What beginner bike do you recommend for tall riders? I’m 6’6”, 210lbs, 36” inseam

@@1223snickers1223 I guess it all sort of depends on what your priorities are. If it is JUST the height, I would go with the KTM 690 Enduro. If cost is a consideration, I might stick with the CB500X and just get lower pegs and a taller seat. There are ways to get just about any bike where you want it to be for fitment but it will cost you. Ultimately, at your (my) height, we kind of just need to know that we might be a little cramped on starters and a little more comfy on the big bikes.

I agree with you 100% but I just happened to use it as a starter bike. For that purpose it was incredible. I don't know that I would be happy on it long term but I am guessing you and I are simply looking for different things from our bikes. I am glad you have had such a long a enjoyable time on bikes for 50 years. I hope I am riding that long (though I would be almost 90) and thank you very much for your feedback.

What an awesome comment. I'm 60 and also looking at this bike. Ride on brother

I had a ton of fun on the CB500X. It just fell into my lap as the perfect starter bike and I feel so lucky. Once I attached the Rally Raid kit to it, there was nothing I felt I was restricted from riding. I toured all over the States with it and even did a little trip down to Honduras and back. It was a blast and I will always think fondly about my first bike. After going much bigger for my next bike I could see the benefits of having a smaller, lighter bike. It isn't for me just yet, but I could see myself back there pretty easily.

Greetings and I am glad you are still moving on to the CB500X. It is a great bike and can provide tons of versatility for any type of riding or riding environment you are interested in going after.

Holy cow...sorry I missed this comment from way back. Thank you so much for the kind words and I hope you are still loving the CB500X.

Couldn't agree more!

I appreciate the feedback and I’ve already started making changes to the most current vids. I don’t know if I dropped to 4 seconds but I’m much closer.

That is awesome. Where are you going to head for two weeks? I had a blast when I took mine on a Central American trip. Such a good time.

It is funny because you were coming at this bike from almost the exact opposite side as I did. This was my first bike and although I loved it, I opted to step up the power side of things to see how I liked that setup. So far, so good. We will see how it feels off road in the coming months. Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It has been extraordinary watching everyone's thoughts on the CB500X.

Thank you so much for the great comment. I was a huge fan of this bike while I was riding it. I added the Rally Raid kit, which probably wasn't necessary for the type of riding I do but the bike was amazing. I haven't been on a 750X but I think the CB500X is a beautiful option for anyone looking for a solid all-rounder.

I’m also stuck between those two models. For 2021 the nc750 got much better looking in my opinion but the lowered ground clearance and the shortened suspension travel makes me think the much upgraded cb500x now is a better model for 2022.

You will not be disappointed in this bike especially if Honda does make an Adventure Sports version as you mentioned. I don't think the RR kit is all that expensive for the changes you get to make to the bike. Good luck and let us know what you end up getting.

Given all those points, it definitely sounds like the CB500X is a GREAT choice for you. Honestly, you had me at new rider. I had this as my first bike and it was perfect for me.

You are going to be so happy with the CB500X​ if you choose to go that route. It is the perfect mix of all varieties of riding. It is perfectly capable on the road or off. It isn't heavy or difficult to ride at all. It was my first bike and I was so comfortable on it from day 1. I am sure you will love it.

Glad it was helpful!

That is so incredible to hear. Welcome back. I can’t imagine 25 years without a motorcycle. Maybe I can, I didn’t start riding until I was 38 so I guess technically I went much longer off the bike. ;-) I agree, the CB500X is a great reliable bike that can easily support any riding you want to do. Good luck out there and thanks for watching.

I am glad you had fun watching and thank you very much for the feedback. It is a great bike and I still miss it. I had a ton of good times on that bike and it took me very far. Good luck.

I really wish I would have cut more footage into the video of the bike itself but honestly, it didn't even occur to me at the time. Hopefully, I get better at this shooting and editing thing because I could use the improvement. Thank you very much for the heads up and I am hoping to get a chance to hit the Dragon later this year on my Africa Twin. Stay tuned for the super slow first run for this guy. ;-)

it is indeed a great bike and I loved my time on it. I traveled for thousands of miles through all sorts of terrain with it and couldn't believe how well it performed. Good luck and I hope you see it in Turkey soon.

