Another nicely produced review, I think it looks nice in an urban scrambling way. It’s interesting Honda turned the Rebel into a scrambler rather than converting the CB500X.
I hired the CX 500 for a few days in Corfu this summer. It dealt with the steep hills and tight corners on often poor surfaces very well, it also had a massive back box, very handy
Nice review of a nice inoffensive bike. You seem to be developing your own style which is very easy going and very watchable. Keep up the good work and thanks.
I have one, added the side bag and an after market especial black metallic colored headlight cover and a top bag ... I al;ways wanted a cruiser , the 5999 US $ price the dealership gave me, the already included passenger seat and the top aluminum holed exhaust that most people hate, made me really want this bike. I've been riding it for 4 months, and sometimes I wish it was a 1100 model.. It has the power it needs, but a 0 to 100 KM/h in 3.5 seconds instead of 5.6 or 5.3 and a bit more stability from wind on major freeways would be really nice! Sometimes I want to trade in for a Rebel 1100, but my reasoning tells me that I should keep it forever, pay it off, then get the Rebel 1100 in about 5 years..
I would take issue with your comments about the standard exhaust sound. In 2015, when I was still in the UK. I bought a Mutt 125 from the dealer in Chatteris. Bloody noisy thing. It looked a bit like a small Bonneville. I took the exhaust off to have a look inside. Hardly any sort of baffle. So I went to a bike breakers on the fen near Ely. Bought a selection of baffles from various bikes and tried them for fit. I think it was one off an old Suzuki that worked best. Made riding much more relaxing on the ears. And as I was doing a milk round at the time. Turning up for work in a sleepy village at 10pm, became much less embarrassing. I absolutely HATE these loud, aftermarket exhausts. The argument that louder means safer by drawing attention to yourself is nonsense. Car drivers still won't take notice. They have their stereo on, or they are chatting on the phone, or they are playing with the LCD screen to change the dash lighting settings etc. Anything other than concentrating on driving and being in the here and now. It's even worse here on Corfu. The onus is on the rider to be aware. Not make people spit their coffee out in shock as they roar past. Ride quiet, ride safe. Cheers.
When I say louder it doesn’t have to be straight through. There are plenty of tasteful aftermarket systems that give bikes a throaty deeper sound without being too loud. The start exhausts these days are very quiet, mainly due to regulations. And for me hearing the bike is half the enjoyment, if the bike is silent then it might as well be electric!
I agree that I enjoy a quieter exhaust on my motorcycles, especially on Long rides. I'm a Harley Rider so you can imagine what it's like trying to explain why you like your quiet muffler to other Harley riders.
Funny what we call beginner bikes these days. I've been riding over 60 years and find this a wonderful bike. PLENTY of power IMO and it's a hoot to ride. The stock exhaust note is just great. The tank could be bigger (12L) but I am getting 85mpg (UK) so the range isn't bad. The display is awful and almost invisible in many lighting conditions and I would say this is the worst thing about the bike. Otherwise I am having loads of fun on this bike - just love it.
Guys, this is Honda's 471cc twin 4 stroke engine. You can tweak this engine all the way to hell and back (yes, you can remove the restriction...flash out the ECU etc.). Tons of ways to improve the power without sacrificing the reliability of the engine. Good job Honda!
Increasing power without sacrificing reliability is a bit of a trap of a thought. It puts extra stress on every component of the drivetrain, transmission, exhaust system. That doesn't mean that it instantly make it unreliable, but it's a question of how overbuilt every component of the system is. And usually answer is - not by as much as people would hope. It certainly will wear down on the bike more in the long run. Maybe not enough to worry for most people, but saying it won't sacrifice reliability is just factually can not be true. Extra wear is extra wear.
Im fine with this bike the way it is. It fits the entry market well. It also looks pretty nice and doesn't look like anything else. I think they need to make a 750 version with 20-25 more horsepower raise it an inch and stretch the swing arm a couple inches. Add dual disk up front. I would get one at that point. It would make it more dyal purpose ready at that point. Honda makes a quality product i hope they do it.
Doesnt look like anything else? Well it does to me, instantly, it looks like a Rebel 500 with some bits bolted on to make it even uglier, they've done well managing that.
Most of the mid range Honda bikes now look like crap, mostly. Unispiring, dull crap. The only thing that really looks good is the Africa Twin, period. Even the new Transalp looks like a cb500x with a bigger engine. Same goes for the CB500 and the new Hornet. Everything is done to save money. Sure the bikes are reliable, but so are the Yamaha.
Back in the day, Imyself and 5 mates went and bought 6 Honda CL360 motorcycles. We had a great summer of riding around northeast Nebraska in the US. On and off road. I was the only one of the 6 that had any previous riding experience. After the first year I think there were only two of us left riding as the others crashed or had bad scary situations that they lost their nerve and stopped riding. If had the time and money I would have ridden across the country. Very reliable motorcycles. By the way you commented on the hybrid Mustang. Did you know that here in America that is the only passenger car that they make., everything else is SUV'S.
This is a commuter dream bike, imo. Has enough power/torque to put a smile on your face, has soft confortable suspension and 19' wheel at the front, it's a flickable low cg bike, has great efficiency, has great looks if the exhaust is moded (stock is kinda too big and weird imo). It is a urban bike, that can do easy off road and highway too if needed sometimes, but without wind protection and without off road capabilities and protections, those are afterthoughts.
