The Honda CB500X is the PERFECT Beginner Adventure Bike Because...
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2023
- The Honda CB500X is the best beginner adventure bike because it's perfectly suited for the types of beginner motorcycle adventures beginner adv riders take. Don't believe me? Let's get out on a typical beginner adv bike ride and explore the backcountry (and even some of the Oregon BDR) on a bone stock Honda CB500X to prove it.
My full Honda CB500X review is coming very soon, but in this video I wanted to discuss some of my favorite features of this entry-level adventure motorcycle including its versatility and how I believe it's so much more than the sum of its parts. The Honda CB 500X may be one of the best beginner motorcycles of all time just because it's so easy to ride, so forgiving, yet so capable of so many things. It's versatile, beginner friendly, and best of all inexpensive.
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You said that bike was bone stock but it clearly had at least the forks resprung/valved. The fork caps had at least preload adjusters which I don’t remember being a stock component. I could be wrong. Damn. Now I have to go look it up because I’m second guessing myself. 😂✌️
Has the Waterpump issue (losing Radiator Fluid) been addressd by the Company? I would appreciate if you could address this!
Hey Dork, I'm an older rider that's tired of big heavy adventure bikes. Not only is this bike good for beginners, but also for those looking to downsize. This bike has a lot of potential. MadTV (an Australian RUclipsr) fitted a Rally Raid kit and crossed the Simpson Desert on his.
Thanks for that recommendation, as I too am getting up in age and looking to go lighter and smaller (twin cyl) bike not only easier to handle but not too much power that tempt me (cuz am easy to tempt into going too fast)
@@jessrumblinit’ll be perfect for those purposes. I have a 2023 and it’s great.
Hey mate, can you share the link of the video ? I can’t find it
Cheers
@@marcelovalenteramos4433 ruclips.net/video/JBUyyeIIKls/видео.htmlsi=bE1wYu7gYs037y9C
I’ve been riding for forty years. I’ve had everything from fireblades to GS’s.
I’ve got a CB500x and just finished a three month, 12000 mile wild camping tour of Scandinavia. The Honda coped with everything. Highways, twisties, forest and gravel roads. Zero reliability problems and averaged 80mpg. In real world riding it’s unbeatable.
Just rolled 5,000 miles on my ‘23! Absolutely love it
I bought my 2019 CB500X in May 2020, and am very impressed with it's capabilities. The CB500X is a better road bike than I expected, and the off-road capability exceeds my abilities. I agree with your comment that it's very under-rated as a small ADV bike. I have done several 500+ mile days on pavement, and it's quite comfortable and smooth. When you get off-pavement, the engine is a little tractor and works great. If you don't exceed ground clearance limits or bounce the suspension, it's decent for trails. The bike is much better off-pavement if you add the skid plate, hand guards, and crash bars. I've been quite happy with my CB500X.
well said
I love my 2022 500X, and I take it to places where it shouldn’t go it, and it does it with ease!
Im 17 and have been looking at Adventure motorcycles for a while now and after watching this video im set on the cb500x. Thanks for the awesome videos.
Just switched from a Yamaha Super Tenere to a CRF300 Rally. Loving the lite weight. The CB500X was another bike I was considering but none in stock at my dealer. At 67 years of age and only 5’7” lite is right.
Really enjoy your down to earth approach for reviewing bikes and gear.
I'm running a CB500X to get back into riding, and it's been great. It is vibey at higher speeds, though. So far I've learned I hate chain maintenance and I want to take longer, higher speed trips so I'm debating an upgrade to the Yamaha Super Tenere. Quite the leap, I know. The weight and the dive in the turns is a concern, but for the shaft drive and my road bias riding I think I might give it a go after getting more miles on the CB500X. The S Ten seems to be a hidden gem that is kind of passed over for similar reasons as the CB500X. It's not pretty on paper, but every owner I find that has put miles on them loves the bike. Would you recommend it for somebody that is wanting a smoother ride than the CB500X and a shaft drive without the crazy BMW price tag?
@@NunyaBusiness... I would highly recommend the Super Tenere if you’re going to do mostly pavement.
I had almost 40,000 miles on mine with no issues.