Sorry I didn't see this until now but as far as recommendations, I love the Mosko Moto stuff. The bags on the racks is a really nice system that will keep you from breaking your leg if you go down off-road. They are tough and spacious while remaining reasonbly light weight. That would be my go to for luggage if I was buying again. Tusk also makes a pretty solid knock off if the Mosko price is too steep.

I think a great argument could be made for that very statement. Especially when you add the "affordable" part of it. I wonder how many people were able to start adventuring because the CB500X provided a low barrier to entry which is capable of running almost anywhere.

The 70s called and they may wish to challenge you on the most affordable allrounder ever. Honda CBs and CLs of that era that were $250-$900 new and pretty rock solid. With inflation a new CB small to midsized should probably be $1800-$6000. They are well over that in the CB or Rebel lines today, but not tremendously over that.

That's a maybe? Know what I'd sooner through a leg over though!

john rocker. In 1972, it'd be a tossup and the 72 was much more affordable. I'm not saying a 72 today, but one then. Also the fixing it yourself in a pinch discussion he had, he is right based on current bikes. However: Last true dead simple DIY CB Honda built was the 2008 CB250 with carbs, points, cable brakes, cable throttle, choke and air cooled... or the Rebels till 2015. Fuel injectors, pumps, computer ignition and coolant are nice and add to a great riding experience. A bear to fix in a remote Guatemala village, but as simple as you get today.

$900 in 1972 = $5500 in 2019 so in real terms the CB500X is comparable with 1970's cheap bikes of the 1970's, not much in it, but I'd take todays technology over poor suspension and tyres of the 1970s any day.

Thank you so much for the feedback on the vid. It does seem like this would a be perfect bike for the Indian market as it is lightweight, maneuverable, extremely versatile, and lasts forever. I can't really imagine a place where this isn't a great option though.

Thanks for stopping in and greetings from the flip side. I’ve always wanted to know, do the wheels spin the opposite way on the other side of the earth?

That is a REALLY great point concerning the DCT. I have never been on the NC750X but I would imagine the power capabilities of that bike are noticeable over the CB500X. I made enough poor choices on the CB as a smaller bike, I would be scared to think what I would be capable of on a bigger bike. The pricing on the NC is good but I am not sure if the extra $2-3k would be acceptable to many new riders. I know it would have kept me from riding. I am so glad Honda made an accessible bike in the $5k range. I've moved on to the AT and love my DCT. I wonder if any would recommend riding a DCT first or getting familiar with a traditional manual bike before moving to a DCT.

I absolutely would recommend this bike for Guatemalan riding. It is a great bike for commuting or off-roading. As far as fuel consumption, this bike has great mileage but that all depends how heavy you are on the accelerator. I tended to be pretty easy on the bike so I was able to get 150 miles to a tank. You will not be disappointed with this bike.

Benson Ricks, if that throws you off you should see my vid about reason NOT to get the CB500X. ;-) Honestly, as I was making both videos I came to realize that these bikes are tools and no tool is the best at everything. Each bike is going to have its own pros and cons and these will likely change with each rider. The CB500X was the absolute perfect bike for me, for awhile and I probably wouldn’t be a rider at all if it wasn’t for this bike. My recommendation is based on those that may be in a similar spot to where I was at that time. I really appreciate you watching and leaving feedback because it is a very valid question.

I ended up finally getting rid of the CB500X because of the perfect storm of three separate things. First, on my trip to Honduras I started really wanting more power. There were a couple of passes that were a little dodgy with my lack of top end power. Second, the Rally Raid kits were out of stock which allowed me to charge a premium for a RR kit completed CB500X. Lastly, I happened upon an Africa Twin for a perfect price and I just couldn’t walk away from it. Those three things all combined to create the perfect opportunity. I seized it and, although I hated leaving the CB500X, I’ve loved every moment on the AT.

I never had any issues with it but I wouldn't recommend getting nearly as heavy as I routinely did on this bike.

The front porch step is super solid. It can sometimes be a little cold but the ride is routine and predictable. There isn’t much excitement to be had but the reliability is top notch.

Great to hear and thank you for stopping by. We are in the process of creating a "Top Reasons NOT To Get A CB500X" so stay tuned to hear the flip side of this pretty bright coin.

