I’ve got 35 years in the saddle. I’ve owned 33 motorcycles. I got the 500x after a bad accident that required titanium rods in my legs. I was riding a CRF1000 Africa Twin when I got hit. I replaced that with a CRF1100 Africa Twin Adventure sports. It was too heavy for my repaired legs. I opted for the 500X. I’ve had the bike for about 5 months and I just rolled 10k on it. I just completed a trip from the NJ/PA boarder to Nashville down to Alabama and back home. The bike was flawless and comfortable. I did install bar risers and foot peg lowering brackets. This was more due to discomfort from my accident. I also broke my shoulder, heels, ankle and tore up ligaments in my knee. I’m 240lbs and this bike is my daily commuter. I have no issues cranking highway at 75mp. Even at that speeds I’ll still get about 53mpg. On back roads it’s well over 60mpg. If you are heavier like me and/or you want to load the bike with gear, get the Tractiv rear shock from rally-raid. It transformed this bike.
I have the same bike. Love it-amazing gas mileage. Very comfortable. Plenty of power for me at 71. If I needed to go quicker, I would have bought a faster bike! Brockville,Ontario, Canada.
Older returning rider that had my eyes set on this bike but they are nowhere to be found in the Nashville area. Four local Honda shops and none have it. Am starting to change my focus to the BMW310GS. If I could find a 500x locally I’d buy today. Looks like a perfect fit for me. Nice video. Enjoy your riding.
Its been the same for me. I can't find one in East Tennessee either. I've also considered the BMW but I dont know much about the bike or its reliability.
@@Tennessee968 well I went ahead and bought the 310gs. For my use it’s plenty of bike for me. I use it as a city bike and doubt that I’ll ever go off-road with it. It’s very comfortable and fits like a glove. It is a single cylinder though. I don’t know what a difference at this size if 2 cylinders would make a difference. But it does kinda pitter-pat down the road.
@@MikeNoble Hey thanks a lot Mike. I'm not looking to go fast anyway. If I can reach 70mph if needed and cruise on a two lane highway at 55 to 60 comfortably and still hit a gravel road I'm good. Have a good one and be safe on that nice bike.
I had my seat reupholstered with a 1" rise gel pad and made wider and a bit flatter. Pro's: Way more comfortable with the ability to move around on the seat, more leg room, can ride longer in the saddle. Con's: seating position feels more like a super motard where you feel more like you're up on the bike instead of "in" the bike. higher center of gravity slightly changes the handling dynamics. I also fitted SW Motec adjustable foot pegs but they only lowered the pegs slightly when the rubber pads are installed which I prefer for vibration damping. If I had a do-over on the seat I would have only gone up 1/2".
I am 52 year old beginner and I really consider to buy this cb500x as my first bike!! I think he has everything you need!! Thanx for your excellent review, regards from far away Serbia 🇷🇸✌️ and ride safe
@@nicolienkeijzer5297me too. I’m 51, have been riding motorcycles since I was 12. Bought a 2022 CB500x as a 2nd bike to my Hypermotard 1100. Absolutely love it.
Great review 👏 you really can't go wrong with Honda and the 500cc enjine makes it lighter and fun to ride. The reliability of Honda and the fact that they're probably one of the best motorcycle companies in the world, makes it a no brainer when your deciding what to do with your hard earned cash. Japanese motorcycles are still the best buy .
I just purchased my ‘23 a couple weeks ago. What phone mount are you using? I’ve tried to make a review video, but having camera and audio issues so not great quality. Nicely done on yours!
My 2021 model is consuming 3.2 L/100 km which translates to 73.5 miles per US gallons. That's taken over several thousand kilometres in all types of terrain, speeds, weather and road conditions. That's 531 km (330 miles) per tank (including reserve) which is phenomenal consumption in anybody's language. I've been riding for 51 years and this is my sixth motorcycle in that time. I previously had a 2015 CB500X on which I rode 29,000 km. I liked it so much I updated to my current 2021 model (gorgeous red tank) on which I've ridden another 23,000 km. It's an absolutely awesome motorcycle - the most versatile, smooth and comfortable of all the motorcycles I've ever owned. 🦘
Nice review, I just bought same bike in Arizona. Doesn't your screen add on thing get in the way of your view? It was the first thing I noticed, the brackets really are distracting. Can't wait to hit the road on mine also, commuter/fun rides including gravel back roads.