@@jerrywormington Definitely a 90/10 rider here. I live down a rutted up, pothole strewn gravel road, so I need something that is at least moderately off road capable. That's why I got a CB500X, and the Super Ten seems like a similar ADV bike. Capable enough off road for what most riders will do, but not sacrificing all the on road comfort at the altar of dirt performance. The weight really is the only thing that holds me back. If they'd make an 800-900cc shaft drive ADV that wasn't over 500 pounds I think I'd be in heaven. Closest thing to that from a Japanese manufacturer is the Super Tenere.
The air filter change looks a bit wonky, though. You have to lift the tank for it?
I've never heard of anybody in real life calling it underrated. Everybody usually loves it. I had people rolling down windows at traffic lights to ask me about it. It is light enough to be hauled on carrier hitch of Silverado 1500 for vacation, powered enough to ride it from Oregon to Texas, or economical (65 mpg), small and easy to ride to make it perfect commuter. One of best value and bike that makes more sense than any other. It is not off-road bike. It can be rough road bike with proper tires. Choosing tires is the hardest decision to make. 2017 model, 15k miles. My work horse and go to bike. (Also own Super Tenere - mule for long distances, XT250 - fun lil off road pony and RE350 Classic - just a toy and looking cool. Demo rode 60+ bikes, on road off-road.)
Another good common sense review. Love the keyboard warriors who say if it’s not gnarley dirt it’s not an adventure. I have had some great off road adv rides but next week I’m checking a box by riding from Az to Colorado so I can ride up Pikes Peak. I may do some dirt on Moki Dugway or valley of the Gods but this will be a 99 % pavement adventure. You also make very good points on when you start out you really don’t know what kind of riding you want to do. Keep the content coming
I’m a new rider and I have 2023 model for couple months. I’m completely agree with you, i have a lot of fun riding it. And regarding capability of this moto - it’s much more capable than me! I love the bike and recommend everyone to pay attention to it.
I had a 2016 CB500X that i had fully Rally Raided it. I enjoyed it and miss it right now but i did upgrade to a Tenere 700. I'm use to the tenere now but i do miss how small the 500x and "economical" it felt. My tenere 700 feels like a banshee (in a good way) compared to the 500x though. I looked into making the cb500x lighter, more power, or even the chassis swapping for dirtbike chassis and fitting cb500x engine. most financially sensible thing was upgrading to a T7 for me. I'm 30 and lift weights so maneuvering and lifting the tenere 700 isn't too big of a deal but i can definitely see why people buy them and then sell them with 1000-3000 miles on them.
It's great for everyone, not just beginners.
Thank you. Love these videos.
Thanks for the confidence inspiring for this bike! So going to check it out as my first beginner bike! Much appreciated!
Brilliant explanation on why to choose a CB500X. I luv my CBX! Mine is a 2nd hand 2020 model and came with a Rally Raid Lvl2 suspension upgrade kit installed.
Great video right on point, very true every single word you've said about this bike.
I have used it in almost all scenarios and the bike is just doing great
Great video,Ben! Been breaking in my 300 rally here on the bluegrass backroads. Absolutely love the bike, zero issues or complaints. I can see where the 500 would be fantastic if you rarely leave the road, as my rally could use a bit more grunt on the road. I’ve owned several big thumpers over the years, still have an xr650r, so it took some getting used to keeping the revs up. Definitely doing some camping this season to work the bugs out of my kit, maybe the Smokey 500 or a BDR next year. You’ve been a great inspiration, keep it up!
I have one and I really like it. I have other bikes, but I still put in time on the 500x because it is so fun to ride.
Such a great video. Thanks for sharing this is exactly what I’m looking at. To see it and to hear what you have to say about this really did for me!
Astute observations on beginner's and beginner bikes.
Sharing much wisdom you are. Reading my mind about becoming a beginner adventure rider you have done.
You have changed my mind from beginning on a KLR. While I am not interested in riding on city streets much, commuting, of riding on the interstate, getting to logging roads or less maintained roads is what I would like to do. But who knows, maybe I will enjoy the twisties or decide that I don't like gravel and go to interstate travel instead. I don't know because I haven't tried yet.
Thanks again for the videos.
I rented a CB500X in Vancouver for 4 days and fell in love with that bike. Definitely getting one next year.
I have about 2300 miles on my 500x and love it. I bought it mainly as a commuter but I intend on taking it on rides and camp trips just like this video then doing a little retirement tour in 2026. I can't wait to get some better tires to give me a little more confidence on the dirt.
