Brilliant video very refreshing I’ve just got one recently I’ve had everything from 1150gsa’s t7’s, 300 rally ex iom tt bikes etc, n got my dad a Honda Nx500 an now buying one myself Dad has stage 3b/4 prostate cancer an I got him a t7 as motivation through his treatment it didn’t work out as it was to much for him to handle so we changed plans right away I did some green laning on it then we sold it for a Honda Nx500 an it’s a motorcycle that’s amazed me, We don’t need the green laning capabilities I’m 6’2 32” inseam an it’s perfect for me just fitted a taller screen to try. For me the stand outs were the chassis engine the power delivery of which I really liked on very long rides it’s not snatchy with nice fueling which is refreshing compared to fly by wire bikes you don’t get the disconnect feeling you get with those. Especially with all the speed cameras about :) If you do rev it out they do have a nice powerband for me it’s an engine of two halves :) tour or have fun but I’m used to riding two strokes and smaller cc stuff as much as the big bikes an old Nortons the fun is in working them an keeping the corner speed up :) I think you nailed it when you said perfect travel bike I’m actually just selling my 1150gsa to buy a 2nd one looked at the Transalp yesterday n decided for our use the NX is the better bike, lighter better cog and more manageable. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do but absolutely love it :) Very very underrated bikes in the past we had to reject a Himalayan and 2x 390adv full of issues so it’s great to be back with Honda reliability hoping to ride to Norway next year with dad
Sorry to hear about your dad's health issues. I've had and still have a brain tumour myself and know how hard these things are to deal with. I hope riding will give your dad and you the strength to battle against the illness. I know it helped my mental health so much when I was told I wasn't very likely going to make it. I wish you and your family all the strength you need! I fully agree on the fly by wire. I was surprised myself but I tend to always prefer a wired throttle for better feel. It's hard to explain but somehow the disconnect is there like you said. I left some of the top end "untested" on this vid as the bike is still in its run in period. I ended up buying the thing right after this ride as I did like the bike overall. I'm with you on the didn't expect to like it as much as I did too. I was in Norway with the Tuareg last summer. Maybe there are some trip tips in my video for you two there: ua-cam.com/video/IvkKrskyT6U/v-deo.html Thanks for the comment 🙏
@@PatchedBandit I’m sorry to hear about your health battles as well it’s great to see you riding as well. An you are so correct it’s been amazing for my dads and even my mental health it’s transformed his attitude to everything an the first time he rode it after some surgery before radio therapy he was riding it round the block for an hour! Couldn’t get him off it haha! Waving at him to stop for a break was met with a wave back lol after his radio therapy we were able to do a few longer rides to the Peak District an it really was the perfect purchase as he’s able to ride like he used to. You will love the top end rush once it’s ran in it’s not like a Tenere but approached like something like an rd250lc it comes alive caught me by surprise on some twisty roads at how it comes alive. I never thought I’d move from the 1150gsa but the humble Nx has got me doing. We both watched your video before a dad super enjoyed it I’ll check that Norway video out thanks for sharing :) an thanks for the reply following your build with interest.
Love my NX500. Easiest bike to ride I've ever had. Lack of power keeps me out of trouble with my insurance company. Put a 16 tooth sprocket on the front, and a small windshield extender, both of which improved the to my level of perfection. Can go anywhere all day long. Getting like 300 per tank. I'm very easy on the throttle. Bike has never seen redline yet. I'm 6", have built up the seat with padding and a mesh cover. Leg room is now better than on my DRZ400SM. Thanks for this video.
Thank you for sharing your riding with us. Perhaps Honda does understand better how many people *actually* go deep into difficult terrain with their bikes on tour. Slow and steady, bulletproof reliability may just be what most need in fact. I very much love the small tweak in shaping, colours and such. If Honda deemed it ok, would be nice to have cruise control to help with highway sections, to get some time to roll shoulders, loosen hands.
My experience with this engine is that they loosen up (around 1500km) and feel a lot more energetic and easy revving. Not any faster, but a whole lot quicker. The terrier description - exactly.
I did the southern part of the Norwegian TET on my CB500x on street tiers with a 17” front with no problem. Fast? No. Doable? Totally. Enjoyable. Absolutely 😊
I have 2010 CB500X I have done alot offroad with it, All TET Estonia! Suspension is a little bit soft but i really love the bike! Really good first bike!!!
