Great kit mod...i plan on buying a new 2016 non abs left over cb500x for 5300 bucks as a base platform for the rally raid kit. Any advantages to going with SW MOTEK over RALLY RAID for the crash bars and bash plate?
Road Dog I would have gone the RR if I’d planned properly. Unfortunately, I bought the SW long before I’d decided to complete the RR kit. The only benefit to the SW is that the RR hijacks the center stand loop so you can’t use the center stand. I don’t know if it matters though because the kit probably puts the bike too high to use it anyway.
Thanks for the video, was nice to see someone else pov, not just a salesman of rally raid. How is changing oil with the motech bash plate? Did you ever change seat? Stock seems to put the family jewels sliding to the tank!
Paul White unfortunately, I never did my own oil change. I even bought all the stuff but I had enough of the bigger stuff to do each time an oil change cam up that I left it for the shop to complete. There are bolts holding the front of the plate to the arms so I imagine it could be unbolted and dropped pretty easily. As far as the seat, I bought a Seat Concepts tall seat but never got around to installing it (available for sale if interested). I never had a problem with the stock seat. I pushed back a little so I was never riding the tank but I always found it surprisingly comfortable after everyone told me how painful the experience was.
Thanks so much. I opted to get the Africa Twin for my next bike and I have been really enjoying it. I hope to have more vids coming highlighting this great Honda so please subscribe for more if you are interested. th-cam.com/video/5BOG2ReITBg/w-d-xo.html
Trekky Delirium thanks for reaching out. The reason I’m selling is because We just had our second kid and my riding time has basically dropped completely. Plus, with the lag in delivery for new Rally Raid kits, now is the perfect time to sell. If I could still ride regularly and it wasn’t such a good time to let go...I would definitely hold on tight.
Kids kids kids; i’ve got kids myself & ive got a CB500X 2017; i’ve started to « adventurize » it a little bit : SW motech skid plate, Pirelli MT60R/RS 60/40 corsa tires, Evotech Radiator guard, Scorpion slip on. I’m still not shure about Rally Raid suspension as i’m a short rider; so far i’m planning only to do road & easy light dirt road. I think that Rally Raid have a lvl1 suspension kit that don’t rise the seat height. That’s a slow safe start; i will maybe add SW Motech Crash bars; Don’t let kids put your motorcycle passion on hold; get a new bike at least for commuting; but with kids: ride very safe; they need you in one part; cheers
Have you got any vibrations with the tank guard? It seems everybody who fitted such an accessory got nasty vibrations around 5000 rpm. My best friend installed a Ptech one in Thailand last week and asked to remove it the next day. He had too much vibrations at 70-80km/h.Thanks a lot for this review. I also owns the 2018 model in Phuket.
Didier Plouhinec by tank guard, did you mean crash bars? I have not had any issues at all with vibration. I’ve heard of some people running into issues but it seems pretty rare to me. I am guessing if one bar gives you vibration it’s because the metal and your frame are hitting that perfect pitch. Another bar would probably alleviate the issue.
Drawn & Cornered,thank you for your quick response. The owner from 2N RIDER SHOP Udonthani, told me it is normal to have vibrations. It also happens with the Givi crash bar. My idea was to purchase the tank crash-bar and the engine crash-bar but now I hesitate. Most thaï motorbikers fit their 500x with such crash-bars and never I saw any complain of the Facebook pages of the 2N or Fox RIDER shop in Bangkok. Some users who had vibrations said it came from the front upper connection between the crash-bar and the bike above the radiator.
Likewise, I never had an issue with vibration on the CB500X. I wonder if it would be possible to tighten the screws further or add a rubber damper to the mix to deal with some of the problems. I wish I could be more help but I haven't noticed any problems like that from this bike. Good luck and please let us know what you end up doing.
I would agree with you and I spent most of my first year of riding in that frame of mind. It wasn’t until I was traveling through Mexico and Guatemala that I ran into my first real desire to be faster. It wasn’t necessarily a common feeling but when I needed to get around a big rig on some of those roads it would have been really nice to know I had extra acceleration available to me. My CB500X topped out at 85 and anything above 65 was a pretty slow climb. Now I can get around without worrying about being stuck out in oncoming traffic if someone happens to appear in the distance. The added maneuverability is a huge benefit in my mind as long as you don’t abuse it and travel at excessive speeds all the time. I, for one, am a huge fan of a little added gusto.
@@BeGoneForGood Really ? Above 65 mph it was .... anemic ? That factor is truly disappointing in it. Would it do well in the loose ? Unpaved dirt roads & maybe a fire trail ? I din't catch that if You did mention it.
