Hi Chris - as Chris S says above, nothing has changed regarding the engine and frame over the years, and in practice it having the engine as a partial stressed member (you can see there is still a backbone frame over the top, between the headstock and swingarm/subframe, so it is not a fully stressed member like a Ducati for example - where the swingarm is bolted directly to the engine... or similarly in the case above where Chris S mentions the MT07 which has the shock top-mount bolted to the engine) makes little difference - certainly in the case of the CB500X, which is why John (at Rally Raid) and I felt it was such a good platform for improving...


photo. note. 'professional rider on a closed course' ;o) - not necessarily recommended, but proof the bike works just fine way beyond it's perceived design parameters...

The only real downside compared to a traditional cradle dirt-bike chassis (which is designed to isolate the engine completely, and of course intended to to be jumped etc.) is that there are no frame rails under the engine to help protect the sump. This is why the Rally Raid engine guard is a steel tubular structure to essentially offer that protection.

As an Adventure bike, the CB500X is an excellent platform. And with the right mods, it is an exceptionally good ALL-terrain bike.

Jx

I'd love to see Honda take the basic CB500X and give it the Africa Twin-Dakar Rally look a like treatment. If they could keep it light weight, could be a game changer as everyone seems to be begging for a smaller light weight twin in this class.

I'm sure Honda could get a bit more HP out of that very mildly tuned 500 twin, yet still retain good economy. Use the Africa Twin model from there on. Keep it basic to keep costs down, make money on Honda supplied accessories.

A great idea indeed Mollydog! If they could get the weight down to 150-160 kilos dry it would be great. A bit more power would be great, especially in the low and mid RPM rev range as the 500 engine needs a bit of reving to get the power on.
The power limitation as it is now I would guess is set as it is to conform to the Euro A2 motorbike license limits of 47 HP/35 KW Understand the January 19th changes | Visordown

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

UK based Rally Raid Honda CB500X/F/R have been showing a more off road version of the CB500X at shows and the like. Lots of nice bits

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Honda Wave 110i (2014) Maxsym 400i (2013)
Sterling 125 2017.

for info. There is a dedicated test of the CB500X Adventure conversion on the Bennetts BikeSocial online magazine this month, together with a profile of Rally Raid Products including a sneak preview of some new developments in the pipeline...

Jx

There is also nice summary of my original Trans-America Trail trip here, together with some photos of the Colorado sections of the TAT that I was finally able to ride this summer on my own red bike.

Jx

What make is the pannier racks / Engine guards? I like the look of those more than the RR product

Later thread states the racks / crash bars were custom made.

Wow...!! Didn't realise this thread existed but nice to skim through and feel justified at what I built. Just finished my second CRF500L build for a travel mate of mine, can't say enough good words on that engine choice for a true RTW contender...!!

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Hi Scott ,
I have owned a factory 500x I bought used . It had continantal TK knobby's and I loved it . I bought another used 500X with the Rally Raid package and sold my factory 500X . I loved both bikes and still have the RR CB500X . The difference between the 2 bikes is alot . The RR feels and rides like a completely different bike suspension wise and added height with the larger spoked wheels . The power is the same on both obviously but everything else is truly a huge improvement of the already very reliable bike . Yes you can easily drive the RR version around the world . If you want or need loads of power and weight then this is not the bike for you but it is surely enough power and great economy to get you there and back . It has already did at least one RTW trip by a woman named Jenny ? She also had the RR version . I am 6 feet and 225lbs and I find the bike very comfortable to ride on the pavement or offroad .

This is an older thread of course, and as RR2017 mentions above, over the years the CB500X has proven itself countless times as a very solid and reliable RTW style 'adventure' bike - with people having now ridden them all over the world - the length of Africa, through Europe and Scandinavia, from the UK to India, from Asia to Europe, across Australia and all over North and South America - often multiple times on the same bike.

You can of course significantly improve the 'all-terrain' performance and ability of these bike with aftermarket upgrades, but equally plenty of people have also enjoyed some pretty extensive overland trips on more modestly equipped versions too (I wouldn't say 'stock' of course, as most people will be fitting things like better all-terrain tyres, hand-guards and under-engine protection at least) since fundamentally the core bike is very easy to live with, comfortable, ultra reliable, economic (250mile/400km range) and requires very little maintenance other than those things you'd typically check and adjust/replace during a RTW style trip anyway.

It is also substantial enough to carry luggage without upsetting it's overall balance (strong subframe etc.) and handle long stints on the open road; while it's compact dimensions/relative lack of weight and short wheelbase means it remains nimble and easy to ride in more spirited back-road or off-road conditions. In fact I'd go as far as to suggest it is the 'perfect' size for the solo rider with a realistic travelling luggage load.

Indeed there are very few other bikes I can think of [and by that I mean none] which offer the same combination of utter reliability, compact dimensions, and a easy and forgiving twin-cylinder engine (meaning you can comfortably cruise on the open road above the speed limit of any country should you wish, for hours at a time if needs be), while still offering more than enough all-terrain performance [certainly with the right upgrades and accessories] you'd encounter on a RTW style trip.

There are arguably more 'off-road capable' machines on the market, but still I'd consider none which offers the versatility and easy of riding both on and off-road that the smaller CB offers (at least not once fitted with the Rally-Raid suspension and wheels you understand) - of course if you're comfortable handling a taller/larger/heavier bike off-road, have at it - but as the saying goes: No-one* wishes they'd taken a larger bike once they got back from a RTW style trip.

*Well, unless they did it on a Trail-Cub perhaps, that would be pretty miserable unless you're young and impetuous!

Something to consider I trust?

Jenny x