarter-mile junkies satisfied. On track, riders like Wes Cooley and Eddie Lawson managed to wrestle these thuggish motorcycles around racetracks all over the USA.

Based on the KZ1000J, Kawasaki’s Eddie Lawson Replica was built to celebrate that rider’s success in AMA Superbike racing. Performance enhancements included an oil-cooler, Kerker 4-into-1 exhaust, and higher-spec suspension. Most significantly, a revised frame improved stiffness and sharpened up the handling.

Full disclosure: this is not actually the Eddie Lawson Replica it at first appears to be, and the seller is very clear about that. It’s a replica of that replica, based on a GPz1100, and looks to have been well done, although the genuine article did feature revised frame with different geometry for sharper handling, but for most people this will do the business and be more comfortable. And it’s not like the seller just slapped on some paint and called it a day: a big-bore kit, more aggressive cams, and new carbs should make for a real rocket that will leave stoplights with authority.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Kawasaki GPz1100 ELR Replica

The previous owner did a frame up restoration of this bike in 2007. It has been driven less than 700 or so miles since that restoration. Everything on the bike was rebuilt and refinished at that time including the fork tubes being re-chromed, new brakes, new tires, new old stock seat, new windscreen, stainless steel fastener kit, etc. The frame and wheels have been powder coated as well as many other parts. New paint was professionally done to a very high standard, no stripe tape was used, all of the stripes were painted on. The paint itself is near flawless and looks fantastic. I would personally rate this bike a 8.75 on a scale of 1-10 as far as cosmetics go and I am more critical than most. If you wanted to take this bike to the next level as far as an Eddie Lawson Clone, I would add the piggy back rear shocks and a deep dish saddle. The April 2015 issue of Motorcyclist Magazine actually has an article on the ELR KZ1000R for anybody who is interested.

The engine was also completely gone through at that time and features an MTC 1185cc big bore kit, Z-2 cams, and Mikuni smooth bore 34mm carbs. The bike has a little under 15,900 original miles. Everything works on the bike as it should with a couple of exceptions. The fuel gauge is not working and probably needs a new sending unit. The rear brake is weak, it should grab more than it does. The carburetor slides are sticking. I thought this issue at first was a sticky throttle cable and ordered a new one but that wasn’t the case, it was the carb slides. Please keep in mind that these are smooth bore racing carbs (great for all out power but can be a bit stubborn around town) and can be a bit cantankerous at times and need to be resynchronized periodically. The new owner could always opt for the stock CV carbs if they want something a bit more mellow.

Starting bid of $4,999 and four days left on the auction with no takers as yet. That seems a very reasonable place to start for a bike like this, considering the low miles and very nice conditon: it’s not as if a GPz1100 isn’t a pretty cool bike on its own. Genuine ELR’s are some of the most collectible 80’s Japanese bikes of the period, but this should perform very much like the real deal, and that engine work should make it a hoot to ride.

-tad

Moto Morini

February 12, 2015

Budget Italian Racer: 1982 Moto Morini 250

Another unusual racebike up for sale this week, this time a very funky Moto Morini 250 with an enormous, wind-blocking fairing. I’m not sure if this would increase or decrease the bike’s top speed, but it should make it easy to relax on long straights, tucked into the bubble of still air behind it. You could maybe read a magazine…

With no real modern presence, at least in the US, Moto Morini is still the forgotten Italian marque, although they survived well into the 1980’s in Europe. Part of the reason for their relative obscurity here is their insistence on small-displacement bikes: they never got bigger than 500 until they were resurrected in 2004.

But Morini, in spite of modest top speed performance, always built sophisticated bikes with impressive handling. The 72º v-twin was designed to be compact and smooth, and put power though a six-speed gearbox. This innovative engine utilized traditional pushrods to operate the valves, but used a toothed belt to drive the camshaft instead of a heavy, noisy chain and the engines famously featured Heron-style heads that gave excellent fuel economy and simplified manufacturing.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Moto Morini 250 race bike for Sale

Dunstall tank, Grimeca hub, Akront front rim, Takasago rear rim, Paioli forks, Adj Progressive shocks
Fitted with Moto Morini 3½ top end.
Reportedly raced at Sears Point in the early 80’s, and clearly set up for racing, with wired nuts and bolts, and engine breathers connected to overflow bottles. No battery, lighting, or brake lights, etc, (Bike runs without battery)
Appears to have been in good shape when stored with gas removed from tank and carbs. Engine sounded good upon start up (see video below from last summer) After this run it was drained of fuel and back into storage
Bike will need work to make it roadworthy, tank sealing, paint, tires, mechanical work, tuning etc.
This bike is not a show bike. It was set up purely for functionality, not looks.
I’m not an expert in this field so use your own judgment and research before bidding.
Clear title in my name (secured by bond)
Mileage listed for ref only, actual miles not known
Stand not included in sale
Bike must be picked up within 30 days

While this is very cool, it is obviously modified from stock, with heads from a 3½ [350cc] bike, so be careful to read the rules of whatever race series you plan to enter this in. Conveniently Morinis came with both electric and kick start, so this bike simply ditches the heavy, unreliable electric system and goes with the lighter kick that eliminates the need for a battery.

