Hi Bikerkev

Many thanks for the update. Great to hear the bike is serving you well. 99.1mpg is astonishing, that would certainly save a lot of money if you add up the difference between that and say 60mpg on a RTW trip!

The prices of the Honda accessories seems very high indeed, not sure I will dabbling into them at that cost. The centre stand as you say will be necessary though to be able to undertake the maintenance required.

Really looking forward to getting out and test riding this machine very soon!

Scott

Hi Scott, I have just bought a CB500X and love it. My previous two bikes were a BMW GS650 and a BMW GS1100. The 650 was a better off road bike than the Honda but for my purposes the Honda will do all the gravel roads that I am interested in. The big BMW was too heavy, but a great road bike...I love the riding position of all these bikes. I tried the VStrom 650 but felt more comfortable on and preferred the handling of the Honda. It suits my 173cm body height, its acceleration is adequate and once rolling, its acceleration to pass road trains in Australia's mid west where I live is excellent. The Honda is essentially a road bike with an off road configured riding position and with the capability of softer off road touring. After initial concerns about dropping to a mid size bike, I am very happy with it and find the 500cc twin engine just fine.

seriously modding the CB500X
 

People have started seriously modding the CB500X ... seems the real thing too ...

Nice :-)

dq.

(pics found at or linked from https://www.facebook.com/thaihonda.crosschallenge)


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link to very large image

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Hi all, i had a demo on the CB500X. I wasn't that impressed apart from the fuel consumption. Thats not to say it is not a world beater!.
You can't expect top notch for the money. For the core market it is aimed at it is ideal. I decided against it. I bought a bike in a similar vein. A kawasaki Versy. The power is better and the fuel consumption is not as good. To me it is a better package and well proven. Half the money with 5600 miles on the clock. It give me lots of lolly to spend on farkles if i need.
Pays yer money, takes yer choicebeer

It doesn't say too much to compare the price of a second hand/owner bike with this brand new model; the 500X will be available soon enough second hand (maybe it is now) and I would expect it to go for similar pricing to the Versys.

Regarding the Versys, the low-slung exhaust collection box is a PITA in my view; it's crying out to be damaged on rough going. :offtopic:

Off road on either!!, neither bike would be much cop. The suspension on both are rubbish, not very compliant. Road tyre and wheel sizes. They are adventure styled bikes. If i wanted a higher exhaust i would get one fabricated. I am not dissing the 500x. Just not my bag. 600 mile first service can be up to £300, valve check!!!!!

I guess we'll both be letting the beta testers come back with the facts.
A valve check at 600 miles would not encourage me to purchase a new one, but after the first depreciation and getting that service out of the way it will be a better value bike.

Other than that, cheap-initial-purchase bikes tend to have cheap suspensions; it has taken me years to accept this fact of life.

pics of my bike with trekker 46ltr top box, centre stand, taller windscreen and rear hugger
http://www.cb500x.com/index.php/topic,319.0.html

loving this bike so far and plans lots of euro trips with it

here is a vid of some off roading that ends with the bike being dropped

cb500x - YouTube

Brilliant thread. I am a retired 59-year-old Brit living in sw Portugal but I am planning on splitting my time between there for six months (Apr-Sept), where I have a Buell Ulysses and northern Thailand for six months (Oct-Mar). Initially I had planned on buying a Kawasaki Versys in Chiang Mai, where I will be based but the bloke who hosts Horizons Unlimited's AGM there, Phil, put me on to the CB500X. I have sat on one in a Chiang Mai dealership and it feels just right. I've followed this up with hours of online research. The cost of a 500X in Thailand is 4,300 GBP versus over 6,000 GBP for the Versys. It is much more economical and performance-wise is all that's needed in southeast Asia. From Chiang Mai I aim to do the whole region (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia) over the next few years and I have decided that the 500X is the bike I will be buying. Crashbars, a main stand, a tank bag and a rack to take a dry bag will be the only extras I'll buy. I don't like side cases, although a Metal Mule top box would be nice if very expensive. I wonder whether they'll get round to making a fixing plate for the X in the near future. It would act as a decent portable safe when secured to a piece of furniture by some high tensile wire in a Third World bedroom, not that I've ever had any problems with theft in that region. I have even come round to liking the appearance of this bike.

So after 7500 miles i am still really enjoying this bike but then i use it on 99% tarmac.

i was thinking i would update this thread with a pros and cons list in the order i thought about them.

Pros:
-good MPG. my average is 72.8 uk gal 3.9L/100km 25.7km/l
-nice seating position
-very smooth engine
-decent tank range i fill up at 200 before hitting reserve shoud be good for 230/240
-multiple luggage options
-8000 miles service interval
-good visabilty of road ahead
-good mirrors: narrow enough for filtering but very clear wide view behind
-easy to drive: not fatiguing
-abs
-well balanced tight turning circle.
-medium weight, not too heavy

Cons:
-wind buffering (very loud) even with onda tall screen and wunderlich
-seat not that comfy when only wearing kevlar jeans (ok with touring trousers)
-cheap suspension
-inaccurate mpg computer
-no dipstick to check oil, only viewing window.
-right brake leaver snapped off twice from drops
-hingless fuel cap
-side winds impact more than other bikes of same weight that i ahve ridden

as a tarmac touring bike this is a very capable bike. gravel roads ive been on have been fine but havent done any proper off roading and dont intend to.

Edit:
rumour has it that 2014 models dont need the 600mile vale clearance check

I appreciate this thread is pretty dead as this bike is not an adventure bike and doesn't have true off road capabilities, but there is an important issue just discovered with this bike and I would like to warn owners and those considering this bike.

I have seen on a cbx forum the following appauling design floor

the left side bolt under the bike securing the plastic belly pan can puncture the oil tray under the bike draining all engine oil. I have replaced this bolt with a cable tie.

The situation that lead to this discovery was a chap riding off road. The large exposed tree roots bent back the plastic belly pan causing the bolt to penetrate the oil tray.

My bike is still running great after 10000 miles. I'm touring brittany on it for a second time and loving the experience.

As a tarmac and loose gravel track touring bike this is a superb choice but mud and sand are a different matter entirely and to be avoided on this bike.

Good info Gary!
Sadly, the 500X Honda is not alone in this matter. Many bikes have bash plate hardware that can be jammed through belly pan. I've read of this happening on my DR650 and former XR650L. You need take care how you mount up your bash plate and what points you bolt up to ... otherwise on a hard hit a bolt may be forced through the belly pan or case.

I've also seen this happen (in person) on R100GS BMW and KLR). Lots of ways to prevent it .. won't go into that here as it's bike specific. Can't really blame Honda ... bike was never intended to go off road.

I agree. Oil pan-stabbing hardware aside, plastic plates are just for show or to disguise clutter. I first saw one on the original 650 Transalp in the late 80s. How we scoffed. What next, a chocolate piston?

If you take it on the dirt it has to be full-width metal. DIY if no one makes them yet. Interruptions to the journey are all very well, but it only takes one unlucky hit to ruin your day.

Can you switch the ABS off? I can see that being an issue on rough roads