I ride big bikes. 460 lbs or more. Got a FJ09 (Tracer) right now. Looking at a Goldwing next. My son bought his first bike last month. It's a 2024 Ninja 500. It's a starter bike for sure. I fell in love with the weight and engine. Got me thinking about going smaller now. I like that you can move these things around without getting a hernia, and I like wringing out the engine without feeling like I'm going to rip my arms out of the sockets. This bike looks fun.
I’m 75 and presently riding a BMW 1200GS. Love the BMW but it’s too heavy for me now. The NX500 is a candidate, so is the new Himalayan and CFMoto 450.
Those are all great options. I have only sat on the Himalayan but ergos seem really nice on it. Would love to ride one but in Finland theres no distributor that could give a test ride 🤔 I dont think you can go wrong with wither of these though 🙂 See if you can testride all 3 would be my advice 🙂
I am 193cm with a 32 inseam and 120kg and I have had this bike for 10 months now and ride it pretty much every day. After 16 000km I still haven't added risers. I might look at rox risers or something similar just to give it a go. But rotating the bar 10° forward might be good enough. To be fair I feel like I would almost want the bar to be closer to me, maybe I've got short arms 🤷♂️ For the foot pegs I am using the SRC off-road platform that keeps the stock pegs but replaces the rubber top with a set of aluminum teeth. I might look at lowering the foot pegs down the road cause I do get knee pain after 2hours + of riding with probably a higher seat too (TBD). I've added handguards + crash bars / engine guard also from SRC and switch the tires to Michelin anakee wild (much much better than the Dunlop both on and off road). The Rally raid kit is quite pricey to import in Thailand so if I ever change the stock suspension I'll put YSS. Overall I am really happy with this bike, it's my only vehicle and I use it for pretty much everything from weaving through traffic when I go grocery shopping to long 5hours+ trips. I still feel that what you get at this price point is really unbeatable. As mentioned it's a bike you buy with your brain 😅 It feels sluggish when you first get it but you can really have some fun once you push the gears through the rev range even with my weight on it. Just push the 3rd and 4th gear in the 6500 to 7000 rpm range and the bike will feel more lively (I see too many people driving it in 5th gear at 3500 rpm and complaining about it being sluggish...). Don't get me wrong though, your comment about it being slow is totally justified and it's still not a rocket at all. Maybe that's what I like about it since I know it won't get me on trouble. Anyways thanks a lot for your review and I'll look forward to see what mods you are going to make to that bike. I can tell you one thing for sure, this bike will still be around in 10 years...
Thanks for the comprehensive comment! It's always nice to hear from owners directly. I have a footpeg episode coming later too. I'm putting on adjustable ones to get them in a bit better position. Yeah this kind of engine you neen to redline to get all of it's punch out for sure 😄 I took it a bit chill on the test ride as the engine is in its "running in period". I will however put on some performance upgrades that might interest you too later 🙂 Pretty easy to get some more punch from the stock bike as these small license bikes come out from factory with a pretty chill tune and heavy emissions restrictions.
Well, you took it in single tracks 🎉 that were good to get some feelings from offroads. It looks more city bike, but as said probably with some modifications, it could be good for TET trails.
For travel and casual offroading I think this is a good platform. Anyone needing a bit more internet is full of mods to choose from 😁 MT450 is a better offroad bike straight from the box for sure.
A mild bike, Ismo, but easy to ride, comfortable, reliable and not too expensive or heavy. No adrenaline rush, though ;-) Gotta fix the punctured rear tyre on my CRF 300 L tonight. Günter/Nürnberg
Yes the torque curve on this engine is the flattest I have ever ridden so it doesn't feel at all exiting to ride. This is the same issue with these license limited bikes many times but I liked the bike even though there was not much excitement except the crappy tires 😂 Still a fun little bike. Some big bikes dont feel fun to ride but this was kinda fun 🙂 I like an underdog.
@@PatchedBandit We all like underdogs. Except when we have a flat rear tyre ;-) Next week the CRF 300 L will shovel dirt again with a new tube and a new Bridgestone AX41. Happy weekend, Günter/Nürnberg
Sold it. Maybe I will post a video about the reasons in detail but yeah.. too much headache and bad taste from Aprilia about the issues not being taken seriously.
Min 8.20sec "There is no lot of power..." of course, because You are around 4k RPM That is a small engine which likes to spin. Shift gear down and RevIT 😉 All the Fun starts when you pass 6k. RPM Red line starts at 8500 and top RPM is 8750
This bike is in it's run in period. Mid range feel is pretty clear without going to redline. Offroad bikes rarely live in the redline wanyway and I compare this to it's rivals in the adventurebike segment.
