Honda CX500 Turbo

The CX500 made its debut in 1980 at the IFMA trade show in Cologne, Germany. The Honda CX500 Turbo, which was released in 1981, was the world’s first turbo-charged motorcycle. Turbocharged engines offered greater power and torque for higher performance, but also caused a delay in throttle response during acceleration.

The delay in throttle response presented technical challenges for turbocharged motorcycles. Honda and IHI (Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries) overcame this problem by using computerized fuel injection to provide the engine with the optimal amount of fuel at all times.

The CFI transformed the V2 OHV engine, which produced 48hp and 4.1kg/m of torque into a high performance engine with 78hp with 7.5kg/m of torque. Other advanced include a cowling, Honda”s Pro-Link rear suspension, and a 4-step adjustable anti nose dive front suspension. The CX500 was capable of a maximum speed of over 120mph.