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@user-dv7hb2sc9m Thanks. Much appreciated. From your response on the CB500X being able to handle highways. I think your doing great research. And if your not wanting to go up in CC's and price then the Honda CB500X/NX500 is a very sound choice. And good point on the torque & throttle snatch theory. Makes sense. Thanks for the kind comments as well. I think RUclips is a great platform for sharing knowledge with one another.

@user-dv7hb2sc9m I've been impressed with my CB500X thus far. I've ridden close to 10k miles all on-road. You bring up noteworthy concerns though. The bike does have vibration in it. From what I gather this particular 500cc Vtwin is known for it. Still, it's tolerable with a few things added. I felt it mostly in the handlebars. Especially between 50-70mph. I installed bar end weights, Grip Puppies, and a handlebar riser. All this combined help make the vibration tolerable. Before adding these things my throttle hand would go numb pretty quick. I found the stock seat uncomfortable so I swapped it out for a Corbin. The Corbin did make my ground reach harder as it's a wider saddle. I'm 5'6 so seat height matters. Still, huge comfort difference, which I need as I've had many low back surgeries. The stock wind screen buffets pretty bad. I swapped that out for a taller screen. Still wasn't enough height so I added a screen spoiler. These two things solved the buffetting completely. The stock Dunlop tires were okay. Since I'm only riding on road I opted to switch to Michelin Road 5's. The smoothness and handling was immediately noticeable. Tires are very preference related though. Still, I think they help reduce the bikes felt vibrations overall. I installed a rear tire hugger as the rear shock location seems quite prone to getting a lot of tire fling debris on it. I also installed a skid plate and engine drop protection/crash bars. Mostly out of concern of me tipping over at slow speeds since I cannot flat foot. I've read much debate about crash guards making vibration worse and the mounting points causing engine mount bolt fractures. Something to do with the high frequency vibration from the engine. Fortunately I've not experienced this with mine. Another issue with this bike is throttle snatch or on/off throttle. Especially in 1st gear. I've tried feathering the clutch, but never gotten the hang of it really. The head light is not that good. The beam seems somewhat scattered and not that bright. The speedometer cluster screen seems a bit dim, has a glare in daylight, and scratches easy. I installed a Speedoangel screen cover and it helped a lot. Before I purchased mine I researched for any known problems. The only one I could find was the water pump is known to fail. Seems like a luck of the draw thing as some folks don't report issues upwards of 20k miles while others have had failures is less than 10k. Honda out sources the pump and it appears the impellers can be out of tolerance, thus creating a leak. Usually this manifests first with coolant dripping from the weep hole. Knock on wood I've had no issues with mine. As far as highway speeds go I feel this bike can handle commuting at 75mph, but that's about it. You can still gun the throttle at 75mph and pass slow traffic, but the bike responds a bit slow and sluggish. I'd say this engine is happiest between 55-65mph. Yes it can run the higher speed, however you can tell the engine is working. I believe Honda has addressed many issues since 2021 though. Redesigned a few things as well. The new 2024 NX500 has a different headlight and speedometer cluster. ABS and traction control I think. I've heard they adjusted the fuel mapping so it might have less vibration coming from the engine and a less snatchy throttle. Don't get ne wrong though. It's been absolutely reliable. The clutch is very smooth and accurate. Excellent fuel economy. Once I added my personalized comfort adjustments it's been great. I really feel I could ride it all day long with next to no rider's fatigue. The ergonomics and riders triangle are great. I added a center which makes chain maintenance and other stuff easy. I read one guy's take on Hondas 500cc line up. He tried out the CB500F, CL500, Rebel, CBR500, and the CB500X. Of them all he said the CB500X was the best bang for the buck. This model is pretty premium considering it's price point when you look at other makes & models. I have looked at the Transalp 750cc. I was considering moving up, but I really do not need it for my country back road non-commuting applications. However if I were going to be riding highways a lot and commuting I would be leaning more towards a Transalp. I know they are more expensive, but it is a more substantial bike and I think 75mph all day would be very easy on it. I know I was a bit all over with this response. So feel free to ask any other thing you can think of. I'm glad to answer.

