A LITTLE BIKE WITH A BIG PUNCH
When Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman set out on a couple of BMWs for a round the world trip, nobody, including them, could have anticipated the effect that their trip would have. At that time back in 2004, adventure travel was traditional the reserve of wizened, dust covered oddballs who spend their entire lives in biking kit that smelt like an old flannel, riding continuously adapted and modified road bikes that bore little resemblance to how they had left the factory decades earlier.
Nearly twenty years later, the influence of ‘Long Way Round’ is clear for to see. Adventure motorcycling is the biggest selling sector in the world, displacing the once dominant sports bikes to the extent that the dealerships hardly sell more than a handful each year. From Honda to Harley Davidson, BMW to Benelli, the manufacturers are falling over themselves to provide an eager market bigger and more sophisticated incarnations of their flagship adventure bikes. With technology matching almost everything available on high priced cars, the big beasts in the market are truly exceptional machines.
But while the market is still voraciously consuming eye-wateringly expensive litre plus leviathans, increasingly more buyers are looking at somewhat slightly less sophisticated but arguably more manageable and achievable bikes in the mid-range sector. From The KTM 790 and 890 Adventure to the uber-popular Yamaha Tenere 700 to the newly launched Suzuki V Strom 800 DE there’s plenty of great bikes to choose from – even the little manufacturer are after a piece of the action with bikes like Moto Morini X – Cape selling well.
But what if you don’t have close to £10 K to spend? Can you still go round the world? Well the answer is simple. Yes, you can – you can buy a Honda CB500X.
GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME
Launched at the vast EICMA show way back in 2012 to possibly the smallest fanfare ever heard, the adventure slanted CB500X was unveiled alongside two stablemates, the sporty CB500R and the naked CB500X. Attracting little attention from the mainstream market who were more interested in the bling of the class show ponies, the cheap and cheerful 500X still caught the attention of the more budget minded travellers, even if the A2 compliant bike lacked many of the things you might associate with off-road capable bikes – decent suspension, massive ground clearance, big wheels – that sort of thing.
Two years later, Honda upgraded the springy bits to give the X adjustable preload at least, added an adjustable brake lever, a taller screen, LED lights and a few other bits, but hardly a radical rethink.
By 2019 and with the sector beginning to mushroom beyond most people’s dreams, Honda realised that the 500X was progressively gaining popularity and they responded with a major uplift for the little X. It got more power – OK only 4%, it got longer travel suspension, taller bars, an LCD dashboard and the 17” front wheel was traded for a far more off-road capable new 19” wheel matching the new rear wheel. Hell they even gave it styling to match it’s big brother, the mighty Africa Twin. And those that rode it loved the improvements that Honda had made. This an unexpectedly great little bike – just ask Like Philips who took his round the world and has covered nearly 100,000 miles on his!
Little wonder Ride Expeditions have added the Honda CB500X to their South African fleet.
NEW METAL
So for 2022, Honda continued to build on the ugrades that came in 2019, once again alongside the CBR500R and CB500F. There’s new suspension, new brakes, new swingarm – quite the list. So lets break it down to see what just under £7k will get you.
POWER PLANT
The Honda 500X has, at its heart, a parallel twin engine. At it’s launch in 2013 this might have been as a distinctly old school configuration, yet almost all the latest tranche of midweight bikes from the KTM to Aprilia, Yamaha to Suzuki are now heading to the compact and simple layout of an upright twin rather than the V twins that have been so prevalent. Like these other bikes, the X engine is used as a stressed member, reducing the weight of the frame needed and increasing the rigidity at the centre of the machine.
The 471cc liquid cooled lump puts out a modest but class compliant 47bhp and around 40nm of torque. If you are obsessed with big power figures, these are not numbers that are going to make you froth with delight, but once you embrace a slightly less urgent and relaxed approach to life, the X has a beautifully smooth and likeable power delivery. The stylishly upswept end can with its twin outlets gives a slightly gravely burble on tick over, rising to a pleasing crescendo as you accelerate, even offering a hooligan friendly bark when you chop the throttle.