Anemic is a GREAT way to describe it. I couldn’t really put my finger on it when I’d only ridden the CB500X but now that I’ve had time on the AT, I can say I feel much safer when having to pass with a quick jump to higher speeds. The CB500X just couldn’t get me around or through a hole quickly. Some may not require it but now that I have it I feel more confident navigating busy roads. I’m sure the power would be more than sufficient on trails and fire roads although I never really tried it myself.
The video portion showing your Rally Raid triple top clamp....is that just dirt or did the top clamp anodizing fade? I've heard that the older Rally Raid hubs also had their anodizing fade thus they switched to powder coat. Thanks.
everythingisfiltered that is a faded anodizing. It happened while I was out in the North Dakota sun. It’s a really interesting red and I consider it a badge of honor.
It's great your bike has been ridden. However, Rally Raid should be made aware of their cheap anodizing. Regardless of what sun you were riding under, when there is this type of fading, it's due to cheap/poor quality anodizing. This is made in U.K. and the cost of the kit reflects the price. Even the very cheap Ebay aluminum levers and parts made in China for a fraction of the price does not fade. I remember buying some Adv lights from a new startup years ago and their first batch of lights had the same fading. The American vendor was a standup guy and compensated everyone who bought lights with the problem. You should contact Rally Raid and see how they respond.
Honestly, I didn't get a chance to do a ton of riding on the stock system but from what I gathered, there was about an hour of getting used to the bigger front wheel and that was about it. After that, it was smooth sailing the entire way. I cannot recommend the kit more highly for anyone interested in off road with the CB500X.
Greg Pappas I know, I know but honestly other than the look, this covers what I need it to. If I did more trail riding or thought that a hand guard hit were even slightly likely, I would probably do it. Plus isn’t it mandatory to have something zip tied on an adventure bike at all times?
Oh if you saw the bungee that held the gas can to the back of my bike when I got back from Guatemala you'd facepalm too. Still, is it just one bolt that you're missing to connect it properly? If so, then...well...c'mon guy. haha
@@BeGoneForGood If you've served as either, my utmost respect. If you're just a supporter, all the same, those guys deserve all the support. From an active CAF member 👍
I am neither but I served in a Recon unit along some heroes and the foundation supports the best of them. I appreciate the knowledge and recognition. Keep up the good work and massive respect to you as well.
Thank you for your service! I was a vet and served in Iraq loved the sticker and it caught my eye right away hahaha. Love this bike btw I’m seriously considering grabbing a CB and outfitting it with the Rally Raid gear.
That is awesome and thank you for your service as well. You will not be disappointed in the CB500X. I loved my time on it and made it all the way to Honduras and back. It was incredible. Unfortunately, I have gotten rid of the CB500X for an Africa Twin though I also love this bike. Thank you so much for the feedback and please be safe out there.
Nice to see an unsponsored review of the Rally Raid kit for the CB500x. I'd be curious to hear if you have any opinions on how the feel of the bike changed before and after. So far I only once tried a 500x with the Level 1 suspension kit that felt very hard (the owner said he thinks he had it setup wrong). Is it possible to set it up to be comfortable/soft on rough roads? I usually only hear the stock suspension is very soft - well, I find it too hard stock for my riding as I shake stuff to pieces on corrugated roads. What was your experience with the wheels? I've already dented 2 sets of front wheels (not blown, just dented) and I'm worried about damaging the super expensive rally raid wheels, especially if I was going to also put on the Bartubless system. How much of an improvement did the larger front wheel bring? Did it behave better in sand? Thanks a lot in advance.
Oh man, I wish I had the experience off road to really do your question justice. Unfortunately my time off road was pretty limited but I’ll give you everything I can. The first thing I noticed when I made the changeover was turning with the larger front wheel. It wasn’t difficult but the added inches definitely could be felt when pressing to turn. It was an interesting feeling and took me back to my days in physics class when we used a spinning bike tire to understand gyroscopic forces. It was a change in feeling but something I got used to in maybe 20 miles of riding. My first off road experience with the new set up was gravel and mud in the Black Hills of SD. There were some corrugated portions of the gravel roads and the added travel on the front forks was really helpful. Ultimately I had to find a balance between my speed and the rebound travel of the forks so it smoothed out but once I got it, the ride was super easy. As far as the set up being too hard, I don’t have a similar experience. I dialed in the front and rear right off the bat as per specs and never had a problem after that. When traveling through Mexico and CA I ran into a ton of potholes and pretty hard front end “bangs”. There were some where I thought for sure I was going to have a problem with the front wheel but I never had a bend or anything. I was using the Heidenau K60s which could account for some of the resilience but I was much more confident after that trip in the robustness of the wheels. I never went tubeless so I can’t speak to how that might change things. I am sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with the off-road functionality of the RR system but everything I threw at the bike (albeit minimally) was handled very well with the mods I made. I was completely satisfied with the added performance in every environment I rode through.