Great impartial review. Just picked up my orange one last week for my commute. Great A to B bike. I also live out by a lot of dirt roads and don’t have to worry about it …well ever it’s a Honda.
I honestly would like to see the side panels in white to match the headlight and front guard, it just appears to me there's too much black on the side of it.
I like the look of it. Sat on one last week , didn’t test ride but it felt comfortable. Just watch Mr Fish doing a gentle green lane on done and he agrees with you that it’s not built for that
I am very fond of the uncluttered easy going style of the CL500, thoroughly enjoyed the test ride I had. Because there’s now a newer one with better instrumentation, some dealerships are knocking out the older version for under €6000,- (Germany) which has got me tempted! Due to the clock being sometimes unreadable, it got me into enjoying the ride even more. Best greets from Düsseldorf 😉
I like the look of this bike...without the white plastic extras. For those who want the plastic add-ons but don't like the white, you always have the option to paint them. Black, the colour of the tank or any other colour. A 5 minute job for an auto painter.
I'm not sure about Honda's approach sometimes. They made a boat load of great and stylish models. On ther hand Honda has phoned in the styling on a whole host of new models. All the Honda bikes are at a minimum good bikes. On bikes like this they seem to have given up early on in the styling and got a bit lazy. It isn't a bad bike but it could have been sooo much more exciting with more effort.
Totally agree with you Stephen. Honda definitely got it wrong. The only thing that I can say I like is the cast wheel spoke pattern. Overall it's an ugly design. The new Triumph Scrambler 400 made by Bajaj in India is much more appealing.
Wouldn't trade "Aunt Melissa" , my Meteor 350 for three of them... Well I would actually, then sell them & buy a Meteor, Himmy and Classic 350 😂 *BARRY* Shameless RE Fanboy 🎉
if the bike had twin mufflers in the traditional place it would look good.. that bit of exhaust plumbing spoils the flow of the bike. (crossing water.. but how often does that happen ?)
I was looking forward to this. Despite saying the two-valve, air-cooled single of the 411 you reviewed last week appealed to me, I'd actually rather have the CL. The exhaust on the CL looks okay. Why waste money replacing it? The high front mudguard doesn't suit the bike. The cowl looks okay. The side bag is useful. If I had to have a sub-500cc bike as my only transport, it would be the CL500.
I like mine and I didn't go in for the seat or the white....shit. I got the green 1 and its been an amazing bike. 1st brand new 0 mile bike I've ever owned and I'm really curious how long its going to last me as a small town man scooter.
Nice review Mr. Darcy, you and the Ol' Man always do good job. I mean, you both are really capable of giving us an exellent feedback on how the motorcycles feel when ridden. But that bike, and the Yamaha of the other day, are two dishes full of nothing, at least for my taste. If a bike doesn't have character and doesn't look good, it lacks all the appeal to me and those crossovers of modern design and a pale wave to the past are pointless. I think that an appealing motorcycle shoud be sexy not just in the way she "express" her mechanical personality, but also in her appearence. The whole package is important, the bike should look as it feels. And when I talk about the "sexyness" of a motorcycle I'm not necessarily talking about huge displacement (eventhoug I ride a 1450cc Harley Softail Deuce), most of the Royal Enfileds, for instance (including the 350cc ones), have, at least to me, loads of attraction, charm, charisma and character, being some of the most pleasing bikes on the market today. Anyway, once again, nice review. Best regards from Brazil.✌
I have one in green. Great bike. It will get better tires asap. The look is wuite special, no retro- vibes at all. Just a clean machine that does it all.
Mr Darcy,great channel,but let's have your take on a Moto Guzzi a real man's bike,loads of history,all hand built in the same factory in Italy,for over 100 years,I have two Guzzi,so much character, can't wait for your review of the V7
Agreed, the exhaust looks stupid. Too big and out of place. Looks like a car muffler and something that could burn you is not careful. If you have to have the muffler up so high (don't know why you have to) you should make it smaller and tuck it under the seat or fender more.
A local dealer here in the states has what is called the SCL500. Looks much like the CL except for the front fender. I'm still not getting over the shape of the tank. Otherwise, ok
I think all the white accessories look bad and dont really make sense for the bike, but I think the bike looks great without, especially the orange or the green when you add the brown seat.
I've been searching for an overland bike,best thing out there was a Kawasaki Versys X300(all boxes ticked),but soon as is saw that in late '22,that would be great,mainly because, a lot of the offroad part from the CB500X fit straight on(de-cat downpipes, wire spoke hubs,etc,etc). My 3 gripes are,where the ignition switch is(needs to be relocated for the bigger tank),tank capacity (20litre minimum) and the rear light is rectangle,whereas,everything else is round(h'lamp,indicators, clock,etc). Disappointed the 750cc,Transalp engined version was a no show at EICMA '23! Vance and Hines do a lovely can for those!
Honda could do so much more. The CL500 is a nice option as it is. But imagine the new honda 750 cc 270º engine in a new scrambler. It would have so much more power, caracter, make the engine do more torque down low, oh. CL750 for the win.
The white accessory bits look naff. The exhaust is so big compared to the prototype they showed a couple of years ago. I think I would opt for the Honda CB500F rather than that CL500.
Having read comments on the new zx400r, suggesting ideal for new riders... This on my opinion is more like it. Yes not pretty (I fondly recall the cl350 of 70s) but just the type of thing for cutting your teeth on. 👍
Good review, thank you. This bike reminds me strongly of the Fantic Caballero 500, both Rally and DX version. Have you tried these yet? The Caballero is a 450cc 'scrambler' with tall suspension just like the this Honda, but it looks more ... groovy.