I dont think the bike is ridiculously slow, espicially when you rev it up only to about 6.000 RPM. I think you have to earn the performance with this type of engine. You have to rev it and shif it. Fun doesnt necessarily come with speed or big power. That is the essence of this motorcycle. And anyone who want more power will simply buy a more expensive motorcycle.
No need to tell me. I bought the bike right after this test ride 😄 I LOVE my CRF300 just because it's not perfect at anything. There is still a great amount of joy in riding that little beast that I don't find with many other bikes. The "slow" comment is merely me comparing it to any bike with more than 500cc on the market today. Tuareg Tenere KTM's etc. etc. this bike is very slow and if anyone expects anything else they will be disappointed with this bike. This is why I try to be as honest as I can when I try to describe a bike like this. I can't state that its fast because it's really not. If we talk about the category of mid sized adventurebike consisting of: Tuareg 660, Tenere 700, KTM 790/890, Enfield 450, MT450 etc etc etc.. This is one of the slowest bikes in that segment. Sharing that slow position with Enfield and MT450 doesn't make the bike fast. That needs to be stated clearly and objectively in these videos. My primary goal in these quick ride episodes it to objectively look at the bike in its segment and find the clear differentiations to the competition. Honestly state how the bike feels right out the box. As the bike also was under it's run in period therefore I didn't redline it in this episode but that WILL come later now that I bought it 🤓
Not that I know of but it would be nice to have especially with these adventurebikes. Like Tenere 700 is one of if not the hardest bike to lift that I have ever lifted up myself. Even though on paper it is one of the lightest bikes. I have thought about setting up some kind of standard measuring method for these but its kinda tough to come up with a method that would be the same with every bike. Especially hard without spilling fuel and doing the test without fuel is not really realistic anymore.
Yes, the COG is just a point in the bike,it is located at some height and is easy to measure and report, such as 63 cm. It also has a longitudinal and transversal location but the height is critical. Why it is not reported is beyond me. The CAD software they design the bike with probably reports it, but it is easy to calculate by tilting the bike to an exact angle and measure the forces at different heights. Basic physics, simple stuff for any manufacturer.
May I ask how the headlight is. We've had VStrom 800DE for a year now and the only thing we don't like about it is the trash light throw at night. Wanting to pick up a lighter bike for son when he starts in May, and the NX is right at the top of the list ... 👌
Of the larger Dual Sports I've been following, the 500x falls in w/ the Honda 650L, 450L, KLR650, and the DR650 bikes. I've chosen these & not anything larger so this bike is in the mix of my picks that I'm researching to buy. I'm glad you're given a view on this bike & I doubt it's any good on the dirt but it can do some & it can do speed limits on some highways which is my draw to this particular bike. Nice review, TY much
There's another suspension fix for the main spring under the seat. IT comes off another bike but I've forgotten the swap out bike so I can't drop it yet. IF I come by it, I'll drop it for your opinion on it. It's been 10-11 months ago I came by the swap out but the front change might be best handled by Rally Raid as you suggested. Yup, thanks for reviewing this one, it gets overlooked a lot. peace
Yeah putting it mildly this one gets overlooked by the "ADV crowd". Anyone planning to put serious miles on a bike should definitely have this one in mind also. I was really surprised on how effortlessly this one kept highway speeds and how smooth the twin cyl was doing it. Definitely more comfortable than single cyl options.
Yes Mr Patch, I'm so glad you summed this one up like that b/c I've kept this one on a burner as I research. I've found a few who ride her but not many make the proper comparisons between bikes of similar size or capability? The 3 large bikes I mentioned above are bigger but I think this one fits into the group & for the lack of engine size the way it delivers that power & it's smoother than the 650's as well. This is what I'd come to believe & you've kinda made that look correct to me. Suspension is the main issue I have w/ this bike & as I said, there's another Honda center suspension piece that swaps out exactly but it makes it a better handling bike. I do think the front needs to be better if you plan on too much off the street riding but you've reassured me about the street riding of this bike. This was the only 2 Cyl bike of all of them from 400cc's and up. How fast before you had vibration you didn't like or before it bothered you? 110-120KM p/hr? I'm looking for a smooth 75mph - 85 mph on my Interstate Highways. Hey, thanks.