I hear ya. I've been reluctant and instead just pushed the stock bike. I'm actually planning a really large trip for which I want to take my cheap little CUB as even the "budget friendly" 500 is far more expensive to use over a long distance. Be it fuel, oil, parts, servicing, transportation (105kg vs 195kg wet weight),......
eh, it is definitely utilitarian and boxy but I would hate to have seen the added expense if everything that should have been included came with the package. I found out just how scary it was to open the Pandora's Box of farkles. Before you know it, you can be completely overtop of the original cost of the bike with upgrades. It is incredible.
yeah true that, i cant believe what a beautiful bike it becomes with the added goodies, i was dead set on a kawasaki versys to do some touring on but the more i research this little honda with the rally raid extras im really leaning towards this
Tony's Wheels I found a link for Amazon that has it but I’m not sure if it is only for the US so I’ll give you the company info as well. amzn.to/2NHvU1h Atlas Throttle Lock www.atlasthrottlelock.com Good luck and please let us know if these links work for you in Australia.
I think it all depends on what sort of riding you do and how the bike feels to you personally. I know the 2019 made some of the changes you would normally see from a RR conversion but it doesn’t go all the way. For most it may be enough but there are some, surely, who need or want that extra ruggedness for their off road machine. The benefit of doing the CB500X is that you can test it with the stick bike for awhile and decide if the RR kit is for you after putting some miles on.
Martin Simke if you’ve never ridden a really tuned after market suspension, you’re missing out. The new model is taller, has a 19” wheel, and adjustable rear preload...and as BGFG would be a great start to see if the investment in the RR kit is for you. That said...if you get more serious there is a huge jump in performance with the RR set up.
As far as I know, there is nothing offered from RR in a 21 for the CB500X but I have to believe someone has a wheel out there that could do the job. I wonder if the rest of the geometry of the bike would support a 21” front. I never did “real” off-roading with it but I’m wondering what sort of obstacles you would be able to traverse with the 21 that you couldn’t with the 19. Is it just a smoother off-road ride generally that would be the goal?
@@BeGoneForGood thanks for the reply!! yeah pretty much doing a little more extra knarly stuff ha ha! i think a 21 would be great for real trail exploring!
That would have been nice if I could have made the jump immediately but even with the RR kit, the CB500X would still be 2-3k cheaper than the AT. If you can afford it, I’d say that 2-3k is worth it but I didn’t have the extra scratch to spend on my first bike so the CB500X was a perfect starter for me.
@@BeGoneForGood Well yea,you wouldn't want to start out an the Big Honda as a first bike. In my area they're selling a new 17 Africa Twin DCT for about 10k. Which is a great value if you don't mind DCT.
It is really tough for me to say specifically because everyone is different. I can tell you that there wasn't a huge increase in height with the RR kit installed. I think my seat only went up about an inch. No big deal but it might make it tougher to ride at that point. It seems to me that anyone can ride any bike but they may have to adjust their procedures (check out Jocelin Snow on her 1200GS). If you are interested in the bike, I would throw a leg over so you can see how it feels. Then imagine an inch or two taller and see if you would still be happy. I wish I could help more but I wish you luck with your decision.
I don't have a ton to compare them to because I have only ever ridden the stock tires and these but I will tell you in the 9,000 miles I have put on them, they have performed perfectly. We did a TON of riding Southern Mexico Jungles and Central American squalls and I never felt unsafe on these tires. I had done a lot of research on these before buying and had seen similar "slipping" complaints. I chalked it up to riders looking to carve far more than I ever would. After riding them, I am hesitant to try anything else for fear they won't perform as well as the K60s.
@@BeGoneForGood What size are those K60's? Getting a "Rally Raided" 500x (2013 model) and need to replace the aggressive knobbies it has with those highly regarded dual sport tires...
You are going to love the RR CB500X. It is an awesome ride and with the right tires can be incredible off road. These are the ones I bought. Rear: www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6OMNOS/?tag=thehemdow-20 Front: www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6OMJOM/?tag=thehemdow-20 Good luck.
Cain Able, I sold because as I was traveling around Central America with another guy on an 1190 Adventure, I realized I really wanted a bit more power. I opted to get the Honda Africa Twin and have been REALLY happy with it for a year or so now. I know a bigger bike isn’t necessarily for everyone but it was a perfect step up for me and the type of riding I do.