I have a CB500X (‘22). I use it as more of an everyday road bike but it is fantastic. Very useful and underrated bike, so easy to ride.
Great video. I've been researching a ton on what to get for my first bike (even though I'm 52) and THIS is the one! Currently waiting on finance then she's mine!
i'm sooo buying an NX500 next year!
this platform is just perfect for my needs!
Well done thank you. This is the video I was waiting for. I’m between the KLR and the CB500X.
The KLR is a donkey, so if you want to get up almost any off-pavement trail it's a good choice. However, its antiquated tech and it's power to weight ratio isn't great. The 2022/2023 CB500X is better than older model years and, although it's still not got enough suspension travel, it's surprisingly capable off-pavement if you don't mind scraping the skid plate now and then (get the beefy Rally Raid slidplate).
You honestly can't go wrong with the CB500X, great value for the money. In fact, for 80% of ADV riders, it's all the bike they need. It really only shows its limitations when ridden hard on single tracks with large obstacles.
As a previous owner of 2016 CB500X and now an owner of a 2017 CB500X Rally Raid everything you said is spot on .
I call my cb500x my backroad tourer. I have a 1300cc shaft drive tourer for my work interstate work commute but when I take a week to go ride in the mountains I take my cb500x. cb500x is fine on the interstate but I don't tour on the interstate. I look for the smallest roads that connect to another road and 500x is perfect bike for that.
Glad to see the CB500X showing up again! I got back on a bike due to your channel, and a bunch of research put me on a CB500X. It's been great! I love riding it... as long as I'm under 75 MPH, because it's super vibey that fast. I'll eventually upgrade, but for now I love it!
I *am* the new adventure rider you speak of, and you are dead on. I have no interest in the crazy hard stuff, and I need to be able to run to the "adventure" spots on the bike. I don't know if you can beat the fuel capacity and economy in a sub $8k ADV bike, so it makes it easier to just get on and go. Not a lot of range anxiety, no fuss from the bike (as long as you aren't going super fast), and enough get up and go to have some fun without feeling like I'm on a runaway bronco. It's definitely easy mode for a beginner like me. I'm heavily biased toward road riding, but I have to be able to run some potholes, gravel, and generally less than perfect roads, so I'm pretty sure I'm the target demographic of the CB500X. If they'd tame down the vibrations at interstate speeds, I might never upgrade. It's that enjoyable!
Very wise one you are great panda....
My buddy bought one used at the beginning of this year because he needed a bike. He smoked a deer on his 2021 street glide poor deer. He was the most aggressive Harley rider I've seen personally and now he discovered the lean angle on the cb500x 😂. He's a mad man! The other day we found some old single track trails and decided to giver a go. I could not keep up on my klr. Dispute the klr not being known to be a single track bike neither is the cb500x. He calls his bike the shop truck. Run errands, commute to work, hit some trails, and scrap some peg and go home. Him and I both run shinko 705's and his only complaint is the suspension when you push it off road. If I'm honestly he's too confident on that bike. The guy will fly through a 35mph corner at 65-70mph and it's terrifying to watch because he scraps the peg. He had 4 years experience on cruisers and one season on a Honda xr650L, this bike opened every door to every kind of riding there is. I could not recommend this bike enough to new riders.
I recently bought a 2023 CB500X because my last (and first) bike was also a CB500F.
Just did a road-trip from SLC to Boise to Tacoma and back, 1908 miles total, and I loved every minute of it. It’s a sweetheart of a bike imo. Quick enough to keep above and putt around traffic (even when the speed limit is 80) and efficient enough for my purposes (55mpg or so total average that entire trip, including 6 hours of 15-20mph headwinds in an 80 zone).
I am a very new rider. Right now, I have a 2023 Vulcan 650. A lot of my family lives on dirt roads. I thought my bike could handle going down a short dirt road and was doing OK until I hit sand that I never noticed, I guess, because I just never had a need to worry about it. I slid off the road into the side of a hill and bent my crash bar. This 500x might be my next bike.
