2023 Honda CB500X Review | Daily Rider
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- rvz.la/40uQya3 | Learn more about our sponsor REVER
As far as ADV motorcycles go, the Honda CB500X is on the small side. But, does that mean your adventure should be any smaller? Zack hits the DR route to talk it over.
SPECS:
MSRP: $7,300
Engine: 471 cc parallel twin
Measured weight: 437 lb. / 198.2 kg
Fuel capacity: 4.7 gal. / 17.8 liters
Seat height: 32.8 in. / 833 mm
Read about the 2019 bike here! rvz.la/3ozIvvx
Zack’s gear:
Alpinestars Solano Jacket: rvz.la/3Ahm6Wi
REAX Cyclone WP Gloves: rvz.la/43Ui7MR
Klim K Forty 2 Jeans: rvz.la/3oElsiU
Alpinestars Oscar Monty V2 Boots: rvz.la/41FtDKi
Sedici Strada II MIPS Helmet: rvz.la/3mS1jFG
Read more about the CB500X on Common Tread! rvz.la/3H0mdJO
Use REVER for next ride rvz.la/3H5aAkz
Sitting at home killing time before I go to the Honda dealer to pick up my CB500X and this video pops up!!
ive had the 2022 model for the last month, loving it so far!
Already put 870km in the last 3 weeks on it :)
Congrats. How do you like it?
Something something CBR 1000RR.
How is it?
I have the 2023 red version, everybody knows the red one has 1-2 hp more... It is the ultimate all-rounder, I use it to commute daily in Madrid, Spain, 20-30km. intercity highways and then dense urban traffic, and it's just the perfect combination of performance and cost. Two, three times a year I do over 1000 km. trips to the coasts, I avoid highways because it's boring as hell, and it's also absolutely perfect for national, regional and local roads. It's amazing how well balanced it is, which makes it so good at bends, it's a blast on mountain roads. The low power also allows you to open throttle way before bigger bikes, even during the passing of the curve, it never tries to kill you. I've also done hours at 150 km/h on the highway, boring as hell as I said, the engine goes up 7.500 revs out 8.800, fuel consumption shoots up to 5 liters/100 km instead of the usual and impressive not even 4, but the bike takes it, the suspension, chasis, breaks... are up to it, and feels that it could it do for ever. Obviously if your intended use is to make thousands of km. on highways a bigger engine would be the better option, but then I fill the tank of my CB500X and I feel invincible. It will take me anywhere and back.
Once again, amazing objective review by Zack. Vanilla can be good. Vanilla can even be fun. Most other journalists would have the top of their lists crowded with liter bikes. But Daily Rider isn't about that, it's about what is good to live with on a daily basis. A lot of motorcyclists would ride more, a lot more, if they picked bikes appropriate for their needs and abilities rather than their egos.
ADV are a better option than cruisers, if comfort is the goal.
he looks like boomer linus tech tips
One day all the young zealots are going to look back at their 'boomer slurs' and realize they are the same age at the people they boomed on.
@@exothermal.sprocket same as it ever was, same as it ever was
@@Ang3lUki Talking Heads, great song 😂
Seems like an absolutely perfect bike for a daily commute.
Only Zack could get me to watch a 1/2 hour review of this bike. Always insightful and entertaining. Zack is a treasure.
I have the 22 model. Same as 23. I have recently tried allot of bikes because i have felt i was missing maybe 20+ something HP. And wanted to upgrade. And i gotta say. I feel more and more fond of the cb. It is such a easy bike to ride. Fuel consumption for me on the Norwegian west coast roads is average at 0.3L for 10km. The showa suspension is absolutely fantastic. And for my area with not fast roads in sight. The power of it is perfect. Actually wondering about just keeping it. Aspecially when getting back on it after testing other bikes i feel emediately comfy on it. Sure. i am used to it. But stil. I am 186cm and it fits me well.
I got to have a tenere world raid for a full weekend. Only good thing on that bike is enginepower. Otherwise that bike felt horrible. Suspension is not perticularly good at all. Tried every setting possible. Not smallbump sensitive. Not compared to how sensitive the cb suspension is. Seat on T7 WR is very bad. Buttons etc felt very cheap. Big fueltank on the WR is very wide. Splitting my legs. It was very dissapointing for me. As the T7 WR has had so many good reviews and it being so bad and uncomfortable. Try something before you buy it. Never buy a bike untested. And my best average was 0.47L for 10km. Witch i was not perticularly impressed on. For around 300kms of riding.
To get the cb more comfortable on long rides try to allways keep it around 4k rpms as the engine calmes very at that rpm. So dont allways gear up.
I have upgraded my bike with a outback motortek crashbars and skidplate. Givi panier racks for monokey. New pedal/pegs in alloy much larger then standard. Givi largest windscreen. Givi handguards. Going to upgrade to barkbusters. Have put 30mm bar risers on it to suit my body size better and when i stand sometimes.
Had the 2013 version for 5 years, it was a very competent daily bike and the occasional long distance touring machine. It may not be fast, spectacular or exciting, but if you want something thats easy to ride, easy to manage alone (very important if you are the type that rides alone), cheap to run and super reliable, very few bikes can beat this all rounder.
Very accurate review: I've had my 2022 for a year and put about 2000 miles on it. I originally come from a dirt background. I am 5'8" and a 31" inseam and I can just about plant my heels. I am averaging 77mpg overall. This is just a cracking little bike. I think the best way to think about this is Honda took a mix of good (not great) ingredients, and with a mix of engineering, they've baked a great cake. It's not amazing at anything, but is really good at everything. What Honda gives you for the $ is very impressive. I watched most every professional review, and every one has a tough time finding major faults with the bike, and they all leave very impressed. Some products have a lot of wow factor, and then the more you use them the more you grow to hate them. I was honestly not initially very impressed with the bike, but the more I have lived with it, the more I have grown to really appreciate how well engineered and damn good this bike is. Oh, MAKE SURE you immediately replace the foot pegs with some lower, wide units, as the originals are street bike units that do not allow you to stand up properly.
I've spent about 3000 miles on one of these on a longer trip. I own a 21 Africa Twin Adventure Sports and took it out of curiosity (Dad owns the 22, same bike same color). It's a excellent bike, good suspension, good brakes, comfy, huge fuel range and way lighter than the AT. Honestly if you don't crave a lot of power this thing will do everything you ask well. It's such an honest great lower cc bike. Given the choice I would accept the lower power (but huge mileage because of that) and buy this over the Versys 650, Vstrom 650 or KLR 650 all of which I've owned and put many miles on. It's really an underrated bike. It's only downside is it's a modest 500 so if you really really "need" power you will be disappointed. But if like me you've had fast bikes and are over needing that strait line power hit, it does everything well for less money. Highway is no issue. I'm 290 lbs and rode it for hours at 85mph and it'll be in the upper rev range a bit but doesn't care. At 55-65 it's perfect.
The only thing I do not like in this bike are gears. They works perfectly but 1-3 are too short. But riding it is is a smile on the face whole time.
@@podunkman2709Change the front sprocket to 16t
YW
@@ChrisSauer-oe5ve any recommendation on a specific 16 tooth front pocket… Or is it a no-brainer.
I hired 2 of these (older models) when travelling around Thailand and Vietnam. I'm 6'5 and 280lbs, and I was super impressed with the cb500x. Surprisingly comfortable, and much more capable than I expected. I was riding 2 up in Thailand, with hard panniers, and even then it was really good. Adventure potential if not a true adv, a lot of Northern Vietnam was unsealed roads, and i'm not an experienced adv rider. The cb500x never missed a beat and I was very much at ease. My home bike at the time was a Yamaha xt1200z super Tenere, so I was a little sceptical of a 500cc bike, but I would happily own one of these, maybe not for 3000 mile tarmac touring, but a really good little bike. Exciting? Probably not. But a real pleasant surprise. Simple pleasure. 100%. Well said Zac. 👍
We recently rented this Bike in Chiang Mai and drove to Chiang Rai. The Rice paddies and mountains here are beautiful😃
I’ve gotta know, at 6’5 are you legs feeling cramped like Zac implies in this video?
Ian thank you so much for sharing this in the comments. I’m currently in Thailand and I will be coming back this November to tour Thailand and Vietnam. Did you buy your bike out here and if you did how much did you pay? Thank you
I think this like of bikes from Honda is spot on, not too big for city riding, still somewhat offroad capable, and most importantly, it is a great tourer for younger couples without being intimidating or requiring too much experience and cash. Plus, I absolutely love the look and proportions of this bike compared to bigger more dedicated bikes.
No way! I just bought a 2016 cb500x as my first bike last week and here comes this video! Thanks Zack!
Such a great bike!
I think people see this as cool because it's sort of understated, it's not trying too hard. The definition of cool! I think a lot of GS riders etc would do better by opting for one of these instead. Really intrigued to see how the Transalp rides compared with this too, I'm 6'2 so I'm on the limits of what the 500X was designed for!
he is so good at riding. power slides on street tires in the mud and parallel twin wheelies. I aspire to the greatness of Zack and Harry.
Finally! The best Mid-sized affordable and versatile bike, maybe ever.
Been waiting for this one for a while! I really enjoy my 22 500X, but will probably upgrade and pass along to my wife from her 300. Few notes I'd add: 1. for as good as the front brake is, the rear is terrible. 2. if you do a lot of city driving you'll probably average more mpg than Zach notes. I've had plenty of tanks in the mid 70's and have almost eeked out 80. It drops pretty significantly if you do a lot of 70+ mph roads though.
Would sintered pads help on the rear? I know that it’s certainly helped my sv650 in terms of inital bite on the pedal
@@jackisonline2 good question! Did you ever find out the answer? I'm thinking about getting one, and I definitely want the best brakes I can get, and if that means new brake pads, then I need to know!
@@YowzoeHello! Good question, and while I don’t have the answer for this particular bike I have purchased a 2005 cbf500 since, and that bike benefited greatly from braided lines and sintered pads, I do a fair bit of filtering through tight UK traffic and having something with more feel is essential, so there is definitely room for improvement on stock brakes without total replacement
Super underrated. Thanks for reviewing and sharing the good word of the CB500X. Ive ripped a '16 offroad and it does really well - always better than people expect. Great vid!
I had a 2016 as well and also took it offroad, completely stock. The bike did amazingly for it's size and weight, I even brought it to my local OHV area and you should have seen the looks I was getting from some of the dirt bikers there. I wasn't as fast as they were but being an ex dirt biker myself could do any trail, and when I was done I could hop right back on the highway and keep up with traffic without a hitch. Amazing bike.
So I actually bought CB500X a couple weeks ago and I can confirm: very nice on the highway, it loves 55-65 mph, its pretty comfy, ergos are awesome and I’m getting towards 70mpg. I just had the break in service done and I’m excited to start doing some ADV riding for the first time
Change front sprocket to 16t
YW
I've owned a 2019 CB500X for three years. Awesome bike, it's a better road bike than I expected, and does decently well off-pavement too. It should go to the top of your leader board due to the GREAT VALUE (what other bike for $7300 even compares?) and its versatility.
@Kuru Botlar I have a great street bike already (Kawasaki Concours) and wanted a second bike that could be taken off-pavement. The NC750 is a good choice if you stay on pavement all the time. The CB500X has a 19" front wheel, more ground clearance, less weight, and more fuel capacity. It's the better choice for riding off-pavement roads, but the CB500X is still a very capable road bike too. I have ridden my CB500X 550 miles in one day, then spent the weekend off-pavement, then 550 miles back home in one day again. It has the versatility to do both, which is why I chose the CB500X.
@@stevelarson4487 I tried nc750x, I tried cb500x and... CB500X is way better for commuting. More universal. Nc750x is too heavy, storage is too small.
I'd like cb500x has slightly more power, gear are "longer" (1-2 should be just first gear).
Hey how's this thing do on the highway? I'm pretty tall, 6'4, and planning some long road trips that would need highway driving
Easily solved by changing the front sprocket to 16 teeth. Just remember the speedo will then read 2km/h less than real speed, apart from that it transforms the bike.@@podunkman2709
Almost 600,000 views - people are watching this. It was a detailed and thoughtful and well researched review - thank you!
I watched this six months ago as I was looking around and taking a deep dive into my search. I’m 64, west of Seattle, and in July I got a beautiful Pearl Green ‘22 CB500X with 1800 miles on craigslist, two states away for a fair price. And spent the last two months up and down the West Coast camping, vagabonding, hosteling, and using Bunk-a-Biker - it was *amazing* and can’t wait for next summer :-) I just got back a week ago. So much fun in so many beautiful places, both rural and urban.
This is after about 40 years of not riding. I used to ride to high school on a ‘76 CB350. I researched the hell out of what I wanted, and this review and others really made me believe that this specific bike, and specifically the ‘22 or ‘23 version, was the fit for me.
I will not lie, the first few days were pretty iffy, and I felt and looked like a newborn Bambi.
I didn’t really lose my skills partly, I think, because my head has always somewhat been in motorcycling, and I’ve been mountain biking the last few decades. But I’m not sure a new or returning rider going immediately to a midsize bike is always the wisest move.
The bike is a smaller midsize ADV, and weighs 440 pounds stock. It came with full Rally Raid and Motech crash protection, and I got soft panniers and bags from Nelson Rigg and Motech. I haven’t dropped it yet, but my slow speed skills have left me a bit terrified at times, especially in the first few weeks. I do not have a speed demon in my soul, I take everything slowly, I remember that I am invisible.
I also ordered a stealth muffler from FUEL (U.K.), an awesome small 🇬🇧company.
The one thing I definitely wanna do is switch out the sprockets to change the gearing. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I’ll be doing 80 or 90% on the pavement.
I definitely recommend this bike for long touring with some off-road to anyone. As Zach says, it does everything pretty well. It’s perfect for me. Good deals are around, because people (esp. retirees) buy bikes like these in droves and often then decide they don’t want them. I was super-careful and bought from a solid seller. As I said, I researched the hell out of this whole process, and it served me well. I hope this helps someone with their 🏍️ quest. May you have as much fun and success as I’ve had thus far.
I have a 2020 model and I love it. I have other bikes that are bigger, faster, and more capable, but I hang on to the 500X because it’s just a fun bike to ride.
I have the 2019 model. Sometimes I want more umf... but I would never trade the bike. Such an allrounder. Can do highway speeds and the economy is awesome. The new Honda 500 scrambler looks epic too and the seat is lower, with can be nice.
@@RVMTube Totally agree. I’m excited to see the Scrambler. Should be a fun bike.
It so strange to me EVERY SINGLE motorcycle reviewers hide how disproportionate some motorcycles engine vs chassis are - bikes that have an engine that matches their chassis are “boring” and motorcycles with better chassis than engines are rarely made because of reviews
@@stubbingtonmarigold3032 i completely agree! When i want more power from my 500X, I know I will be over speeding etc... It really is never out of necessity. I think that engine would make a great platform to tour the world with.
If it ain't fun, why do it. A retired man's motto.
Its a great commuter. I have a 60 mile round trip commute on country/city roads and it ticks all the boxes. More than fast enough, comfy and incredibly economical (80+ mpg) if ridden sensibly. I've even done short (4-5 day) tours which it handled brilliantly although these didn't include much motorway/freeway riding....if you want a long distance mile muncher then there are clearly better bikes out there with bigger engines. Overall I would have preferred 15-20+ more HP, but at the end of the day I have another bike (Triumph Street Triple) to use as my "fun" bike, so as a commuter the 46HP is probably about right.
Very much tuned to fit in the Euro A2 bike license class, Honda did tune up the nc750 by a few hp out of the A2 level when these 500s were launched. But this cb500x sells consistently well here in the UK, probably better for the medium range commute and lots of city riding role than say the higher priced versys 650 or tiger sport that most get used for rather than any genuine touring.
You said 2 things that sum up this bike pretty well. It's a "gateway motorcycle". Makes sense as I and many others make this our first bike. And secondly, "adventure light". Not full zoot, but a good dip in. I'm happy with my first bike. I hope I can stay this happy with my second, third and so on. 😊
I think that it's more than a gateway motorcycle, it's a keeper! It sits at a super sweet price spot and there's endless aftermarket for this. If you like this bike, you can kit it the heck out and make it a proper weapon from what I've seen - or keep it simple and enjoy a light capable adventure motorcycle.
I think this bike makes more sense than the Transalp at the pricepoint, due to how much they held back on kitting the Transalp out
@@Galf506to be honest for me it could be my dream bike. I KNOW it's not the most luxurious or expensive. But being able to use daily and weekend trips with light off road, sounds amazing to me. I don't need speed, I need reliability to reach slowly but surely my destination while enjoying the ride.
Because of that I'm gonna get a GN125 as my first bike, it does great on city and its cheap to maintain. Gonna mod it to look like a cafe racer. Someday I'll have CB500X.
@@luisa.espinoza48 start with a 300. A 125 is not really enough, a cheap 300 will do the trick and they're often as expensive as 125cc
I saw you on Fortnine's gloves video.
As someone who owns an R1250GSA, I understand and appreciate the term "adventure light". There are times where I'd rather be on something a lot lighter. Just not all the time.