The exhaust position was the first thing I noticed. It looks nice being wrapped around the engine like that but I wouldn't try riding over large speed bumps 😮
@@EpicAdamMotovlogs And your roll bag etc getting hot? A scrambler for me has to be adv/camping rdy. A lot of these scramblers dont really fit a purpose for me. My 125 was a scrambler though and it did do some green laning...so am not completely trashing them.
I watched your review and had the feeling you struggled to say anything really positive about the bike. The bike isn’t terrible just not overly good ,a white goods bike . To me it is a mishmash the exhaust isn’t a true high level pipe and the cast wheels count it out as an off road bike and I feel there are better bikes even within the Honda range fitted with that engine.
👋 I have a honda rebel 1100 dct, I have loved and love every ride I take its a great bike. Really like the harley fat bob 114 2023 and I'm thinking about swapping the honda for it. Do you that's a good choice? As performance goes of course, and putting aside the make the fat bob being a harley is nearly almost convincing enough 😅
For me I’d definitely swap for the Harley, the noise and feel of the bike adds so much more character to the experience! I’m picking up a Rebel 110p manual on Monday!
I'll be out on mine Monday too, only to get it serviced but will more than likely take a detour on the way back home.. just a small one 😅 enjoy your ride man thankyou! ✌️
Bin that exhaust immediately if I bought one..... Would want an exhaust similar to the road going 400cc triumph also really do not like the white mud guard, headlight surround or hand guards.... Or brown seat BUT what a good-looking bike that this COULD be please Honda look at what triumph have done with the 400 and make one of these look like that
Yes, the new 750cc from the Hornet is a very good engine indeed but would have been wasted on such mediocre attempt of a classic design bike. If on the other hand Honda pays attention to what customers want and make the rumoured GB 750 that is circulating on UA-cam - and I mean a completely new design- that could be a real contender up against Triumph and Royal Enfield. Come on HONDA, you know how to make great bikes, dust off those old blueprints and hire some European designers for your aesthetics, then use the 750 engine in it!!!
Looks like the kind of bike that won't break big at the time, but will be very popular in a few years time. When the new triumph singles will be falling apart in a few tears, this will probably be a second hand bargain. Like the 250 and 400N models, great work horse, but not bad looking. It'll be someone's first dream bike. 0:14
Baxk in the early 70's I owned a 1972 Honda CB350. Honda is an ok brand. But for my "Adventure/Sport" bike I bought and own a 2020 KTM 790S and find it the best bike in its class. just saying
Ok, nice! Which one do you think has a better/more comfortable riding position, Scram 411 or CL500? Watching you on video the Honda seems a little bit more comfy.
rode one not to bad just didnt like the very soft front end the cb 500x is much better,will this bike sell,may be until the triumph 400,scramble comes out next year
honda is not able to breakthru in the classic neoretro ir scrambler segment now here they copied the look from triumph scrambler in exhaust , this also looks copied from enfield concept highland scrambler shown in eicma, as a previous honda fan and owner i feel they should focus on original design and not copy
Love your videos and your dad’s. Quality productions every one. But…. Ooh… contentious… What is this obsession with changing exhausts!!! Louder exhausts!!!! I have NEVER… understood bikers obsession with louder exhausts!!! It’s bad enough being accepted by people without having to alienate ourselves even more when riding past people. Let me just clarify. I’ve ridden for decades. Commuted by bike, toured abroad by bike a number of times, ridden off road, perform all my own maintenance, repairs etc; including tyre changes. Hate tyre changes! I love standard exhausts, hate noise… Imagine if I mentioned my other pet hate 🤭 People moaning about back brakes. All back brakes are good….. topic for another day…
For us the sound of the bike is half the enjoyment. From a young age I have always been obsessed with the sounds of engines and standard exhaust these days are just so heavily silenced you can’t hear the bike with earplugs and a helmet on. Glad you like the videos anyway though!!
@@MrDarcy-OlManYou are spot on, mate 👍 Everyone has got his own ride preferences. Funny, only one side is complaining about the preferences of others 😂.
No criticism of you intended, love all the videos. Re third poster, if you rely on a loud exhaust to make you more ‘visible’ in commuter traffic, I’d check my riding style. Again, not an insult, just an observation. Oh I’m not complaining, just observing and as I’ve said, sort of, I’ve ridden, ride A lot; covered 100s of 1000s of miles. Again…. Not a slanging match, just my views.
If you aren't riding bikes because of the sound, then you are riding them for the wrong reasons. Sound and looks = character is no.1 for me and a dealbreaker for bikes like this cl500. Nothing beats 270 crank twins with open pipes.
Honda developed a ChatGPT style design app and asked it to build them a ‘scrambler’ from their parts bin and here’s the result! Shame too that Honda’s 500 engine has the soul of a sewing machine.
That was my first though: no USD forks (which are more expensive, but just better), terrible display (no rev-counter and poor visibility). The engine: just exists and it is very economical. The competition is much better for the similar price.
Unless your sponsor forbids it, please add chapter marks - or whatever they're called - to the video, so we can reliably skip what does not interest us. We're here for the bikes after all. Cheers
The bit that interests you is made possible by us having sponsorship, otherwise we couldn’t produce the content. UA-cam revenue barely covers expenses, so we need sponsorships. It’s a bit like your boss at work saying I’ll pay you to get here but don’t expect anything else.
I really like your evolving style of presentation. That aside, it's a Honda. Components, drivability, and other things will be good. It's certainly not their best work when it comes to design. Rushed, perhaps? Too many parts lying around the factory so let's just use them here? Too many things don't work for me... Next...
Dear Darcy Nice Review you have made and Honda CL 500 is most awaited adventure bikes everyone is looking for.Please do a review of QJ Motors and Harley Davidson motorcycle 350X made in China 🎉
I think this bike was a desperate styling attempt by Honda to jump on the scrambler stage , it just doesn't look right at all ,though no doubt it will last well and be dependable being a Honda .
Love the videos. Not a fan of the bike. Looks like the entire thing was pressed from a mold on a factory floor and spit out at the end. I'd rather sacrifice a bit of reliability to have a bike that provided some character and appeal and evoked some excitement every time I walk into the garage.
ahh ,,, the price ,, for seven grand with those bits - i would be buying the re 650 ;; bit older fashioned looking but sounds a whole lot better for less money ;;; same bhp ,
Don’t like it sorry it’s probably ok to ride I have the cb500x and this would be a down grade and compromised by the exhaust I need an all round bike commute, tour with panniers and occasional gravel track.only gripe I have is I had to purchase crash bars,hand guards,power outlet,centre stand,side stand larger pad.and some bikes come standard with some of these items but not from Honda.
If it had like 10hp more, to do a bit more than max out at 85mph… and sat like 1” higher (I’m tall) yep it would be my first bike. As of now I’m still looking.
Maybe it’s my age 🤔, I’m from the time of Kawasaki Z1’s etc with to my eye beautiful flowing lines, but that bike really jars with me visually , it looks like a total hotch potch of parts loosely tacked together, I remember listening to a top automotive designer, he designed the BMW mini and a host of top flight sports cars, he discussed motorcycle design and said that the the tank should be horizontal or as close to that as possible, Honda appears to have achieved the opposite of that here, maybe it’s designed to appeal to the Asian market? or younger people? but to me it’s just ugly.
Yes! A lot of recent bikes look like a 7 year old kid has drawn a motorcyle "shape".....using glue. Then got his pals to throw bits of metal & rubbish at it until... they'd thrown far too much.
Pretty much everything that Honda makes is well engineered, well made, and entirely lacking of character. It’s an off-white, vanilla, ultra boring yawn of a motorcycle. Perfect for some people, but not for me 😂
I would give Honda a complete FAIL for that bike. The competition is overwhelming! Even a tunnel can't make it sound good 😁. The only good thing was your review 👍👍.
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Who wears a watch anymore ? But then again I have one just for riding, one of my bikes has no clock and I can't easily use my
phone .
I really like the Honda CL500. it's got a mean sort of look to it. I certainly wouldn't call it ugly.
Another nicely produced review, I think it looks nice in an urban scrambling way. It’s interesting Honda turned the Rebel into a scrambler rather than converting the CB500X.
I hired the CX 500 for a few days in Corfu this summer. It dealt with the steep hills and tight corners on often poor surfaces very well, it also had a massive back box, very handy
Nice review of a nice inoffensive bike. You seem to be developing your own style which is very easy going and very watchable. Keep up the good work and thanks.
I have one, added the side bag and an after market especial black metallic colored headlight cover and a top bag ... I al;ways wanted a cruiser , the 5999 US $ price the dealership gave me, the already included passenger seat and the top aluminum holed exhaust that most people hate, made me really want this bike. I've been riding it for 4 months, and sometimes I wish it was a 1100 model.. It has the power it needs, but a 0 to 100 KM/h in 3.5 seconds instead of 5.6 or 5.3 and a bit more stability from wind on major freeways would be really nice! Sometimes I want to trade in for a Rebel 1100, but my reasoning tells me that I should keep it forever, pay it off, then get the Rebel 1100 in about 5 years..
I would take issue with your comments about the standard exhaust sound. In 2015, when I was still in the UK. I bought a Mutt 125 from the dealer in Chatteris. Bloody noisy thing. It looked a bit like a small Bonneville. I took the exhaust off to have a look inside. Hardly any sort of baffle. So I went to a bike breakers on the fen near Ely. Bought a selection of baffles from various bikes and tried them for fit. I think it was one off an old Suzuki that worked best. Made riding much more relaxing on the ears. And as I was doing a milk round at the time. Turning up for work in a sleepy village at 10pm, became much less embarrassing. I absolutely HATE these loud, aftermarket exhausts. The argument that louder means safer by drawing attention to yourself is nonsense. Car drivers still won't take notice. They have their stereo on, or they are chatting on the phone, or they are playing with the LCD screen to change the dash lighting settings etc. Anything other than concentrating on driving and being in the here and now. It's even worse here on Corfu. The onus is on the rider to be aware. Not make people spit their coffee out in shock as they roar past. Ride quiet, ride safe. Cheers.
When I say louder it doesn’t have to be straight through. There are plenty of tasteful aftermarket systems that give bikes a throaty deeper sound without being too loud. The start exhausts these days are very quiet, mainly due to regulations. And for me hearing the bike is half the enjoyment, if the bike is silent then it might as well be electric!
@@MrDarcy-OlMan never electric. A dodo idea from the outset.
I agree that I enjoy a quieter exhaust on my motorcycles, especially on Long rides. I'm a Harley Rider so you can imagine what it's like trying to explain why you like your quiet muffler to other Harley riders.
