Honda SH 300 scooter - review from auto mechanic Vladimir Ivanov

Honda CX500 Turbo sports tourer model

was officially introduced in 1981 (1982 model year) primarily for the North American and West German export markets. The model was built on the basic version of the Honda CX500, but featured advanced front wind protection, electronic fuel injection and a turbine. The Honda CX500 Turbo was the first production Honda motorcycle with programmable fuel injection and a turbocharger, the use of which increased the maximum power from 50 to 82 hp compared to the basic version.

Another important feature of the Honda CX500 Turbo, as well as the entire CX500 line, was a 2-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled engine, located longitudinally in the frame (as on Moto Guzzi motorcycles), with a cylinder camber angle of 80°. It is also noteworthy that at first the longitudinally located V-shaped (90°) engine, when tested by pilots, turned out to be extremely uncomfortable ergonomically (the legs rested on the carburetors) - to solve this problem, the engineers had to reduce the cylinder camber to 80° and turn the cylinder heads to 22° relative to the cylinder axis. The engine is equipped with 4 valves per cylinder and a lower camshaft. Also, unlike the basic version, the Honda CX500 Turbo model received a reinforced clutch and gearbox.

Other features of the Honda CX500 Turbo include a steel frame, pneumatically adjustable suspension (the front fork has an anti-dive system TRAC - Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control), disc brakes, a 20-liter fuel tank, a 5-speed gearbox and a 260 kg curb weight.

1982 was the last year of production of the Honda CX500 Turbo, after which it was replaced by the new Honda CX650 Turbo, which, however, also lasted only one year.

Turbocharged motorcycle models from other Japanese manufacturers:

• Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo / Kawasaki H2
• Suzuki XN85 Turbo
• Yamaha XJ650 Turbo

Specifications

Technical characteristics of Honda CX500 Turbo:

Honda SH 300 scooter - review from auto mechanic Vladimir Ivanov

Review author: Vladimir Ivanov, auto mechanic.

I looked at my right hand; slowly I lifted it towards the throttle, now carefully doing so, I grabbed the rubber grip and slowly squeezed my knuckles. I looked at the road ahead - nothing. No cars, no bicycles, no children on skateboards - nothing will interfere with my riding. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time - to ride a Japanese Honda SH 300. Time slowed down, I pulled in the last minute and turned the gas all the way...

Before reading further, look at the technical specifications of the Honda SH 300 scooter at the link.

Now compared to the 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R I can't say the SH was fast, not at all. However, for a standard size scooter, the SH is the current benchmark for speed.

Initial acceleration is a little weak for the first second or so, then the CVT kicks in fully and I accelerate smoothly continuously to speeds of over 140 km/h. Inside my helmet, a smile appears on my face. This is more like him; this is what a motorcyclist should feel.

Why on earth has it taken scooter companies so long to give us what we actually want?

Someone at Honda Italy decided a few years ago to build a scooter from scratch. They threw out all the crappy old scooter designs and started with a clean slate - the SH series was born.

Now to say the SH series was a success is a complete understatement, the SH is the new benchmark. Honda's goal was complete dominance of the lucrative Italian scooter market. The goal is achieved, the goal is completely blown up to & * ^ #% mother. In 2007, the SH 150 was the number one scooter in Italy, the SH 300 was number two and the SH 125 was number three. Even Toyota doesn't have such strong sales success, especially in its premium models.

I'm not going to give you the full technical rundown of SH, you can check that out at the link on my website that I gave at the beginning of the article.

What I will do is tell you what SH is like. The SH 300 is the first moped I've ever ridden that I actually WANT to ride. Hell, on a really twisty road I'd have a hard time keeping up with the SH300 on a motorcycle.

The rear suspension is a little on the firm side, but it suits bikes of a sporting nature much better than the usual comfortable scooter setup. Large 16-inch wheels in any case perfectly smooth out most road imperfections.

So, having fallen in love with the SH's excellent handling, I tried the brakes.

Holy cow! I can't stress enough how much better Honda brakes are than standard scooter brakes. SH operates Honda's linked brake system, which connects the front and rear brakes from a single lever. This gives you extra stopping power in panic situations where you can only keep one hand on the lever.

Now combine those clutch brakes with the powerful and reliable ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and you have the best brakes of any scooter I've ridden. In fact, the brakes on the SH will "make" the brakes on most motorcycles. After riding the SH 300 in horrendous wet conditions, I would say that I would NEVER buy a bike without ABS.

It's just good. Welcome to the future. If the scooter you're considering buying doesn't have ABS, just don't buy it. Compared to SH, it's trash.

As I said at the beginning of this review, the Honda SH 300 is fast; The power of the SH 300 is 27 hp. This is not a very large number in the world of technology, but it is a large number when compared to scooters. Essentially, Honda has upgraded the engine of one of its off-road motorcycles and tuned it to run smoother and with better fuel economy. In our tests, the SH accelerated to 100 km/h in just 10.9 seconds. That's significantly faster than any other non-maxi scooter we've tested to date.