Hey thanks for watching! I thought the same about the windshield extender before I bought it, I’m usually fairly OCD about things like that and to be honest I’ve just gotten completely used to it. Definitely wish the brackets were clear or something, but the lack of wind at high speed is worth it for me so far.
Hi thanks for watching! I currently use a GoPro Hero 9 on my helmet and the DJI Wireless mic inside my helmet transmitting audio to the GoPro with the DJI receiver that comes with the microphones. I will probably make a more detailed video about it in the future. Thanks!
I'm not sure what the official measurements are but from my rough measurements I got around 19 inches from the lowest part of the top of the seat to the pegs, and up to about 20 or 21 inches from the highest part of the riders seat.
@@SteveB-hy2ci I’d say it would be a very comfortable bike for your height. My only comfort complaints are that it feels slightly small for me after a few hours.
Great review. I have 2021 and am approaching 8k trouble free miles. I too am an average rider so I'm very gentle on the bike. That said I've not had to adjust anything and it has been an excellent experience thus far. I did install loads of accessories mostly for comforts sake. The items I added made a big difference as far as taming the vibrations the bike puts off in the hands at higher sustained rpms. Also installed a really great bar riser which did not necessitate cable extenders. This bike has so many great reviews and loads of accessorie options. I must say I prefer your model year though. Better graphics and lots of upgrades.
Love ur house and where you live! I have put my name to a 500x 2023 green, bit concerned that the top end power and speed may be a bit disappointing! I’m sure it has good build quality and great petrol Range! Pete from yorkshire England!
You won't be disappointed. Superb machine. I've ridden just over 50,000 km on my two - 29,000 km on my previous 2015 model first and now 23,000 km on my 2021 model. In October I competed a 2,000 km trip through the West Australian goldfields on my 2021 CB500X and it didn't miss a beat - super smooth, comfortable, great off road as well as on road and using only 3.2L/100 km. I easily sat on 120 km/hour all day. Enjoy. 🦘
Did a big forest offroad trail on my '23 model and she handled it superbly. I had several occasions where i almost fell on the rocks and in the mud but kept going. Deflated both tires to 1.0 bar before tho.
Everyone misses the elephant in the room: headlights. The CB500X apparently has HORRIBLE headlights, which are sadly impossible to test in most test drives :(
Unfortunately that’s a very good point. Slipped my mind when coming up with talking points, but it’s certainly not the best light in the world. Certainly a bit disappointing
@@Galf506 I saw a Transalp review and they did it again with its headlight as well?! But yeah, if I were out at night definitely would get aftermarket lights.
Recently purchased one aswell, matt gunpowder black metallic is my colour of choice Bike does everything as you would expect it to do - perfect all-arounder. Slight vibrations going above 110km/h on highways. Fuel economy, maintenance, linear power, light clutch lever, good transmission, no fancy electronics part the ABS...all exceptional qualities... If you are looking for an everyday bike, CB500X is definitely one of the top contenders in the A2 category...
Thanks for the details! As I said on your previous video on your bike, I'm looking for something that gives me comfort for long rides. I've been looking at the CFMoto 650 Adventura ($6799) based on its "price point" and options as well. Keep the videos coming!✌🏿
Yeah I've been talking to a local dealership and he says he really likes the CFMoto bikes! I think they'll definitely only continue to put out good stuff. Thanks again for watching!
We share a lot in common: I have a 2023 CB500X with about 1800 miles on it. I also have been riding for about 5 years. I also get about 73mpg. I too would like a bar riser, but at 5'10", I probably won't do it. I don't think the seat pushes me forward, but my frame of reference is a Kawi Versys 650, and that REALLY pushed you forward, so the 500X in comparison, is flat to me. I have a windscreen extender arriving before the end of the day. The stock windscreen causes me awful buffeting. I use 33db earplugs (powerful) and there's STILL this low end rumble that I can't deal with anymore. I put my hand up to act like and extender, and the rumble is gone. I also don't do any off-roading. The grips will vibrate a bit more than I wanted so I put grip puppies on it. (but it's still better than when the bike was new.) My biggest wish for the bike is that it had taller gears....especially 5th and 6th. Going highway speeds...the engine is screaming fast. I just don't think there's a need/reason for such high rpms in 6th gear. Approaching 6000 rpm is too much.
