Since
researching and writing this overview I have had a chance to test ride
the CB500X and my experience is outlined in my
Honda CB500X Short Review. It
includes my choice of accessories.
Check out all the video reviews further down this page.
The 2023
Honda CB500X Adventure Motorcycle weighs in
at 199Kg wet, which is about 20Kg more than I would like for riding on rough
country B roads and light green lanes. However the bike is in that sweet spot
between those lightweight single pot 373cc motorcycles and the larger, heavier
and higher seating positions of those 650cc, and above, adventure motorbikes. The
parallel twin liquid cooled 471cc engine, the front twin disc brakes, updated
front suspension, 830mm seat height and 180mm ground clearance have a lot to
offer. According to the review videos, it's got decent poke on the dual
carriageways and more than capable of handling the narrow rough B roads of
Scotland.
The
Technical Specifications are excellent,
although there is no traction control.
No Traction Control - Winter and Wet Weather Use
The Honda CB500X is a motorbike that I could use in the winter
months and on wet days. All it requires is some
preparation with
ACF-50
protection spray.
Scotland is notorious for wet weather and the month of July (2023) has
experienced rain most days. Unfortunately the CB500X does not have
traction control but I have ridden a Suzuki GSX-1250FA (Bandit) Sport/Tourer
for 9 years, without traction control in wet weather so the CB500X,
which has less power, should be okay.
Accessories
The
Honda Accessories Catalogue offers a
Comfort Pack which includes a centre stand, heated grips, knuckle
guards, deflector kit and a 12v accessory socket. There are other
accessories including a tank pad, front side pipe guard rails and a twin pannier
bag set and/or a top box.
There are various third party accessories such as those from SW-Motech and Givi.
There are considerable savings to be made when purchasing third party
heated grips. Having researched a few, my choice is the
Oxford Pro Adventure Heated Grips.
My existing sports motorcycles have a Scottoiler fitted so a
Scottoiler Universal System to
continually oil the chain whilst on the run is a good option. I plan to
use the Honda CB500X over the autumn/winter periods and use my sports
bikes in the summer. However, for summer storage in the garage, and
additional charging top ups, I will be fitting an Optimate Flying Lead
to the Honda's battery and using an
Optimate 4 Automatic Battery Charger.
GIVI also offer extensive third
party options for a huge range of accessories for the Honda CB500X
motorcycle.
SW-Motech are offering an extensive range of accessories, see the video -
Dash Screen Adjustment:
Many reviews state that the dash screen is difficult to read in most lighting conditions and having test ridden the bike, I have to agree. However during my research, I came across the video below which explains how the dash screen can be adjusted.Dash Screen Adjustment video -
SW-Motech Fairing & Engine Crash Bars & Skid Plate & Centre Stand
SW-Motech
offer an excellent
Crash Bar Set for protecting the
engine and fairing. They also offer a
Skid Plate in black or silver to
protect the bottom of the engine when travelling over rough ground. A
SW-Motech Centre Stand can also be
fitted along with the engine bars and the skid plate.
Please see SW-Motech Crash Bars Video and images. Note: The video
must be watched on YouTube -
Outback Motortek Fairing & Engine Crash Bars & Skid Plate
Outback Motortek offer accessories
for the Honda CB500X motorcycle including a
Full Fairing and Engine Guard Bars Assembly.
Also once the bars are fitted a
Skid Plate can be fixed to the bike
and to the bars. Please see the installation videos below.
With the above guard kits fitted the Honda Stock Centre Stand from the
Honda Accessories Catalogue can still be fitted.
Please see the images below -
Full Protection Bars & Skid Plate Installation Videos
Video Reviews -
7th November 2023 UPDATE:
The new
2024 Honda NX500 Adventure Crossover Motorcycle
has been announced and apparently will be sold alongside the existing
Honda CB500X Motorcycle.
Deposit for an April 2024 Purchase
I have transferred my deposit from the Honda CB500X motorcycle to the
new 2024 Honda NX500 Motorcycle.