-tad

Ducati

February 4, 2015

One for the Road: 1982 Ducati NCR TT for Sale

Almost literally a one-of-a-kind motorcycle, this Ducati-powered NCR is one of only two bikes built that were originally intended for road use, although several of the racebikes have apparently been converted for street duty. The one-piece tank and tail-section are distinctive NCR design features and the Verlicchi frame and monoshock rear were both advanced features for the time.

If you’re not familiar with NCR, their history is intertwined with Ducati, and they are responsible for building some of their most famous racebikes, including Mike Hailwood’s Isle of Man machine. Powered by the 600cc version of Ducati’s then-new Pantah L-twin still found in air-cooled models today, although this earlier configuration has the carburetor feeding the rear cylinder in a more traditional, entirely less-compact location.

There are lots of great details on this bike, including the vintage Kröber racing tachometer. And where can I get one of those cut-out “DUCATI” front sprocket covers?

The listing includes the full history of this bike which, it turns out, sounds pretty dramatic, considering it has no racing history at all…

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Ducati NCR TT Roadbike for Sale

Scuderia NCR TT. One of only two road bikes made by the legendary Ducati race team.

Approximately nine frames were made by Verlicchi for the Pantah based bikes.Seven were in racing style. With six being mono shock and one twin shock.

The whereabouts of all seven race bikes are known. Three went to Australia (two converted to road bike, including the one twin shock), one was never assembled, One each to Sweden (written off), Germany (converted to road), and two in Italy, including one in a ‘Old Racing Spare Parts’ museum. Mario Sassi has confirmed that mine is an original Verlicchi built frame.

Two were built in road style. One was in silver/red with full fairing (photo 24) and one in red/silver with half fairing. Mine is the only one ever built where the one piece tank/seat unit is in alloy and fiberglass.

These road bikes were never made available to the public but produced by commission only.

With a focus on racing, machines from NCR are obviously not series-production bikes. Like modern NCR’s, they are built upon request to customer specifications and are of the “if you have to ask” variety. This is pretty clear from the bidding, which is up to $37,500 with just one day left on the auction. That’s a ton of dough for a Pantah-based Ducati, but accurately reflects the rarity and racing heritage of both parents. Or “all three,” if we include frame builders Verlicchi.

This same bike was up for auction last year, with a $50,000 Buy It Now price, so perhaps the actual value lies somewhere in between?

-tad

Honda

October 20, 2014

Boosted Classic: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo for Sale

Here’s a bit of an odd duck: a cherished Honda CX500 Turbo! For a period in the early to mid-1980s, all of the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers flirted with forced-induction, although it seems to have been a bit of a fad. The main advantage of a turbocharged motor is efficiency: some wasted exhaust energy is scavenged and repurposed to the production of more power, and obviously you can get much more volumetric efficiency with a turbo than you can with normal aspiration. But the benefits of forced-induction in a motorcycle are outweighed by the additional complexity they bring to the table, especially when a simple bump in displacement or revs might, at least in a motorcycle, provide the same power increase.

But in the automotive world, the word “turbo” was all the rage, and bike manufacturers didn’t want to be left behind. Many of these early attempts were fairly crude, and while turbo lag and a big hit of power can be a rush in a car, they’re especially dangerous qualities for a bike. Porsche’s early 911 Turbo developed a reputation for lethality because mid-corner boost from the primitive turbocharging combined with tricky lift-throttle handling to surprise more than a few owners, testing their cars’ build-quality and crash durability as they headed off the road backwards.

Now imagine that same dynamic, on a bike leaned over at 45° on 130-section tires…

When Honda joined in on the craze, they did it with typical refinement, although their choice of a platform might seem odd at first. Instead of a signature sophisticated and smooth four-cylinder, they chose their almost retro-tech, slightly ungainly CX500 v-twin. But while the spec sheet for the CX500 looks low-tech, it was actually a very sophisticated design, with many thoughtfully designed aspects designed in: the pushrods were required by a slight twist to the angle of the heads so the carburetors didn’t try to occupy the same space as a rider’s knees, and the transmission spun counter to the longitudinal crankshaft to minimize torque-reaction to the shaft-drive rear.

