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Launched in 1980, the Honda CX500 was the most daring attempt at producing a high-tech turbo bike. The world's leading manufacturer at the time. [[Honda]] had chosen to turbocharge a relatively small engine, and complicated the problem further by choosing a v-twin. | Launched in 1980, the Honda CX500 was the most daring attempt at producing a high-tech turbo bike. The world's leading manufacturer at the time. [[Honda]] had chosen to turbocharge a relatively small engine, and complicated the problem further by choosing a v-twin. | ||
==Technical Complexity== | ==Technical Complexity== | ||
Honda achieved its aim in a masterly manner, though at the expense of fearful technical complexity. If the original CX500 was plagued by a turbo that came in too sharply, the [[Honda | Honda achieved its aim in a masterly manner, though at the expense of fearful technical complexity. If the original CX500 was plagued by a turbo that came in too sharply, the [[Honda CX650T|CX650T]] that followed was one of the best sports-touring bikes ever built. But it came too late, the turbo craze was over soon, and performance-hungry motorcyclists began turning towards increasingly large naturally aspirated engines. Honda had done its best to make the CX Turbo a success by employing the renowned Italian automotive stylist [[Giovanni Michelotti]], who created a shape that was as practical as it was innovative. The CX's fairing offered a rare level of protection while forming an integral part of the machine. | ||