I moved from the Honda CB500X to the Africa Twin and I have been super happy with my changeover. I am glad I had a chance to learn on the CB500X though.
Thank you very much for visiting. The bike already sold for $5500 after I had it listed at $6k. It went pretty quick at that price and I was sad to see it go. I don't have any idea what the weight change was between the two builds. I don't feel like the changes would have added much weight to the overall bike but that is simply a guess at this point.
I had purchased a Seat Concepts tall seat but never got around to attaching it to the bike before selling. I rode all the way to Honduras and back on the stock seat and couldn’t be happier with the comfort level.
@@DollyAndFamilyGetOutAndRide Send me an email at chad@begoneforgood.com and I will get you a list of what I still have and cost if you are interested.
You mentioned you're 6' 5". I'm 6' with a 34" inseam, how comfortable is this over longer distances? I've sat on a stock one and it seemed to be ok with the positioning, but you would know best.
atroby91 I am going to answer this a couple of different ways. I will talk a bit about comfort when it comes to riding and comfort when it comes to manipulation of the bike. First off, this was my first bike and as people heard about my plans for trips, they told me how miserable it would be to do the mileage I was planning. They couldn’t have been more wrong. This bike is so comfortable to ride. I kept the stock seat and the only time I ever considered changing was for a taller seat and not a more comfortable seat. I think my longest day was edging up on 900 miles without any significant discomfort. I don’t have anything to compare it against but my understanding is there is no way to sit on anything, let alone a vibrating bike, without some level of soreness. What I loved most was no long lasting residual effects. Day to day I felt fresh. Secondly, when it comes to bike manipulation and management, this bike is awesome. I am made mostly of leg but at almost any height, I would guess the rider could feel confident on this bike. The seat is long which gives you a lot of opportunity to move around. If you need more reach, slide forward. If you have longer legs then scoot back a bit. Even with the RRL3 kit my seat was only 33-34 inches. All in all, I would be surprised if comfort was an issue with this bike. It is a great stock bike where you can push major miles without much distraction from your body.
It wasn’t as bad as you might think. I think all together with shipping it was right at $2500 which is exactly half of what the bike cost. It is expensive but there is so much value added to the bike and to the rider. Between the improvements to the bike and the knowledge of working on your own bike the upgrade is totally worth it.
That is a great question but all I can offer is a guess based on how long it took me. I’d think a professional could be done in 5 hours which would be $350 given a $70/hour labor rate. Again it is just a guess but I’m guessing a shop would give you an estimate based on what you expected to replace on the bike so you would have a better idea.
I don't know specifically but as a super popular model for Honda, I would find it hard to believe all the aftermarket guys weren't working for a piece of the pie.
Lastly how can I subscribe when you traded in your man card for daddy duties! Jk, sounds like you did more riding than I will ever get to do. Raise yur kids and one day come back to what you love, sooner than later
Paul White there are great things in the works right now Paul. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise but it seems like my newborn won’t be the only “baby” I’m taking care of in the next few weeks. ;-)
Great kit mod...i plan on buying a new 2016 non abs left over cb500x for 5300 bucks as a base platform for the rally raid kit. Any advantages to going with SW MOTEK over RALLY RAID for the crash bars and bash plate?
Road Dog I would have gone the RR if I’d planned properly. Unfortunately, I bought the SW long before I’d decided to complete the RR kit. The only benefit to the SW is that the RR hijacks the center stand loop so you can’t use the center stand. I don’t know if it matters though because the kit probably puts the bike too high to use it anyway.
Thanks for the video, was nice to see someone else pov, not just a salesman of rally raid. How is changing oil with the motech bash plate? Did you ever change seat? Stock seems to put the family jewels sliding to the tank!
Paul White unfortunately, I never did my own oil change. I even bought all the stuff but I had enough of the bigger stuff to do each time an oil change cam up that I left it for the shop to complete. There are bolts holding the front of the plate to the arms so I imagine it could be unbolted and dropped pretty easily.
As far as the seat, I bought a Seat Concepts tall seat but never got around to installing it (available for sale if interested). I never had a problem with the stock seat. I pushed back a little so I was never riding the tank but I always found it surprisingly comfortable after everyone told me how painful the experience was.
Good vlog. One question: What are you going to do next? Are getting another bike? If so, what?
Thanks so much. I opted to get the Africa Twin for my next bike and I have been really enjoying it. I hope to have more vids coming highlighting this great Honda so please subscribe for more if you are interested. th-cam.com/video/5BOG2ReITBg/w-d-xo.html
Great video; thanks; if it’s such an awesome bike, i’m curious; why are you selling it? Getting a new different one? Live long & prosper; Cheers!