Most importantly, the engine was liquid-cooled and could easily handle the additional heat and pressure that the turbo would add, and the simplicity of the 80° twin left plenty of space for intake and exhaust plumbing. The resulting package was far from pretty, but with 19psi, the little 487cc motor put out 82hp and could push the bike north of 120mph. The bike also featured modular ComStar wheels and tubeless tires, a relative rarity at the time.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo for Sale

Well, you found it! My pride and joy. And if you are looking at this listing I can pretty much guarantee you already know alot about this motorcycle. Its super rare and hard to find. It has been in my possession since around August 2005. It appears by paperwork I have in the shop manual that I am the third owner and that it was originally purchased in CT.

This bike is in original condition with a few exceptions. I replaced the front brake lines with Galfer SS lines just this past weekend. Along with the new lines I did a complete rebuild of the front calipers, polished caliper pistons, new piston seals and dust caps, new pads, master cylinder rebuild, and of course new fluid. Also shortly after I got it the paint on the exhaust was chipping off on the “TURBO” shields. I removed the paint with intentions of painting it back black and never got around to it. Besides that this bike is stock and unmolested. Adult active duty military owned, kept in a climate controlled garage and was the Queen of all the bikes, always covered up and sheltered from the elements.

However, this bike is not perfect. It does have imperfections and most of them common to this model. A paint chip in the front fender, a scratch here and there, the crack in the right side fairing that is common due to the heat off the exhaust, a small crack in right front turn signal (cant see it unless your looking for it), Small imperfection in the windscreen, etc. Remember this bike is 32 years old!!! Also the bike was laid over in the garage by previous owner and probably contributed to the crack in the fairing. The left side battery compartment cover was cracked real bad when I bought her. I replaced it with an original equipment one soon after I bought it. There is a piece of gauge cluster foam gasket material that has slid down on the tachometer. It does not affect the function of the tach and I was going to replace but am scared to take it apart that far. I’ve tried to take pictures of all her imperfections and am representing the bike to the best of my ability.

Thats the bad, now the good. Bike has a new battery, original owners manual, shop manual (which I used to rebuild brakes), and runs like a top! I just rode this bike this past weekend with my dad and it still makes me grin ear to ear when the boost kicks in and the turbo gauge ramps up to max psi! It is definitely like no other bike I have ever had and I hate to see her go and hope the next person will appreciate her and take care of her as well as I have.

The CX500 was produced for only one year, and was followed by the more refined, slightly bigger CX650 Turbo. While ultimately a technological dead-end for motorcycles, the flirtation with turbocharging has led to a few very funky, affordable collector bikes, and many can be found in very nice condition if you poke around.

There are still a couple days left on the auction, although the reserve has not been met at about $3,000. It looks to be in very nice, original shape: the cracks are unfortunate, but speak to the originality of this machine and the bike is in otherwise very nice shape. The stainless front brake lines are a welcome touch and the bike appears to have had very careful maintenance.

Turbocharged bikes were a bit of a gimmick at the time, but can be a real blast on the road: that lag and boost can be a bit of a pain if you’re looking at lap times. But on a back road, that rush of power can be a whole lot of fun! And modern technology that smooths power delivery, reduces lag, and improves safety might see the return of forced-induction to motorcycle manufacturing… Fun, collectible, reliable, and affordable, snap one of these up before prices shoot up: 80’s bikes are still a bit uncool, but these things tend to be cyclical [pun!] and interest is on the upswing.

-tad

Laverda

September 5, 2014

Tangerine Dream:1982 Laverda Jota for Sale

It’s been positively raining Laverdas this past couple weeks. I normally try to mix things up, but Laverdas, especially ones like this Jota don’t come around all that often, so it’s a case of “making hay while the sun shines”…

The original Jota was created, not by the Laverda factory in Breganze, Italy, but by Slater Laverda, a dealer and shop in England. Introduced in 1976, it was basically a high-performance version of the company’s 3CL 1000 with a much more evocative name.

Upgrades generally included high-compression pistons, camshafts, and a free-flowing exhaust although Jotas were, in the typical Italian style, subject to different specifications, depending on when and for what market they were built. It wasn’t a true factory model, so details varied from country to country and year to year, although US models are generally understood to be of lower-spec than the original British bikes.

