A few weeks ago, we told you about Honda’s new 500s. Now, we have more pictures, and more details of the CBR500, CBX500 and CB500.
Supposedly, these bikes are going to be unveiled at EICMA, but a few details have leaked, along with these photos, which were supposedly taken at an advertisement shoot.
The bikes are supposed to have 470 cc parallel twin engines (liquid-cooled), with six-speed transmission, 47 hp, 30 lb/ft of torque, a top speed just under 170 kph, a 787-mm seat height, and a 120/70-17 tire in front, and a 160-60-17 tire in rear. Wet weight is supposed to be 195 kg.
Some of those numbers (weight, top speed) will likely differ slightly between the different models, but those numbers should be close for all of them.
The new photos from Motociclismo show the CBR500 looks a lot like a grown-up CBR250, and the CB500 is a naked version of that. The CBX500 seems to be a scaled-down version of the NC700X.
Gallery
Check out all the pics that go with this story! Click on the main sized pic to transition to the next or just press play to show in a slideshow.
The thing about small displacement, economy bikes is that they often looked like cheap afterthoughts from someone in the company who was told to “fill the product line”. As a child of the 80’s when i had to plunk my hard saved cash down my choices were not very pretty (Nighthawk 450, GS450, Seca 400) This new generation of small displacement bikes look good and offers the power of the bikes we would of preferred to have as an entry bike because they “looked good” and closer to their bigger brethren. (CBX550, Seca/Maxim 550, GPS550) I’m not including the 125/250’s because when i was ready to move up my friends and i had cut out teeth on the small displacement dual sports of the day. These look good, offer decent power and i hope they can keep the price affordable. Dare I say there is a shining light to the return of the UJM? God I hope so.