Funny what we call beginner bikes these days. I've been riding over 60 years and find this a wonderful bike. PLENTY of power IMO and it's a hoot to ride. The stock exhaust note is just great. The tank could be bigger (12L) but I am getting 85mpg (UK) so the range isn't bad. The display is awful and almost invisible in many lighting conditions and I would say this is the worst thing about the bike. Otherwise I am having loads of fun on this bike - just love it.
Guys, this is Honda's 471cc twin 4 stroke engine. You can tweak this engine all the way to hell and back (yes, you can remove the restriction...flash out the ECU etc.). Tons of ways to improve the power without sacrificing the reliability of the engine. Good job Honda!
Really?! How much more power do you think you can unlock?
Increasing power without sacrificing reliability is a bit of a trap of a thought. It puts extra stress on every component of the drivetrain, transmission, exhaust system. That doesn't mean that it instantly make it unreliable, but it's a question of how overbuilt every component of the system is. And usually answer is - not by as much as people would hope. It certainly will wear down on the bike more in the long run. Maybe not enough to worry for most people, but saying it won't sacrifice reliability is just factually can not be true. Extra wear is extra wear.
Im fine with this bike the way it is. It fits the entry market well. It also looks pretty nice and doesn't look like anything else. I think they need to make a 750 version with 20-25 more horsepower raise it an inch and stretch the swing arm a couple inches. Add dual disk up front. I would get one at that point. It would make it more dyal purpose ready at that point. Honda makes a quality product i hope they do it.
Doesnt look like anything else? Well it does to me, instantly, it looks like a Rebel 500 with some bits bolted on to make it even uglier, they've done well managing that.
Most of the mid range Honda bikes now look like crap, mostly. Unispiring, dull crap. The only thing that really looks good is the Africa Twin, period. Even the new Transalp looks like a cb500x with a bigger engine. Same goes for the CB500 and the new Hornet. Everything is done to save money. Sure the bikes are reliable, but so are the Yamaha.
Back in the day, Imyself and 5 mates went and bought 6 Honda CL360 motorcycles. We had a great summer of riding around northeast Nebraska in the US. On and off road. I was the only one of the 6 that had any previous riding experience. After the first year I think there were only two of us left riding as the others crashed or had bad scary situations that they lost their nerve and stopped riding. If had the time and money I would have ridden across the country. Very reliable motorcycles.
By the way you commented on the hybrid Mustang. Did you know that here in America that is the only passenger car that they make., everything else is SUV'S.
It's a nice looking bike. I'm looking forward to when they make a CL1100 :D
Bike ehhh , that watch is 👍 , you and your pop have a good channel and 20 years from now will cherish the time you spent together doing it .
This is a commuter dream bike, imo. Has enough power/torque to put a smile on your face, has soft confortable suspension and 19' wheel at the front, it's a flickable low cg bike, has great efficiency, has great looks if the exhaust is moded (stock is kinda too big and weird imo). It is a urban bike, that can do easy off road and highway too if needed sometimes, but without wind protection and without off road capabilities and protections, those are afterthoughts.
I was hoping a little bit more out of this model. But i like it anyway. Great review as always
Great impartial review. Just picked up my orange one last week for my commute. Great A to B bike. I also live out by a lot of dirt roads and don’t have to worry about it …well ever it’s a Honda.
I honestly would like to see the side panels in white to match the headlight and front guard, it just appears to me there's too much black on the side of it.
I like the look of it. Sat on one last week , didn’t test ride but it felt comfortable. Just watch Mr Fish doing a gentle green lane on done and he agrees with you that it’s not built for that
I am very fond of the uncluttered easy going style of the CL500, thoroughly enjoyed the test ride I had. Because there’s now a newer one with better instrumentation, some dealerships are knocking out the older version for under €6000,- (Germany) which has got me tempted!
Due to the clock being sometimes unreadable, it got me into enjoying the ride even more.
Best greets from Düsseldorf 😉
It doesn't look small at all for you, looks like a good fit.
For some reason the brown seat is rock hard compared to the standard black.
😊i like it as a everyday bike it is perfect plus its a honda so its bullet proof nice video sir
Thank you!
I like the look of this bike...without the white plastic extras. For those who want the plastic add-ons but don't like the white, you always have the option to paint them. Black, the colour of the tank or any other colour. A 5 minute job for an auto painter.
I'm not sure about Honda's approach sometimes. They made a boat load of great and stylish models. On ther hand Honda has phoned in the styling on a whole host of new models.
All the Honda bikes are at a minimum good bikes. On bikes like this they seem to have given up early on in the styling and got a bit lazy. It isn't a bad bike but it could have been sooo much more exciting with more effort.
Like your style mate💪🏻
Thanks 😊
Good review of the pro's and con's.
I’m not to sure if Honda rushed or Felt they were getting behind in this class but it’s a mishmash of nothing..
Totally agree with you Stephen. Honda definitely got it wrong. The only thing that I can say I like is the cast wheel spoke pattern. Overall it's an ugly design. The new Triumph Scrambler 400 made by Bajaj in India is much more appealing.
Wouldn't trade "Aunt Melissa" , my Meteor 350 for three of them... Well I would actually, then sell them & buy a Meteor, Himmy and Classic 350 😂
*BARRY* Shameless RE Fanboy 🎉
Fell out the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way DOWN!
It seems that the biggest factor in the ugliness is that huge exhaust. Second, the ambiguous fuel tank design.
@@johnrocker2986 Very much like my Ex missus...