Trekky Delirium thanks for reaching out. The reason I’m selling is because We just had our second kid and my riding time has basically dropped completely. Plus, with the lag in delivery for new Rally Raid kits, now is the perfect time to sell.
If I could still ride regularly and it wasn’t such a good time to let go...I would definitely hold on tight.
Kids kids kids; i’ve got kids myself & ive got a CB500X 2017; i’ve started to « adventurize » it a little bit : SW motech skid plate, Pirelli MT60R/RS 60/40 corsa tires, Evotech Radiator guard, Scorpion slip on. I’m still not shure about Rally Raid suspension as i’m a short rider; so far i’m planning only to do road & easy light dirt road. I think that Rally Raid have a lvl1 suspension kit that don’t rise the seat height. That’s a slow safe start; i will maybe add SW Motech Crash bars; Don’t let kids put your motorcycle passion on hold; get a new bike at least for commuting; but with kids: ride very safe; they need you in one part; cheers
Have you got any vibrations with the tank guard? It seems everybody who fitted such an accessory got nasty vibrations around 5000 rpm. My best friend installed a Ptech one in Thailand last week and asked to remove it the next day. He had too much vibrations at 70-80km/h.Thanks a lot for this review. I also owns the 2018 model in Phuket.
Didier Plouhinec by tank guard, did you mean crash bars? I have not had any issues at all with vibration. I’ve heard of some people running into issues but it seems pretty rare to me. I am guessing if one bar gives you vibration it’s because the metal and your frame are hitting that perfect pitch. Another bar would probably alleviate the issue.
Drawn & Cornered,thank you for your quick response. The owner from 2N RIDER SHOP Udonthani, told me it is normal to have vibrations. It also happens with the Givi crash bar. My idea was to purchase the tank crash-bar and the engine crash-bar but now I hesitate. Most thaï motorbikers fit their 500x with such crash-bars and never I saw any complain of the Facebook pages of the 2N or Fox RIDER shop in Bangkok. Some users who had vibrations said it came from the front upper connection between the crash-bar and the bike above the radiator.
Likewise, I never had an issue with vibration on the CB500X. I wonder if it would be possible to tighten the screws further or add a rubber damper to the mix to deal with some of the problems. I wish I could be more help but I haven't noticed any problems like that from this bike. Good luck and please let us know what you end up doing.
B Gone 4 Good, Why is SPEED always THE or A major point of a motorcycle ? Mostly riders are riding from A to B, speed should be left to the track.
I would agree with you and I spent most of my first year of riding in that frame of mind. It wasn’t until I was traveling through Mexico and Guatemala that I ran into my first real desire to be faster. It wasn’t necessarily a common feeling but when I needed to get around a big rig on some of those roads it would have been really nice to know I had extra acceleration available to me. My CB500X topped out at 85 and anything above 65 was a pretty slow climb. Now I can get around without worrying about being stuck out in oncoming traffic if someone happens to appear in the distance.
The added maneuverability is a huge benefit in my mind as long as you don’t abuse it and travel at excessive speeds all the time. I, for one, am a huge fan of a little added gusto.
@@BeGoneForGood Really ? Above 65 mph it was .... anemic ? That factor is truly disappointing in it. Would it do well in the loose ? Unpaved dirt roads & maybe a fire trail ? I din't catch that if You did mention it.
Anemic is a GREAT way to describe it. I couldn’t really put my finger on it when I’d only ridden the CB500X but now that I’ve had time on the AT, I can say I feel much safer when having to pass with a quick jump to higher speeds. The CB500X just couldn’t get me around or through a hole quickly. Some may not require it but now that I have it I feel more confident navigating busy roads.
I’m sure the power would be more than sufficient on trails and fire roads although I never really tried it myself.
@@BeGoneForGood Thank You !
The video portion showing your Rally Raid triple top clamp....is that just dirt or did the top clamp anodizing fade? I've heard that the older Rally Raid hubs also had their anodizing fade thus they switched to powder coat. Thanks.
everythingisfiltered that is a faded anodizing. It happened while I was out in the North Dakota sun. It’s a really interesting red and I consider it a badge of honor.
It's great your bike has been ridden. However, Rally Raid should be made aware of their cheap anodizing. Regardless of what sun you were riding under, when there is this type of fading, it's due to cheap/poor quality anodizing. This is made in U.K. and the cost of the kit reflects the price. Even the very cheap Ebay aluminum levers and parts made in China for a fraction of the price does not fade. I remember buying some Adv lights from a new startup years ago and their first batch of lights had the same fading. The American vendor was a standup guy and compensated everyone who bought lights with the problem. You should contact Rally Raid and see how they respond.
