Motor Cycle News reported in 1984 that at that point over 300,000 CX500s had been sold, presumably world-wide – making it one of the most popular bikes of all time, back then.
We’re trying to find some more sources to corroborate that, and to get some hard numbers for each model… if such numbers are even available today.
Current plan: Finding the highest serial number reported for each model and seeing what they add up to. This is user-reported based on findings on the internet (forums and the Mica Peak site so it’s not likely to be the epitome of accuracy… People often put “O” instead of “0” and truncate parts of the serials, so it’s not all that easy searching.
If you own a bike with a higher serial number or have a photo of the compliance plate of one, please email me at jc AT motofaction DOT org
A note on the numbers regarding production year and model year – there is:
- An Australian CX650E built in September 1983 with the 1983 frame number RCxxx4154
- A Canadian CX650E built in September 1983 with the 1984 frame number EMxxxx416
- An Australian CX650E built in November 1983 with the 1983 frame number RCxxx4587
They all came out of the same factory, but it’s clear that the Canadian ones were marked as a 1984 model while there were still bikes being produced two months later for other markets with the same 1983 frame number format. Looks like the conventional view that vehicles made after August are marked as being models for the following year doesn’t always hold true.
How many Honda CX500s were made?
| 1978 | CX500 | CX500-2000001 | CX500-2049650 | 49,650 |
| 1979 | CX500 | CX500-2100001 | CX500-2106232 | 6,232 |
| 1979 | CX500 Custom | PC01-2000017 | PC01-2017566 | 17,566 |
| 1979 | CX500 Deluxe | PC01-4000005 | PC01-4005553 | 5,548 |
| 1980 | CX500 Custom | PC01-2100018 | PC01-2127100 | 27,082 |
| 1980 | CX500 Deluxe | PC01-4100002 | PC01-4107456 | 7,454 |
| 1980 | Standard (AU, elsewhere?) | CX500-2210001 | CX500-2215875 | 15,875 |
| 1981 | CX500 Custom | JH2PC010*BM200006 | JH2PC0108BM211809 | 11,803 |
| 1981 | CX500 Deluxe | JH2PC011*BM200001 | JH2PC0117BM204732 | 4,732 |
| 1981 | CX500 Standard/Shadow | CX500-2300001 | CX500-2317540 | 17,539 |
| 1982 | CX500 Custom | JH2PC010*CM300001 | JH2PC0103CM308134 | 8,134 |
| 1982 | CX500 Shadow | CX500-2400001 | CX500-2402611 | 2,611 |
| 1982 | CX500EC Sports | PC06-2000001 | PC06-2009108 | 9,108 |
| 1982 | CX500TC (Turbo) | JH2PC030*CM000001 | JH2PC030CM002833 | 5343 as per below |
Total: 188,231+ CX500s
How many Honda GL500s were made?
(per Honda) |
||||
(per Honda) |
||||
Want to know more about the GL500 Wing? Find out more here.
Totals: 30,518 GL500s
How many Honda CX650s and GL650s were made?
(Canada) |
||||
(Canada) |
||||
(European Direct, Elsewhere) |
||||
as per below |
||||
**Anyone know if the GL650 and GL650I serial numbers come from the same run, or are they two separate tallies? GL700s – presumably not part of the above list, ~700-odd from memory?
650 totals: 21,277
How many CX400s and GL400s were made?
Looking at the serial numbers I suspect that all of the GL400s come from the same pool… though I’d love to be corrected by someone in the know.
Here’s an example of a 1983 CX400C with an engine number of GL400E-1032917… I suspect that there was only the one number range for the GL400 engines, and they were used across all years of 400cc variant (1978-1983)… so 30,000-35,000?
Murray S. has sent me in some info showing a CX400 Custom with frame number NC10-1001739 and engine number GL400E-1033036, along with spare engines GL400E-1032968 and GL400E-1020166. Oh, and another CX400C which was NC10-1001766 with motor GL400E-1031143. Tom L. sent in a photo of a CX400 with the engine number GL400E-1030207, so it looks as though the lower end of the ranges was used.
Paul D. sent in that he has a CX400C of frame number NC10-1001625, and that the first one he had was NC10-1001851.
GL400 totals: 30,000-35,000 at a guess
How many CX500 and CX650 Turbos were made and how many went to each country?
Thanks Dr. Don for the below info: