I have owned everything from a honda sport 90 to a goldwing with a trailer over 55 years. They all serve a purpose. Currently driving a cb500x ane its perfect, nimble enough, light enough, powerful enough economical enough. I use it to run errands and make the 4 hour drive to my mountain cabin. This bike fits my current driving style. Probably owned 20 bikes in my life and none fit as perfectly at this stage in life. 6 feet 225lbs and it handles all.

im a new rider and i bought one and i have absolutely no regrets whatsoever, go for it new riders

Back in the '60's and '70's, real men were riding Honda 160's cross country, and 350s were considered full sized bikes. Now, 100hp 600cc bikes are beginners bikes. No wonder so many beginners get killed and/or maimed. The product is so far beyond the skill level needed to control the machines that incidents, I refuse to call them accidents as accidents can happen to anyone, but incidents occur because of arrogance or ignorance, are bound to happen.

Just purchased the 2013 version of this bike last month. It handles great on the streets and interstate...gets up to 90mph in no time at all and has problems with pulling by cars. This is the largest sport I'll ever need. 6ft 230lbs and this bike fits me PERFECT. Thanks for all of your informative videos.

Honestly if you're a light person even a 125cc can be fun. I recently crashed my ninja 250 turned it into a street fighter and I'm still riding it today nothing beats 400km a tank for only $15 bucks!

Or is the question are you a big enough man to ride just a 500?

I weigh 230 and have this bike. I love it. I ride on the interstate, curves, dirt and gravel.

You can go around the world on this bike because it will not break down, you may also be able to afford the petrol as it is very economical. If you do get chased by bad guys, you will have the power to run away.

I rode this bike 10,000 miles across the country and back in a month - lots of people were impressed that the 500 made it but my cb500x never slouched. I could hit the slab going 90 for hours at a time but still have fun on dirt roads, tight city traffic and twisty switchbacks- a really solid all-rounder.

With today’s bike 500 is fine for cruising and daily ride. Also the savings in gas is unmatched.

Love this bike. Mine is a 2016 model. A couple of weeks ago I rode a 1,900 mile trip carrying my bicycle ( 2x2 cycles, if anyone is interested ) and 60 pounds of gear. For fast "supersport" riding I've got a Zero SR. For touring/long distance, CB500X is all I need.

Another happy CB500X owner here. Just came back (to the UK) from an 11,000 mile, 22 State (and 2 Canadian Provinces) trip round the US, including the TAT. The CB was a perfect bike for the trip. Could 'slab' all day on the highway, then ride gravel the next.

Itchy Boots is riding one all over Iceland and Europe. It's a perfect all around motorcycle with a great price point.

My wife moved out in April 2021. She definitely decays my soul and my bones. But hey at least now I have an excuse to do all the crazy shit I've always wanted to do and buy a bike! Hell yes

I am 6’ 1” at 190 pounds and me and my wife ride this bike very comfortably. Still easy to handle and still got plenty of power and you really can’t beat the versatility of this bike for the price. This is not a race bike and was never intended as such and really is a one of a kind. Don’t feel intimidated by these types of “you’re not a man if you don’t ride ”. I get plenty of compliments on mine and what kind of bike you ride does not masculinity equal.

I own this bike. When I made my purchase I had the budget for a much larger bike. But after trying a few out back to back with the 500X I decided it just wasn't worth the extra money to me. I will also add that this bike is one of 3 for me. The other two being a cafe bike and a Dual Sport so I wanted something that was going to work on the daily commute and the occasional weekend camping trip.

The Honda CB500X is the world's best commute bike. I have a 2016 with 71k miles on it (with zero mechanical issues) riding 100miles a day, all year round with an avarage of 94 MPG (UK) every day, the best being 104 !!! With a 17.5 lts tank sitting at 55mph with good weather conditions you would get 340-350ish miles on a full tank!!! My rear Bridgestone T31's lasted 37700 miles !!! Drinks zero fuel & zero oil !!!!

I know this is an old video, but just for clarity this is an inline twin. The Honda 500 twin cylinder actually uses a 180 degree crankshaft and the cylinders fire at different times. Great video, thanks.

"People just want to complain," ugh, too true. Anyways, I want this to be my first bike

I'm a dude on a CB300F. I'm happy with what I use it for and how I ride. I can get a speeding ticket just like everyone else. It just takes me 5 sec longer to get it.

