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Affordable Adventure Biking

Honda CB500X Launch Test

Written by Alan Cathcart , Date 10:26 AM

Three years on from the 2013 debut of the well-priced adventure bike Honda CB500X, Japan’s No.1 has now brought out a revamped, updated version which, like its sister models the CBR500R full-fairing sportbike and naked CB500F, is focused above all on providing value for money. Retaining the same liquid-cooled 471cc parallel-twin engine and tubular steel frame as before, it’s entirely manufactured at Honda’s factory in Thailand just outside Bangkok. Building it there alongside its F/R sisters helps hold down prices for this latest variant fitted with ABS as standard and available in a choice of three colours – black, red or white – to an accessible Euro 6,490 for the Honda CB500X as sold in Italy, for example (inc. 22% tax), as against Euro 6,100 for the original 2013 version, with 90% of the components needed to build it sourced locally in Thailand.

Indeed, in a vivid demonstration of how confident Honda’s bosses are about the quality control in their Thai factories, those locally-made parts needed to build the 400cc versions of all three models which Japanese licencing and taxation laws dictate, are shipped to Japan for one of Honda’s plants to assemble the bikes there for the local market. While all three variants of this world bike have been successful around the globe, sales in Europe especially have more than lived up to expectations, with over 30,000 examples of the entire CB500 family sold there so far in the three years since they were launched, just under 16,000 of them the naked F-type. 6,000 units of the full-fairing R-model have so far found customers, with the CB500X’s 8,000-plus sales perhaps the real surprise, since for some reason this variant with a wider range of appeal in terms of age groups and rider experience wasn’t sold until now in Germany, Europe’s largest motorcycle market, disregarding scooters. That’ll change this year, with the significantly improved new CB500X now being sold there as the most affordable mid-sized so-called Crossover dual-purpose model in the marketplace.

In delivering the uprated CB500X to dealers in Europe just in time for the new riding season, after debuting the revised versions of the other two models at the start of the year, Honda has arguably saved the best till last, and in doing so has also built on the fact that nobody else offers such a well-priced yet multi-cylinder adventure-biking all-rounder to the middleweight marketplace. You might have expected BMW to have done so, and with the imminent start of production at the TVS Motor plant in India of the first in its range of sub-500cc bikes to be built there, the German marque will presumably produce such a model there in future. But we won’t see even an Indian-built F310GS single anytime soon, and in the meantime Honda has its Thai-manufactured CB500X available here and now, delivering Japanese quality at continental Asian prices to the Adventure bike market with an improved twin-cylinder product. Indeed, as BMW surely will also do in future, Honda is following a similar strategy to KTM’s, in seeking to attract younger recruits to motorcycles in general via a range of affordable but cool-looking bikes which act as prestige models in developing markets for customers who want to step up from a CB300R single, as well as as an accessible entry-level middleweight bridge elsewhere between, say, a scooter or 250cc A1-licence motorcycle and 650-800cc models. Just that for the KTM’s Indian connections which make such bikes affordable, read Thailand for Honda. Oh, and two cylinders rather than just one for the middleweight bikes. Job done.

In more ways than one, as the chance to spend a sunny spring day riding the CB500X along the fabulously scenic but mainly deserted roads twisting their way around the Italian island of Sardinia, amply proved. As with the other two models, the CB500X was developed to satisfy the current EU licencing rules that came into effect in January 2013, restricting all 19-24 year-olds to an A2 licence after passing their test, which limits them up till their 25th birthday to bikes with a maximum output of 35kW, equating to 47bhp. No other adventure bike meets this limit without having to be severely detuned, so to do this Honda’s engineers led by the company’s Large Project Leader, Naoshi Iizuka – one of the legendary Baba-san’s collaborators in creating the original Fireblade, and most recently responsible as project leader for bringing the new Africa Twinto the marketplace – developed the first all-new Honda motorcycle engine ever to be exclusively built outside Japan. Specifically designed to meet the A2 Euro-licence’s 35kW ceiling, this measures 67 x 66.8 mm for a capacity of 471cc – Honda has a policy verging on superstition never to produce a totally ‘square’ engine, Iizuka-san revealed to me, hence the fractionally shorter stroke!

Technical specifications Honda CB500X

With its visually prominent twin overhead camshafts acting as a focal styling point and driven by an offset camchain on the right, the good-looking 471cc parallel-twin eight-valve motor has a one-up/one-down 180-degree crankshaft, a gear-driven counterbalancer positioned behind the cylinders to smooth out vibration, paired 26mm inlet/21.5mm exhaust valves, roller-bearing rocker arms, striated – essentially, minusculy grooved – piston skirts like on the CBR600RR for enhanced lubrication, and a patented anti-turbulence guide plate in the new, larger airbox which separates the airflow evenly to each cylinder, an idea that was a first for Honda when introduced three years ago, and still is a feature unique to this bike. A secondary air injection system is incorporated in the cylinder head, while a lambda probe oxygen sensor and three-way catalyst inside the 2-1 exhaust ensure the CB500X meets Euro 3 noise and emissions norms – Honda doesn’t need to make it Euro 4 compliant until 2017 under the EU homologation grandfather clause for existing models. Producing 47bhp/35kW at 8,500rpm, with peak torque of 43Nm/31.7ft-lb at 7,000rpm, plus further improved fuel economy of a claimed 69mpg (US)/83mpg (UK) or 29.4km/lt (was 28.4 km/lt) delivering an even greater 320mi/510km range from the new 17.5-litre fuel tank that’s 0.2-litre bigger than before, the 2016 CB500X has an ultra-linear power delivery combining satisfying performance with beginner-level rideability.