Changes to the 981cc three-cylinder engine were good for 90hp and 146mph. Early bikes featured a 180° camshaft that had the outside pistons rising and falling together. Supposedly better for power, and certainly good for noise: the Italian triple was raw and raucous, and sounded like a four with a miss… In 1982, Laverda switched to a smoother 120° camshaft, although having heard those a few times in person, they’re far from tame.

Jotas are brutal bikes: tall, with heavy controls, although the famous adjustable bars at least make finding a comfortable riding position a bit easier. The flip side is that they’re also ruggedly overbuilt and while, like all older machines, they do require more tinkering than a modern motorcycle, the hard parts are extremely robust and the bikes can cover huge miles before needing significant work.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Laverda Jota for Sale

This is a 1982 Laverda Jota 180 which has just finished a restoration after being in long term climate controlled storage. It is number 8118 making it one of the last ones built.

Everything that needed to be replaced was replaced – details of the items are below.

This is as close to an original bike as can be found in North America.

The bike is ready to ride – I’ve put just a few hundred miles on it since restoration, to test all systems and performance, and is ready to go to someone who will love and use her.

Restoration did not include any engine work; seals etc but there are no leaks.

This bike has ~9500 miles on it, with more being added. This bike had never been taken apart, it had damage to the fairing during storage, caused by falling wood, which was repaired and the entire bike was repainted by a professional painter. The tail piece was broken and replaced with a carbon fiber unit. The stripes on the tail piece reveal the carbon fiber. A new dark windscreen was installed.

When adjusting valves the internals looked brand new!

This is a US Spec bike, all in fantastic original condition. Please look at the photos, original finish on engine and frame, was in great condition when I acquired the bike. I went through and rebuilt all the hydraulics and carbs with new parts. I replaced the original Ignition and pickups with an Ignitech controller and electronic sensor board as the original pickup wires had deteriorated. I repaired the original pickup wiring and they will be included.

The listing also includes additional work that has recently been done to the bike. Although this one is listed as a 1982, the seller mentions it has the earlier 180° so it’s technically a leftover 1981 model, making it far more desirable than the later versions. Interestingly, these make peak power at 7,500 rpm, north of the indicated redline on the suspiciously Honda-looking tach, making the red band actually more of a “power band”.

Bidding is very active, as you’d expect, although at just north of $11,000 the reserve hasn’t been met yet. That’s no real surprise: this looks to be a great example of the last of the fire-breathing Jotas, and should go for a good bit more than that.

While I’m not the biggest fan of the huge fairings often found on these, my fantasy garage absolutely includes a three-cylinder Laverda. In bright, Laverda orange.

-tad

Honda

August 27, 2014

Executive Express: 1982 Honda CBX for Sale

I’ve written a number of times about Honda’s mighty CBX, with its straight-six and cascading wall of exhaust pipes. They’re glorious monuments to excess: relatively heavy, with too many cylinders, too many exhaust pipes, and too many carburetors, with plenty of power and a truly silken, exotic exhaust note.

Introduced in 1979, the bikes struggled a bit with their identity. The straight-six itself was shared with no other models and was really intended to evoke Honda’s GP race bikes of ten years prior. But while those racing machines were jewel-like exotics of staggering complexity and miraculous packaging, the CBX let it all hang out, and with the butch 1047cc powerplant on full display, the bike was anything but lithe and sleek. Although the six wasn’t really much wider than Honda’s 750 four-cylinder, it certainly looked that way, and the whole package was pretty heavy. Nearly 600 pounds of weight, combined with relatively indifferent suspension, made the bike more of a sport-touring machine.

Early CBX’s featured classic “UJM on steroids” styling, with twin shocks, a little duck-tailed seat unit, and nothing up front to hide the imposing engine. But in 1981 the bike’s mission changed and the bike was developed into a monoshock sport-touring machine. The angular 80’s fairings may not be to everyone’s taste, but the redesign actually suits the bike’s original mission very well: eating up miles in class and comfort.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Honda CBX for Sale

I am the second owner for the past 24 years. The bike has lived a sheltered life, always indoors where it was has been loved and respected. Never wrecked or abused. Keeping this rare-limited bike to original specs and condition was always my goal and passion. Original 13, 340 miles. Untouched pearl white paint with black/blue stripes. Minimal paint scuffs on right rear saddle bag from passengers getting on and off through the years. One small minor 3/8″ scratch on left front side of gas tank. Original owner called it a “birthmark” since new from shipping. It was elected to leave it rather then to fix it.