I just bought this bike a couple weeks ago. Bought it in Arkansas and rode it back to Florida over 3 days. What a great bike! Very comfortable, easy to ride, great fuel economy. This bike is a real swiss army knife of bikes that does so many things well. I'm 5'9" and 215lbs fits me perfectly. I've been riding for 35 years and this bike is all I need at this point.

Strongest post it note i have seen

I have the rebel 500 and I love it. I use it mostly in the city, but it's perfect for zipping around philly. Same engine in all these new 500cc hondas. They're just tuned differently. The rebel is tuned for a little more low end power.

I had a 2017 CB500x and put 7200kms onto it in one riding season up in Canada. This includes an 8 day, 1200km camping trip, and a 2700km, 3 week trip (I carried everything on the bike.) One day I did 1060kms just to finish the trip. It is a great bike, only downfall I found was the lack of more dirt worthy tires due to the road bias tire sizes this bike had (17" front vs the 19" of newer cb500x's) These are great bikes and I miss how smoothly it cruises.

I own a 2018 CB500x & a 2018 CRF250L Rally, both are great bikes!

I started on a Honda Trail 70 back in 1972. Have had 125s 250s. 900s and 1000s. Then had an 1803 which is the 110ci Harley and now a 1250cc BMW. A 500-600 is not a beginner bike. A 250-350 is a beginner bike for a grownup. Europe, well Britain, makes you go through a progression and you have to start out on a small cc bike and work your way up. I don’t have a problem with that. Consider a new rider that buys a liter Ninja and then tries to do 150 mph on the interstate. Never having ridden a bike before. Do you want that on the road near you? No different than the rich kid whose father buys him a new Vette. It’s just crazy.

Wait too you see the new CB500X 2019 think you’ll like it even better , larger front wheel, gear indicator, slip clutch..............

Real men ride Groms Girlie boys ride Harley’s

05:59 this made me buy it!

a 360 degree crank and a 180 degree crank can both be inline twins . parallel and inline are the same thing. has nothing to do with the crank degree

Just bought one, absolutely love it.. Great honest review ..

I have one and for anyone looking to buy this model and wants a bit of feedback, here it is: - it's very confy, when you rid with a pasanger, the suspension is quite soft so don't expect it to be sporty but expect it to do pretty good on bumpy roads. It has a 8 lvl preload suspension on the back. Not sure if you can also set the front but in the manual it's stated you can. - the power is enough up until about 80mph, after that it's a bit slow, especially if you ride with a passenger - the max payload is about 330 punds so you need to take that in to consideration. It will easily do more than that but the suspension and brakes will struggle in this case. - it's super reliable, there are people on the web with 250.000 miles on this. - the stock seat sucks, you're going to need to redo it or buy an aftermarket one. - the led headlight sucks, you're going to need auxiliary lights - the stock exhaust is very quiet, I got a Leo Vince for $200, much better. - if you are used with a naked, this bike is not going to be the same on the corners, it's not a sports bike. - it's easy to work on, never did an oil change before and I managed to do one on this bike super super easy. - you're gong to get bored of it but still won't wanna sell it. It's like a good wife, maybe it's not the best in bed but it takes care of the house and treats you well.

Just returned to riding after more than 20 yrs. I almost 70. This bike is perfect for me.

Please read the 'words of wisdom' before getting on the bike! Keep those eyeballs on the road :) Great review - I am thinking of getting the CB500X...

My first bike was a 1987 Honda Shadow 500cc, way back in 2010 when I was 24. Had a load of miles on it, bought it pretty much off a scrap pile. Was white with purple flames, short pipes that made it sound like a dirt bike. Fixed it up, painted it candy red, the flames showed through nice and dark and bought some full length pipes to give it a nice rumble. It was a great bike, I was too large for it (being 6ft 3in and at the time, about 185lbs), but honestly I really loved being able to over control it. I could go around curves almost sideways on that bike and pop it right back up like it was nothing. Eventually I had to sell it when life got too busy to ride, but I loved that bike.

I have the 2013 with I think 4.5 gal tank, 200+ range, and 60+mpg. Its a great city bike. Comfortable and tall enogh for me. I love it!

I bought my 2021 new 2 weeks ago, $10k Canadian. Love it. Dont need anything more. I could afford to buy something bigger and better but like Sean says its not necessary. As a newish rider I cant see me wanting anything bigger for a couple of years at least. Took it for a little blast today. Feel the wind, smell the smells and all that goes with it. And the cool guys still wave.

I think your suspension argument was quite unfounded, and I'm not sure you know much about the adventure bike community. If you can buy this bike, put a couple grand into it, and turn it into a very capable mid-size off road machine, and STILL be paying way less than a new KTM or BMW adventure bike, then why the hell not get one? Saying you should get a different bike because the suspension isn't strong enough doesn't make any sense at all. Why do you NEED something that's off road capable out the door, if you're not afraid to just upgrade your bike for less of an investment? Some of us even enjoy modifying our bikes. Sure, someone discounting the bike entirely for it's suspension is a moron, because they aren't considering how affordable it is, but I don't think you should be lumping in the people who see it as an excellent starting platform for a seriously capable overland vehicle.

I have the 2015 version of this bike that I bought brand new. Bought it in Georgia and rode it to California where I live now. Great commuter, and great touring bike. Because it’s a 500, I do tend to keep a cruising speed of around 60 mph. It took some getting used to, but I like the feeling of just cruising at that slower speed now when I do my distance rides.

I was JUST looking at the cb500f, the naked version of this, when I got the notification.

It IS "big enough" the problem for many of us is how Honda REFUSES to package and market more as a true "adventure" bike. I don't understand even why they willfully neglect a market? Simply do an "Africa Twin" version, Mark it up 20% having it slightly detuned for less high RPM horse power in favor of mid-range torque...redo frame geometry to allow for off-road prowess ....spoked wheels, dual sport tires, adequate ground clearance and front and rear suspension travel....more of a a'rally raid" style fairing and windshield, some nice footpegs/handlebars...ya know? Some rudimentary crash bars ...maybe in the rear doing double duty a panniers racks? ......I'm telling ya IF they kept the weight sub 400llbs? (185kg?) and the horse power at around 50ish with good mid-range torque? The fuel capacity ample to do a nice high mileage run? The bike would be an instant SMASH Home run! Why I personally believe that Honda and KTM and others REFUSE to give us such as this NO BRAINER? It's the MORON marketing guys that have these preconceived marketing ideas and price points stuck in their pea brains that say "oh a 500 twin will be a learner's bike...has to be ultra cheap with cheap components and low seat height"....All they can think of is selling HIGHER price point bikes to more advanced riders in the neighborhood or 12 to 15K for a Japanese bike model. ...What they don't get is that LOTS of us are DONE with overwise ghat bikes offroad ....SO WHAT if we don't spend 15k! Soon as someone FINALLY gives us a lightweight twin? Then they can SHOVE the 600llbs beasts where the sun don't shine!

I own one of these, a 2015. This one is a 15 or earlier going by the windscreen. The 16 got a better screen which I now have on my 15 and it's way more effective and quieter. I like my bike, my only real complaint is the awful LCD dash which can be very hard to read on a sunny day. But many new bikes have the same problem. As for the power, I often wish I'd spent the extra money for a 650 Versys or V-Strom but if you don't mind winding it out you rarely actually need more. Touring 2-up could be a different story. Remember, 46 hp is in the ballpark with the old British 650 twins (especially considering that hp figures back then were usually inflated numbers pulled out of thin air by advertising guys) and I don't remember any of my friends with Triumphs and BSAs back in the day complaining about their bikes being underpowered. Magazine road testers always raved about 14 second 1/4 mile bikes as "rocketships" and "having more power than any sane human can handle", etc. Has the human body really changed that much in a couple of decades, or do we just have higher expectations now because of 150 hp sportbikes? If you have the extra $2K for a Versys 650, get it, but the CB500X is a fun bike.

I'm 6'9 and ride a 2019 Honda CB500X, apart from having to raise the seat...It's pretty much perfect.

I love my CB500X. Great around town and on the highway. Put a Corbin custom seat on it and a Puig touring windscreen. Rides like a dream.

So, the CB500 actually is the 180 degree crank inline twin (cylinders moving opposite each other) like the Ninja/Versys 650 is. Still it's basically like a Honda flavor, slightly smaller Versys.

WOW.This video and review was ridiculously fun and well made. Keep going with cool videos.Subscribed.

hear nothing but good things on this 500 engine. the boys at honda use it on several different models. this is possible thanks to the engine management system and electronic tuning. loads of aftermarket mods for this model and others that use this engine. and yes, you can tour on this.

I was watching this and I was thinking that the area you were riding around looked really familiar, and then I realized you were in Lancaster. Then I saw the dealership was in Landisville, PA.

I like it how he gets excited for every bike he rides but sometimes he can't find his words or he doesn't know anything about the bike...or why he likes it and then.. he just wings it. :)). but his excitement is contagious :))

This is not a review, just random ramblings.

I own this bike, and I love it! I’ve owned and ridden GoldWings, Valkyries, ZRX’s, and this STILL is my favorite. Easy to ride. Sips gas. And you can make it whatever you want for reasonable money. The lack of a gear indicator is the ONLY negative.

Major props for wearing gloves.

I used to tour around Thailand on a versys 650 but did not like the low/medium power band...specially on highways. I then got a CBR500R and went around the country for a while and found out that the bike was more than enough1! Also I could go for hours without my butt getting destroyed!! I think the CB500X, which was the bike I actually was looking for 2nd hand, has the same comfy seat and has enough of everything to take you where you want to go! These 500s are also very easy to get through traffic with ease and uses little gasoline! Why struggle with a 250 kilo beast!! And much cheaper and of course HONDA quality and reliability!!!

I had a 05 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 . The wife and I would take 2K + mile trips with it , no problems . You don't need a large bike . Now the Vulcan is a 650 , I like the 500's style much better .

Well I can only tell you I have had this bike 3 years go out offten with lads on bigger hevey bikes none can loose me I can ride like a 2 year old and Carry a good weight to insidenly I'm 79 years old one can travel for hours on this bike it handles like a baby

90% I'll be purchasing one as my first bike. So I can commute and learn the ways of the non-cager lifestyle I've been itching for.

When I was researching my first bike this was initially at the top of my list from all the recommendations and reviews I had watched and read about. Unfortunately it's not available here so I had to bump it up to an NC750X, which I did and never looked back (well, except for lifesavers lol). She is now my "wife of good character" and I couldn't be happier.

i have the cb500f too, it's not something where you'd consider slow. of course it's not 1000cc supersport fast, but it'll still finish every other car on the road

You've helped me so much on the journey to purchasing my first bike. I'm sorry that I couldn't find the perfect fit at Srkcycles right now, but I'm hoping we'll do business in the future.

fun fact, you dont need a bike with 100hp to drive normally, see way to many people get their liscense and instantly buy a 800cc + and is scared shitless as they drive it, most riders need a bike they can comfortably drive and not accidently make it carthweel by dropping the clutch a bit too fast

I've been watching your videos for a while and everything that you have been teaching and tips and stuff helped me when I went to go do a safety course to get my motorcycle license so thank you shawn for helping me pass my test and also for getting me more interested in a new hobby/lifestyle your were right when you said the first time you hop on a bike your gonna love it cause I do and I can't wait till I bring mine back and go for some rides

I've seen a few of these up in Prudhoe Bay on several occasions. Great, reliable bikes that are a relative value compared to some of the larger European offerings. Stay well.

Very poignant words of wisdom today. I married a real jewel, and am celebrating 6 years with her today. Truly she is worth far more than rubies! Also, when it's time to buy my future child a motorcycle, it's for SURE gonna be a Rebel 300 or this 500. Great video!

Its an inline twin engine... Crank angle is at 180°...

When I was a kid the first big bike I ever rode was a Honda 450 Black Bomber. I had a few hundred miles experience on a Cub 90. I stalled it a couple of times until I got the hang of a manual clutch, then I had no further problem. A couple of years later I had a new 450 and put 30,000 miles on it, much of it on long distance rides. Recently I had a chance to have a good ride on a Honda 500F. Imagine my surprise when I found it was way more fun in the twisties than my V-Strom 1000. Honda 500 twins rule. They are so easy to ride, that for pure riding enjoyment, they are hard to beat.

You’re confusing a tandem twin with a parallel twin. In a tandem twin the pistons move together, a parallel twin the pistons move like any other engine.

