1982 Honda CX500 CX500T Turbo Service Manual

Cycle World's own 1982 verdict has become the CX500 Turbo's defining quote: "fast, expensive motorcycles are normally called Superbikes, but the Honda Turbo is very much different from all of the other Superbikes. It's a Superbike in party clothes." Arriving at dealerships in spring 1982 after over a year of teasing the press, the CX500 Turbo represents Honda's deliberate "corporate statement" — proof the company could out-engineer any rival — and stands as the world's first genuinely production turbocharged motorcycle, backed by more than 230 patents filed on its components alone.

Power comes from a 497-498cc liquid-cooled 80-degree V-twin, turbocharged via a purpose-built IHI unit spinning at up to 200,000 rpm, delivering a claimed 82 hp at 8,000 rpm and roughly 58-59 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm — nearly double the standard CX500's output from the same base displacement. It was one of the first production motorcycles fitted with computer-controlled programmed fuel injection, run through a 5-speed transmission with shaft final drive. Honda specified SF-rated oil rather than the standard SE-rated grade, recognizing the extreme heat the turbo's spinning shaft placed on lubrication.

Chassis technology was genuinely ahead of its time: Honda's Pro-Link rear monoshock and TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control) front suspension, linking brake force to fork damping, both made their debut here before trickling down to other Honda models. Dual front discs with twin-piston calipers and a single rear disc handled braking, while small scoops in the front fender directed extra cooling air to the engine. Reviewers consistently praised the comfortable riding position and low vibration, but flagged genuine character quirks: a notable Jekyll-and-Hyde transition as boost hit around 4,000 rpm, considerable weight (around 571-600 lbs), and underwhelming low-end power off-boost. Only 2,833 units were built worldwide before the CX650 Turbo replaced it the following year.

This factory service manual covers the procedures, torque specs, and diagrams needed to keep a 1982 CX500 Turbo's turbocharged engine and driveline running the way Honda built it.