Thanks for watching! Glad I’ve come to the same conclusions as other as far as the bike goes. The windshield extension has definitely been a game changer especially at speed for me. I ended up taking the bike off road for a while today and I’m happy to say it did very well, but won’t be the norm. But yeah definitely wish it had a bit more gearing for higher speeds
which windscreen extention did you go for and does it help? I also use strong ear plugs on any longer journey because even on top position the wind buffeting is unbearable. I can't even open my visor to breathe some air longer than 2 sec before the wind destroy my eyes lol. (i'm also 177 cm)
@@grtbgf I went with a windscreen extender from Puig. I have it in the tallest position currently and I definitely notice a reduction in buffeting especially at high speeds. Ear plugs are still very nice to have for longer rides. But I recently did about 10 hrs on the hwy averaging around 80-85mph and crosswinds were the only winds that really bothered me at all.
I’ve got 35 years in the saddle. I’ve owned 33 motorcycles. I got the 500x after a bad accident that required titanium rods in my legs. I was riding a CRF1000 Africa Twin when I got hit. I replaced that with a CRF1100 Africa Twin Adventure sports. It was too heavy for my repaired legs. I opted for the 500X. I’ve had the bike for about 5 months and I just rolled 10k on it. I just completed a trip from the NJ/PA boarder to Nashville down to Alabama and back home. The bike was flawless and comfortable. I did install bar risers and foot peg lowering brackets. This was more due to discomfort from my accident. I also broke my shoulder, heels, ankle and tore up ligaments in my knee.
I’m 240lbs and this bike is my daily commuter. I have no issues cranking highway at 75mp. Even at that speeds I’ll still get about 53mpg. On back roads it’s well over 60mpg.
If you are heavier like me and/or you want to load the bike with gear, get the Tractiv rear shock from rally-raid. It transformed this bike.
I have the same bike. Love it-amazing gas mileage. Very comfortable. Plenty of power for me at 71. If I needed to go quicker, I would have bought a faster bike! Brockville,Ontario, Canada.
That’s great to hear! Thanks for watching!
Older returning rider that had my eyes set on this bike but they are nowhere to be found in the Nashville area. Four local Honda shops and none have it. Am starting to change my focus to the BMW310GS. If I could find a 500x locally I’d buy today. Looks like a perfect fit for me. Nice video. Enjoy your riding.
Its been the same for me. I can't find one in East Tennessee either. I've also considered the BMW but I dont know much about the bike or its reliability.
@@Tennessee968 well I went ahead and bought the 310gs. For my use it’s plenty of bike for me. I use it as a city bike and doubt that I’ll ever go off-road with it. It’s very comfortable and fits like a glove. It is a single cylinder though. I don’t know what a difference at this size if 2 cylinders would make a difference. But it does kinda pitter-pat down the road.
@@MikeNoble Hey thanks a lot Mike. I'm not looking to go fast anyway. If I can reach 70mph if needed and cruise on a two lane highway at 55 to 60 comfortably and still hit a gravel road I'm good. Have a good one and be safe on that nice bike.
I had my seat reupholstered with a 1" rise gel pad and made wider and a bit flatter. Pro's: Way more comfortable with the ability to move around on the seat, more leg room, can ride longer in the saddle. Con's: seating position feels more like a super motard where you feel more like you're up on the bike instead of "in" the bike. higher center of gravity slightly changes the handling dynamics. I also fitted SW Motec adjustable foot pegs but they only lowered the pegs slightly when the rubber pads are installed which I prefer for vibration damping. If I had a do-over on the seat I would have only gone up 1/2".
What height are you Joel?
I’ve been scouring TH-cam for recently uploaded Cb500x vids and yours was great. I really want this bike but they’re hard to find in my area.
Thanks for watching, glad you found the video! Hope you can eventually snag one, they’re great bikes!