Hi. How did the Rally Raid kit affect your experience on the highway vs stock?
Honestly, I didn't get a chance to do a ton of riding on the stock system but from what I gathered, there was about an hour of getting used to the bigger front wheel and that was about it. After that, it was smooth sailing the entire way. I cannot recommend the kit more highly for anyone interested in off road with the CB500X.
Nice video. Gotta fix that zip tie though. C'mon guy.
Greg Pappas I know, I know but honestly other than the look, this covers what I need it to. If I did more trail riding or thought that a hand guard hit were even slightly likely, I would probably do it.
Plus isn’t it mandatory to have something zip tied on an adventure bike at all times?
Oh if you saw the bungee that held the gas can to the back of my bike when I got back from Guatemala you'd facepalm too. Still, is it just one bolt that you're missing to connect it properly? If so, then...well...c'mon guy. haha
Recon & Sniper 🤘
You are the very first one to have caught that in any of these videos. Good eyes.
@@BeGoneForGood If you've served as either, my utmost respect. If you're just a supporter, all the same, those guys deserve all the support. From an active CAF member 👍
I am neither but I served in a Recon unit along some heroes and the foundation supports the best of them. I appreciate the knowledge and recognition. Keep up the good work and massive respect to you as well.
Thank you for your service! I was a vet and served in Iraq loved the sticker and it caught my eye right away hahaha. Love this bike btw I’m seriously considering grabbing a CB and outfitting it with the Rally Raid gear.
That is awesome and thank you for your service as well. You will not be disappointed in the CB500X. I loved my time on it and made it all the way to Honduras and back. It was incredible. Unfortunately, I have gotten rid of the CB500X for an Africa Twin though I also love this bike. Thank you so much for the feedback and please be safe out there.
Nice to see an unsponsored review of the Rally Raid kit for the CB500x.
I'd be curious to hear if you have any opinions on how the feel of the bike changed before and after.
So far I only once tried a 500x with the Level 1 suspension kit that felt very hard (the owner said he thinks he had it setup wrong).
Is it possible to set it up to be comfortable/soft on rough roads?
I usually only hear the stock suspension is very soft - well, I find it too hard stock for my riding as I shake stuff to pieces on corrugated roads.
What was your experience with the wheels?
I've already dented 2 sets of front wheels (not blown, just dented) and I'm worried about damaging the super expensive rally raid wheels, especially if I was going to also put on the Bartubless system.
How much of an improvement did the larger front wheel bring?
Did it behave better in sand?
Thanks a lot in advance.
Oh man, I wish I had the experience off road to really do your question justice. Unfortunately my time off road was pretty limited but I’ll give you everything I can.
The first thing I noticed when I made the changeover was turning with the larger front wheel. It wasn’t difficult but the added inches definitely could be felt when pressing to turn. It was an interesting feeling and took me back to my days in physics class when we used a spinning bike tire to understand gyroscopic forces. It was a change in feeling but something I got used to in maybe 20 miles of riding.
My first off road experience with the new set up was gravel and mud in the Black Hills of SD. There were some corrugated portions of the gravel roads and the added travel on the front forks was really helpful. Ultimately I had to find a balance between my speed and the rebound travel of the forks so it smoothed out but once I got it, the ride was super easy. As far as the set up being too hard, I don’t have a similar experience. I dialed in the front and rear right off the bat as per specs and never had a problem after that.
When traveling through Mexico and CA I ran into a ton of potholes and pretty hard front end “bangs”. There were some where I thought for sure I was going to have a problem with the front wheel but I never had a bend or anything. I was using the Heidenau K60s which could account for some of the resilience but I was much more confident after that trip in the robustness of the wheels. I never went tubeless so I can’t speak to how that might change things.
I am sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with the off-road functionality of the RR system but everything I threw at the bike (albeit minimally) was handled very well with the mods I made. I was completely satisfied with the added performance in every environment I rode through.
Thanks for the response. This is making me consider the kit a bit more.
Time to do some more money saving :)
That should be the subtitle for every ADV rider... “Time to start saving more money...”
I hear ya.
I've been reluctant and instead just pushed the stock bike.
I'm actually planning a really large trip for which I want to take my cheap little CUB as even the "budget friendly" 500 is far more expensive to use over a long distance.