No, I never had that issue really. There was one day that I had a tingling hand after about 500 miles but I did two weeks straight of riding down in Central America (400/day) with no problems.

Be Gone For Good - thank you for your prompt reply! I appreciate your feedback. Someone, somewhere I believe implied that it was Buzzy, I’ll take your word for it! Thanks for all your shared information!

Congratulations on considering your 1st bike. Be prepared to fall in love every time you get to ride. It is amazing. Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty. I am 6'5" and hovering just under 200lbs. This bike was phenomenal to learn on and I am really happy to say it was enough to keep me happy as I figured out how to ride. That being said, I took a VERY long trip (10k miles) on this bike at the tail end of my time with her and found myself wishing for more. I was totally overloaded, of course, adding nearly 70lbs of gear but there were times of struggle. Now some of that could have been because I was riding with a KTM 1190 and some of that could have been because I had simply outgrown the bike. I don't mind telling you I am a little surprised when seasoned riders compliment the bike saying it has everything they could possibly need. 90% of the time I was happy but passing was an issue and even starting off the line in some cases became problematic. I will tell you a quick (haha) story about the moment I decided I wanted a bigger bike while somewhere in the middle of Mexico. I was following the KTM because he had the GPS on our travels when he decided to pass an 18 wheeler. There was plenty of room and quite a bit of road. He went out and around easily and waved for me to follow. I swung out to start my pass without fully realizing the road had gone from flat to a slight upgrade. We were traveling about 80 when we chose to pass and as I made my way around the rig I noticed my mph dropping from 86 to 85 to 84 and so on. I throttled back slightly and hung back in behind the semi to find a better time to pass. Now obviously, there aren't a ton of circumstances where passing at 85 is appropriate and almost no times in the States but I knew that I wanted to be able to call on it if needed and I couldn't. I spent a lot of that trip chasing the KTM with my bike wide open going as fast as I possibly could. Since then I have stepped up to the Africa Twin and haven't come close to touching the top. I am not a fast rider but I didn't want to hit a ceiling when it mattered most in an oncoming lane. I apologize for being so long winded but I wanted to get you the best answer I had to this question. As a beginner bike, I think the AT might have been a problem so as I said, I am thankful for the CB500X. It filled a very specific role in my riding while I had it. I just wouldn't expect most to REMAIN happy with the bike as their skills and demands increase. Good luck and ride safely.

@@BeGoneForGood I don not see the need to pass if you are all ready doing 85 mph. Adventure biking should be fun and safe, and enjoy the country side. Going those speeds is what gives bikers a bad rap. Slow down and enjoy and live longer. I have some friends that liked speed and they said there is nothing wrong if you know what you are doing 2 are 6 ft. under and one 2 yr in hospital and the rest of his live in a wheel chair, and one put his girl friend 6 ft under and has to live with that the rest of his life. After 50+ years of riding I just do the speed limit and mostly stay on back roads and enjoy it much more than ever, don't need that speed rush and don't want to cause others trouble or scaring other people on the road. If you must go fast go to a race track. There are a lot of people on the road that get scared when bikes go speeding past them and swinging in and out of traffic to the point of some do not even want to drive any more my mother was one of them, the road is for every one to enjoy, stay with in the limits.

I completely get what you are saying and believe me with two young boys, I don't want to leave this world anytime soon. In the States I think you are 100% accurate and maybe I am even a little off with my 85 AND passing language. My CB500X would routinely hit its very peak of speed around 85-90 so even if I was passing at 75, it would be "sluggish" comparatively. In Mexico, that 75 and passing would simply keep you with the flow of traffic. I wasn't bombing along at 85 but it is nice to pass as quickly as possible and then settle back down to a reasonable speed. With the CB500X that passing time was 2-3X what it is with the AT. Now obviously this is a trade off with price and weight but I feel much more in control of my maneuvering on the AT because I have available power where I didn't have that luxury with the CB500X.

Very true but I did have a couple good drops of this bike. The bars and protection definitely did their job because there was no damage to the important or fragile bits.

Absolutely. Let me know if you want anything else.