Wow, that was the most complete review of ANY Bike I've ever seen.... A lot of your concerns fit mine as I'm 5'6" as well so I always consider these things. No matter what bike I wind up with I'd have to have a skid-plate & a protector for that radiator. Thanks for the water pump heads up. I look at this bike in comparisons with Honda's own 650L, KLR, DR.... all over 500cc. I figured 80% on road which means after the breakdown of manufacturers tires I'd be doing deep research on tires but I'm far from that now. If this bike can do 70-75mph that's what I must have & I'm not looking for anything more except to pass, IF I needed to pass?! You aren't a big guy(less than 200lbs) is my guess & I'm guessing the suspension was alright for your size? I've read the front end can have leaks but I suspect all front forks will do this if they aren't kept clean? They make a small boot that hugs the tube in front, I don't know the material but it keeps the tube clean where the seals are. Because of your findings on this bike I think she's got a lot of low end torque~ you feather it in part b/c of this and since you do not use her offroad I do wonder if a sprocket change would help give it 5-10mph of speed without the need to revv her any higher? Obviously you've found all the things important to how you ride & feeling secure in that ride. And don't get me wrong, the XT250 is still on my list higher up than this 500x but I owe it myself to do a complete check of possibilities as I can. If I do look in the used market, knowing all these different dual sport bikes, knowing their issues, and knowing the standard mods on each of them will tell me a lot more about the value of a used bike. And I'm seeing what these mods look like compared to what is stock; with that I'll thank you for all the time, I do appreciate the in-depth explanations of these bikes you own. I've copied / pasted all this into my 500x file & I have one for all the dual sports I've looked at. Sounds crazy to do this but since I have time to look into all of them I think you understand my wanting to be thorough. To the point I know most the needed vrs unneeded mods for each bike & a rough idea how long it'll take to do them? So you've been very generous. I'm sure I'll be digging thru your site. Thanks again, diggy

@user-dv7hb2sc9m Glad to help. Yes the stock suspension is sufficient for me at about 165lbs with full riding gear. Never had an issue there. I've heard a front sprocket change will reduce vibration for on road use. Does cause a speedo deviation though. Great idea to do your research beforehand like your doing. Good luck.

Yeah, I know it kills the gauges(speed) & the XT, the plastic disc is to make sure the rubber throttle doesn't lock the throttle wide open causing you a wreck in some bizarre place. All the metal pieces to guard the case & the brake reservoir(master cylinder) are nice as well. I'd worry about the large round part on the right side, I know I've seen some type of plastics/carbon fiber that claims to give protection & she does stick out a little further than the skid-plate wing below. I know I've watched this 2-3 times before today but you've done a lot of stuff w/ this bike. Do you even have time to ride this one or does your wife ride it? I don't mean to pry but I see how good looking this bike is and I know your 500x is good looking too. It's who you are, in my humble opinion! So I'm gonna go pull your 500x vids tonight/tomorrow & you have really done some good work. peace

@user-dv7hb2sc9m Thanks. I tried getting the wife into riding, buy zero interest. So they are all only ridden by me. Due to personal and family health situations I don't get to ride them as much as I'd like. Luckily I was able to equip them with accessories when I did. I'm pretty much done adding stuff on all of them now. I keep them very maintained as I don't want to have to replace them. At least that's the plan 🤞

@@DeanCrowder Front is 120/70/12 rear is 130/70/12.

@@findingneutral Thank you, I will try these next time I replace the tyres, I really don't like the feel of the standard ones.

