Honda CB500X

[Snizz]

Originally Posted by McJamie

That's kind of funny, because since I got rid of the DL (huge mistake), I've been riding my 250 Sherpa. It does 80% of what I want, but short on power. The 500 would fit nicely between what the Sherpa is, and what the DL was.

I couldnt agree more.. I bought a 2012 street glide and at the time had the DL and KLX250s..I figured the DL was obsolete, as I could ride the HD, and didnt think i would ever want to ride the strom instead.. Boy was I wrong.. It was just one of those bikes you could just hop on and ride, though a but porky for pushing around my shop with the bags on and such..I park them in the parts room and have to squeeze them through a regular door. I tried to make the KLX my everyday, bad weather, and local errand bike, which it does an okay job of, but going more than 30 miles on the freeway in the far right lane, getting wind blasted at W.F.O. becomes tiresome. The DL filled a huge void in my stable and I didnt realize how amazing and versatile that bike was till I had to live without it. I considered getting another one, but figure the honda would actually be an even better option for what I intend to use it for, which does not include off roading or riding two up. It just seems like a bike that you could ride the piss out of, and not care about a $500.00 tire change, unreasonable maintenance costs, or even washing it for that matter.. I love the harley to death, and plan to keep it forever, but would rather save its functional life for times where I can appreciate it more, as opposed to commuting it. This honda seems like a great fit.

[DiabloADV]

This talk about off-road capability...my two cents is that it depends on *how fast you want to ride.*

The need for long travel is a product of (1) how bumpy is the road, and (2) how fast you're going. If you ride slow and easy, you don't need long travel for anything but genuinely rocky and technical terrain. A slightly higher standard works fine. It's all about the desired speed.

There's a loop in the Mendocino Forest that I did a few times on the TE630 that I used to own. Nice fire road; some whoops here and there. Good riders can ride that route flat-out on those bikes. I ride slow by comparison.

I took my CBR250R on the same loop about a month ago. No drama, and I rode about the same speed as on the TE's. The only place I had to be really careful was on a section of badly trenched and hardened mud. What that tells me is that I don't need a *true* dual sport to go where I want to go.

The 500x is, I think, I terrific option for a dual-sport bike, as long as you don't try to ride fast offroad or traverse actual "dirt bike" technical stuff.

[ridewv]

Originally Posted by DiabloADV

This talk about off-road capability...my two cents is that it depends on *how fast you want to ride.*

The need for long travel is a product of (1) how bumpy is the road, and (2) how fast you're going. If you ride slow and easy, you don't need long travel for anything but genuinely rocky and technical terrain. A slightly higher standard works fine. It's all about the desired speed.

Excellent point. If the average to good skill rider wants to ride trails, over rocks, and through the woods, what's really useful is four things. Light weight, low gearing, knobby tires, and good ground clearance. Mega suspension travel isn't really much help unless you're riding *very* fast, way beyond what most of us ride on trails.

[fragile_this_side_up]

i'm excited to see/sit on the CB500x... why? i need a decent commuter. i have an SV650n and would like something more comfortable, more "capable" than the SV. i don't want to shell out the cash for a Wee-strom and i feel like the CB should get much better mileage to boot. for what i'll be using it for mostly, commuting and long trips, it should work perfectly fine. i don't see myself hitting too many trails yet at all, but some gravel roads and dirt roads, i feel like this bike is going to be a perfect fit.. with some hard side bags...

[Pecha72]

What is the curb weight of the CB500X?

[Paebr332]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

What is the curb weight of the CB500X?

Honda lists it at 430# (195kg) with a full tank of fuel.

[scarysharkface]

With a set of bags, what's a reasonable expectation for all-day cruising speed? 75 mph? 85 mph? or much less?

john

[Pecha72]

Ok, then that should be about 20 kilos less than DL650, and about 25 less than NC700X. Probably has some effect in handling. But it's by no means a very light 500cc bike. Fuel economy should be stellar, as it's a new engine construction.

[DiabloADV]

Originally Posted by scarysharkface

With a set of bags, what's a reasonable expectation for all-day cruising speed? 75 mph? 85 mph? or much less?

john

Since the CBR250R cruises nicely at 75, I'd imagine 85 would be no problem on the 500X.

The power required to increase speed rises with the cube of the speed increase*...ie...

85mph is 1.13 times 75mph. 1.13^3 = 1.44.

To go 13% faster, you need 44% more power. The 500X will have about 80% more power than the 250R.


*this is for wind resistance only. Rolling resistance of the tires increases linearly with speed, but that change is a relatively small effect at freeway speeds. It's almost all about wind...

[scarysharkface]

Originally Posted by DiabloADV

Since the CBR250R cruises nicely at 75, I'd imagine 85 would be no problem on the 500X.

The power required to increase speed rises with the cube of the speed increase*...ie...

85mph is 1.13 times 75mph. 1.13^3 = 1.44.

To go 13% faster, you need 44% more power. The 500X will have about 80% more power than the 250R.


*this is for wind resistance only. Rolling resistance of the tires increases linearly with speed, but that change is a relatively small effect at freeway speeds. It's almost all about wind...

I have skimmed the thread, but didn't catch an HP reference. I wonder where this bike fits in the continuum between a KLR and a Wee-Strom, in terms of happiness on the highway?

John

[dduelin]

Originally Posted by scarysharkface

I have skimmed the thread, but didn't catch an HP reference. I wonder where this bike fits in the continuum between a KLR and a Wee-Strom, in terms of happiness on the highway?

John

54 hp

[Pecha72]

	according to our importer's webpage: 35,0 kW (47,6 hp) / 8500 rpm

[scarysharkface]

Originally Posted by dduelin

54 hp

Originally Posted by Pecha72

So just a bit more than the KLR.. ?

Thanks for the info..

I'm interested to see one of these in person..

john

[RaY YreKa]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

Ok, then that should be about 20 kilos less than DL650, and about 25 less than NC700X. Probably has some effect in handling. But it's by no means a very light 500cc bike. Fuel economy should be stellar, as it's a new engine construction.

Honda are claiming 76mpg (imperial), just a shade under the 700X. 260-280 miles to a tank.

8000-mile service intervals.

Tyres are - and this is a guess - more likely to be something like Bridgestone BT45, rather than 23. Less cost, in other words.

In the UK the bike is allegedly sub-£5000. For comparison, an optioned DL650 or Versys is closer to £7000.

[Gryphon12]

One more time: US and EU hp will be different. The bike is designed for the new EU regs, or 47 hp. In the US, the number in the press is 54 hp. Don't know how you missed this discussion - it has been quite long - or maybe it was in the Road Warriors thread on the CB500's.

My 1976 CB500T cruised at 85 mph with only 42 hp and 465 lbs. wet. There was a lot of buffeting due to a lack of a fairing, but no inability to cruise due to a lack of power. And since the new Hondas are all emulating the BMW F800s with respect to lower power and higher fuel economy from a given displacement, don't expect an acceleration rocketship and you won't be disappointed.

These discussions of "will it cruise at X mph?" always puzzle me. Anything more than a 250cc bike will do just fine, well over any US speed limit. Will it be a ZX-14? Of course not. But it will be fine. Of more importance are how the ergonomics fit you, do you like the saddle and the bars, and what luggage will fit.