Oh and talking of the exhaust, for those who remember the early versions of the 500X, the shiny chrome and beautifully swept down tubes on the new version are now held far closer into the engine as they run under the lump. You’ll still need a chunky bash guard to keep them that way if you go off road, but that’s the same for most adventure bikes.
For novice riders and for off-road virgins, the Honda’s soft and predictable power on the road and the dirt is confidence inspiring, and with a positive six speed gearbox and a slipper / assist clutch to aid upcharges, not to mention keeping rear wheel lock up under control under heavy braking and downshifting, this is very much a bike that wants to work with you, not against you!
If you have been around the block a few times and want to get the X to lift it’s skirts it will oblige, you’ll just maybe have to work that gearbox a bit more and run the upper limits of the rev range.
But to do this probably misses the point – the Honda will cruise all day on or off road straight from the crate, and with a positively abstemious appetite for unleaded, you’ll be getting an astounding 84 miles per gallon – or 35 km per litre from the 17.5 litre tank, seemingly however hard you ride it. That’s should give you over 300 miles on a single tank– impressive stuff!
CLASSY CHASSIS
Again, it’s a question of tried and tested for the X, with a traditional steel diamond frame arching over the top of the engine and down to the foot pegs. Branching off this there’s a lattice style steel subframe – handy if you need to get it welded up in the middle of nowhere! There’s a steel swingarm too and this has been made over kilo lighter and 18% stiffer for the 2022 version, but on a bike that weighs a heart 199 kilos, while the stiffness might be noticeable, the weight saving may not! Seat height is a very achievable 830 mm which will please many riders intimidated by the tall stance of many bikes in the adventure sector.
The geometry on the bike is inevitably more suited to sat down riding, but if you are intending to go off road, then rolling the wide bars forward makes standing much easier. The centre of the bike is relatively narrow, and combined with the well placed footpegs, the bike responds well to feet up riding.
For the suspension on the new model, Honda have now equipped the X with a sexy set of Gold 41mm Showa SFBP (Separate function, big piston) USD forks that divide damping and springs between the two legs, and these adjustable for preload. At the rear is a central linkage activated central monoshock, again adjustable for five stages of preload. Yes it would have been nicer to have at least adjustable compression damping at the rear and fully adjustable suspension would improve the X considerably, but it would also substantially increase the price.
As long as you’re the correct weight for the spring fitted and the preload has been set properly, the Hondas suspension is fine for most riders in most conditions. On February’s World’s End Tour in Patagonia, Ride Expeditions team met a couple of adventure riders on two Honda CB500Xs. They has bought them in Alaska and were riding them to Ushuaia before shipping them to North Africa. Stoch suspension, stock wheels, stock everything. Go figure!
And if you feel you have to upgrade, Rally Raid will provide everything you need and more!
BRAKE CHECK
For a bike that is more offroad slanted than it’s two siblings, you might be surprised to see cast wheels on the 500X. And in a sense, you’d be quite right to think so, but inevitably this is another decision based on cost and anticipated use. Cast wheels are cheaper and easier to make then spoked wheels, and if most buyers for this bike are going to do either no or relatively light off-roading, then cast wheels will do the job and more – as our Patagonian encounter proved admirably. There’s a new, lighter 19 inch front wheel – a better size for offroad and off-road tyre options, and a 17 inch rear, although tyres fitted as standard will vary depending where the bike is sold. If you are going to take it off-road, investing in more aggressive rubber will help immeasurably – the stock Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour hoops are OK on gravel, but a tad averse to anything muddy or sandy.
On the stopping side of things, the X had new kit for 2022. There’s a pair of 296 mm wavy discs up front with a twin pot axial caliper either side, a span adjustable front brake lever and ABS. At the back it’s the same 240mm disc and single pot and an adjustable brake lever, and again ABS
Given the modest power of the bike, the modest brakes do exactly what they are meant to, bringing the bike to a halt with an understated efficiency. But if you are looking for radially mounted Brembo Stylemas, you need to look elsewhere!.
UP FOR AN EPIC ADVENTURE?