Picked up my 2023 500x June 15 this year. I've had several other dual sport bikes but wanted a little more for on road. Have to admit it's the funnest bike I've owned. It has 1,500 miles on it now and I have yet to get less than 82 mpg on a fill up. It's such a joy to ride and carves the twisties like a sport bike. I put a rally raid skid plate on and bark buster hand guards. Only other protection I've ordered is a front fender extender, rear wheel shock shield, and a radiator guard. I'll wear out the stock tires before swapping for a more worthy tire for adventuring on some gravel roads. I'm 65 now and don't need all the power and bling of the more expensive bikes. After riding only dual sports for so long, including DR650, CRF250L, WR250R, this is a completely new experience. I'm riding more now because I just want to hop on it if only to go around the neighborhood for a few minutes because it is such a joy to ride. Thanks for all your vids and reviews. You do such an excellent job and they are fun to watch. BTW...you don't have to be a beginner to want to purchase this bike. I have many years of riding and it was my 1st choice for my style of riding now.
Love love hearing real world comparisons from older gents like this. 65 an you have ridden other bikes as well. Have been looking at DR650, Im beginner but now im flipping a coin. I love the fun following an simplicity of DR650 crowd also.
@@bwnco I've put extensive time on my Dr650. It's built like a tank and will go anywhere. If you drop it you might need a crane to pick it up though.
I wanted a cb500x, but honda said not gunna happen so i got a Tenere. My buddy got a sweet deal on a 2015 cb500x and its a really good bike. We rode from northern Nevada to northern Idaho no problem. Good bike
Looks like Green Peter up Quartzville Road. Beautiful place to ride almost in my back yard ;) Been through there many times. Never get tired of it. Thanks for the gorgeous tour & review of that nice bike. Since I've turned 70, I've been seriously thinking about a lighter bike. I had an incident that reminded me just how much my adventure bike weighs. Seems it has increased significantly in weight as the years have passed...haha ;) Enjoy your videos muchly :)
Quartzville Dr! My favorite local ride for fun, sporty riding and/or access to offroad opportunities!
I think one should purchase a dual sport for his/her first bike , even if your not sure what you really want...
Especially if you even think you want to do any off roading.
Then if you wish to add an adventure bike to the stable, because your seeking more road riding, you could do so later., but most likely your going to want to keep your dual sport, if you truly enjoy the off roading experience, because that’s just something that a bike like the 500x, truly can not offer...
That may not be the case for everyone, but I believe the vast majority would end up better off doing it that way in the long run.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the 500x, and You make a lot of really good points here.
But in all reality, it makes more sense to me, to have, and do what Ben actually does, rather than what he is saying you should do here. That’s Just my personal opinion. But, that probably doesn’t amount to very much anyway🤗
To me this is the ideal small touring bike. Zero fatigue riding. Stone reliability. Excellent MPG. A smooth motor capbable of all day high way speeds. Fit it with the saddle bags and rear seat bag and you've got a really good weekender.
In April 2023 I Bought Kawasaki Z400 with a hope that it will be my "do it all bike" since it has handlebar and looks pretty versatile
I got a lot of experience on it during this season, but I wish this video was available when I was looking for a motorcycle, Would definitely go with CB500X because I am looking to buy one now
Great take on a beginner Adv rider’s needs. I still looking for a full review on the 2023 Kawasaki Versys 300X by Adv reviewers I feel I can trust for solid opinions on particular Bikes & varied riding conditions, etc. You had a favorable 1st impression of the KV300X but yet no real review of it. After this Honda CB 500X review the KV 300X might be a great follow-up review concerning the same subject matters.
Hard to review bikes I don't have, sadly. I like the Versys but the riding position was pretty cramped. I like the Honda more in just about every category, based on my limited experience.
I test rode a CB500x and when I stood up, my right heel hit the exhaust pipe. And no matter how I adjusted my foot, it was still hitting it. Very, very awkward and uncomfortable. Larger foot pegs would not remedy this. FYI, my boot size is 12. I do agree with you on lighter smaller bikes making the ride fun and enjoyable. I ended up with a Royal Enfield Himalayan and I absolutely love it.
Same issue I had, swapped pegs and exhaust and it sits flat as long as my foot isn't to far back. I have a 23 and same size 12 boot
Yes, same issue for me (also a size 12 foot). However, getting rid of the stock pedals and exhaust pretty much resolved that issue for me. I also added bar risers and the EVO pedals allowed me to drop their height a bit too. It's still not a perfect bike for a taller rider, but few affordable ADV bikes are.