Great video, I was just wondering if you've ever done a review of a Suzuki V Strom 650 ? Thank You !

I just got the 2017 500x as my first bike and I am loving it. With the words of wisdom, I would like to add that we the church are the bride of Christ, and we must be noble if we are to be a crown upon His head.

Love the fuel economy. Would endure the dearth of power if the engine sounded interesting (270 degree crank phase like the NC750X). I'll stick to my 650 V-Strom for slightly more of everything (weight, purchase price, power, fuel usage) with a nice note to it. I think it's the sweet spot! The new 2019 CB500X is VERY interesting, but for the uncouth engine sound when revved hard. (I thrashed too many Kwack 250 parallel twins in my youth)

OK, which one would you choose for a new rider, the Honda CB500x or the Kawasaki Versys 300?

I have a ruckus and a c 50 bulivard like them bough 2 different rides. giving the C50 ( 805 cc) to my sun and hope to get a CB 500 X . The ruckus (49 cc ) puts a smile on my face every time I ride it, it is a great little scooter for a run about, If i need gas for the more just put a 10 liter gas can on the floor or carry thing under the seat . It is also fun to ride through ditches and across fields and trails in the woods. I mostly stay under 20 km rides as it will only do 65 kph and that is on flat ground but still fun.

Parallel twin, inline twin. Same thing.. Firing order is another thing altogether

I started back in October, have not riden in 13 years, but bought a 114CI 2021 Harley street bob stage one tuned as its a child dream for 30 years so much torque and power, also a Ducati Monster 2022, keeping them both but i just ordered the 2022 CB500X for general all round all year use, seems a real peach even though its only got 47 bhp, i believe nobody needs over 100/110 bhp tbh unless you're on a race track you can't use it fully anyway. I did go out with the police on bike safe course a month ago and it really helped improve my riding experience, i think everyone should go out with the police on this its an eye opener and great fun for next to nothing. So far in 5 months I've done 4500 miles, which is more than in my entire life on bikes.

that weight category is the sweet spot - now add a 6 gallon tank and spoked wheels......wabam! make it legit

I owned a CB 500X for 4 years,great bike but I prefer my 2018 V-Strom 650.I think 650cc and 70hp is all a man needs.

Thanks for this review! I bought a 2014 largely based on your impressions of the bike. I'm tall at 6'4" and you saying it was comfortable for tall riders was enough for me. Also from watching your other reviews I've noticed you tend to only point out Michelin tires and how good they are, that being said I replaced the 7yo factory tires with Road 5s and what a transformation! Thanks for all the videos on both channels, keep up the good work and God bless!

I absolutely love this as my first bike. A bit torquey but very nimble.

I have a 2018 Model and I LVE it. I'm 6'2 and it fits me perfectly. I live in Oregon, and would not hesitate to ride it to Alabama to see a family member!

I currently ride an XR650L. It's really great for the most part. Cool bike for what it is. Packing and camping off it. It's already super high and really top heavy. CB500X will go all the places I take my XR (fairly rough places, at a reasonable speed). All with a much lower top weight. CB by far gets exceptional better MPG, and holds a large capacity of fuel, than the XR. Seat height is much lower. Giving plenty of leg for the very tricky spots in maneuvering tricky trails. Seat is way better than the XR for longer highway rides. CB much smoother at Highway speeds. You don't need a lot of power out in the back roads/ trails. I find the African Twin or similar absolutely ridiculous. If you dump one of those over. You normally have to have a crew and maybe off load all the gear. Or maybe have a crane follow along behind. You can call the CB500X a beginner bike, if you want to. But it really does have it's places to shine. Trails are much more enjoyable on a lighter more agile bike though. (Real dirt bikes are a blast in the rough. But super poor on highway, so that's out.) Speaking of lighter bikes. The Yamaha MT-09 & MT-07 spec's show them to be lighter than the CB. Also, way more power & possibly a better sound to it! But it does have a smaller tank & a little worst MPG. It definitely would need a skid guard. Question would be, would it hold up? The engine is hanging from the frame. It is part of the strength of the bike/frame. Ground clearance is most certainly not as good. Probably need some good mod's. A person can take just about any bike any where. Just the question, Should You?