The scooters' small size and weight mean they are easy to move at low speeds and fairly easy to place on a center stand. Combine this with a remote ignition seat release, a detailed array of gauges and a small glove box and you have a near-perfect scooter. I say "almost perfect" because SH has one major flaw.

The under-seat storage space is tiny and doesn't fit any kind of full-face helmet. Clearly Honda wanted to keep seat height to a minimum and simply couldn't accommodate a large storage area without raising the seat further. You can install a case to store a larger helmet, but it's actually a pain.

Hope Honda can solve this bad trunk problem in the future. We've reviewed the new Citycom 300i SYM and it absolutely kills SH when it comes to the toilet. Finally, you get Honda's unrivaled build quality and legendary reliability, combined with good fuel economy for such a fast bike - 3.5L/100km.

Honda has set the benchmark in the scooter world with the SH; This is probably the best scooter in the world. Most other manufacturers are trying their best to outbid the competition, but they seem to be missing the mark; some don't even get far. Vespa responded with the new GTS 300 Super, but unfortunately the new engine is a complete joke and only makes 1hp more than their 250cc model.

The Citycom is a fantastic bike at a fantastic price, but the Honda is again better in almost every department. It all comes down to money; if you can afford it, buy a Honda SS 300.

Chassis and brakes

The CX 500 features a steel frame that matches the typical sports bike look of the era. The colors were also well chosen, using bright shades against a general off-white background. Alloy wheels and a classic steering wheel for the class successfully complete the picture.

The rear of the bike has a pendulum suspension, which is equipped with two shock absorbers. At the front there is a telescopic fork measuring 39 mm. The rear brake is a drum version, and at the front there is a pair of discs, each 275 mm, complete with two-piston calipers.

Appearance

At first glance at the Honda SH Mode 125, you understand that the scooter is aimed at the youth market. Smooth lines and a compact silhouette define a neutral look that will suit both men and women. In particular, this pink model is clearly aimed at a female audience. There are also models in black and white.

The scooter is clearly urban, with a large amount of chrome in the details and smooth plastic lining. High quality plastic, all in the style of the Japanese giant.

The instrument cluster is familiar and practically no different from that used in the SH 125i model. There is a speedometer, a digital display, a fuel level indicator, and various indicators with LED backlighting. The dashboard is balanced and does not contain anything superfluous. Despite its compact size, the front plastic perfectly protects the driver from the wind. In particular, the plastic in the knee area expands slightly and is designed to deflect wind and rain to the sides while driving.

Source: https://scooter-remont.com/

For whom

Here are the advantages of the Honda CX 500:

• ease of use;
• comfort of landing;
• a kind of uniqueness in constructive terms.

The model is perfect for connoisseurs of those sports motorcycles that have already gone down in history as outstanding. The bike is an interesting piece for a motorcycle collector, since its design and production time allow it to be called a rarity.

Dimensions and weight

A wheelbase of 1455 mm and a seat height of 820 mm indicate the rather large dimensions of this machine. The motorcycle reaches 2205 mm in length, 770 mm in width, and 1205 mm in height. Together with fuel, the motorcycle weighs 225 kg, and its tank volume is 19 liters. On average, the model consumes about 6 liters of gasoline per 100 km.

I had this motorcycle, a 1980 HondaCX500. So I want to tell you about him.

I drove it for almost a year, covering approximately 11,200 kilometers. The mileage before purchase was 58,560. Considering the fact that it is currently sold, the description of impressions from this device will be as objective as possible.

Honda CX500 1980

- two-cylinder, four-stroke, V-shaped with a camber angle of 90 degrees, compression ratio - 10.5, pressure in the cylinders 12.5 atm.

I don’t know what the gas distribution is called, the camshaft is in the camber of the cylinder block, there are pushers from it, they put pressure on the rocker arms. The rocker arms are made in such a configuration that one presses on 2 valve plates, therefore the cylinder head is four valve.

The cooling is liquid, the radiator fan is mounted on the camshaft, that is, it rotates regardless of the coolant temperature.

Multi-plate clutch in oil bath, mechanical control.

The gearbox is five-speed manual.

The transmission drive is a cardan shaft.

Front brakes are double-disc, one hydraulic cylinder per non-ventilated disc, floating calipers.

Rear brakes are drum type with mechanical drive.

Wheels: front 3.25 - 19, rear 120/90-18.

KeihinVB36 carburetors with hydrodynamically coupled air and fuel metering valves, one per cylinder.

We can say that after buying a used motorcycle, at least a little maintenance needs to be done, otherwise you can pay with your health, even in the worst case, or inappropriate technical characteristics in the best.

But, as it turned out later, the work done was insufficient - during emergency braking with the front brake, in one case the rear wheel lifted, and in the other it fell onto the left side again, the tires on both wheels were replaced - the phenomenon stopped, but the hand was still I was very tired, autumn came, and with it intercity trips, I was really afraid to use the brakes too much - I thought that they were actually not very effective, and driving around the city turned into torture, I always had to keep a decent distance from the car in front , well, this place was occupied by others and it turned out that I was going slower than the flow.