Be it fuel, oil, parts, servicing, transportation (105kg vs 195kg wet weight),......
its a shame rally raid didnt include a more attractive swingarm, that stock one is UGLY. nice video, thanks mate
eh, it is definitely utilitarian and boxy but I would hate to have seen the added expense if everything that should have been included came with the package. I found out just how scary it was to open the Pandora's Box of farkles. Before you know it, you can be completely overtop of the original cost of the bike with upgrades. It is incredible.
yeah true that, i cant believe what a beautiful bike it becomes with the added goodies, i was dead set on a kawasaki versys to do some touring on but the more i research this little honda with the rally raid extras im really leaning towards this
Hi do you have info on supplier for that cruise control please. Ebay and Amazon no hits, Tony, Brisbane, Australia
Tony's Wheels I found a link for Amazon that has it but I’m not sure if it is only for the US so I’ll give you the company info as well.
amzn.to/2NHvU1h
Atlas Throttle Lock
www.atlasthrottlelock.com
Good luck and please let us know if these links work for you in Australia.
Yes links work. Not sure on $s though listed as $135. US assume? Thanks heaps. Tony
That is in US dollars. Anytime and I am glad to help.
given that there is the new 2019 model, do you think a rally raid kit would still make sense?
I think it all depends on what sort of riding you do and how the bike feels to you personally. I know the 2019 made some of the changes you would normally see from a RR conversion but it doesn’t go all the way. For most it may be enough but there are some, surely, who need or want that extra ruggedness for their off road machine. The benefit of doing the CB500X is that you can test it with the stick bike for awhile and decide if the RR kit is for you after putting some miles on.
Martin Simke if you’ve never ridden a really tuned after market suspension, you’re missing out. The new model is taller, has a 19” wheel, and adjustable rear preload...and as BGFG would be a great start to see if the investment in the RR kit is for you. That said...if you get more serious there is a huge jump in performance with the RR set up.
is there anyway to get a 21in front instead of 19in? this bike is so perfect for rally raid, but dang a 21in in the front would be even better!
As far as I know, there is nothing offered from RR in a 21 for the CB500X but I have to believe someone has a wheel out there that could do the job. I wonder if the rest of the geometry of the bike would support a 21” front. I never did “real” off-roading with it but I’m wondering what sort of obstacles you would be able to traverse with the 21 that you couldn’t with the 19. Is it just a smoother off-road ride generally that would be the goal?
@@BeGoneForGood thanks for the reply!! yeah pretty much doing a little more extra knarly stuff ha ha! i think a 21 would be great for real trail exploring!
In other words, just save yourself some money and get yourself an Africa Twin .A dedicated ,built to purpose adventure bike.
That would have been nice if I could have made the jump immediately but even with the RR kit, the CB500X would still be 2-3k cheaper than the AT. If you can afford it, I’d say that 2-3k is worth it but I didn’t have the extra scratch to spend on my first bike so the CB500X was a perfect starter for me.
@@BeGoneForGood Well yea,you wouldn't want to start out an the Big Honda as a first bike. In my area they're selling a new 17 Africa Twin DCT for about 10k. Which is a great value if you don't mind DCT.
I love my DCT and that is a GREAT price.
How about if you are only 5-9 with a 29 inch inseam , is this bike too tall with the Rally Raid kit added ?
It is really tough for me to say specifically because everyone is different. I can tell you that there wasn't a huge increase in height with the RR kit installed. I think my seat only went up about an inch. No big deal but it might make it tougher to ride at that point. It seems to me that anyone can ride any bike but they may have to adjust their procedures (check out Jocelin Snow on her 1200GS). If you are interested in the bike, I would throw a leg over so you can see how it feels. Then imagine an inch or two taller and see if you would still be happy. I wish I could help more but I wish you luck with your decision.
How do the K60's do on wet pavement on this bike? Have heard they slip some on some bikes. Thanks in advance.
I don't have a ton to compare them to because I have only ever ridden the stock tires and these but I will tell you in the 9,000 miles I have put on them, they have performed perfectly. We did a TON of riding Southern Mexico Jungles and Central American squalls and I never felt unsafe on these tires. I had done a lot of research on these before buying and had seen similar "slipping" complaints. I chalked it up to riders looking to carve far more than I ever would. After riding them, I am hesitant to try anything else for fear they won't perform as well as the K60s.
@@BeGoneForGood What size are those K60's? Getting a "Rally Raided" 500x (2013 model) and need to replace the aggressive knobbies it has with those highly regarded dual sport tires...
You are going to love the RR CB500X. It is an awesome ride and with the right tires can be incredible off road. These are the ones I bought.
Rear: www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6OMNOS/?tag=thehemdow-20
Front: www.amazon.com/dp/B00D6OMJOM/?tag=thehemdow-20
Good luck.
Thanks, i will be flying out from CA to AZ to pick it up and ride back. Excited!