*BARRY* 🥳
if the bike had twin mufflers in the traditional place it would look good.. that bit of exhaust plumbing spoils the flow of the bike. (crossing water.. but how often does that happen ?)
I was looking forward to this. Despite saying the two-valve, air-cooled single of the 411 you reviewed last week appealed to me, I'd actually rather have the CL.
The exhaust on the CL looks okay. Why waste money replacing it? The high front mudguard doesn't suit the bike. The cowl looks okay. The side bag is useful.
If I had to have a sub-500cc bike as my only transport, it would be the CL500.
Well said.
SS
You made the worst mistake buying a bajaj 390 💀 I hope you enjoy taking your bike for repairs 😆
@@T3-RIDER You are talking out of your ar5e. In five years, it has never gone wrong. Idiot.
ADV350 is a superb bike, touring, commuting, runs to beach - good choice
@@T3-RIDER It is over six years old and has never broken down or failed to start.
I like mine and I didn't go in for the seat or the white....shit. I got the green 1 and its been an amazing bike. 1st brand new 0 mile bike I've ever owned and I'm really curious how long its going to last me as a small town man scooter.
25 years
Nice review Mr. Darcy, you and the Ol' Man always do good job. I mean, you both are really capable of giving us an exellent feedback on how the motorcycles feel when ridden.
But that bike, and the Yamaha of the other day, are two dishes full of nothing, at least for my taste. If a bike doesn't have character and doesn't look good, it lacks all the appeal to me and those crossovers of modern design and a pale wave to the past are pointless.
I think that an appealing motorcycle shoud be sexy not just in the way she "express" her mechanical personality, but also in her appearence. The whole package is important, the bike should look as it feels. And when I talk about the "sexyness" of a motorcycle I'm not necessarily talking about huge displacement (eventhoug I ride a 1450cc Harley Softail Deuce), most of the Royal Enfileds, for instance (including the 350cc ones), have, at least to me, loads of attraction, charm, charisma and character, being some of the most pleasing bikes on the market today.
Anyway, once again, nice review.
Best regards from Brazil.✌
I have one in green. Great bike. It will get better tires asap. The look is wuite special, no retro- vibes at all. Just a clean machine that does it all.
I just picked up my green one yesterday. Got a few solid hours riding in and I love it!
Mr Darcy,great channel,but let's have your take on a Moto Guzzi a real man's bike,loads of history,all hand built in the same factory in Italy,for over 100 years,I have two Guzzi,so much character, can't wait for your review of the V7
Agreed, the exhaust looks stupid. Too big and out of place. Looks like a car muffler and something that could burn you is not careful. If you have to have the muffler up so high (don't know why you have to) you should make it smaller and tuck it under the seat or fender more.
It sounds good riding through the tunnel 👍🏼
Agreed, when getting a Honda character is not something you consider. I don't think these bikes are available in the States.
See life of Birch, he's in Maryland and has been doing vids for a few months on his.
A local dealer here in the states has what is called the SCL500. Looks much like the CL except for the front fender. I'm still not getting over the shape of the tank. Otherwise, ok
I think all the white accessories look bad and dont really make sense for the bike, but I think the bike looks great without, especially the orange or the green when you add the brown seat.
I've been searching for an overland bike,best thing out there was a Kawasaki Versys X300(all boxes ticked),but soon as is saw that in late '22,that would be great,mainly because, a lot of the offroad part from the CB500X fit straight on(de-cat downpipes, wire spoke hubs,etc,etc).
My 3 gripes are,where the ignition switch is(needs to be relocated for the bigger tank),tank capacity (20litre minimum) and the rear light is rectangle,whereas,everything else is round(h'lamp,indicators, clock,etc).
Disappointed the 750cc,Transalp engined version was a no show at EICMA '23!
Vance and Hines do a lovely can for those!
Honda could do so much more. The CL500 is a nice option as it is. But imagine the new honda 750 cc 270º engine in a new scrambler. It would have so much more power, caracter, make the engine do more torque down low, oh. CL750 for the win.
I heard the Honda 500 engine has issues with the oil pump chain. I hope I'm wrong.
@@jamessouthworth1699 Not something we have heard 👍🏼
It is a little harsh, but true. A good review.
The white accessory bits look naff.
The exhaust is so big compared to the prototype they showed a couple of years ago.
I think I would opt for the Honda CB500F rather than that CL500.
Blame emissions regulations for that. I reakon it'd look better with a coat of black on that heat shield
@@the.communist hmmmm, wonder why it's like that then. Good point.
Having read comments on the new zx400r, suggesting ideal for new riders... This on my opinion is more like it. Yes not pretty (I fondly recall the cl350 of 70s) but just the type of thing for cutting your teeth on. 👍
I think sv650 was not the favourite when it first released. I think cl500 design is a start of new design concept
Good review, thank you. This bike reminds me strongly of the Fantic Caballero 500, both Rally and DX version. Have you tried these yet? The Caballero is a 450cc 'scrambler' with tall suspension just like the this Honda, but it looks more ... groovy.
We need that fabric caballero in the USA!
@@jab2359 Yes, you do ;)
Not a bike that would interest me but you reviewed it very well.
Would a person with a 30" inseam have trouble with this bike?
No i doubt it 👍🏼
AWESOME BIKE FANTASTIC
Looks pretty nice to me
Not for me as you say not much character plus dont like the exhaust position. The Triumph scrambler looks good.
Yes absolutely!