Indeed, riding the updated X-model along the switchback coast roads lining the Sardinian coast showed there’s no real step in the smooth, totally vibe-free motor’s linear build of power from its 1,300rpm idle speed through to the 9,100rpm limiter. There’s enough poke in the upper reaches of the rev range to get a good move on once you wind up the revs above six grand, without ever feeling the slightest tingle through the ‘bars, footrest or seat as you do so. Yet this creamy pull still results in an engaging sense of performance, of which there’s just enough to thrill as well as transport. This may be a bike targeted at the inexperienced, as well as what Honda aptly calls ‘sleepers’ – returnee bikers – but it’s still fun to ride for more experienced users stepping down a level or two in terms of performance from what they’re used to riding, whether because of price, running costs, congestion, insurance, or traffic cameras – or all of the above.

Styling and apperance Honda CB500X

Thanks to its restyled appearance – now with LED headlamps – the 2016 CB500X has real presence both visually and dynamically, and an even greater sense of substance about it compared to the previous version. Dropping down to the half-litre Honda from, say, its Africa Twin big sister or a Triumph 1200 Explorer might not be as hard as you’d think before riding it, even if obviously there’s a world of difference in terms of outright performance – as well as cost. But not perhaps so much in overall enjoyment and real-world rideability, and that’s where the smaller Honda scores, while being adequately versatile as a basic dual purpose on/off-road bike. Its trail-friendly Dunlop D609 Trailmax tyres (Pirelli Scorpions are also homologated) give it genuine capability on hard-surfaced dirt roads, without it being a true off-roader. It’s a tarmac trailie with genuine versatility, as a brief but enjoyable offroad excursion in Sardinia proved.

Fire up the CB500X, and you’ll have a hard time hearing the engine if there’s any traffic around you – it’s incredibly well silenced, and actually quite underwhelming at first. Yet while the light-action oil-bath clutch and relatively close-ratio six-speed gearbox – now with a redesigned shifter mechanism for cleaner gearchanges – make the engine easy to use in traffic and towns, once you get it revving above six grand, you’ll be surprised at how much zap the CB500 motor delivers. Rowing it along via the gearbox produces lively performance, although top speed is limited to a more than sufficient 180kmh/112mph, according to Honda – a fact I can confirm, with the engine fluttering when you reach that speed with another 400rpm to go before meeting the equally insistent revlimiter. In addition to the HISS security system fitted as standard, the amber-lit dash also contains a digital speedo, a bar graph tacho reading horizontally across the top, twin trips complete with fuel consumption data for each, a fuel gauge, and a clock. But as I complained three years ago, Honda should certainly by now have added a gear selected reading as well – just as KTM has done on all its Duke models from the entry-level 125 upwards, to help beginners figure out which gear they’re in on such a flexible motor with zero steps in the power delivery. I did indeed catch myself a couple of times trundling along in fifth gear for quite a spell, before suddenly realizing I had another ratio to go! Throttle response from the well-mapped PGM-FI fuel injection system’s twin 34mm throttle bodies, each with a single injector, is crisp without being intimidating, so you need to accept that without the muscular midrange torque the midsized motor is lacking, acceleration is adequately good, rather than thrilling.

Testride Honda CB500X

This smooth operator of an engine is rigidly mounted via four frame hangers to form a fully-stressed integral component of the open-cradle chassis made from 35mm-diameter steel tubing which delivers reassuring handling. The box-section swingarm carries a chainguard styled to appear as if it’s braced (it isn’t!), and operates the rear Showa monoshock that’s nine-way adjustable for preload only, via a progressive-rate link. On this 2016 version the 41mm Showa fork is now also adjustable for preload in producing 140mm of wheel travel, with unchanged steering geometry that sees it set at a 26.5º rake with 108mm of trail to give confidence-inspiring handling stability in all conditions via the unchanged 1420mm wheelbase. For 2016, though, the CB500X has been completely restyled from the footrests forward to deliver a notably more substantial appearance, which creates a slightly bigger-seeming bike with an even more spacious riding position than before via the same 810mm high seat.