I bought a 2020 version of this motorcycle after owning a 2014 CB500F for 2 years and I love this bike. It fixes a lot of the issues I had with the CB500F. Also I too get complimented on the bike as well which was surprising. I love this bike and I would recommend to anybody looking for an adventure gateway bike that's great for a commute
A 2013 model was my first bike. I loved it. It did everything. I decked it out with crash bars, a sump plate, home made panniers and 50/50 tyres and took it on trips with DRZ400 and Yamaha wr250r. It did great. I toured for three weeks straight and camped off the back of it. And it did all this while getting 3.6L/100km. Best bike for a beginner
I am looking for a motorcycle that gets good MPG and I can go camping with. Sothat is good to see that you went camping on this as well.
It is a good looking bike, I get complements all the time. I bought a 2021 CB500X over the phone. They kept the bike a couple weeks, waiting on some accessories. When I went to pick it up the salesman said even with a 'sold' sign on it they had to move it into the warehouse because so many people liked the way it looked and kept asking about it.
How's it holding up for you? I think I'm gonna look for a 21-23 on craigslist in the Pacific Northwest.
It's been problem free. Still having fun with it. Got a new tail bag on the way.@@Yowzoe
@@1jfmurray Well, I've seen so, so many reviews on RUclips. This in so many ways is my dream bike for all the familiar reasons. I live next to a national park (which I used to work in), and it's surrounded by a national forest with all sorts of adventures. I can see myself doing trips in the PNW and Southwest on this, (nothing too rough as I'm not a young buck any longer). It's a versatile and Honda-dependable bike just to get around on the roads on. Probably my last bike. So I am right on the verge, on the tip, of doing something potentially stupid--something that you did: I'm about to buy a '22 with 1800 miles (almost all road miles according to the seller) over the phone. Wish me luck that it will work out, because I'm buying from a private party. In another state. These bikes are almost impossible to find, and I'd like the '22 and the '23 over older years for the several improvements and over new '24 version (the NX500) which with destination charges and the long wait and the change in styling seems like something I don't want to wait for, or even want as much. It's important for me to ride a bike that I feel good about in every way. If I don't like this, I'll flip it. Am I crazy? I'm asking myself this right now, because decision-time is tomorrow. Forgive my rambling, I get that way before big moves. I can definitely afford this, I'm paying cash on the barrel…still it is nerve-racking.
Thank you for the improved camera view! Please compare the KTM 390 Adventure to this Honda.
Thank you.
Go for Honda. Much better mill.
I rented a KTM 390 Duke for a week, but it's definitely not as refined as my CB500X. Mostly, it's the difference between a thumper and a parallel twin, but the KTM's ergonomics are also lacking for anyone over 6' tall.
Also keep in mind that these bikes have a long reputation for reliability, not so much for KTMs - same reason why I wouldn't buy an Aprilia Tuareg 660 either.
Have the 2022 model for a year now as only vehicle, have done around 20,000Km (still stock tires) riding almost every day for commute, twisties, long trips with soft luggages (just returned today from a 1500Km in 4 days solo trip to Sardinia) and a few dirt roads and it behaves wonderfully in almost every situation. My avg is 3.2-3.4L/100Km for gas so I can do like 400Km on one tank no problem lol. I like lighter bikes so I wouldn't trade it in for a bigger one. Actually I'd go even smaller since as it is I don't think I can take the CB500x as much offroad as I want (still learning, I don't really know how to ride offroad) so I am torn about doing a Rally Raid upgrade or looking at other bikes, though as I said apart more serious offroading I don't see a reason to switch. Oh and people really compliment the bike a lot on the looks, even other riders with GSs and Tigers.
There are a few negatives. The stock windshield is ass, lots of turbulence, first thing I changed. The throttle is a bit jerky as mentioned in the video but for me only important when riding more "sporty" in the twisties. Worst offender though imo is vibrations, they can be very loud especially when you get that resonance going at certain rpms and I haven't found a way to deal with those (apart ear plugs ofc).
Overall great do-it-all bike for a Europian city dweller to have as only vehicle. I think I'll opt for doing a few upgrades and keeping the bike for some long time.
2022 model here as well with nearly 10,000 km and my experience is identical to yours. I was hoping to do more off-road but the height and weight make it tough to do anything too technical (at my skill level). But for light off-road and everything else you can throw at it, it's absolutely excellent.
Hey, I'm just looking at getting this bike, wondering if you have learned anything in the last year about the vibrations. Did you put a cover on your seat, a sheepskin cover for example? Replacement shocks?
Also if you have time, can you tell me what windshield you settled on (if you are extremely happy with the one you got).
Thanks
@@Yowzoe heh sup. A lot of things happened, i managed to break the frame because of a few falls (stopped). A screw broke and I procrastinated the change to when a new crash guard would arrive and in that meantime the frame didn't held lol. So anyway I got the 2023 model.
Apart this unfortunate event I traveled a lot with the bike, did like 25k km in a year solo travelling in Italy, commuting everyday and weekend rides. Bike can do anything and is a great budget adventure do it all bike. The 2023 model I have has less vibrations and I am starting to think the previous one was due to this faulty frame screw. Throttle still a bit jerky while on-off (probably due to EU emission regulation things, maybe someone who can remap the fuel injection thingy can help with that). I got the GIVI windshield that is longer and is a life saver definetly recommend. Threw a seat cover on it for more comfort and airing in the summer and it's quite decent, it's a Toucano Urbano one. All in all I'm quite happy with the bike and would only change it if manufacturers could come up with a true lightweight adv sub 200kg wet with all the bells and whistles of modern bike.
Ooof. Could really tell how hard a decision it was for you to put it up against the sv650. Goes to show how close to perfection these “all-purpose small” bikes are in our lifetime
i think the winner is nc700x for all-purpose by far..
