Honda CB500 X long-term review – 30,000 miles

I will remember the first time I rode a Honda CB500X forever. It was a crisp February morning outside a bike dealership in London and I had just bought my first motorcycle.

Purring between my legs was a gleaming new machine that thrilled and scared me in equal measure. To my eyes it was the sexiest-looking bike on the planet with its adventure styling and eager stance.

Somehow I managed not to stall the engine when I nervously wobbled across the dealership forecourt and pulled out onto the road as a fully-fledged motorcyclist for the first time. The ride home may have only been a few miles across town but they were some of the most exhilarating miles of my life. Since that day my CB500X and I have become inseparable.

King of the London commute

During our first few months together we learnt how to survive commuting through London’s chaotic traffic. Each day I would scare myself witless simply trying to get to work in one piece amid the relentless frenzy of cars, buses, lorries and Kamikaze cyclists. I am certain the fact I am alive and able to write this review today is down to the smooth throttle response, light weight (195kg wet) and friendly handling of the CB500X which forgave so many of the mistakes I made.

Thankfully my competence increased (it could not have got any worse) and soon enough I found myself and my bike’s perky 47bhp parallel twin engine leading the charge during the morning commute.

Its narrow profile and upright visibility made filtering through traffic a breeze and I found myself merrily squeezing through gaps between cars that riders on bigger bikes around me balked at. But as fun as being a city biker had become, I bought the CB500X with one intention in mind – to go on an adventure.

Our first adventure

For a long time I had drooled over photos of pristine mountain passes in motorbike magazines and I jealously read tales of heroic adventure bikers conquering far-flung lands. It was a world I was desperate to be part of and now I owned a motorbike I could join the club. So just three months after I bought my CB500X I found myself rolling off a ferry at Calais filled to the brim with nervous excitement. My bike was a passport to adventure and there was an entire world to explore.

In reality, I had a week to get to the Pyrenees and back before returning to work, so I joined the motorway and headed south west. I had only ridden on a motorway once before and unfortunately torrential rain had turned this one into a river. Spray kicked up by passing cars made visibility so poor I could barely make out the road markings.

I should have pulled over and waited for the rain to pass but a mix of inexperience, bravado and sheer excitement at riding in a foreign land for the first time had me ploughing through the worst of the weather. The fact I reached La Rochelle 430 miles away that night without disaster was less to do with my riding skill and more thanks to how sure footed and confidence inspiring the CB500X is to ride.

A little bike for long distances

Throughout that journey through France I was consistently impressed with how well the bike covered long distances. The 471cc engine felt like it did not have a care in the world cruising between 70mph and 80mph at 5,000 to 6,000 revs. The 17.3-litre full tank gave a healthy 200 to 250 miles between fill-ups depending on how fast I rode, which made it an economical tourer.

At 6ft tall I found the hands, backside and feet triangle provided a relaxed upright riding position compatible with long days in the saddle. The seat was comfortable and would take at least a couple of hours before my bottom started wiggling and I thought about stopping for breaks.

Overtaking at motorway speeds may not have involved arm-ripping surges of acceleration, but there was always been enough power on tap to cruise past anything in my way. My only disappointment was the inadequate stock screen that did little to divert wind from my face and upper body.

Fun in the mountains

However, it was dreams of twisting mountain passes not motorways that lured me to Europe on my first motorbike adventure and after two days on the road the magnificent Pyrenees came into view. I did not stop smiling for the next 48 hours.

Mountain riding was a revelation and my CB500X was loving every second. It screamed with delight each time I dropped down a gear, the engine braking as I approached yet another tight bend. I learnt to keep the throttle steady in the lean until that magical moment I could open her up and accelerate through the turn.

The light, agile steering helped build my confidence and I was soon scrapping foot pegs around hairpin bends. The Pirelli Scorpion Trail tyres that came with the bike did not miss a beat as they gorged on the obscene levels of grip provided by the smooth ribbons of Pyrenean road.

The single-disc Nissin front brake provided enough bite to encourage me to use it later and later as my cornering confidence grew. When I did take too much speed into a bend and overshoot, the CB500X gently forgave my mistake as I rolled off the throttle and returned to the correct side of the road.

Light and nimble off road

I even built up the courage to ride some off-road trails which the CB500X was far more competent at navigating than me. I’m sure more experienced riders would find the limits of the suspension travel (140mm front, 119mm rear) and 17-inch cast front wheel, but they were more than enough for me.

I remember stropping for a moment alongside one trail and thinking how surreal it felt to be sat on my motorbike staring at an awe-inspiring view of the Pyrenees like a proper adventure biker. In what had seemed like no time at all I had gone from nervously wobbling my new bike out of a Honda dealership to riding to the top of a mountain. I’m convinced it was the forgiving, easy-to-ride nature of the CB500X mixed with its eager-to-please, go-anywhere attitude that gave me the confidence to reach that mountain top in such a short space of time.

Conclusion

In the two years since I bought my CB500X I have ridden it throughout the UK and Europe on and off road, covering more than 30,000 miles. It has taken me everywhere I asked it to go without missing a beat.

Larger bikes may have delivered me to places more quickly and in more comfort but they would have left a much bigger dent in my bank balance. At £5,799 the Honda CB500X is a bargain that can open up the glorious world of adventure biking to anyone who buys one. It did this for me and I have never regretted making it my first motorbike.

Its agile handling, upright visibility and narrow profile make commuting through traffic easy. Combine this with excellent fuel economy around town (Honda claim 83mpg) and 8,000-mile service intervals and you have got a recipe for a superb and economical commuter bike.

If your idea of a weekend away is twisting your way along country lanes then the CB500X’s perky engine and fun persona will give you that Friday feeling in no time. If blasts up the motorway are involved I would have to replace the stock screen.

There are bikes that will take you across continents with greater ease and comfort but if your budget doesn’t stretch to one of the big adventure touring machines, the CB500X will eat up the miles without complaint.

As and off roader it is nimble and lightweight enough to take you down gravel roads and light trails but anything more gnarly would need to be navigated with care.

Could it be taken around the world. Chris Scott thinks so. A tank range of around 250 miles, excellent Honda reliability, simplicity of design and the ability to source spares cheaply throughout the world already have people seriously considering the CB500X. In factory form I would stick mostly to roads but there is an aftermarket ready and willing to turn your bike into a world beater.

Specs (2018)

PRICE: £5,799
ENGINE: 471cc parallel twin, liquid cool, 8 valve, DOHC
POWER: 47bhp@8,500rpm
TORQUE: 31.7ft-lbs@7,000
GEARBOX: 6-speed
SUSPENSION: Front: Telescopic, 41mm, 140mm travel. Rear: Prolink mono with 9 stage preload adjuster.
BRAKES: Front: Single wavy disc, 320mm 2 POT calliper ABS. Rear: Single Wavy Disk, 240mm, 1 POT calliper ABS.
WHEELS: Front: Multi-spoke aluminum cast, tubeless, 120/70 17. Rear: Multi-spoke aluminum cast, tubeless, 160/60 17
SEAT HEIGHT: 810mm
WEIGHT: 196 (wet)
TANK CAPACITY: 17.3 litres
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 83mpg (claimed)