All this results in a bike with a relaxed yet quite upright stance, and the pulled-back handlebar grips falling to hand in best cliché mode. It feels very natural to hop aboard and ride for a taller person, but has been carefully tailored to ensure shorter riders feel at home, too – the Italian lady journalist I was riding with stands 1.68m tall, and could put both feet flat on the ground at a stoplight. “Some people in our team wanted to raise the seat higher, to give more ground clearance, but we evaluated carefully, and found that this 810mm seat height with a slightly narrower front of seat, was best for all rider heights,” said Iizuka-san. As such, this middleweight Honda is ideally tailored to women riders, and it’ll surely become a popular Hers bike alongside His new Africa Twin.

The extra leverage from the wide handlebar made flicking the CB500X from side to side along a seemingly endless succession of S-bends winding for dozens of kilometres on end through the Sardinian hills practically addictive – it really does steer very well. The rear suspension’s default spring preload setting – three clicks from softest out of nine, for an 84kg rider – gave excellent ride quality way beyond expectations for what is frankly budget Showa suspension. This was unexpectedly compliant in ironing out the worst of the bumps in mountain roads whose surfaces had been ravaged by frost and snow in past months, although as before a remote adjustment would have been good, to encourage young owners to experiment with settings. Cost issues sill prevent that, no doubt – but given that the spacious passenger space by middleweight standards will encourage two-up riding, it would have been a useful benefit.

However, the non-switchable ABS fitted as standard provides reassurance in stopping a bike weighing 178kg dry, rising to 196kg with all liquids and a full 17.5-litre fuel load, and the twin-piston front caliper – now operated for 2016 via a five-way adjustable lever – has been uprated for improved ventilation to downsize the risk of brake fade. But while the single 320mm front wave disc works OK in normal use, you must also use the 240mm rear disc pretty hard via its single-piston caliper to get the CB500X to stop properly from any sort of speed. While this might be because the brake pads are tailored for long life rather than a good bite, Honda should have left a mount on the left fork leg to add an aftermarket second disc for those who wish to mount one. Because while standing on the stoppers brought me to rest acceptably well riding solo and without luggage, there’s a question mark over whether Honda’s junior adventurer has enough brake to do the same with a passenger and/or luggage on board.

That’s even more the case with the so-called Travel Edition marketed by Honda Italia at a price of Euro 7,280 including twin 25-litre QD side panniers and a crash bar off the list of CB500X options, which also includes a larger 35-litre fixed topbox. “Our research showed that one person needs 20 litres of luggage space for a two-night weekend touring trip,” Iizuka-san told me. “So we added 25% more space just to be sure, and we offer two side bags, with the topbox for longer trips.” I believe I’d want a second disc to help stop a fully-loaded CB500X properly, irrespective of how petite one (or both) of those aboard may be, and as newcomer CB500X riders get more experienced and want to go faster/harder, they’ll be looking for more stopping power. Giving them the option to have it without changing bikes or fork would have been good.

In creating the CB500X first time around designer Kiyoshi Katagiri gave it even more character than its sister CB500 models in terms of styling, especially by J-bike standards, with the BMW-inspired ‘beak’ shared with Honda’s bigger Crosstourer dual purpose model giving it a definite neo-European appearance. The seat is more accommodating and comfortable for a 230km day’s ride than it looks, the mirrors are well positioned, so my shoulders didn’t spoil the rearward view, and Honda has addressed some complaints I had first time around, with cost-saving features like the detachable fuel tank filler cap that was actually quite awkward to reinstall after a fill-up now replaced by a hinged cap. Finding the tab on the sidestand carefully hidden beneath the left footpeg was also quite difficult to do before, but that’s been repositioned behind the foot peg. Best of all, the manually adjustable screen on the CB500X is now 100mm taller than before, and its higher of two settings that’s 40mm taller than the lower option gave me good protection at high speeds, with minimal turbulence or buffeting. Heated grips, a U-lock, fog lights, tank pad etc. etc. are all on the 15-item dedicated CB500X options list.

Honda is rightly confident that the uprated CB500X will be even more popular than befiore – indeed, at the next level further up its range, the NC700X/NC750X have outsold the S-versions by some margin. For this bike when launched was the modern-looking mid-priced middleweight adventure bike that the market had been awaiting for quite some time, which moreover seems one step up from its CBR500R and CB500F sister models. It’s physically around one-tenth bigger all round with greater substance and more presence, all of which makes it seem a more grown-up package than its kid sisters. Yet it’s truly what the Italians call a moto totale – once that suits every kind of rider, young or old, experienced or novice, and can be ridden for every sort of use in almost every kind of conditions. It makes an ideal commuter or city bike – the taller seat gives a good view over cars in front of you, and the light clutch and responsive throttle makes light work of traffic – as well as a good two-up weekend tourer, an excellent dirt roads bike, especially on gravel, and a Sunday morning ride that’ll make you stay out late because you’re having fun.

And at the end of the day that’s what the CB500X is – loadsa fun. It was the right bike at exactly the right time when launched three years ago, and the revised 2016 version is even better than before. It’s priced to sell, economical to run, real-world rational, and best of all practical – but still lots of fun. How very Honda.

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Photo credit: Honda Europe

Article Categories:   Honda Manufacturer Motorcycle Reviews

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