I would say the CB500X because I just love this bike but I have heard from many others that it all really depends on what you want to use it for. The extra HP you get from the Versys might be worth it or even needed for you. I consider it a good thing I was relatively limited with the CB500X when I first started as it probably saved me from some poor decisions while I was learning. The other thing I had as a major consideration was the ability to "level up" with the Rally Raid kit once I really committed to adventuring. The option to buy a simpler, less expensive bike to start and then add on as I improved was paramount. I guess most of this doesn't​ clearly help your decision but I only have experience with one so it would feel disingenuous to tell you which is better. Ultimately, it is your bike so if you are still hung up after trying both on, then you have a good decision to make. Fun bike or fun bike with a little more power. Good luck.

CB500X is easier to handle than Versys 650. And also i tried many times, CB500X is more reliable than Versys 👍

I went REALLY fast through Mexico, probably in the mid 80s for a lot of it and never noticed any shimmy or air issues. I rode one day with extreme winds from my left side and it was manageable but I’d guess the same would be true of any bike.

@@BeGoneForGood ok, and would you suggest spending more and go for the tiger 800?

To be as fair as I can, I have never ridden the Tiger 800 but I think it depends a little on what you are planning to ride. I have heard that the Tiger does well on road and not as well off of it. The CB500X is a good ride anywhere but it won't be incredible at any of it. I went with the CB500X because I am a huge fan of Honda and its legacy of reliability. That was a big point for me. Either way I am thinking you will be happy but I wish you luck with your decision.

It is funny that you should mention it because I had to go back through the two year old video to figure out what you were talking about. First off, I talk about the comfort of the bike and how the ergonomics allow for riders of all sizes to feel good. Secondly, I talked about clothing and gear because the price of this bike allows for spending in other places first time riders may need to account for to be ready. If you think price isn't an important factor for the sale of a bike, then congratulations to you but the rest of us tend to use that in our evaluation. You say it sips fuel. I spent more than 20,000 miles on the bike in 18 months and never found it to be particularly frugal with the gas. I don't know what to tell you but you seem well on your way to your own list. Maybe we should see what you have to say unless you are worried you may not be all that good at this... Either way, I appreciate the view and the feedback. It is a good bike and each of us needs to find what works and what doesn't with whatever we are going to ride. I wish you luck in finding yours.

I don't know because I have never been on a 250 but I was definitely unhappy with the top end. It can cruise at a high speed just fine but if you want extra punch from there for passing or overtaking, it is definitely not capable in the same way as the bigger bikes.

It can indeed handle that speed but there won’t be a lot of pep once you’re at that speed. My issue was that asking the bike for anything extra at that speed was a really slow response. If you are going to be staying at that speed or below you’ll be just fine.

@@BeGoneForGood i want to travel around 120-140 km/h max when i tested the bike i had some vibrations at 120/130 and the worst was the vibrations at footpegs at 130-140 km/h

I never had any issues with vibrations but I think that might change bike to bike and depending on your load, tires, balance, road surface, and so many other factors that it might come down to personal preference.

I show 1.76m to be about 5'8" here in the States. I would be surprised if you have any problems with fit on this bike. I stand 6'5" (1.82m) and I never had any issues with the bend in my legs. On the way down to Mexico, there were some 16 hour (800 mile) days and I wasn't sore or tired. I got the normal tightness in areas but generally a position shift or standing for a little bit would take care of those issues. I was surprised, after everything I had heard about motorcycle riding, how comforatble I was on the longer legs of our trips. As far as the windscreen, I don't know that I had many issues with the wind generally from the smaller windscreen. I chose the Madstad because I was hoping for more coverage and it definitely delivered. When I was riding up to The Badlands I lost my first Madstad windshield completely on the side of the road in South Dakota. I completed the rest of the trip, including all the miles home to North Carolina, without any windscreen at all and I was fine. It obviously helps to have a bigger windscreen but it isn't something you HAVE to have to be comfortable. The only issue you may have at 1.76 is the bike being too tall but I can't imagine that would be the case as many riders I have heard from seem just fine at shorter heights. Worst case scenario, you could always pick up a shorter seat but it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for fast response. It was a pleasure heard your opinion. About your worried, that the bike could be to tall. I had a bike taller than CB 500X and it was not a problem. Front wheel with 21 inch, good for pass in little holes on the way but big wheel leave the bike taller. Thanks!!

Absolutely​. If there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know. Good luck with the bike and please let us know what you think when you are traveling all over the world.

