Honda’s announced updates to its CB500F, CBR500R, and CB500X for Euro-market customers, and we presume we’ll see them confirmed for Canadian customers soon as well.
The CB500F and CBR500R get new Showa SFF-BP suspension up front (Separate Function Forks-Big Piston). This sees the damping function in one fork leg, the spring in the other, for improved control. Honda’s CB650R and CBR650R got a similar system in the last generational update, and now the 500 series has caught up.
Both bikes get new dual-disc brakes, with radial-mount Nissin calipers and 296 mm rotors. They also get lighter cast wheels, with thinner spokes, which should help reduce the negative impact of the added unsprung weight up front.
Honda put a lighter swingarm on the bikes as well, with hollow cross-member. The frame itself sees no changes.
The engine isn’t changed either, but Honda says it re-tuned the fuel injection system, and put on a lighter radiator.
It seems the machines are generally unchanged visually, except for a new set of LED lights.
The CB500X gets similar updates. It’s got slightly different wheels and suspension for its ADV role, but those bits receive similar upgrades to the naked bike and sportbike models. It also gets the same dual-disc front brakes, LED lights, lightened swingarm and lighter radiator as the street-oriented bikes.
Honda has only announced these updates to its Euro lineup, but as the 500s are global-market machines, we’d expect the 2022 lineup to have similar updates in Canada. However, given current global supply chain issues and Honda Canada’s risk aversion these days, you might want to put down a deposit sooner rather than later, if you plan to buy one. Otherwise, you might be in for a longer wait than you expected.
Sorry Honda but your 500 and 750 twin series only rate a “meh”.
They’re like beige paint or Toyota Corollas , they do the job but no one is ever going to be excited about it.