@DeanCrowder Yeah I agree on the V tires. I ride solely on-road and found them very wonky and unbalanced feeling. The immediate smoothness of the Michelin's was very noticeable. They make a City Grips 2 now. So even better. I'll be getting another set myself soon. I'd recommend requesting they balance your tires as it does help with the smoothness and longevity. Last thing is the Michelin's are a smaller profile tire vs the V stock tires. So it will make the bike look a tad bit smaller.

I have the T Rex Racing adjustmentable ceter stand. I had to adjust it to a length that accommodated my after market exhaust. It must have been the inadvertent sweet spot for the kickstand as well.

Ended up trading this particular bike. But bought another same year and color. It's got almost 6k miles.

Haven't had it in the wet to give a good accessment.

T Rex Racing.

No modification needed. I'd recommend taking off the plastics by where the handle bolts go during install or you run the risk of scratching them up. With mine it almost seemed like the included spacers were too big and I had to struggle to get them in place. But in the end it all fit. Just have to get them sandwiched in there just right and use some elbow grease. The rack will lift up and down if you grab the rear edge of it and use gentle force as it's only mounts are the 2 where the handles are. I'd day this is more of a rally rack for light day rides. But yeah, I wanted to keep those cool handles and this was one of the few I could find to do so.

@@findingneutral thank you!!! It’s the ONLY one I’ve come across, not looking to haul anything heavy🙏🏻

I had someone post they break kind of easy. I just putz around so no issues thus far. But if it took a direct hit probably would not hold up super good.

@@findingneutral i gotcha, I kinda wondered. Maybe with a side carrier rack and its mounted on the inside of it otd be fine. But id have to see how much that would take to do

Thanks Beech. Much appreciated. The racks only 2 mounting points attach via the grab handles rear bolts. The rack then rests upon the top of the rear fender. I'd consider this rack capable, but not for extremely heavy loads. It takes some finess to get it on re: lining up the plastics holes, rear handle holes, and the hardware spacers.

Thanks for the info. I may go for the Y's from Yamaha then. It is a little bit more $, but seems pretty sturdy.

@@beechjet400xp 👍

Yes I still have it. And your right they are a lot of fun on or off road. I like the new yellow the best color wise.

Thanks Lears. Much appreciated.

Thanks. Amazon sells them. Just type in metal knee guards and a few different selections come up.

No. Does use up a few slack adjustments. Plenty left though.

@@findingneutral Thanks a lot. I ride mostly on road. I just purchased a 2008 with 6000 miles. It is in pristine condition. I believe it is completely original since the brake pads are almost completely spent and the tires on the bike had a 2007 date code. I put Shinko 241 trials tires on and they are very quiet and grippy on the pavement. I find myself switching between 4th and fifth between 35 and 45mph. I think I might try the 16 front sprocket first to see if that will let me stay in fourth gear cruising around town. Thanks again for responding.

Yeah, I think it gets a bit sketchy going that fast sustained. But nice to know it can for passing.

Good to know. Only my 10th bike.

Coolness

I had tried thr Avon Distenza and Pirelli Scorpion MT90. Of the two the Pirelli's seemed to ride better. But on both they seemed a bit bouncier than the factory tired the XT250 comes with? I even paid to get them balanced, which ended up with a lot of tires weights due to the rim locks coming into play balance wise. Ultimately I ended up just getting some Procycle SM wheels installed for street use. Then I have the oem wheels with the factory tires still installed for off road.

I know. I get the most confused looks from drivers 😐 😕 🫤. Good times.

Thanks. I think the manual said it has dual odometers... maybe. I've only ever used the one for fuel consumption purposes. I did the same thing you mentioned and blanked out one trip odometer as well.

It's a great bike with a proven track record of reliability, longevity, and easy maintenance. Good luck deciding.

Curiously, am I misunderstanding..... is this your 2nd XT ? If so, what happened to the old one? None of my business but I'm trying to understand. She is a good looking bike. peace

Thanks 🙂 It really is a great all rounder reliable bike. DRZ is awesome too, just too tall for me unfortunately.