I haven't heard of parallel vs. inline twins but I'm not native English speaker so... Anyway, as far as I know, the CB 500 engine's firing interval is 180 degrees so it wouldn't classify as parallel twin. The only twins with 360 deg. firing interval I can remember are the BMW F 650/700/800 twins, other twins have 180 or 270. (The latter mimics common 90 deg. V-twins.) Alas, the bike is quite small for someone of my size (195 cm)... To be comfortable on longer journeys, I need something like European 800 (Tiger or GS), otherwise the engine seems to be just right for the kind of bike for street riding.

Double dare you to convert the crank to 180 degrees

It's got better power to weight ratio than a Mazda MX-5 (Miata). If you want to believe you need more... go ahead, but you don't.

0 to 60 ? I have a 300 versys and am thinking about buying this for my son to ride with maybe a little off road action. Can the Honda handle it?

Great review, one of the things we seem to never see is riding geometry. IE how far forward are your feet etc. Thanks!

I appreciate your attitude! Thsnks for all the great vids

2:50 he really means, do NOT get married, wait for a unicorn, but they don't exist, so do no get married. listen between the lines of what he's saying.

Been saying the same thing about groms for 2 years now. I live in rural indiana where i have to travel (highways) no less than 30 minutes for everything from work to get groceries and my buddies all think the groms are badass because theyre 2500-3k for a year old model and were a bunch of 20-21 year olds making no more than 15$ an hour. I keep telling them you can buy a year old z400 or ninja 400 or cb500 (any trim) and you still have that minimalist bike, thats got support for those of my friends that dont know how to wrench, they arent advanced enough that me and one of my other buddies can wrench on them, they have good enough suspension and breaks for a new rider and not enough hp to kill ya unless your asking for it. Its like owning a grom that has a purpose other than wheelies and city riding

Usually the people that talk bad about suspension are way over weight .

Yes,500cc is ebough i think. Well actually i have 250cc V Twin 30hp (28 at wheel) VTR 250 2009 -i ride 250cc, i feel like uts nuff, sufficient. You can use 100% of the power anytime, thus aking it Reeeeaaly Fun :D

My problem with the CB500X is it could not carry that much, maybe 100lb after me and my wife. Quickly runs out of loading capacity. Also all the top case options required the removal of rear handles. If you're on your own it would be fine but I refuse to buy a bike both of us can't be on.

A lot of people around the world use this bike as a mid weight adventure bike and it works out really well. Start searching videos and you will see many about off road capability.

500cc is PLENTY for a man in my opinion. I owned and rode 6 Kawasaki 500cc 2-stroke triples in various states of tune almost exclusively from 14 years old until well into my 30's. I have now ridden for over 50 years and have owned dozens of motorcycles, and the largest was 800cc. I just don't see the point in bigger, heavier bikes. If I can't throw it into a curve, manhandle it over the roughest backroads, or easily pick it up should it happen to fall over in a field, then I wouldn't enjoy it. I now have two 650cc bikes in the garage. As a matter of fact, I have crossed the country several times on 650cc bikes and never felt a serious need to go larger.

Yes 500 is plenty. 1975-80 were maximum 750cc, until Kawasaki brought out super bike Z1R 1000cc. Switzerland 🇨🇭 had law, start with motorcycle < 300cc, then graduate up to larger motorcycles.

I do totally agree, I have a Versys and it is basically the Miata of bikes, maybe not the fastest thing in a straight line, but pure joy to take around corners, this bike is basically like a somewhat smaller Versys with Honda badges on it.

I think this question is only applicable for Americans. The rest of the world has no issue with riding a 500 cc bike. In some cases, 500 cc is not considered a beginner bike.

I've rode a CB500X for the past 3 years. It's great. Wonderful, chill bike if you weigh over 200, and want to throw a lil luggage on the back.

In the 1970s a rider and passenger often took a 350cc parallel twin across the country. They were as slow as the biggest, heaviest trucks going uphill. Many consider a 400cc Burgman plenty of bike at 75 mph. A 250cc Kawasaki is marginal at 75 mph, and better at 60 mph.

Great words of wisdom! I also agree with everything you said about the typical suspension complainers.

3:32-3:36... I think she was more like "Is he insane?!" ;D

Always like your videos. Glad you like this bike as much as you do. I've been thinking a lot about it and I'm always led back to this one. I got nervous that you weren't going to do your reading at the beginning - thanks for that.😁👍