The exhaust position was the first thing I noticed. It looks nice being wrapped around the engine like that but I wouldn't try riding over large speed bumps 😮
@@EpicAdamMotovlogs And your roll bag etc getting hot? A scrambler for me has to be adv/camping rdy.
A lot of these scramblers dont really fit a purpose for me. My 125 was a scrambler though and it did do some green laning...so am not completely trashing them.
I watched your review and had the feeling you struggled to say anything really positive about the bike. The bike isn’t terrible just not overly good ,a white goods bike . To me it is a mishmash the exhaust isn’t a true high level pipe and the cast wheels count it out as an off road bike and I feel there are better bikes even within the Honda range fitted with that engine.
👋 I have a honda rebel 1100 dct, I have loved and love every ride I take its a great bike. Really like the harley fat bob 114 2023 and I'm thinking about swapping the honda for it. Do you that's a good choice? As performance goes of course, and putting aside the make the fat bob being a harley is nearly almost convincing enough 😅
For me I’d definitely swap for the Harley, the noise and feel of the bike adds so much more character to the experience! I’m picking up a Rebel 110p manual on Monday!
I'll be out on mine Monday too, only to get it serviced but will more than likely take a detour on the way back home.. just a small one 😅 enjoy your ride man thankyou! ✌️
Bin that exhaust immediately if I bought one..... Would want an exhaust similar to the road going 400cc triumph also really do not like the white mud guard, headlight surround or hand guards.... Or brown seat BUT what a good-looking bike that this COULD be please Honda look at what triumph have done with the 400 and make one of these look like that
Really wish they put the new 750 in it rather than the 500. They would have had a real winner.
Yes, the new 750cc from the Hornet is a very good engine indeed but would have been wasted on such mediocre attempt of a classic design bike. If on the other hand Honda pays attention to what customers want and make the rumoured GB 750 that is circulating on UA-cam - and I mean a completely new design- that could be a real contender up against Triumph and Royal Enfield. Come on HONDA, you know how to make great bikes, dust off those old blueprints and hire some European designers for your aesthetics, then use the 750 engine in it!!!
I think it looks much better than the CMX cruisers.
Looks like the kind of bike that won't break big at the time, but will be very popular in a few years time. When the new triumph singles will be falling apart in a few tears, this will probably be a second hand bargain. Like the 250 and 400N models, great work horse, but not bad looking. It'll be someone's first dream bike. 0:14
Baxk in the early 70's I owned a 1972 Honda CB350. Honda is an ok brand. But for my "Adventure/Sport" bike I bought and own a 2020 KTM 790S and find it the best bike in its class. just saying
What's it supposed to be? Looks like something big H superglued together out of a pile of bits from other machines.
Is the Triumph Scrambler 400 on your to do review list? I would be really interested in your riding impressions after the Scram 411 and CL500 reviews.
Absolutely, unfortunately it’s not available here yet but as soon as it is we are very keen to review it!
Ok, nice! Which one do you think has a better/more comfortable riding position, Scram 411 or CL500? Watching you on video the Honda seems a little bit more comfy.
@vk8458 I’d say comfort wise they were pretty similar tbh. Not a lot in it.
I like it.
I'm not sure about the double front mudguard. Looks a bit of an afterthought.
Who the Hell is in charge of styling on these bikes ?..... terrible in my opinion....but I'm a dinosaur lol.
I'm not liking a blue and brown colour combo. I don't like the tank with a black metal part squashing it out of beauty.
Same opinion re. the Ecoboost Mustang. Similar to a Camaro with a 6 cylinder engine
I love the look
rode one not to bad just didnt like the very soft front end the cb 500x is much better,will this bike sell,may be until the triumph 400,scramble comes out next year
honda is not able to breakthru in the classic neoretro ir scrambler segment now here they copied the look from triumph scrambler in exhaust , this also looks copied from enfield concept highland scrambler shown in eicma, as a previous honda fan and owner i feel they should focus on original design and not copy
Nice work, yeah character way to go , think royal Enfield classic, got a nice look, and Harley fat boy anyway that’s my though 👍👍👍
Definitely!
We feel the same way about the neutered sports cars here in the states too. Well said.
thats a beautiful bike
Love your videos and your dad’s. Quality productions every one. But…. Ooh… contentious… What is this obsession with changing exhausts!!! Louder exhausts!!!! I have NEVER… understood bikers obsession with louder exhausts!!! It’s bad enough being accepted by people without having to alienate ourselves even more when riding past people. Let me just clarify. I’ve ridden for decades. Commuted by bike, toured abroad by bike a number of times, ridden off road, perform all my own maintenance, repairs etc; including tyre changes. Hate tyre changes! I love standard exhausts, hate noise… Imagine if I mentioned my other pet hate 🤭 People moaning about back brakes. All back brakes are good….. topic for another day…
For us the sound of the bike is half the enjoyment. From a young age I have always been obsessed with the sounds of engines and standard exhaust these days are just so heavily silenced you can’t hear the bike with earplugs and a helmet on. Glad you like the videos anyway though!!
@@MrDarcy-OlManYou are spot on, mate 👍
Everyone has got his own ride preferences.
Funny, only one side is complaining about the preferences of others 😂.
Ride across Bradford on your commute & the first thing you'll buy is the loudest exhaust you can.
No criticism of you intended, love all the videos. Re third poster, if you rely on a loud exhaust to make you more ‘visible’ in commuter traffic, I’d check my riding style. Again, not an insult, just an observation. Oh I’m not complaining, just observing and as I’ve said, sort of, I’ve ridden, ride A lot; covered 100s of 1000s of miles. Again…. Not a slanging match, just my views.