@@cristeaadrian9682 Why "by far"? It's bigger and heavier than the SV and CB, while being slower than the SV and no faster than the CB, and worse on fuel economy. It does have a frunk though. It is a completely different bike. So definitely not all purpose "by far".
I’ve got a garage full of bikes, but I picked a 2020 CB500X to ride from Utah to Ushuaia (then air freight home from Buenos Aires a few weeks ago). Although it doesn’t do any one thing very well, its (relatively) light weigh, great fuel range, comfort, reliability, etc., made this bike the perfect compromise.
Thank you for reviewing this bike! I’m finally in a financial position to buy a bike outright and after months of researching it’s come down to this bike and and Z400. You’ve pretty much convinced me this is what I want, but being a shorter rider at 5’6” I just need to sit on one to be sure. You make great content, keep it up!
I've been looking at these same two bikes!
I guess you can manage this bike which is not that top heavy. It's center of gravity is on point as per what I've noticed from reviewers pov. Me being a 5'5, I doubt that I can manage this bike. But unfortunately the updated model hasn't arrived Indian market hence can't tell you my experience with this bike.
Love my '21. Great for the city, but it's been quite comfortable for long days and has great gas milage (I usually get 65-70). Zach briefly mentioned it, but there's a ton of aftermarket parts for it, both with Honda (such as a center stand), as well as with companies like SW Motech, Givi, etc. The bike is definitely more than the sum of its parts and is dead reliable.
Hard to beat honda engineers for basic transportation.
Most of them are kinda unexciting but dead reliable.
Overall very accurate review, but in several places you seem to imply the CB500X has mediocre range. I've got about 8000 miles on my 2020 CB500X, and it averages 70 mpg in mixed city and highway riding. So with its 4.6 gallon fuel tank, that gives me about 320 miles range. That's exceptional compared to most other bikes.
Motojournalists generally tend to report mileage numbers quite a bit lower than the public... How often have you tried to "back it in" or intentionally spun up the rear wheel on a dirt road?
I love the Editor comments added to the DR videos. It’s infrequent enough that you don’t expect them, which make them particularly assuming and charming when they show up.
When I saw that Zach was getting docked pay I could not stop laughing!
Zack do you have a patreon?
If your pay is docked (lol), we’ll carry you like you’ve carried us! 🤙🏽
Hi, I got the bike in January and I'm riding roughly 100km a day. The first thing I changed was the Windshield position. The buffeting was quite strong and I adjusted the Windshield to the top position. It helps a lot on the freeways. The 2nd thing I did, is to increase the contrast (background light) in the menu of the dash. That helps also quite a bit with the underwhelming Display in shady areas. You are right about the speed sweetspot of around 100km/h. At around 105 -110km/h there is a bit of vibration happening, which disappears at 120km/h. Petrol consumption is around 72mpg (city / freeway).
You would probably do good to add a clip-on windshield extender.
I got one of the cheap ones ($40?) online a couple years ago and that helped my pre-owned GS even more.
God damn mixed systems. KM/h vs MPG 🤣
@@JoshuaTootell I know, right. I actually have an excel sheet to document the petrol consumption in KML and MPG (I live in a metric world).
Motorcycle display shows 2.9-3.1L/km
Calculated after refill is 3.2-3.3L/km
which is 30-31KML
Another flaccid CB for North America when the Japanese domestic market gets the CB 1300 Super Four in anniversary colors or even in Bol D'Or retro... who runs the show at Honda?
Owned 2017 for a couple of years. Crazy fun bike that I took on a 1600 mile 6 day trip and it handled it like a champ. If I rode solo this would be the only bike I would ever need.
How heavy are you and how heavy is your pillion? Curious to why you needed a bgger bike.
@@grtbgf between 2 of us were around 400. I’m the majority of it lol. Simply big isn’t big enough for 2 of us and my Versys 1000 simply is a more comfortable bike to ride.
I personally think that it's a great commuter for a beginner, after a very pleasant 35,000 miles! Great memories, low maintenance, high mpg, easy and fun to ride ! Cheers!
Yeah, geared my 500cc Honda way up. +1 front -3 rear. Now it's under 6k at freeway speed with no buzz or vibration. Bike also smoothed out a fair bit over the first couple thousand miles. So even at 7k rpm it's much less vibey than it was new.
Sounds like a good plan. If you're light and Don't have a passenger or luggage it's probably the way to go. Honda needed to allow for a 25 stone ridder with his wife luggage and still go up a steep hill.
@@chrishart8548 Reckon it would still climb the same hill with the same load at the same speed... in one lower gear. I load up my top case and myself with gear (perhaps 230lbs all up) and blast up steep SoCal freeway hills at 80mph no problem. While first is still low enough to tractor up my very steep driveway at 8 mph without any clutch. I think Honda simply wants it to 'feel' punchy in top gear. All the manufacturers tend to do this with almost every bike, which is why probably why Zach talks about wanting to gear up most bikes he test rides.
The main downsides of gearing up; First is taller and there is more space between gears. But if stock first is already too short and the gears are already much closer than they need to be - as is the case with these 500's - gearing up seems all benefit with no real cost. Smoother, better fuel economy, little less shifting around town, more usable first gear away from a light.
Sure 6th doesn't have the same acceleration as stock, but 5th is now a very similar ratio to what 6th used to be so it hardly matters; I just click down a gear.
Probably does better 🛑 to 🛑 keeping in 1st and 2nd longer
what are you seeing for fuel economy? I ride my 500R in a pretty relaxed manner and have been averaging 86mpg over the first few thousand miles I've done on it.
@@fuwafuwarowatari Please tell me that's UK MPG. 😅Or at least not American MPG. Mileage depends on how and where I ride. AT 75-80mph on the freeway I get about 60mpg. Cruising down back roads relaxed at ~45mph in 5th or 6th gear I can see as high as 75mpg. If I really start ripping it everywhere I can see down into the high 50's but no worse.