CB500X is great also for occasional riders. It’s economical so it does not matter so much if you don’t ride it for a time. When you do it’s very easy to get starting again, learning curve is small. It’s also very reliable so sitting in a garage for a long time is no problem. Push the button and start riding instead of spending time fixing a lot of problems.
I was very inclined to go with this bike but went with the 300l Rally instead. Great review!
They're both great options.
I'm one who "downsized" from big-bore bikes (Harleys, Ducati, V-Stroms, etc.). I dumped them all and got a '23 KLR. Love it! Fits my 6'1" frame quite well.
I looked at the CB500X, but it felt too small for me.
I picked up a klr650 last month. Had a 8 year hiatus in riding. Had a klx250 motard and a sv1000. I do miss my sv power but overall, the klr is hard to beat for the price
I have researched and seen these bikes and am really considering on downsizing from my KLR 650 to maybe this bike or the 300 Rally. Great review for this bike. Wish I could get Bubba J out on the dirt but he’s not too sure of it yet
I just bought 500x at the beginning of summer after not riding since I was a teenager 16 ish years ago. I love it so far. About 4600 miles on this year so far. Think I’ll keep her for about two years before upgrading. It’s an amazing bike!
What do you have your eye on for the next one?
@@imbradandyouarenot honestly something just a little bigger in engine size, a lot of 65 and 75 mph roads around me which can get a little buzzy if im cruising long range at higher speeds. Also something with cruise control probably, I live rurally so I have to ride a good distance on pavement to get where im going so cruise would be a godsend. Looking at an Africa twin, tiger 900 rally, or maybe a KTM 890 adventure possibly.
@@Baconator1990 Cool, those are good choices.
The only thing that the new generation of beginning riders are in danger of never aspiring to , with almost every adventure bike being 150 kg plus ..is to learn the art of wheelstanding .
Like many of the previous generation I learnt to chuck a wheelie on a Yamaha YZ80 E .
Then continued the wheelstand habit on a IT 200 and a TT 230…both sub 115 kg bikes …with oodles of power , street legal .
Now these bemoths on two wheels are considered lightweight at 140 kg .
Sure you can drop the clutch , go over a mound and get the wheel up , but most of the time riders are plowing through rough terrain or small river crossings instead of lifting the front wheel at will .
It’s like not learning to power slide at will.
Once you learn to wheelie and power slide …a whole world of dirt riding opens up.
In my opinion all beginner off road riders should learn on a 125 or smaller , learn the essentials on a light powerful bike .
Then you will know , why some can’t stand riding low powered , heavy tanks off road .
You are right. I see these adv riders who think they are experienced but really show no real skill. You need to start on 125s and learn to throw a bike around. If you cant even lift a wheel on bumps you are a street rider.
As a brand new ADV rider, I concur with your assumptions and conclusions
A similar type review on the Honda 2023 NC 750 DCT would also be very interesting due to similar low adv type specs. Plus the novel auto transmission which might make it even more approachable for beginners on beginner’s typical adv rides.
I would have chosen a CB500X over my Kawasaki Versys-X, but since my other bike is a Yamaha R6, I wanted greater separation between them. I really like the match between the Versys-X and the R6. However, if I were to have one motorcycle only, I would probably choose the Honda. I spend 80% on sealed roads but only 20% on gravel. At 60 km/h in 4th gear on a gravel road, I have never wished for more horsepower from my little Kawasaki.
Definitely a great bike. My wife got into riding after watching me disappear for days at a time into the wilderness. She wanted something to follow me for a day or two at a time. We wanted to get a CB500X but just couldn't find one available to buy at the time. She ended up getting a Yamaha XT250 for now, but I know she's still thinking of getting a CB500X.
The XT is a great beginner bike.
I think we'd all like to see what you can do with light mods. I know you've been trying to sell it, but it'd sure be cool to see tires, maybe mitas e07 ,skidplate, and crash bars....maybe handguards too. Wed love to see what it's capable of.
The Rally Raid upgrades can turn these things into legit mini Africa Twins.
I jumped all the way in and recently bought a bmw r1250 GSA as my first ADV bike. I’ve been riding for 20ish years and it’s been fun figuring out a big bike off pavement.
Really enjoy the Oregon off road content gives me ideas of places to go ride around home.