@@diggy-d8w 120 on the dash the bike wasn't vibrating to a point where it would bother me at all. Maybe not as smooth as the Tuareg 660 is but very much in the same category of bike. I was expecting it to be much more annoying at those speeds but I was happy to notice that it isnt. Even the engine revs are well under control at those speeds in my opinion. What I mean is that the bike didn't feel 'stressed' at the highway at all. There's not a TON of power to accelerate but it kept the pace very well. I would be careful about luggage on this one though. Putting heavy hard panniers on a bike like this is a mistake as the wind resistance and weight are going to be felt so much more than the bigger bikes.
That's the type of information that makes a big difference !! 75mph is my speed limit & if 75 is 100% of your throttle then your bike is not going to be any fun. To me, in order to run smoothly at 75mph, this can be done on an engine that can go 110-120 top end. Not that you are going to ride that fast but that when you are going your speed limit, the engine is revving at 2/3rd's or 3/4qrts of it's top capacity. Does that make sense. It's like, a bike that goes 100, can run nice at 75. 75 is 3/4ths of the 100 top speed. So as I look for a decent bike I need it to have enough engine to go 110 & up. U want to be able to run the engine at about 75% of the top end speeds. I'm not good at explaining this but you've helped me to know this bike can do what I need. I think this bike may go 120mph although I need it to do just 80mph at times to pass but 75mph is my speed limit. 75mph = 120Km p/hr > top 110mph = 177Km so I'm saying I need an engine that can go 177Km p/hr in order to ride smooth at 120Km p/hr >> I hope I explained this correct but you brought this to my attention which I did not know. I lack the proper words to speak about all this - Thank you very much !
Do long wheelbase, heavier ADV bikes have directional stability in Gusty cross-winds? How long & heavy is required for 30+ mph Gusty cross-winds? I've noticed that the ~59" wheelbases weigh ~435 pounds (e.g. NX500, 450MT, 450 Himalayan); ~62" wheelbases weigh ~460 pounds (T7, TransAlp). Having seen that REALLY gusty side-winds can flip a tractor-trailer over, I wonder if ANY motorcycle is directionally stable at highway speeds (even just 60 - 70 mph) in Gusty side-winds? Thanks - for your candid, experienced insights ... which I find valuable.
I fully agree. I repeated myself too much. I will delete a couple of useless short clips of this edit using the youtube editor. I will try to improve on this. I don't have a script on these "quick ride" episodes but I should have edited this a bit better. Thank you for the feedback.
I removed small sections from around 16 and 22 minutes that were repetetive and annoying in my opionion too. The video is nicer to look at now so good feedback is always welcome.
Cast wheels do gravel roads with no issues but spoked wheels can be bought separately if anyone wants to upgrade. A bit costly I admit but it's there if needed. Rally Raid and VMX sell spoked tubed and tubeless options.
Check out my new NX500 build series here: ua-cam.com/play/PLjuLZY6TnpPlrc6xuyQ96B1EaewNsJu2f.html
Brilliant video very refreshing I’ve just got one recently I’ve had everything from 1150gsa’s t7’s, 300 rally ex iom tt bikes etc, n got my dad a Honda Nx500 an now buying one myself
Dad has stage 3b/4 prostate cancer an I got him a t7 as motivation through his treatment it didn’t work out as it was to much for him to handle so we changed plans right away I did some green laning on it then we sold it for a Honda Nx500 an it’s a motorcycle that’s amazed me,
We don’t need the green laning capabilities I’m 6’2 32” inseam an it’s perfect for me just fitted a taller screen to try.
For me the stand outs were the chassis engine the power delivery of which I really liked on very long rides it’s not snatchy with nice fueling which is refreshing compared to fly by wire bikes you don’t get the disconnect feeling you get with those. Especially with all the speed cameras about :)
If you do rev it out they do have a nice powerband for me it’s an engine of two halves :) tour or have fun but I’m used to riding two strokes and smaller cc stuff as much as the big bikes an old Nortons the fun is in working them an keeping the corner speed up :)
I think you nailed it when you said perfect travel bike I’m actually just selling my 1150gsa to buy a 2nd one looked at the Transalp yesterday n decided for our use the NX is the better bike, lighter better cog and more manageable.
I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do but absolutely love it :)
Very very underrated bikes in the past we had to reject a Himalayan and 2x 390adv full of issues so it’s great to be back with Honda reliability hoping to ride to Norway next year with dad
Sorry to hear about your dad's health issues. I've had and still have a brain tumour myself and know how hard these things are to deal with. I hope riding will give your dad and you the strength to battle against the illness. I know it helped my mental health so much when I was told I wasn't very likely going to make it. I wish you and your family all the strength you need!