I bought a 2016, put 40+k on it before buying a T7. These little bikes are great. It’s a boring bike to take you exciting places.
I flung that bike through more nasty off road crap than it has ANY business tackling and it took the abuse in stride. That bike went up to Alaska, and down through Death Valley in summer. Never once complained.
feeling like I made a good decision on the 2022 model a month a go. Mine is mostly a commuter/sunday funday bike and loving it so far, have to agree with gearing it up though, already got a new front sprocket on order.
I love the CB500X but the Honda 500s are kinda overpriced for what they offer. This one can be excused as its an adv bike, but the other F and R are outclassed in value by the R3/Ninja 400.
Such an underrated bike. Already owned one in the past, but I think i want to go back and get the new one. It's a great commuter, the 19 inch wheel does well on bumps and pot holes. It's not an off-road, but it does great on gravel and dirt roads. But it really is a comfortable get around A2 bike. I used to start from 2nd gear and skip straight to 4th all the time. Having owned both, i prefer the CB to my Africa Twin.
Why skip 1st?
@@TheCdubbleyoo the gearing on 2nd is pretty low and you really don't need to shift down to 1st very often. In town you will be in 3rd before get through an intersection. 1st is good for unpaved trails and when you are weighted down with gear. 4th is very long, you can run in 4th on any road. Very little difference between 5th and 6th as well.
I think I would be happy with this but the TransAlp is out and I think that would be a better fit for my wants. (Looking forward to you riding the XL750 TransAlp)
Sadly, I don't fit an Africa Twin. :S
Thanks for sharing!!!
I've been commuting on a 2023 Grom (new rider) and think I'm going to step up to a little bit older CB500x. I'd love to have something to take on the freeway if needed.
I gave the 22, 500x. Covered 10,000 miles in the last year, live the little bike.. Looked at the Transalp, but the tubed tyres are a no from me.
Got my 2022 500x in January of this year and love it. What he said in the video is pretty spot on. I put a 16t front sprocket and WRS oversized windshield on and the bike is absolutely excellent on the highway now @70mph.
I know it's getting a but long in the tooth but I'd love to see a daily rider of the Vstrom 650!
I was actually looking for your review of this bike. I just bought one and will be taking delivery next week.
I'd love to see a Daily Rider on a Versys x 300. I got one as my first bike a couple months ago and am having a ton of fun!
I'm from Singapore and I have this exact bike but its tuned down to 399cc for the local licensing regulations, its such a perfect daily bike for my use and needs. Had tons of friends questioning my purchase but never regretted it one bit. Find a bike that suits your needs and practicality, everything else will fall into place. Great review!
Zach!! I just got a 500X and was waiting on you to do a video on it, awesome! Thank you
These bikes are very capable. I participated in an enduro competition last week and they had an ADV category, with obstacles and motocross style jumps, and the Honda CB500x took gold! To be fair, the rider is very skilled and always takes this bike to the mountains to do gnarly hill climbs and rocky trails. I've ridden one and honestly didn't light my pants on fire, but nonetheless very good bike. I personally prefer the Versys 300
Got 38 miles on my new 2022 cb500x
I have this exact model since late February and think this review is spot on. Still adjusting the windscreen, find the throttle not as smooth as I would like but getting used to it and about to change to 16 tooth front sprocket as I am almost entirely riding on the street. A returning rider after decades off the bike I am very happy with my CB500X.. Follow up at 4,000 km. The 16 tooth sprocket makes city riding more enjoyable. Throttle control seems to have improved. Windshield spoiler helps. It's a keeper.
The world isn't fair... all these wonderful bikes, and I'm only given 1 life to experience them all. 😢
I've rented a couple of these on Thailand trips, the 2015 and 2017 models IIRC. I like it, cruises at 70mph+ all day long. Also very capable in the twisties. And yes, very similar to the Kawasaki Versys 650. Btw the Versys has even more on/off throttle response(at least my 2009 did).
I have the '22 500X and it's a very competant mount. It isn't my favorite bike I've owned, but I always find myself riding it like a big supermoto and enjoying myself. It is strangely paradoxical bike that doesn't inspire excitement when you look at it or think about it, yet it is always enjoyable. It's very unoffensive, if not a bit bland.
I'm 6'1" and feel like that is pushing the upper limits of ergo comfort. I have a set of lowered pegs and that helped a lot, but with my size 13/48 boots, the right heel scrubs the muffler heat shield when standing. Might get an aftermarket slip on for better clearance, but then you have to listen to the drone of a 180° twin.
The sheepskin but pad I added gives just a smidge extra leg room and helps the sliding into the tank issue.
This is the perfect bike for my current place in life. I've had much nicer, fancier bikes and nothing is stopping me from affording a nicer bike. My issue is I don't know what type of riding I want to do going forward. A good all-arounder that wasn't too costly made sense.
Love your videos bro! Get so excited when I see a new one come up! Thanks for making my poop session more enjoyable😂
I bought the 2022 cb500x as my first bike and am in love with it. I do drive it to work every day and it is great.
Looking to get one in a month or so, but i'm still peeking at the Vstrom as well, but the honda seems a bit lighter and more nimble.
I think you got that ranking right. Tough call but the SV is just a legend.
I have a '14 cb500x and it's been solid for 9 years. Rally Raid has some great bits to make it even better
cb500x the best all-rounder bike period. Best all-rounder balance - the power to fuel consumption, the range to weight, the comport to size, it can be ridden for fun on twisties, and also perfect with top box in the city for everyday shopping, looks really slick for normal people, it is big enough to have a big bike presence but small enough that you can casually ride it to do errands. (650s like versys don't have that feeling anymore, they're too big) If you do all sorts of riding (commuting/touring/city/twisty) and you only could have one bike, it is this. The only thing is that it is definitely a road bike, sure it can do a gravel road like any motorcycle, but it definitely is not for offroad, if you want more off road, I'd say F700/800GS is best all-rounder-offroad-leaning motorcycle
Great review as always! Could you add a moment to talk about how each bike feels standing on the pegs?