Doesn't matter whether the road is paved or not. If it's somewhere you haven't been and are exploring, it's an adventure. Definition is: an unusual and exciting or daring experience. I just wish my cb500x had a little more power but I am a rev head at heart.
A good solid Honda. Gonna get you out of a bind, instead of putting you in a bind.
I also bought the CB F for the same reason you did. But I am now looking at the CB X, and the heck with the slightly taller height. The CB F is good at what it does, but you can't get it off road very easily. BTW, I am an Oregonian also. I almost thought you were riding up the Molalla River in this video. Looks very similar.
3 years ago I went from a KLR 650 (gen 1), to an Africa Twin 2 months later, to a 300 Rally 5 months after that, back to an Africa Twin 10 months after that, to my T7 9 months after that. So yeah, I should’ve started on a CB500X 😂
Great video. Thank you. I thought I was set on a CRF300 L rally, by then I discovered this bike. Now I’m torn. Neither exist near New Orleans, so I can’t test. I may have to travel just to test.
They're both great. The 300L is the choice if you'll be off road more. The 500X is better if you'll be doing more highway, IMHO.
100% I love my 500X! 25,000km in a lil over a year doing day rides, tours and moto camping. Like you said, wasnt sure what I wanted to do but my 500X literally does everything without complaining. Turns out I love it all! ❤ Cant really beat a swiss army knife! By the time I "outgrow" it, I would be looking to downsize a bigger bike. Think I found my forever bike! 🥰
25 km in one year.. Nice riding!!
@@bwnco Thank you! I'm a lil addicted 😂❤️ Planning on the Pacific Coast Highway this year!
@@lonely_trans_girl Ride SAfe
Hey Dork! Another great video. How about the new NX500? I know it's basically the same bike with new bodywork, but they seem to have dane some damping/spring work too. Would be interested to hear your review and the reported upgrades to the suspension and quickr accel ECU. So a new NX or a used 500X and mod it up a little? That's where I'm at, but the TFT screen alone seems like a winner!!
Off your and some other valuable reviews, I got a CRF300L Rally last year and LOVE it! It spends about 80% in deeper stuff and tired of wearing out the knobbies on the road. Now I want another bike to go adventuring further on. The NX500/CB500X seems a perfect fit.
Can't disagree with any of this. I was looking for a adv bike to get back to riding after a 40 yr break. I was looking at the CB500X or the Africa Twin. The CB is lighter, by a mile, and has tubeless tires. I got a really good deal on a 2016 AT with only 5000 miles on it. It was my dream choice, I loved the looks, and that big motor for the highway miles here in Texas (everything is a bazillion miles away in Texas and if you aren't doing 75+ you are in the way). But for the type of riding I plan on doing (excepting the long highway miles and speeds ) the CB would do everything I needed.
I wanted to get this as a practical and safe choice as a new rider even if I am in my 30s. However, because I guess of my size the dealer owner and salesman said I would be wanting to get onto something bigger in just a few months. I am 5' 10 3/4 and 230lbs. Trust me when I say I'm not fat or overweight. I do have a short inseam at 30 inches but I figured this would be a solid and practical and useful intermediate beginner bike if you'd like. I've been around 3 and 4 wheelers, big trucks and tractors since I was 4. I also took the beginner course in Houston years ago. Out of my own self preservation I can't justify getting onto a bigger bike or full size bike as my first unless it was like a Moto Guzzi V7 or Triumph Bonneville. I did take a buddies new KLR650 for a ride and aside from getting my leg over I could see myself growing into it. Lot of fun! Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for your content DITR!
Get the 500x
I'll be motocamping tomorrow on mine. It's great for relaxed riding. I'm at a little over 5,000 miles on mine and don't have a strong desire to switch to anything else. Easy to handle, cheap insurance, good fuel efficiency, reliable.
Do you ride any single track, 2 track, or trails?
Not really any single track. But plenty of 2 track and easier@@airadaimagery692
I ended up going for the 390A and I love it. Main thing that kept me away from the 500X is the cluster. I REALLY don't like it at all. Hopefully they'll fix that in the near future.
@@davidmatthews3093 the gauges
I bought a 2013 (17" front wheel) as my first bike and put about 10k miles on it in a year including a trip all the way up vancouver island which featured some gravel and back to the seattle area. Ended up picking up a rally raid level 2 converted 2019 and feel like I don't really need more bike. Some more power would be nice but it's more than enough for a small guy like me at street legal speeds and with a
BTW, I would love to see you Rally Raid upgrade your CB500X's suspension for the channel.
