Another Orphan Coming? [CX500 Turbo!]

[desertrefugee]

I don't want to jinx myself or get sniped because it's not yet done deal, but there is a very strong possibility that I will be bringing another project Honda into the fold. You guys know that the bikes that I "typically" bring in are not always "typical". This candidate will be no exception. Believe it or not... And don't call me crazy... I have an opportunity to acquire CX500 Turbo. It appears to be all there, but will require some elbow grease, Blood, Sweat and Tears to be operable again.

That's all I'm going to say for now, because it is not at all definite yet, but I'm so giddy with anticipation that I couldn't resist mentioning it. All I will say is that if it is not nearly 100% complete, I will walk away. A one-year only model, parts will be few and far between for this Beast.

 

[Dusterdude]

Groovy

Sent from my LM-X420 using Tapatalk

 

[mcgovern61]

I love the CX500. Turbo? Never saw one turboed.

 

[dan filipi]

Great bike. Hope it works out!

 

[joedrum]

Sounds great so far

 

[desertrefugee]

It worked out. I guess. It’s in the shop. Rougher around the edges than I had hoped, but I could not ignore the price. Not sure if I want to embark on this project yet or go after the ‘78 750 super sport. Decisions, decisions. They are both major projects.

 

[desertrefugee]

It's all there. Warts and all. Service manual, owners manual, tool kit, original pressure gauge (and some craziness I missed until I got home).

More later.

 

[D-50Dave]

opcorn:

 

[joedrum]

Nice

 

[Ohara]

Interesting, looks good.

 

[dan filipi]

Let’s hear it run!

 

[julimike54]

Very cool opcorn:

 

[Rednaxs60]

Very nice. I have been following these on the CX500/650 forum. Interesting bike and lots of similarities between it an my '85 Limited Edition FI. It is the first gen of the FI system and turbo to boot. Honda refined the FI system a bit for the follow on '83 CX650 Turbo, and then again for the '85 Limited Edition, and '86 SE-i. Here's a word doc about the CX500T that I borrowed from the web:View attachment HONDA CX500 TURBO IS THE WORLD Article.doc Great score, you'll have fun.

 

[Ansimp]

All my bikes are boring compared to yours Darrell! :mrgreen:

 

[brianinpa]

Warts... what warts?

 

[desertrefugee]

brianinpa » Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:01 am[/url]":aq3z42ar]
Warts... what warts?

Well, since you asked a direct question, I will open the kimono. I’m embarrassed about it, but here it is…

Please don’t ridicule me for bringing this monstrosity home, but I truly missed a major “issue”. I might have still considered the purchase given the rarity of the machine, but I can assure you that the already low price would’ve been significantly lower.

There has been some serious monkey business on the rear tail section of the frame. With the tail on, it looks perfectly normal, but the somebody welded bar stock onto the rear frame tails. Must’ve been tweaked and/or they were added for reinforcement. I guess so that the computer box, turn signals and tail light assembly could be mounted back up. I’m hearing that those two protrusions are quite weak and easily bent.

I discovered this nonsense when I was peeling all her clothes off. I cannot believe I missed it, but didn’t dig deep enough during the once over. I guess I was blinded by the fact that I was looking at a Turbo, and he claimed that there were eight people in line behind me. I don’t doubt it given the price he was asking.

This bar stock is literally welded onto the frame tubes and will require major surgery to remove. Both sides now have this “feature“. I have a buddy who’s a pretty good welder, but I do need to find an appropriate donor frame. Then again, I may just smooth it down, grind off the sharp edges, paint it and put the clothes back on and pretend it’s not there.

This really was a disappointment given the overall fairly decent condition of the machine. Both sides have this “feature”.

 

[desertrefugee]

Ansimp » Thu Jun 18, 2020 3:19 pm[/url]":15jgeg5c]
All my bikes are boring compared to yours Darrell! :mrgreen:

You know Tony, I am of the opinion that no motorcycle is truly boring. Beats the heck out of driving a Toyota.

(By the way, there is nothing boring about a CBR!)

 

[D-50Dave]

brianinpa » Yesterday, 11:01 am[/url]":1fsu617j]
Warts... what warts?

 

[Rednaxs60]

Don't be embarrassed or even beat yourself up. I think both of my GWs were beaten a bit, con't prove it but just a gut feel. Can't find everything on a buy. I'm certain you will come up with a good solution that doesn't include the bar stock and bring the bike back to its former glory. Great find.

 

[desertrefugee]

Thanks Ernest. For now, I’m focusing on getting the thing running. It’s another long time sleeper and I’m having fueling issues. Given that you also haunt the CX forum, you’ve probably read my blurb there, but I might as well get some mileage out of the verbiage and repost a portion of it here for those who might be interested in what’s going on with this thing.

So, after a couple of days of disassembly and bonding with the machine, moping over the “modification” to the frame shown above, I’m moving through the typical things that need to be done on a motorcycle that’s been idle for 10+ years. Couple of things have popped up already.

Number one, got spark and I have fuel through the pump and the rail is pressurized. But, it won’t even fart while cranking. The bike will fire with a little fluid injected into small access bolt holes in the intake ports and runs for a few seconds. But it seems the injectors are not working. I do have 12 V on each injector which drops to about eight during cranking. I don’t have an oscilloscope and cannot see a signal, think that’s normal? I really don’t want this to be a computer issue. If not, I guess I’ll be pulling the injectors and having them serviced - which is pretty common for a sleeper.

(Number two was an air cleaner that was absolutely disintegrating and sending bits of foam into the intake tract. As it turns out, they are not produced any more and are extraordinarily hard to find. May have to rework this thing.)