Zack - Please get your hands on a Z900RS for a daily ride comparison. Just bought the 2023 model for my everyday bike and commute to work. Looks amazing, very comfy, moves pretty darn good. I think you'll be impressed with how good it is as an all arounder.
Really lost sleep over this or the KLR. Ended up with the KLR
I have absolutely no interest in this bike whatsoever. There’s nothing exciting or innovative about it at all. I probably wouldn’t even ride if this is what I had to ride.
But I like DR and Zach. One thumbs up from me and I comment for the algorithm. I’m sure this will be a good episode. They always are even when the subject bike is not for me.
I think you ranked it WAY too high. Yes it’s incredibly practical, but it’s also incredibly boring. This is the type of bike that people outgrow quickly and look to move up. Sorry but if this were next to a Streetfighter V2 and you had to choose one to ride, you’re going to ride the Streetfighter almost every time. That is unless conditions are going to be bad. I’ve had so many bikes over the years. Every time I get something like this cb500 I get bored of it QUICK. The Tiger 660 and Versys 650 are so much better bikes. Especially the Tiger. That 660 has no problem rolling on the open roads and its a blast to ride through the twisties and crack the throttle from a stop.
I think you ranked this one out of practically and it’s way too high on the list. The reason you ride is for fun. Sorry but the only thing fun about that bike is that it’s a motorcycle. It sucks offroad, it sucks on-road. It’s not fast. The engine is uninspiring. It sucks in the twisties. It’s just a plain below average bike that can do things but doesn’t excel at anything other than being an economical way to get from a to b.
Seriously love the 500 lineup of Honda. Proud owner of the CBR500R
I have got my CB509X, preferring it over the new NX500. I do agree with you about the throttle, a bit jerky, especially when the bike is in 2nd gear, you need to play with the clutch to smooth the kick-in. But absolutely great bike, huge value for money.
I think cb500x is great for two types of riders. As a do everything bike it allows new riders to figure out what they want from a bike and older more experienced riders on a budget who aren't interested in going super fast or doing really crazy things off road. I am an experienced rider who owns motorcycles from 125cc to 1300cc and my cb500x is my backroad touring bike. With good adv tires and it's long range and comfortable seating position it is the perfect bike for a couple thousand mile backroad tour. it loves 55 mph two lanes and hard packed dirt roads. not a good single track bike and not a good interstate tourer but great for aimless wandering.
Really well put and my experience as well. It was my first serious bike after owning a 125 for a few months to learn and it seems I hit the bullsey with what I want from a bike, a daily commuter and aimless wondering.
@@gjergjipocari8227 With thicker grips and 16 tooth front sproket it's pretty decent on interestate 70-75mph
Has anybody ever driven this bike throughout Southeast Asia? Happy really interested to know if anybody has and what was your experience? I am a new rider and this is the Bank come up to buy to travel through Southeast Asia.👍
In the extreme sports world, this bike is rollerblading.
Instead of docking Zacks pay for the glare, can he be made up ride a Honda Monkey for a week? Complete with a daily moto vlog please.
I've ridden this bike a couple times in Thailand, so smooth and easy to operate - great machine.
I very well think this could be my next bike. A hike with the family is right up my alley! I got my first bike (Honda CRF250L) at 54 yo and have been learning. Now 57, the 500X could be the next best step! Thanks Zack. Also…. Super excited about the upcoming Road Trip video with the Goldwing and the Gixer
I have owned a 2014 CB500F since 2020. I wish the bike had 5 or 6 more hp. Other than that, the bike checks SO MANY boxes! I use it mostly for touring (around town I typically use either a scooter or a small dual sport). I added a Givi fly screen to get the wind blast out of my chest, Oxford heated grips and givi panniers. The fuel range is great and it handles twisties much much better than I had expected. Parts are easy to get (important on long trips). Bike has been crazy reliable. Bike is small and low, which is great for shorter guys like myself. And it's not an expensive bike. When I bought my cb500f, I thought I would upgrade in a couple of years to an mt07. However, so far I haven't felt the need to move up. I have a feeling I will continue to own this bike for quite some years still. I bet the cb500x and the rebel 500 are also incredibly good bikes. Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.
Wondering if the hornet or the transalp are the bikes these 500's should have been 47hp and 471cc just doesn't sound like enough to me
@@chrishart8548 The Honda 500's are adequate, just not the most exciting. They are a good fit for many people who are just happy to be riding on two wheels and want something practical and dependable (after all, a decent ride is better than no ride at all). They are a massive step up for people who have spent a lot if time on bicycles, scooters or the 125 - 150cc class that are very common in other places in the world. These 500's are also good for beginners or nervous people who want to become better riders and are worried that they might find themselves in trouble on a more powerful motorcycle
@@chrishart8548 in the usa, and assuming average usa rider height, I agree with you: you would likely want more power and possibly a higher seat too. However, here in Brazil a CB500F is faster than about 85 or 90 percent of the cars you will find on the road. So you are already up in the top 15 percent fastest vehicles bracket when you road trip with a cb500f here. Would I like more power? Sure, more power is always better. However, for my geographical location, the cb500f is already fast enough to be among the fastest vehicles out on the road. So it gets hard to justify spending a lot more money in order to be even faster. And I would also give up fuel range and handling (if I were to move up to an mt07). Fuel range here can be important (remember, we are talking about Brazil here). If and when I move up, I think it will be to an inline 4. But yes, more power is ALWAYS better. Just hard to justify sometimes.