Don't feel too bad about your height, I'm 5'6" here @ 170lbs >> IT gets down to your, "intent" as a rider & I'm thinking 70%-30% roads to dirt. I like being able to aim out across a field & just go plus if I happen to be a bad rider I might need the ability to get out of the ditch I run into... that said, as much as I like this bike & the price is right, but at 70% road use I'd need to go 70mph for periods of time & that would be pushing this bike a bit too much? Honda's CRF300L offers a little more plus a 6th gear but then I come along & see someone like yourself who's done a nice job on their bike & I stop -n- LQQK..... and wonder what IF ? I'm gonna go look at more of your videos now. peace

@user-dv7hb2sc9m I'm 5'6 165lbs with all my gear. It's a very moldable bike. The reliability and proven track record speaks for itself. But if you're going to need 70mph speeds for long periods I'm thinking going bigger is probably a wiser choice in the long run too. That lowered Honda CRF looked like it was promising for us short folk. Good luck with your decision. I know its hard. Especially since no one offers test rides.

We're both close to the same weight & I'm 5'6" so I like the XT for the lower seat & you are correct about the CRF on the HWY plus it's got the 6th gear which lets that high revving 5th gear not vibrate you so much & again, I like the XT in how it looks, I like air cooled too, & the price. I even have been entertaining the Honda 150L which brought me back to the XT again. I'm all over the place but I'm researching it really well & if my money works out I might look for something like the Honda 500x or DR600(DRX's big brother) because these 2 can handle some open highway. TY for posting.

It eventually stopped doing that. I'm just taking a guess, but I think it might have been the ECU relearning because I put the Yoshimura on? I only ever use Ethanol free fuel too. Never swapped the battery out either.

@@findingneutral ok, yah I bought this one and it’s all stock, maybe the gas is stale. Hopefully resolves on its own over time, thanks !

@franciscoruiz8612 Cool. Hope it sorts itself out for you.

Thanks 🙂. So far no issues with mine nor the cables. Good luck with yours. Congratulations on your new NX500. Very cool looking new design.

Going on 9k miles with my MRA. So far so good. I recommend using a small amount of blue thread lock on the grub retention screws. One of mine ended up vibrating out. Good luck with yours.

Thanks. Just the kit listed in the description.

I am 6' 2" , maybe too tall for this nice bike, I don't know.....

NE Florida. Thanks

@@findingneutral where is NE ? Around what town?

Thanks. I've now actually done this on 4 separate bikes and it's worked each time 👍.

ruclips.net/video/9b55Zm2FUB4/видео.htmlsi=eVbdGVsB1GcblYMU

Noooo, I didn't bother buying another after market. I heard even the Corbin was not so plush I believe from TFL. Luckily I found a local upholstery guy and he totally recrafted the oem seat like a giant Monkey seat. I have a clip up on it. I did a Honda stencil on back too. Only direction to go is up with this Earth Cruiser seat dimensions. 😅

Your spot on though... it's like the Honda seat team was like "You there! 😮👉 go find the absolute hardest nunchaku Cocobolo hardwood and widdle a seat out it! Spray paint it black then bolt it on the English version CT/Trail125 's only. And tell all your cousins making fancy expensive aftermarket seats to use only the hardest oldest phone books and pea gravel to stuff their's". 🫲🥸🫴 Sadly, I had a 1970 Ct90 with an oem seat and it was amazingly plush and comfortable?!? Why Honda? Why!?! I hate throwing money away on seats. But my life back double fushion dictates otherwise. It's modify or upgrade or get rid of the bike. Hope you got a laugh out my saga. Rock on Wabalaka 🤘 😊

@@findingneutral Thank you.

Thanks Bon 😊

Cool. I'm still very pleased with it. 👍

Amen to that. And sometimes its good to take a break… I’ll be looking forward to any new xt videos you may post in the future my brother… Thanks so much again, your kindness is appreciated! Be safe!😊