Trailmax Mission tires absolutely transformed my bike for off-pavement riding - the stock tires are crap! Yes, I occasionally bottom out and scrape the beefy Rally Raid skidplate but other than that it's pretty off-pavement capable. If a Rally Raid upgrade isn't in the cards, then one last review with proper tires and some more challenging off-pavement riding would be great content!
I just completed a Vancouver to Salt Lake City and back trip, including some off-pavement riding in Idaho and my 2023 CB500X never let me down. It really is a jack of all trades, such a bargain!
Also, so many ADV owners really have more bike than they need. The CB500X really only shows its limitations when doing gnarly single tracks with larger obstacles (trust me, I've scraped the slidplate enough times to know), where more ground clearance is needed. It also can't be ridden as hard or as fast as a "proper" ADV bike. But how many ADV riders fit that profile? Not many...
Hopefully one day Honda will create a bike to compete with the Aprilia Tuareg 660, which would be a bike I would own now if it wasn't an Aprilia
@@davidmatthews3093 They were fine for pavement riding, but super squirmy on dirt, sand, etc. For me, the TMM tires are perfect for the mixed riding I do and they should last at least 20000 kms too. I've already put 8000 km, they still look almost new.
I was seriously considering buying one of these but the biggest turn off for me was the non togglable abs that tells me Honda doesn't want me to ride it off road. I ended up getting a ktm 390 adv I'm really enjoying it the power curve is a bit different and having to disable mtc every time you stall is annoying but any bike is a lot better than no bike.
ps the hondas seat looks a lot more comfy low key jealous.
greetings from Boise. i have had my 2019 cb500x since new and have taken it on trips out to Jackson Hole and over to Bend. hit me up if you are looking to ride in Eastern Oregon or Idaho. Thanks for the great vid.
Would love to throw that motor in a 300l rally chasis
At my age, (75), it is not to start on, but to be able to comfortably continue to ride.
Hey Dork, I'm writing you from Europe. Love your channel. Down to earth! I'm 80 and haven't ridden in more than 60 years, when I did MX for a couple of years. But, I'd like to ride again and I'm looking at the CB500 or NC750 DC. I think I could handle them both. Do you think a Suzuki V STROM 800 DE would be too much bike? I'd be riding road and some gravel roads maybe, no real off road! The new TRANSALP is winking at me too. What do you think?
There is a VERY good reason my '22 model has 16k miles for not even being 17 months old.
Thank you for a very useful contribution. Which tires would you recommend for using say road/gravel 80/20?
Transalp is supposed to be coming to the USA. I will be choosing between this or that. Price tag on the 500 may make the difference.
My KLR650s ate up that same route! Green Peter Lake is amazing.
Also a KLR 650 owner , gees they are hard to turn around on a single track when you realise the downhill is way too steep either to get down or back up .
That is when you feel their weight .
Lucky I lowered my 2016 …in these situations , planting a foot is very nice .
@@orionswitness Oh, yeah, even on the S, I have to take care turning around, as once my wheel goes up the berm, I'm dangling my 28" inseam pretty bad. It's a little front-heavy to pull off a kickstand turn, too.
And yet, I cram it into all kinds of overgrown nonsense, and haven't yet died in the woods even once.
“You know you can sell motorcycle’s?” I tell myself I can’t and buy more
Up until today I was dead set on a 300L Rally. Went to a dealer and came across this and man I’m really torn between the two. I don’t plan on hitting heavy trails and need to keep it light and comfortable due to some disability issues.
I'm an experienced rider and have owned an Africa Twin and currently also have a 1250GS. I also have a 2022 cb500x a d it is one of the best bikes I've owned. Go anywhere do anything. Just not a master at everything. But if I had to pick only one bike I'd pick the cb500x. Even over my GS
Just curious, have you ever owned a dual sport?
also curious: why'd you choose the CB over the GS?
I have an africa twin and a crf250l .I have been riding for over 40 yrs and I would buy a cb500x in a second .
I want a cb500x but i can't afford it now, so I'm going to get the honda xr150l to start for now. Could you do a review on the xr150l? I really like how you review motorcycles!!