@@chrishart8548 Any more power and it would no longer meet the A2/lams class, which after all is what this bike is made for. Moving this bike out of this class to satisfy the wants of a few people would be marketing death. Need more power just buy a bigger bike. Simple!
@@Ozsmallbore I don't like the A2 law the power/weight part means if you want the full 47hp the bike has to weight a lot. The CB400X makes just as much power as the cb500x is cheaper and is cheaper to tax in the UK we don't get that model though. The old cb500 made 60hp the new one 47hp. I don't think the A1 A2 and A licence system has proved to be a success.
Don't call this a motorcycle from Japan, because it's not. It's from Indonesia.
Thailand. But does it matter? Build quality and reliability are excellent.
If practicality was a motorcycle.
That’s usually said about the NC750 X.
I wish they’d make adventure bikes more suitable for short riders
I really like how you place a bike on the leaderboard based on a daily rider objective base. Of course most of the other have a better performances or are more exiting to ride, but your channel is the only one i've found so far that objectively caracterise the bikes on their day to day qualities and it is refreshing because for a lot of us, that is how we ride.
I will keep my xsr 700 though, best dam city bike i've ever ridden and also pretty capable on the twisties.
I would really like to see a review of Honda CB1000R sc80 black or no black, I do not think it matters.
Babe wake up new daily rider dropped
Hay que hacer como Ryan y pasar estas pruebas en español!!!
Absolutely happy with CB500X, 65000 kms done, mostly commuting. For trips and sunday blast have other bike but for daily duties it's just perfect.
How about testing the Piaggo MP3 as a DR.
Honda CB500X is nice (if you are on a budget), what, in your opinion, would be a flagship bike from Honda,
🤙🏼
Bikes like the Honda CB500X make me appreciate my KTM 390 Adv more. It's got an exciting engine, great mileage, adjustable suspension, clear display, backlit controls, etc etc. The CB 500X could also be so much more with tweaks along the lines of their added front disk.
I love mine. Get over 80 mpg almost all the time and I'm no grandpa rider.
I love my cb500x, .... thanks for talking about changing to taller gears, any recommendations on how many teeth?
I bumped the front sprocket up to 16 on my '15 CB500X and it's waaay better for my highway commute. It also makes the first gear actually usable around town!
I have this exact bike and changed the gearing to a 16t (15t is stock) on the front and kept the stock 41t on the back and it is sublime! I made this change after a lot of research from other 500X owners on forums. You can cruise at 75, all day, with comfort.
@@dig_dug thanks so much!!
@ndxc87 thanks so much!!
I went +1 front -3 rear and really like the results.
24:14 "I love motorcycles!", yeah, we can tell Zac, we can tell.
I love my HONDA CB500X 2022 model, I have put it through it paces and have lots of content on riding and mods , I LOVE THIS BIKE ,for all the right reasons 😍
👍
Great review, Zack! I think it's good looking and like you said, a great "gateway" bike!
Hello Zach!! como siempre una de las mejores secciones Daily Rider!! Con respecto al tablero, la hubiese dejado en primer lugar, sin embargo tienes razón al hablar de una moto de uso diario, creo que es más cómoda y baja la SV, para actividades cotidianas!. Excelente video, saludos desde Chile
I had one of these. I agree with Zack in that it's not super exciting, but it does everything you ask, it'll do city work, road trips, off roading, lots of adventures without ever complaining, and doing it cheap. If you just want to do motorcycle stuff it's an amazing bike.
I've reached the age where a bike this comfortable, easy to ride ; that feels this good , means that I can ride much more without getting tired. That's always a good thing. I had to be honest with myself, more would not be better.
First, I am not a fan of motorcycle blogs...but I HAD TO watch this one! Great job, Zack!
I've had my eye on one of these for a while now and will, probably, get one eventually. I took a demo on one at last year's Daytona Bike Week. Had a blast!
I've owned a V-strom 650, an NC 700 and a Versys 650. All great bikes but, unfortunately sold them all. Once I found my CB650F I knew I'd never get rid of it as I love it! That said, these CB500X's are extremely fun, comfortable and Honda definitely nailed it! Obviously, to compare it to a 650 (or higher cc bike) doesn't fall in the same category. But I can tell you, now that I'm getting older I find that the smaller, lighter bikes are much more easier for me to handle while still enjoying the motorcycle passion.
BTW, on my demo ride I'll never forget the range leader who I was up front with. During our ride the group comes to a stop sign. He looks at me as he let's a few car go by and get way in front of us. I was wondering why he wasn't going after we were clear. He shouts out, "Wanna have some fun?", and winks. Then he guns it...and so did I. I redlined it in 1st gear (it comes quick) but I was smiling ear-to-ear! When we got back he tells me not to say anthing and then he informs me how much he loves this bike!
I think there's something about the CB500X that just strikes a chord with everyone. Just because it's only "500 cc's" try one out. You just may realize what I'm talking about!
Looks like a very boring bike to ride, yeah it might tick all the boxes, but what’s the point if you’re not having fun. My pick is still the Ninja 400, great price, high revving exciting engine, quick, not boring like the 500x.
That's a perfect reply for your situation, but fun means different things to different people. Some people want 'busas some people want Navis.
Might all depend on where you live. Here in the Alps there‘s very little straight roads and certainly anyway you can‘t do great speeds. My Versys 300X is fun but the power delivery so high (like the 400) somehow feels a lot less usable daily than the 500X I test rode the other day. Not sure about boring, its all about cornering fun for me and I feel the 500 just has more grunt coming out of corners, so making it somehow feel more fun than the Versys 300… A Z400 would be fun, but its just far too cramped feeling for me, almost all nakeds are actually.
@@roaminguero Yes every bike is dependent on your liking and for what purpose. Most people can only afford one, so I figure buy the one you have most fun on in your city. I sat on a z400 and it was more cramped than the ninja 400. You have to make sure you test a lot of bikes in person.