I paid for the honda care to get mine
I am 52 year old beginner and I really consider to buy this cb500x as my first bike!! I think he has everything you need!! Thanx for your excellent review, regards from far away Serbia 🇷🇸✌️ and ride safe
Thank you for watching! Best of luck with your motorcycling experience! 👍 ride safe
LOL, I am 51 and been driving for more than 30 years, bought the 22 new version of the cb500x, and I am very happy
@@nicolienkeijzer5297me too. I’m 51, have been riding motorcycles since I was 12. Bought a 2022 CB500x as a 2nd bike to my Hypermotard 1100. Absolutely love it.
Great review 👏 you really can't go wrong with Honda and the 500cc enjine makes it lighter and fun to ride.
The reliability of Honda and the fact that they're probably one of the best motorcycle companies in the world, makes it a no brainer when your deciding what to do with your hard earned cash.
Japanese motorcycles are still the best buy .
Completely agree! Thanks for watching!
Great video! Would love to see more! Subbed
I just purchased my ‘23 a couple weeks ago. What phone mount are you using? I’ve tried to make a review video, but having camera and audio issues so not great quality. Nicely done on yours!
I’m using the Quadlock system for my phone, not the cheapest but I have been very happy with the performance and stability so far!
My 2021 model is consuming 3.2 L/100 km which translates to 73.5 miles per US gallons. That's taken over several thousand kilometres in all types of terrain, speeds, weather and road conditions. That's 531 km (330 miles) per tank (including reserve) which is phenomenal consumption in anybody's language.
I've been riding for 51 years and this is my sixth motorcycle in that time. I previously had a 2015 CB500X on which I rode 29,000 km. I liked it so much I updated to my current 2021 model (gorgeous red tank) on which I've ridden another 23,000 km. It's an absolutely awesome motorcycle - the most versatile, smooth and comfortable of all the motorcycles I've ever owned. 🦘
Nice review, I just bought same bike in Arizona. Doesn't your screen add on thing get in the way of your view? It was the first thing I noticed, the brackets really are distracting. Can't wait to hit the road on mine also, commuter/fun rides including gravel back roads.
Hey thanks for watching! I thought the same about the windshield extender before I bought it, I’m usually fairly OCD about things like that and to be honest I’ve just gotten completely used to it. Definitely wish the brackets were clear or something, but the lack of wind at high speed is worth it for me so far.
Hi, good video with precise information. Your voice is so clear. What is your mic and camera setup? Thanks in advance. Richie already subscribed
Hi thanks for watching! I currently use a GoPro Hero 9 on my helmet and the DJI Wireless mic inside my helmet transmitting audio to the GoPro with the DJI receiver that comes with the microphones. I will probably make a more detailed video about it in the future. Thanks!
@@forthewindell thank you for the prompt reply. Your set up is good. Looking forward for more content.
Nice review!
Do you know what is the seat to footpeg distance?
Thanks
I'm not sure what the official measurements are but from my rough measurements I got around 19 inches from the lowest part of the top of the seat to the pegs, and up to about 20 or 21 inches from the highest part of the riders seat.
How about your height and inseam
I am about 6’2” with a roughly 32” inseam
@@forthewindell I'm 5-9 with a 30"inseam just curious, cause I really like the cb 500x, thanks
@@SteveB-hy2ci I’d say it would be a very comfortable bike for your height. My only comfort complaints are that it feels slightly small for me after a few hours.
Great review. I have 2021 and am approaching 8k trouble free miles. I too am an average rider so I'm very gentle on the bike. That said I've not had to adjust anything and it has been an excellent experience thus far. I did install loads of accessories mostly for comforts sake. The items I added made a big difference as far as taming the vibrations the bike puts off in the hands at higher sustained rpms. Also installed a really great bar riser which did not necessitate cable extenders. This bike has so many great reviews and loads of accessorie options. I must say I prefer your model year though. Better graphics and lots of upgrades.
Love ur house and where you live! I have put my name to a 500x 2023 green, bit concerned that the top end power and speed may be a bit disappointing! I’m sure it has good build quality and great petrol Range! Pete from yorkshire England!
You won't be disappointed. Superb machine. I've ridden just over 50,000 km on my two - 29,000 km on my previous 2015 model first and now 23,000 km on my 2021 model.