Big Rock Moto is currently testing an xr150 and will be reviewing it soon on his channel. His reviews are usually excellent. Best regards.
Thanks for the video, I'm picking mine up this saturday, can't wait. What tires would you recommend for 80/20 mostly paved riding? I plan on doing a couple trips a year into the back country, and want tires that will handle gravel well enough
The Dunlop Trailmax Missions have served me well so far. They are heavy though, and next to impossible to mount by hand due to their stiff sidewall. However, they track beautifully on pavement (even when grooved) and they are excellent on dirt roads too.
@@alozborne thanks, very helpful.
The CB500X, it also daily commuter , for 200 km/125 miles a day, 5 days a week, which is about 53 K kilometers or 33 K miles a year, for a veteran rider, who has ridden a gazillion miles in his life, on a long list of motorcycles.
For a new rider, I'll take my ktm 390 Adventure any day over the Honda. Granted, Honda reliability. After riding both, (IMHO) the ktm comes out on top. Maybe riding one after break-in might give you a different perspective.
If you had to choose, which would you take, the Honda cb500x or the KTM 390 Adventure?
Hi. Some people say the 500x doesn't have enough power.
I'd love to see a vid of one overtaking a semi that's going 60mph to see exactly how fast/easy the 500x can do such maneuvers.
Imo this would be a good real world example of power you 'need'.
It's got plenty of power for that
I wish it had just a bit more power. It would be great. And zero real ways to bump the power too. Which leaves you with what you buy. Unlike a ton of other bikes that casterated from the factory, and allow you to bump the power up in a few ways. After readinf many forum, there is no real way for any kind of real gains. So if you buy it, and dont like the power, your options are to sell it, or just deal with it. It will do every speed limit in every state, and do it without complaints. There are slower bikes, but mot many. Its made for beginners and experts, it can be fun, exciting....id say no. But reliable as hell, and will always get you to anywhere and get you home. I have thought about this bike for since 2018. Watched every improvement Honda has made. It will someday be in my collection. Have ridden my friends 2021 CBX and i do enjoy it a lot. I would truly put the power to weight ratio about the same as my DRZ400, maybe slightly less as mu DRZ is heavily modded. I like your videos on this bike. 80 mpg aint bad either. Oh and the resale on these are incredible. Can sell it for about what you bought it for.
I didn't get the 500 because at the time, the Honda dealers were shy on available models.
Must be popular. There are none available at any dealer in Michigan
I have the 2021 model. I saw a lot of movies about cb500x and how good is it. Yes it's easy to ride, the brakes are good, but the overall feeling is that you ride a plastic toy. With rubber bolts, buzzing on the fork stem because the counter nut gets loose after a while. 4 bolts are stretched till now. It came with deformed tires from the factory. And after 2 years the tires looked like they had 10 years. The fork at the beginning didn't absorb the small bumbs and I crash the bike because of that. At 570km the oil started driping from the water pump. Till 100km/h is ok, but after that... Is not very safe with this bike. The fuel consumption goes to the sky after 110. If you will get into a side wind, the bike gets very unstable. My first and last Honda. I also changed the stem bearings, because of the handelbar wobble..... Soo..... Best bike in the world.... Not. The new model is very different in use, but almost same parts, same bolts etc.... In 5 years you change all the bolts in this bike if you start to make channges on it. Crash bars, brake pads etc. Mine has only 12000km now.
What portions of the BDR are you riding? Can you link it? Looks like a bucket list. Parts of section 5 and?
This bike is still on my short list, but I have nothing bad to say about the Versys-X 300 in the garage. If the local Honda dealers would allow test rides, I might have bought one. :/
I just sold my versys and got a cb500x. Versys runs too hot for me and is too vibratey at speed.
Hi Dork! … I’m 6’3” (34” inseam) and I’m undecided on which bike to get between the NX500 (2024) or the Transalp as a first bike. I’m in my 50’s and would prefer a bike that I can grow into and keep long term. Question is, can the modes on the Transalp neuter the throttle response enough to make it a good starter bike?
whats the name of the bar you have mounted on/by your windshield and how do i find it??
What tires would you recommend over those stock ones?
Can logging companies close public roads? Your review was so good I almost want to park my
890R and 450rl and get a 500.
Well they're not supposed to but they do sometimes which is one of the many reasons I'm not a huge fan
DR650 review!