If you aren't riding bikes because of the sound, then you are riding them for the wrong reasons.
Sound and looks = character is no.1 for me and a dealbreaker for bikes like this cl500.
Nothing beats 270 crank twins with open pipes.
Honda developed a ChatGPT style design app and asked it to build them a ‘scrambler’ from their parts bin and here’s the result! Shame too that Honda’s 500 engine has the soul of a sewing machine.
Ouch...that cuts deep 😂😧
That was my first though: no USD forks (which are more expensive, but just better), terrible display (no rev-counter and poor visibility). The engine: just exists and it is very economical. The competition is much better for the similar price.
Unless your sponsor forbids it, please add chapter marks - or whatever they're called - to the video, so we can reliably skip what does not interest us. We're here for the bikes after all. Cheers
The bit that interests you is made possible by us having sponsorship, otherwise we couldn’t produce the content. UA-cam revenue barely covers expenses, so we need sponsorships. It’s a bit like your boss at work saying I’ll pay you to get here but don’t expect anything else.
@@MrDarcy-OlMan Not questioning your taking on sponsorships. Do they explicitly prohibit you from putting in chapter marks? If not, put them in!
I really like your evolving style of presentation. That aside, it's a Honda. Components, drivability, and other things will be good. It's certainly not their best work when it comes to design. Rushed, perhaps? Too many parts lying around the factory so let's just use them here? Too many things don't work for me... Next...
Dear Darcy Nice Review you have made and Honda CL 500 is most awaited adventure bikes everyone is looking for.Please do a review of QJ Motors and Harley Davidson motorcycle 350X made in China 🎉
This or the RE Interceptor ?
RE 100%
Darcy, Sorry I don't see anything retro. Except the bench seat and maybe the gsges
I think this bike was a desperate styling attempt by Honda to jump on the scrambler stage , it just doesn't look right at all ,though no doubt it will last well and be dependable being a Honda .
Exhaust shape makes it easy to service and repair the engine but it's so fugly
You can't fault Hondas build quality.
But they are the master of dull bikes .
not my cup of tea, but nice review and great place for scenic look.
Love the videos. Not a fan of the bike. Looks like the entire thing was pressed from a mold on a factory floor and spit out at the end. I'd rather sacrifice a bit of reliability to have a bike that provided some character and appeal and evoked some excitement every time I walk into the garage.
I can't see why I would buy this over a CB500X
Totally agree. The CB500x is an awesome bike.
Love these type of bikes…cannot understand the white plastic on it…looks really odd and worse.
Looks cheap. 2025 version is black and looks better (although it is also a cheap plastic).
Its a shame, Honda dont bring the cools models for Brazil, even Rebel dont came
Frankenstein’s monster, especially that exhaust!
ahh ,,, the price ,, for seven grand with those bits - i would be buying the re 650 ;; bit older fashioned looking but sounds a whole lot better for less money ;;; same bhp ,
I quite like it but it's a bit too expensive for me.
If the word “Oof” was a motorcycle, this is it.
I'll keep my super meteor 650,
Looks much better without the horrible beak and instrument cover.
Don’t like it sorry it’s probably ok to ride I have the cb500x and this would be a down grade and compromised by the exhaust I need an all round bike commute, tour with panniers and occasional gravel track.only gripe I have is I had to purchase crash bars,hand guards,power outlet,centre stand,side stand larger pad.and some bikes come standard with some of these items but not from Honda.
If it had like 10hp more, to do a bit more than max out at 85mph… and sat like 1” higher (I’m tall) yep it would be my first bike. As of now I’m still looking.
Get a airhawk , it doesn't max out at 85 and you could do some mods, grow up.
No character in this bike,so think about your needs and buy Cb 500 x or CX 500 rebel if you like Honda.
One thing I don't like is the position of the muffler, which robs the space that a set of saddlebags would occupy. Sorry Honda, it's a no from me.
Umm… if anyone with skirt or shorts pillion on it… does he/she gets their own authentic grilled right legs…😅
Maybe it’s my age 🤔, I’m from the time of Kawasaki Z1’s etc with to my eye beautiful flowing lines, but that bike really jars with me visually , it looks like a total hotch potch of parts loosely tacked together, I remember listening to a top automotive designer, he designed the BMW mini and a host of top flight sports cars, he discussed motorcycle design and said that the the tank should be horizontal or as close to that as possible, Honda appears to have achieved the opposite of that here, maybe it’s designed to appeal to the Asian market? or younger people? but to me it’s just ugly.
Yes! A lot of recent bikes look like a 7 year old kid has drawn a motorcyle "shape".....using glue. Then got his pals to throw bits of metal & rubbish at it until... they'd thrown far too much.
Ha! Right, you are about the ecoboost Mustang!😵💫
It sounds like a food mixer 😂 have to get that exhaust off yuk !
Pretty much everything that Honda makes is well engineered, well made, and entirely lacking of character. It’s an off-white, vanilla, ultra boring yawn of a motorcycle. Perfect for some people, but not for me 😂
Fitted with not 1 but 2, yes 2, utterly useless front mudguards.
Whatever will they think of next.... 🙄
I would give Honda a complete FAIL for that bike. The competition is overwhelming! Even a tunnel can't make it sound good 😁. The only good thing was your review 👍👍.
Thank you! Yes it doesn’t sound great does it haha
a FAIL sound a bit harsh mate haha