Hey, can I ask why you sold it? Or what you traded it for. Thanks
Cain Able, I sold because as I was traveling around Central America with another guy on an 1190 Adventure, I realized I really wanted a bit more power. I opted to get the Honda Africa Twin and have been REALLY happy with it for a year or so now. I know a bigger bike isn’t necessarily for everyone but it was a perfect step up for me and the type of riding I do.
@@BeGoneForGood Cool thanks man, appreciate the response. Great you're enjoying the AT.
If I WAS going to run from cops this IS definitely a good choice for equipment.
I guess this would be a better option than ACTUALLY running but I would rather be on my big bike if I needed to escape like OJ.
What bike are you getting next?
I moved from the Honda CB500X to the Africa Twin and I have been super happy with my changeover. I am glad I had a chance to learn on the CB500X though.
Nice video! How much are you selling it for? If I may ask. Also what is the total wet weight after the stage 3 Rally Raid install?
Thank you very much for visiting. The bike already sold for $5500 after I had it listed at $6k. It went pretty quick at that price and I was sad to see it go. I don't have any idea what the weight change was between the two builds. I don't feel like the changes would have added much weight to the overall bike but that is simply a guess at this point.
How long is the wait for a Rally raid kit?
Paul White I have heard it is up to six months now but I imagine the team at RR is getting caught up and they’ll be on target soon.
Did you do anything to the seat? Thank you......Sal : )
I had purchased a Seat Concepts tall seat but never got around to attaching it to the bike before selling. I rode all the way to Honduras and back on the stock seat and couldn’t be happier with the comfort level.
Great! Thank you so much.@@BeGoneForGood
Im' 6'2. The Seat Concepts rally tall has been one of the best additions to my bike I've made.
just curious how much your asking ?? TY
bill corey I was asking $6k and ultimately settled on $5500 while keeping all the original stuff (wheels, muffler, etc).
@@BeGoneForGood Are you going to or have sold the wheels, muffler and all. If you have not sold them, how much would you sell them for?
Let me check everything and I will get back to you tomorrow.
@@DollyAndFamilyGetOutAndRide Send me an email at chad@begoneforgood.com and I will get you a list of what I still have and cost if you are interested.
@@BeGoneForGood Thank you will do that first thing in the morning
You mentioned you're 6' 5". I'm 6' with a 34" inseam, how comfortable is this over longer distances? I've sat on a stock one and it seemed to be ok with the positioning, but you would know best.
atroby91 I am going to answer this a couple of different ways. I will talk a bit about comfort when it comes to riding and comfort when it comes to manipulation of the bike.
First off, this was my first bike and as people heard about my plans for trips, they told me how miserable it would be to do the mileage I was planning. They couldn’t have been more wrong. This bike is so comfortable to ride. I kept the stock seat and the only time I ever considered changing was for a taller seat and not a more comfortable seat. I think my longest day was edging up on 900 miles without any significant discomfort. I don’t have anything to compare it against but my understanding is there is no way to sit on anything, let alone a vibrating bike, without some level of soreness. What I loved most was no long lasting residual effects. Day to day I felt fresh.
Secondly, when it comes to bike manipulation and management, this bike is awesome. I am made mostly of leg but at almost any height, I would guess the rider could feel confident on this bike. The seat is long which gives you a lot of opportunity to move around. If you need more reach, slide forward. If you have longer legs then scoot back a bit. Even with the RRL3 kit my seat was only 33-34 inches.
All in all, I would be surprised if comfort was an issue with this bike. It is a great stock bike where you can push major miles without much distraction from your body.
Be Gone For Good
Thanks for the reply! I'm even more anxious and excited to pick one up. Good review, keep up with the videos.
That RR kit must've cost as much as the bike did..
It wasn’t as bad as you might think. I think all together with shipping it was right at $2500 which is exactly half of what the bike cost. It is expensive but there is so much value added to the bike and to the rider. Between the improvements to the bike and the knowledge of working on your own bike the upgrade is totally worth it.
@@BeGoneForGood what would you estimate the RR kit would cost to pay a bike mechanic to install it?
That is a great question but all I can offer is a guess based on how long it took me. I’d think a professional could be done in 5 hours which would be $350 given a $70/hour labor rate.
Again it is just a guess but I’m guessing a shop would give you an estimate based on what you expected to replace on the bike so you would have a better idea.
is there a brembo brake kit for that?
I don't know specifically but as a super popular model for Honda, I would find it hard to believe all the aftermarket guys weren't working for a piece of the pie.
Lastly how can I subscribe when you traded in your man card for daddy duties! Jk, sounds like you did more riding than I will ever get to do. Raise yur kids and one day come back to what you love, sooner than later
Paul White there are great things in the works right now Paul. I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise but it seems like my newborn won’t be the only “baby” I’m taking care of in the next few weeks. ;-)