Just one year after Honda released the CX500T (their first turbo’d production bike), they enlarged the motor and and created the CX650T instead. The big 4 Japanese firms all had turbocharged bikes during this time period, but Honda had one of the more successful experiments with about 1,200 CX650 Turbos exported to the US>
“Off boost, the CX650T chuffs its way down the road like a mildly tuned 650 twin. On boost, it accelerates like an F-4 being blasted off the flight deck of the USS Enterprise by a steam catapult.”
— Rider, October 1983
The Honda CX650T produced 100 horsepower and was capable of hitting 140 mph. It was surprisingly portly, at over 570 pounds, but it could still return 45 miles per gallon. On paper, it wasn’t bad at all. Unfortunately, turbo lag proved to be a difficult challenge, and insurance companies charged nearly-prohibitive rates for those brave enough to regularly dip into boost.
This specific CX Turbo (VIN: JH2RC1600DM0004xx) was acquired from Greg Goss, one of the most respected restorers of this model in the US, and it’s claimed to be in “perfect condition with mostly new paint and all mechanics checked and overhauled as necessary.” It has 16,300 miles (1,200 since the seller got the bike in 2014) and looks good, though there are a few flaws that make me question the seller’s description of “perfect”: the fuel gauge and trip reset buttons don’t work, no tool kit or manual are included, and the key cover on the fuel tank is missing. Still, this is a nice example of a rare turbo’d bike.
Find this Honda CX650T Turbo in Roswell, Georgia with bidding up to $5,655.55 and the reserve not yet met