In October I competed a 2,000 km trip through the West Australian goldfields on my 2021 CB500X and it didn't miss a beat - super smooth, comfortable, great off road as well as on road and using only 3.2L/100 km. I easily sat on 120 km/hour all day.
Enjoy. 🦘
Did a big forest offroad trail on my '23 model and she handled it superbly. I had several occasions where i almost fell on the rocks and in the mud but kept going. Deflated both tires to 1.0 bar before tho.
That’s awesome!
Enjoying my 2019 version. Basically, it’s a jack of all trades bike and reasonably priced.
Completely agree! Glad you're enjoying yours
I have a 2023 in green.
Put a Rally Raid bash plate/ bars and handlebar risers on it.
That’s definitely in the cards! Thanks for watching!
Everyone misses the elephant in the room: headlights.
The CB500X apparently has HORRIBLE headlights, which are sadly impossible to test in most test drives :(
Unfortunately that’s a very good point. Slipped my mind when coming up with talking points, but it’s certainly not the best light in the world. Certainly a bit disappointing
Dude, spot on. The headlight is like a handful of pen lights at night.
@@findingneutral it pains me to no end... It's an amazing bike but 80% of my riding is at night :( I'll have to go Voge
@@Galf506 I saw a Transalp review and they did it again with its headlight as well?! But yeah, if I were out at night definitely would get aftermarket lights.
@@findingneutral WTF THE TRANSALP TOO!?
Recently purchased one aswell, matt gunpowder black metallic is my colour of choice
Bike does everything as you would expect it to do - perfect all-arounder. Slight vibrations going above 110km/h on highways.
Fuel economy, maintenance, linear power, light clutch lever, good transmission, no fancy electronics part the ABS...all exceptional qualities...
If you are looking for an everyday bike, CB500X is definitely one of the top contenders in the A2 category...
It’s just fun to ride and won’t bleed you dry!
Thanks for the details! As I said on your previous video on your bike, I'm looking for something that gives me comfort for long rides. I've been looking at the CFMoto 650 Adventura ($6799) based on its "price point" and options as well. Keep the videos coming!✌🏿
Yeah I've been talking to a local dealership and he says he really likes the CFMoto bikes! I think they'll definitely only continue to put out good stuff. Thanks again for watching!
buy yourself an used versys 650 or cb500x and let the cfmoto be a ugly looking chinese joke
We share a lot in common: I have a 2023 CB500X with about 1800 miles on it. I also have been riding for about 5 years. I also get about 73mpg. I too would like a bar riser, but at 5'10", I probably won't do it. I don't think the seat pushes me forward, but my frame of reference is a Kawi Versys 650, and that REALLY pushed you forward, so the 500X in comparison, is flat to me. I have a windscreen extender arriving before the end of the day. The stock windscreen causes me awful buffeting. I use 33db earplugs (powerful) and there's STILL this low end rumble that I can't deal with anymore. I put my hand up to act like and extender, and the rumble is gone. I also don't do any off-roading. The grips will vibrate a bit more than I wanted so I put grip puppies on it. (but it's still better than when the bike was new.) My biggest wish for the bike is that it had taller gears....especially 5th and 6th. Going highway speeds...the engine is screaming fast. I just don't think there's a need/reason for such high rpms in 6th gear. Approaching 6000 rpm is too much.
Thanks for watching! Glad I’ve come to the same conclusions as other as far as the bike goes. The windshield extension has definitely been a game changer especially at speed for me. I ended up taking the bike off road for a while today and I’m happy to say it did very well, but won’t be the norm. But yeah definitely wish it had a bit more gearing for higher speeds
Fit the 16 tooth
@@forthewindell My point of view: If I'm on gravel or dirt...I'm somewhere I'm not supposed to be!
which windscreen extention did you go for and does it help? I also use strong ear plugs on any longer journey because even on top position the wind buffeting is unbearable. I can't even open my visor to breathe some air longer than 2 sec before the wind destroy my eyes lol. (i'm also 177 cm)
@@grtbgf I went with a windscreen extender from Puig. I have it in the tallest position currently and I definitely notice a reduction in buffeting especially at high speeds. Ear plugs are still very nice to have for longer rides. But I recently did about 10 hrs on the hwy averaging around 80-85mph and crosswinds were the only winds that really bothered me at all.