All original decals an information tags still on the bike and in perfect condition. Current a leather Corbin seat for comfort, original seat is in perfect condition and included in the sale. Bike runs and rides excellent, no issues. No rust in gas tank. Everything works as it should. Highway pegs added when new by original owner – not drilled. Tires were replaced 22 years ago, no rot. Front tire in very good condition, rear is wearing down. Approximately 11,000 miles on tires. I have a brand new set of tires never used, original to the 1982 CBX are also included with the sale.

Front fork seals replaced, carbs were synchronized once. Replaced full exhaust with last known set of Honda line original exhaust 20 years ago for $2,000 is still in like new condition and replaced rear air shock due to leaking for $680 with last known Honda line original.

Folks who love to travel on their motorcycles seem to love full-dress Harleys. I’ve never ridden a full-dress Harley, so I can’t really speak to the experience, but I do know that they’re extremely heavy, relatively slow, and handle poorly. I hear they have killer stereos though… That seems to suit most people, but I’ve never understood why you can’t have comfort, speed, and sophistication. This CBX provides all three, and I think I’d prefer that wailing straight-six for a soundtrack, since I’m pretty bored with classic rock.

With bidding just above $5,000 it’s no surprise the reserve has not been met. This bike looks to be a very nice example of a late CBX. One of the few Japanese bikes of the period that have really always been pretty collectible, CBX values are definitely on the rise, although early bikes remain more desirable. Which is great if you actually want to use your bike to tour, since you get that truly epic motor in a much more usable package.

-tad

Honda

August 9, 2014

Just Add Boost: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo

The CX500 motorcycles from Honda are pretty strange machines, considering the source: for a company whose calling card had become sophisticated range of four-cylinder motorcycles, it seems strange they would introduce a longitudinally-oriented, shaft drive, pushrod motorcycle.

In fact, every aspect actually seems like an attempt to one-up Moto Guzzi: the longitudinal v-twin, but with 80º between the cylinders to keep the engine more compact. A slight twist to the heads themselves that required pushrods instead of overhead cams, but allowed the carbs and inlets to keep clear of the riders legs. A transmission spinning counter to crankshaft rotation, to help cancel some to the inherent torque reaction caused by the engine’s north-south orientation. The bike was water-cooled and featured the first tubeless tires on a production motorcycle, mounted to Honda’s Comstar wheels.

Unfortunately, while all this made sense, it was pug-ugly and pretty appliance-like.

But when other Japanese manufacturers began turbocharging their bikes, Honda turbocharged their first-ever v-twin because it was liquid-cooled and could handle the additional heat and stress generated by forced-induction. The pushrod twin may not have looked very sophisticated on paper, but it provided a great foundation for the innovations Honda applied, including advanced, computer-controlled fuel injection, a mono-shock rear end, and anti-dive fork, and 19psi of boost.

The result was 82hp from 497cc’s and a tested top speed of over 120mph.

From the original eBay listing: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo for Sale

Rare 1982 honda cx 500 turbo bike , bike runs and rides good, Stator was replaced a few years ago, new battery, new brake pads, original Honda tool kit, side covers have no broken tabs, do not let the miles fool you this bike runs great, this bike has some small scuffs on the right side fairing near the front, that was there when I bought this bike, clear MN title in my name and plated , this will need a rear tire soon, other wise bike starts rides good and has good power

The CX500 Turbo was a real one-year wonder and was superceded by the CX650 that actually displaced 673cc’s… Turbo bikes in general were expensive to produce and provided horsepower gains more easily achieved by simple displacement increases. But while not necessarily the best way to go fast, they do provide exciting power delivery and turbocharged motors are a great deal of fun when the boost kicks in.

Bidding is still under $3,000 with just a day left. It’s not perfect and does have some wear on the left-side fairing, but this is a real steal for such an interesting and rare motorcycle.

-tad

Tagged: 1982

All-Original GP Machine: 1982 Suzuki RGB500 Mk7 XR40 for Sale

Vintage Grand Prix: 1982 Suzuki RGB500 for Sale

Practical Classic: 1982 Ducati 600SL Pantah for Sale

Even Better Than the Real Thing? 1982 Kawasaki GPz 1100 Eddie Lawson Replica Replica

Budget Italian Racer: 1982 Moto Morini 250

One for the Road: 1982 Ducati NCR TT for Sale

Boosted Classic: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo for Sale

Tangerine Dream:1982 Laverda Jota for Sale

Executive Express: 1982 Honda CBX for Sale

Just Add Boost: 1982 Honda CX500 Turbo

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