I fully agree on the fly by wire. I was surprised myself but I tend to always prefer a wired throttle for better feel. It's hard to explain but somehow the disconnect is there like you said.
I left some of the top end "untested" on this vid as the bike is still in its run in period. I ended up buying the thing right after this ride as I did like the bike overall.
I'm with you on the didn't expect to like it as much as I did too. I was in Norway with the Tuareg last summer. Maybe there are some trip tips in my video for you two there: ua-cam.com/video/IvkKrskyT6U/v-deo.html
Thanks for the comment 🙏
@@PatchedBandit I’m sorry to hear about your health battles as well it’s great to see you riding as well. An you are so correct it’s been amazing for my dads and even my mental health it’s transformed his attitude to everything an the first time he rode it after some surgery before radio therapy he was riding it round the block for an hour!
Couldn’t get him off it haha! Waving at him to stop for a break was met with a wave back lol after his radio therapy we were able to do a few longer rides to the Peak District an it really was the perfect purchase as he’s able to ride like he used to.
You will love the top end rush once it’s ran in it’s not like a Tenere but approached like something like an rd250lc it comes alive caught me by surprise on some twisty roads at how it comes alive. I never thought I’d move from the 1150gsa but the humble Nx has got me doing.
We both watched your video before a dad super enjoyed it I’ll check that Norway video out thanks for sharing :) an thanks for the reply following your build with interest.
Love my NX500. Easiest bike to ride I've ever had. Lack of power keeps me out of trouble with my insurance company. Put a 16 tooth sprocket on the front, and a small windshield extender, both of which improved the to my level of perfection. Can go anywhere all day long. Getting like 300 per tank. I'm very easy on the throttle. Bike has never seen redline yet. I'm 6", have built up the seat with padding and a mesh cover. Leg room is now better than on my DRZ400SM. Thanks for this video.
Stay tuned.. a lot more coming 😉
You should get 450 to 500 km per tank.
Thank you for sharing your riding with us. Perhaps Honda does understand better how many people *actually* go deep into difficult terrain with their bikes on tour. Slow and steady, bulletproof reliability may just be what most need in fact. I very much love the small tweak in shaping, colours and such. If Honda deemed it ok, would be nice to have cruise control to help with highway sections, to get some time to roll shoulders, loosen hands.
My experience with this engine is that they loosen up (around 1500km) and feel a lot more energetic and easy revving. Not any faster, but a whole lot quicker. The terrier description - exactly.
your going to love it. Had mine for about 5 months. Get 75 MPG Imp. excellent on gas
Excellent review, you got me thinking about buying one :)
21:45 That’s all I needed to hear to convince me.
I did the southern part of the Norwegian TET on my CB500x on street tiers with a 17” front with no problem. Fast? No. Doable? Totally. Enjoyable. Absolutely 😊
I have 2010 CB500X I have done alot offroad with it, All TET Estonia! Suspension is a little bit soft but i really love the bike! Really good first bike!!!
No doubt. Stay tuned.. interesting stuff coming 😁
I ride big bikes. 460 lbs or more. Got a FJ09 (Tracer) right now. Looking at a Goldwing next. My son bought his first bike last month. It's a 2024 Ninja 500. It's a starter bike for sure. I fell in love with the weight and engine. Got me thinking about going smaller now. I like that you can move these things around without getting a hernia, and I like wringing out the engine without feeling like I'm going to rip my arms out of the sockets. This bike looks fun.
And it's a Honda so it can take all the wringing needs you have 😁
I’m 75 and presently riding a BMW 1200GS. Love the BMW but it’s too heavy for me now. The NX500 is a candidate, so is the new Himalayan and CFMoto 450.
Those are all great options. I have only sat on the Himalayan but ergos seem really nice on it. Would love to ride one but in Finland theres no distributor that could give a test ride 🤔
I dont think you can go wrong with wither of these though 🙂
See if you can testride all 3 would be my advice 🙂
I am 193cm with a 32 inseam and 120kg and I have had this bike for 10 months now and ride it pretty much every day.
After 16 000km I still haven't added risers. I might look at rox risers or something similar just to give it a go. But rotating the bar 10° forward might be good enough.