Sorry to say that 6'5" does not make 1,82m but rather 1,92m, not quite the same. Having said that, given that you are taller in cm than you said, this strengthens your point !

Wow, I thought I did those conversions properly but I was WAY off. Glad you caught the error and at least it was in the direction that strengthens my point instead of destroying it. Nice catch.

I think the only place you can find one legitimately is through Rally Raid and having them ship to the States. Sorry but everything else is either used or fake, likely.

www.giantloopmoto.com/giant-loop-rally-raid-products-honda-cb500-experts-usa/

Carni, I know GL used to have the kits but didn’t realize they were importing again. I wonder if it is worth ordering from GL with that 20% service charge as I ordered direct from RR and paid shipping only as I recall.

Agree, 20% is pretty steep. I'm anxious for reviews on the 2019 CB500X. Looks like they've taken a few steps to make it a little more capable off the pavement in stock form. It's obviously still no Africa Twin. I like your point about entry price and not forgetting all the other potential costs. Especially in the ADV category. One click on AltRider and you've spent $600.

That is an awesome trip and if you have already been to those areas it will take on even more joy for you. There was so much of us just trying to find our way around that we often missed some of the good stuff. I hope you plan to shoot your entire adventure. The CB500X is a great bike to do the trip on and as long as you time your passes well, you shouldn't have a problem with the high speeds. I appreciate the sub and I checked in as well so I can see all the familiar roads as you make your way south.

@@BeGoneForGood Thank you so much for the swift reply! As with any pending adventure, I'm getting hyped up! And yes, I'll definitely be filming. Similar to your setup, I have two GoPro Session 5 cameras, the Sena 10c Pro helmet camera, and the Mavic Pro drone. As a professional photographer, I'm sure I'll have at least 1 Nikon D850 and a couple of lenses...maybe more...HA! ;-) Thanks again for your awesome videos!

That is a ton of gear. Good luck and I will be looking forward to seeing some great stuff coming.

I absolutely loved this bike and it was flawless until I went on my trip to Honduras. I posted a video which details the reasons I finally decided to sell: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b79md9lyzdeXg2Q.html I picked up an Africa Twin and have been super happy with my current ride. This summer I’ll get to take her off road at the UTBDR. It is going to be an incredible trip.

You are definitely right about that to a degree. I was pretty confident that if I was going to get my first bike, it was going to be a Honda. I was watching a ton about the Rally Raid upgrade and knew I wanted to do that project as well. This led me to the CB500X and to be fair, I do think it was the perfect bike for me...initially. I am happy to have learned on that bike and done the trip on that bike. It was the perfect learner for me. I can't imagine anyone is satisfied with their bike forever or in all situations. I know I certainly wasn't so I eventually moved to something that fit me better. I hope to always make those type of evolutions as my wants and needs change. I appreciate you watching and leaving your feedback. It is a great reminder that a lot of future issues can be avoided by doing your homework beforehand.

I listed it at $6k and sold for $5.5k. Everything sold along with it except for the original parts that the Rally Raid kit replaced.

@@BeGoneForGood oh, man I hope I can find a setup like that for such an awesome price. I'll be sure to ask for the military discount if course ;). Love the channel man.

I have a buddy with a brand new (

I get it. You want us to pick a side. Honestly, I think if you see both vids I have because even with the 3 reasons NOT to own, I mention over and over how much I loved the bike. It was absolutely the perfect bike for me to start on for so many reasons. I also think both videos can exist side by side because the choice of which bike to get and love is so personal. Some people will love the height, while others will hate it. Same with the power or stance or weight. I created the five reasons to love the bike first because that was very much how I was feeling about it. To this day El Tajin (my CB500X) has a very special place in my memory but I thought there were some reasons you may Not want that same bike. I made that video, tentatively, and because I thought everyone does vids raving about bikes. How about some honest downsides? That is why the two vids and although my goal wasn’t to be annoying, I think they each have their place. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving your feedback. In the future, I think it is probably a good idea to make my stance more clear.

@@BeGoneForGood Thanks for the thoughtful reply and clarification. It's just that with the both sides of the argument post, it can come across as even more confusing than the single stance take.

As long as it is FOR GOOD though. ;-) Good luck and again, thank you for checking out some of the vids and letting us know what you think. It means a lot to us to hear from others about what we are creating.