Intercity became my friend - hand fatigue was cured by relaxing it for a couple of minutes - I still had to use the clutch extremely rarely when moving in a straight line.

So, afraid of the unpredictability of the brakes, I drove until December. In winter, it was decided to repaint the motorcycle black and carry out a full maintenance. It turned out why the brakes were ineffective - the fork was filled with fresh water, once called spindle oil, it destructured and turned into a greenish swampy and thick mass that was not pressed through the profiled holes.

It turned out that the wheel did not smoothly press against the asphalt, but with a jerk, which I provoked with the brake handle.

Of course, it was possible very smoothly, but it didn’t work out due to the road situations, and the old tires couldn’t hold traction with the asphalt. In addition, the left fork leg stood 5 mm higher than the right one - this explained the application of excessive force on the left handle, the fatigue of the arm and shoulder and the fall on the left side at the moment of braking, because you need to use the front brake in a vertical position of the motorcycle, and the wheel was originally tilted to the left - another slight tilt to the left with braking - and the situation became emergency.

The fork was washed and filled with ATF as recommended in the manual, branded brake pads, mirrors, heated cable handles were brought from the Bundes, the carburetors were washed again, everything that needed to be lubricated was re-lubricated.

The oil in the engine and rear axle was changed - by the way, it was as clean as a tear - amazing.

From all the falls, a hole formed in the left valve cover - since the cover was made of silumin - it was repaired at some company by cold welding - it began to leak. I remade it myself with the help of American Quick Steel plasticine at 25 hryvnia per tube - it still holds well, does not allow oil to pass through - a magical thing, I recommend it.

The day of departure arrived.

This happened on March 23. What happened last season was a DIFFERENT motorcycle. The rear wheel begged to go ahead of the front, the fork worked magically, and the brakes - oh the brakes!!!

If you say that brakes were invented by cowards, I will tell you that you are a stupid fucker. It is their performance and efficiency that determine the average and maximum speed at which you can move along the earth's surface.

From such pleasure I already fell in love with the city, in which adrenaline splashed from me in all directions and the motorcycle ate 3 pairs of new spark plugs in a month, and, in addition, it became very beautiful after painting it black, and before that it was...hehe ….blue.

The candles were burning due to the over-enrichment of the mixture - but the Keihins do not have an adjustment for the metering needle, and the quality screw selected all the adjustments; a repair kit for carburetors is definitely needed.

Driving around the city was a pleasure to get from point A to point B in the least amount of time possible - this is a big tease for car enthusiasts, especially “RACING AUTOMATORS”. For some reason, they also need to drive as quickly as possible, despite the difference in dimensions and technical characteristics of the motorcycle and even the most magical little sports car (well, of those that drive around the hero city of Kiev), so the race begins.

Various races: from traffic lights to acceleration, driving along Victory Avenue - who is faster to the interchange bridge, and if on the road, then you can hear the squeal of tires entering a sharp turn onto the roundabout stealth (a good trough, you can’t say anything), whose driver decided that he’s really stealth :)_ and really “I’ll overtake you!!!”; I noticed bad habits like tempting me with slow acceleration and parallel driving (like I can’t go faster) with further unwinding and leaving the car enthusiast completely disappointed.

For the most part, the edges for this motorcycle did not represent any significant obstacle; the ground clearance was sufficient.

The dimensions of the motorcycle for traveling between rows are magical: the steering wheel does not suffer from either “horniness” or “cross-likeness”, the length is longer than average, but the steering wheel rotation (almost 90 degrees in each direction) more than compensates for the longness. I really don’t understand why they put a wide cross handlebar on a classic street - it’s very wide, okay, that’s for another article...

The passenger space is great. In addition to the motorcycle, a beautiful seat from Guliari was made “for sports” - I rode it for 2 weeks, installed a standard Honda one - of course it’s a whole sofa, soft and large, maybe not so beautiful, but mega-comfortable. Japanese motorcycles suffer from “non-European” dimensions, but this model was never produced in Japan, it was the German branch that produced it, so for me (in terms of average European dimensions) this motorcycle was suitable.

At a stop, the leg is slightly bent at the knee, the foot is completely on the surface, and not “on the toes.” When placed on the footrests, the bend of the knee fits into the contour of the tank.

If you are short, this bike is not for you.

Regarding the maximum speed. Having completely flattened out on a flat section of 185 mph, after replacing the front tires with 165, a serious wobble began to be observed - the wheel needs to be balanced.

Defects found.

The center of gravity is a bit high - a price to pay for high ground clearance; narrow rims - you can’t put on wide tires (the 140 is already too big, and the 150 doesn’t even fit into the pendulum; the fork is thin, and a bit soft, although it didn’t break through (maybe the springs have shrunk over 20 years?); the impossibility of adjusting the quality of the mixture in the carburetors .

Information taken here: https://www.biker.kiev.ua/mybike/cx500.html

Honda CX 500 Custom