To be fair I feel like I would almost want the bar to be closer to me, maybe I've got short arms 🤷♂️
For the foot pegs I am using the SRC off-road platform that keeps the stock pegs but replaces the rubber top with a set of aluminum teeth.
I might look at lowering the foot pegs down the road cause I do get knee pain after 2hours + of riding with probably a higher seat too (TBD).
I've added handguards + crash bars / engine guard also from SRC and switch the tires to Michelin anakee wild (much much better than the Dunlop both on and off road).
The Rally raid kit is quite pricey to import in Thailand so if I ever change the stock suspension I'll put YSS.
Overall I am really happy with this bike, it's my only vehicle and I use it for pretty much everything from weaving through traffic when I go grocery shopping to long 5hours+ trips.
I still feel that what you get at this price point is really unbeatable.
As mentioned it's a bike you buy with your brain 😅
It feels sluggish when you first get it but you can really have some fun once you push the gears through the rev range even with my weight on it.
Just push the 3rd and 4th gear in the 6500 to 7000 rpm range and the bike will feel more lively (I see too many people driving it in 5th gear at 3500 rpm and complaining about it being sluggish...).
Don't get me wrong though, your comment about it being slow is totally justified and it's still not a rocket at all. Maybe that's what I like about it since I know it won't get me on trouble.
Anyways thanks a lot for your review and I'll look forward to see what mods you are going to make to that bike.
I can tell you one thing for sure, this bike will still be around in 10 years...
Thanks for the comprehensive comment! It's always nice to hear from owners directly.
I have a footpeg episode coming later too. I'm putting on adjustable ones to get them in a bit better position.
Yeah this kind of engine you neen to redline to get all of it's punch out for sure 😄 I took it a bit chill on the test ride as the engine is in its "running in period".
I will however put on some performance upgrades that might interest you too later 🙂 Pretty easy to get some more punch from the stock bike as these small license bikes come out from factory with a pretty chill tune and heavy emissions restrictions.
Well, you took it in single tracks 🎉 that were good to get some feelings from offroads. It looks more city bike, but as said probably with some modifications, it could be good for TET trails.
For travel and casual offroading I think this is a good platform. Anyone needing a bit more internet is full of mods to choose from 😁 MT450 is a better offroad bike straight from the box for sure.
A mild bike, Ismo, but easy to ride, comfortable, reliable and not too expensive or heavy. No adrenaline rush, though ;-) Gotta fix the punctured rear tyre on my CRF 300 L tonight. Günter/Nürnberg
Yes the torque curve on this engine is the flattest I have ever ridden so it doesn't feel at all exiting to ride. This is the same issue with these license limited bikes many times but I liked the bike even though there was not much excitement except the crappy tires 😂
Still a fun little bike. Some big bikes dont feel fun to ride but this was kinda fun 🙂 I like an underdog.
@@PatchedBandit We all like underdogs. Except when we have a flat rear tyre ;-) Next week the CRF 300 L will shovel dirt again with a new tube and a new Bridgestone AX41. Happy weekend, Günter/Nürnberg
Thanks for this, Bandit! 👍 What hapened to the Tuareg? Stay safe 👍
Sold it. Maybe I will post a video about the reasons in detail but yeah.. too much headache and bad taste from Aprilia about the issues not being taken seriously.
OK, Get it 👍 Thanks anyway. And best of luck with this new project! 👍
Min 8.20sec "There is no lot of power..." of course, because You are around 4k RPM
That is a small engine which likes to spin. Shift gear down and RevIT 😉
All the Fun starts when you pass 6k. RPM
Red line starts at 8500 and top RPM is 8750
This bike is in it's run in period. Mid range feel is pretty clear without going to redline. Offroad bikes rarely live in the redline wanyway and I compare this to it's rivals in the adventurebike segment.
BTW the engine has many owners reporting over 200,000 miles and one that I know of is over the 300k mark, it's good!
Honda 🥰
I bought this bike (cb500x) in 2019 but it stole my heart (that's what she said 🤣)
Hope you buy one and bring it around the world
More coming soon ;-)
I dont think the bike is ridiculously slow, espicially when you rev it up only to about 6.000 RPM. I think you have to earn the performance with this type of engine. You have to rev it and shif it. Fun doesnt necessarily come with speed or big power. That is the essence of this motorcycle. And anyone who want more power will simply buy a more expensive motorcycle.
No need to tell me. I bought the bike right after this test ride 😄 I LOVE my CRF300 just because it's not perfect at anything. There is still a great amount of joy in riding that little beast that I don't find with many other bikes.