COCKPIT AND CONTROL
As with much of the CB500X, there’s a comforting familiarity and functionality to the bike’s cockpit, with a wide bars giving an uncluttered almost old-school feel. This is further enhance by Hondas decision to go for an LCD display rather than the modern option of a massive TFT screen. The information, displayed with white letters on a back background shows speed, revs, dual trip meter, fuel level / consumption and a gear position with a shift indicator. The display is clear and well laid out, but in bright sunlight of places like South Africa, you might struggle a bit to see the smaller text.
The centre of the cockpit is protected by a good-sized screen well, creating a relaxing bubble for endless hours in the saddle, and Honda have thoughtfully included a sturdy rail over the clocks to mount up your navigation device or smartphone.
Switchgear on the X is on the more retro end of the scale as you might have guessed, with big chunky buttons and very little frills. That said, with none of the endless riding modes, traction control and engine performance options available, the little Honda doesn’t need a whole cluster of small and confusing buttons. OK so you can add heated grips, but there are not that many other electrical upgrades on the Honda’s accessory sheet.
Lighting was however upgraded on the 2022 CB500X, the model now boasting a positively modern LED headlight, and in the slightly irritating US style, the indicator which stay illuminated on both sides while you are riding – not a fan of this!
ON THE ROAD
The Honda is a very pleasant motorcycle to ride on the blacktop. Almost typically for a Honda, the twin cylinder engine is buttery smooth and super reliable, and will cope with everything from daily commutes to round the world adventures with equal enthusiasm. It may not be the most technical advanced machine on the market, but it has a refreshing honesty and clarity of purpose that will continue to please legions of riders across the globe.
ON THE DIRT
Although this 500X is far from a Dakar conquering machine, it is nonetheless a surprisingly competent and enjoyable bike to take onto the trails and dirt roads. With the correct suspension and proper off-road focussed tyres, the Honda will do a great job of keeping up with machines at over twice the price. And with a frugal appetite for fuel, the lil’ X will need far less fuel stops that those more expensive options.
VERDICT - HONDA CB500X
In a marketplasce dominated by expensive and overly technical options, the Honda CB500X is a refreshingly cheap, simple yet very enjoyable adventure motorcycle. Low seat height, good weather protection and soft usable power make the CB500X a very easy bike to ride for everything from adventure beginners to seasoned travellers.
In standard form it is fairly road focussed, but with a smattering of upgrades and suitable tyres, the Honda can and will take you around the world without missing a beat. For Ride Expeditions, that makes it a winner every time!
WELCOME TO THE FLEET!
RIDE EXPEDITIONS CHEIF TOUR GUIDE HENK KOETZE TALKS ABOUT THE HONDA CB500X
“It’s great to have the Honda CB500X as an option for our customers in South Africa. While many of our riders are massive fans of the mighty BMW R1250GS – myself included – it’s sometimes a bit of an intimidatingly large bike for a lot of our customers. The Honda joins our fleet for 2024 along with the Husqvarna 901 Norden, giving a great range of bikes to choose according to your experience, preference and budget.“
“I’ve been really impressed with the X. It’s great on the road and surprisingly capable on the dirt, but most of all. It’s a really enjoyable bike to ride from sunrise to sunset. What more can you ask? “
Honda CB500X SPECS
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Engine | 471cc, 4 stroke liquid cooled parallel twin |
| Transmission | 6 gear |
| Power | 46 bhp @ 8,600 rpm |
| Torque | 43 nm @ 6,500 rpm |
| Clutch | Wet multiplate, mechanically operated with slipper assist |
| Frame | Steel diamond with steel subframe |
| Front Suspension | 41 mm SFF – BP USD forks |
| Rear Suspension | Central mounted Prolink monoshock with 5 stage preload adjuster |
| Front brake | 2 x 296 mm discs with 2 piston Nissin axial mounted calipers |
| Rear Brake | 250mm disc with single pot calliper |
| ABS | 2 channel |
| Wheels | 19” / 17” cast alloy |
| Fuel Capacity | 17.5 litres |
| Weight | 199 kg kerb weight |
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO RIDE?
This post first appeared on Cambodia Motorcycle Tours | Ride Cambodia, please read the originial post: here