The "slow" comment is merely me comparing it to any bike with more than 500cc on the market today. Tuareg Tenere KTM's etc. etc. this bike is very slow and if anyone expects anything else they will be disappointed with this bike. This is why I try to be as honest as I can when I try to describe a bike like this. I can't state that its fast because it's really not.
If we talk about the category of mid sized adventurebike consisting of: Tuareg 660, Tenere 700, KTM 790/890, Enfield 450, MT450 etc etc etc.. This is one of the slowest bikes in that segment. Sharing that slow position with Enfield and MT450 doesn't make the bike fast. That needs to be stated clearly and objectively in these videos.
My primary goal in these quick ride episodes it to objectively look at the bike in its segment and find the clear differentiations to the competition. Honestly state how the bike feels right out the box.
As the bike also was under it's run in period therefore I didn't redline it in this episode but that WILL come later now that I bought it 🤓
Terrific review and very much appreciated the center of gravity demonstration! Is there a standard objective measure of motorcycle center of gravity?
Not that I know of but it would be nice to have especially with these adventurebikes. Like Tenere 700 is one of if not the hardest bike to lift that I have ever lifted up myself. Even though on paper it is one of the lightest bikes.
I have thought about setting up some kind of standard measuring method for these but its kinda tough to come up with a method that would be the same with every bike.
Especially hard without spilling fuel and doing the test without fuel is not really realistic anymore.
Yes, the COG is just a point in the bike,it is located at some height and is easy to measure and report, such as 63 cm. It also has a longitudinal and transversal location but the height is critical. Why it is not reported is beyond me. The CAD software they design the bike with probably reports it, but it is easy to calculate by tilting the bike to an exact angle and measure the forces at different heights. Basic physics, simple stuff for any manufacturer.
I have one iv put lower foot pegs bar risers and a wind deflector.
May I ask how the headlight is. We've had VStrom 800DE for a year now and the only thing we don't like about it is the trash light throw at night. Wanting to pick up a lighter bike for son when he starts in May, and the NX is right at the top of the list ... 👌
Pretty much the same as any other bike. If you do a lot of night rides extra lights are recommended.
@@PatchedBandit 🙏🙏👍
Of the larger Dual Sports I've been following, the 500x falls in w/ the Honda 650L, 450L, KLR650, and the DR650 bikes. I've chosen these & not
anything larger so this bike is in the mix of my picks that I'm researching to buy. I'm glad you're given a view on this bike & I doubt it's any good
on the dirt but it can do some & it can do speed limits on some highways which is my draw to this particular bike. Nice review, TY much
There's another suspension fix for the main spring under the seat. IT comes off another bike but I've forgotten the swap out bike so
I can't drop it yet. IF I come by it, I'll drop it for your opinion on it. It's been 10-11 months ago I came by the swap out but the front
change might be best handled by Rally Raid as you suggested. Yup, thanks for reviewing this one, it gets overlooked a lot. peace
Yeah putting it mildly this one gets overlooked by the "ADV crowd". Anyone planning to put serious miles on a bike should definitely have this one in mind also.
I was really surprised on how effortlessly this one kept highway speeds and how smooth the twin cyl was doing it. Definitely more comfortable than single cyl options.
Yes Mr Patch, I'm so glad you summed this one up like that b/c I've kept this one on a burner as I research. I've found a few who ride
her but not many make the proper comparisons between bikes of similar size or capability? The 3 large bikes I mentioned above are
bigger but I think this one fits into the group & for the lack of engine size the way it delivers that power & it's smoother than the 650's
as well. This is what I'd come to believe & you've kinda made that look correct to me. Suspension is the main issue I have w/ this
bike & as I said, there's another Honda center suspension piece that swaps out exactly but it makes it a better handling bike. I do
think the front needs to be better if you plan on too much off the street riding but you've reassured me about the street riding of
this bike. This was the only 2 Cyl bike of all of them from 400cc's and up. How fast before you had vibration you didn't like or
before it bothered you? 110-120KM p/hr? I'm looking for a smooth 75mph - 85 mph on my Interstate Highways. Hey, thanks.
@@diggy-d8w 120 on the dash the bike wasn't vibrating to a point where it would bother me at all. Maybe not as smooth as the Tuareg 660 is but very much in the same category of bike.
I was expecting it to be much more annoying at those speeds but I was happy to notice that it isnt.
Even the engine revs are well under control at those speeds in my opinion. What I mean is that the bike didn't feel 'stressed' at the highway at all. There's not a TON of power to accelerate but it kept the pace very well.
I would be careful about luggage on this one though. Putting heavy hard panniers on a bike like this is a mistake as the wind resistance and weight are going to be felt so much more than the bigger bikes.
That's the type of information that makes a big difference !! 75mph is my speed limit & if 75 is 100% of your throttle then your bike is
not going to be any fun. To me, in order to run smoothly at 75mph, this can be done on an engine that can go 110-120 top end. Not
that you are going to ride that fast but that when you are going your speed limit, the engine is revving at 2/3rd's or 3/4qrts of it's top
capacity. Does that make sense. It's like, a bike that goes 100, can run nice at 75. 75 is 3/4ths of the 100 top speed. So as I look
for a decent bike I need it to have enough engine to go 110 & up. U want to be able to run the engine at about 75% of the top end
speeds. I'm not good at explaining this but you've helped me to know this bike can do what I need. I think this bike may go 120mph
although I need it to do just 80mph at times to pass but 75mph is my speed limit. 75mph = 120Km p/hr > top 110mph = 177Km so
I'm saying I need an engine that can go 177Km p/hr in order to ride smooth at 120Km p/hr >> I hope I explained this correct but
you brought this to my attention which I did not know. I lack the proper words to speak about all this - Thank you very much !
Thanks
Great review thanks for the ride. Where are you from?
Finland 🇫🇮😄
Great review! How does this compare to the cfmoto 450?
Way more road biased than MT450 as a stock bike
They should plop that engine in the crf rally
Someone did that conversion 😄 maybe I should push one on my CRF300L 😄
Would sell so well if they did. Quite a few people have done it themselves
I had the 300 rally .yes it would sell well with that engine.
Do long wheelbase, heavier ADV bikes have directional stability in Gusty cross-winds? How long & heavy is required for 30+ mph Gusty cross-winds?
I've noticed that the ~59" wheelbases weigh ~435 pounds (e.g. NX500, 450MT, 450 Himalayan); ~62" wheelbases weigh ~460 pounds (T7, TransAlp).
Having seen that REALLY gusty side-winds can flip a tractor-trailer over, I wonder if ANY motorcycle is directionally stable at highway speeds (even just 60 - 70 mph) in Gusty side-winds?
Thanks - for your candid, experienced insights ... which I find valuable.
In the US we need to be able to run at 130 kph to keep up on the highways.
@@geedoubleu641 True. Might not be the best experience on this bike.. but lifting this up is way more fun than an Africatwin 😂✌️
Compare to v strom 650 ????
I've never ridden the Vstrom but I will try to do that next summer 🙂
I would have gotten this bike over the V-Strom 800 I got if this had ride by wire.
Who needs that?
@ekimandersom4478 for cruise control for my longer trips.
Is the 800 even comparable? The 800 has way more power and a bigger bike. The DE is really nice off-road. Comfortable for an all day ride.
Quick Ride Playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLjuLZY6TnpPlB0U9Qwgfek6l6R6CwIQ21.html
Easily does the speed limit so not that slow really….
In the vague category of mid size adventurebikes this is one of the slowest. So I can't state in the video that the bike is fast now can I 😁
Man, the swerving from side to side, had to stop watching!
Maybe ATVs are more suitable for you 🤓
@@PatchedBandit Sure, is the swerving to work out how it handles, lols
I do it with new bikes to get a feel on the handling. Dont really think about it that much its just a habit I guess.
@@PatchedBandit I do the same on new bikes, also don’t really think about it. Just a good way to feel out the weight, handling etc
Not enough swerving for my liking 😂
This constant talk about how slow this bike is is really annoying. 👎👎
I fully agree. I repeated myself too much. I will delete a couple of useless short clips of this edit using the youtube editor.
I will try to improve on this. I don't have a script on these "quick ride" episodes but I should have edited this a bit better.
Thank you for the feedback.
I removed small sections from around 16 and 22 minutes that were repetetive and annoying in my opionion too. The video is nicer to look at now so good feedback is always welcome.
@@PatchedBandit 😉
u cant call it adventure if its has no spoke wheels
Cast wheels do gravel roads with no issues but spoked wheels can be bought separately if anyone wants to upgrade. A bit costly I admit but it's there if needed.
Rally Raid and VMX sell spoked tubed and tubeless options.
Lol what?