Excellent Sven. You obviously have invested a lot in your CB500X, making it ideal for your purpose. Thank you for the video and for speaking in English.
Sven, thank you for the detailed review! I plan to buy CB500X as my first bike. Your previous reviews helped me a lot, and also rally raid is something that I'll need once I get some millage. Keep up the good work, you have a subscription from me!
Most excellent, thank you for thorough review! Glad your enjoying your bike, I couldn’t remember did you go with a 39 tooth sprocket in the back or 16 tooth in the front or kept stock?
Good video, my only reservation going this route would be the combined price of the bike & upgrades gets close to what a new T7 costs (and will do pretty much out of the box) especially as a new CB500x costs 6k here in the u.k. Buy a used low mileage CB though, fit the rally raid parts & you have a very capable adventure bike for 2/3 the price of a T7, with better fuel consumption & range - and probably better long distance comfort for most riders too.
Agree, the T7 is very competitive priced and the gap between the T7 and a new CB500X with full Rally Raid upgrade is small. There are pros and cons for both bikes when comparing them and I think it depends on what the usage will be. The CB500X RR is a lot more allrounder than the T7. Better in the city, better for commuting, better for very long trips (because of fuel capacity and consumption) and it is capable enough for most people off road. The T7 is very capable off road. The extra power may be useful in some situations (and fun). The soft suspension and bigger wheels soaks up the bumps a lot better. It is also much better to ride when standing, as you do a lot when doing off road.
@@thetubelesschannel Yes the T7 is very capable off-road, there's a few videos on y.t of (very good) riders going crazy fast on bumpy tracks, keeping up with much lighter, dedicated dirt bikes. Of course, most riders would quickly end up in hospital if they tried going this fast off-road on a 200 kg bike : )
@@thetubelesschannel Yep - dual purpose bikes & even 4x4 cars & trucks, no matter how much they cost new, you always have to spend more to get them to do the job properly.
@@thetubelesschannel Also, the two video's i watched of riders going fast on T7's, incredibly, both riders claimed the bikes were completely stock. Apart from being very skilled, they both looked to be smaller guys weighing probably 160 kg or below, so bottoming out was less of an issue.
Thanks, yes it became better also on the tarmac. I wouldn't say a big difference but noticeable. Bit more plush but still firm enough to do corners fast.
Great video as always Sven but maybe a mention of any shortcomings of the kit or bike with kit installed? Anything you don’t like or that you feel Is Limited? Or is at all Perfect and amazing?
I think the minuses is very minor. Two things....the way the external reservoir is mounted.....its a tiny bit to near my right leg (get used to that) and I didn't like the fastening bands....looks a bit unprofessional. The engine guard could probably be mounted a bit closer to the catalyzer to get more ground clearance. A positive not mentioned: The instructions from RR is very instructive, making install easy.
When it comes to the bike it self, one has to remember it is a very simple fork of the conventional type (not USD). That limits the possibilities to make the fork better. I think the rear is better than the front. The bike it self also limits how much longer suspension travel (and ground clearance) it is possible to achieve. To make trailriding more comfortable you will need more suspension travel and a bit softer setup. If the travel is short it has to be stiffer to prevent bottoming out. I think. These limits is in the bike, the RR-kit does what is possible on the basis of the bike :-) Thats said....I doubt I will ride any bike harder or faster than I do with the CB500X offroad. So for me its just enough.
Sven Olsen now that was an awesome response. Maybe worth recapping in another video? Thanks so much for taking the time to consider it all and explain. Very helpful. 👍🏻👍🏻 be well Sven. You and your family!
Great video, thanks! I am 71 and just street ride with a 2007 Honda VFR. I never "played in the dirt" very much but am considering a CB500x. There doesn't appear to be much difference in the 2019-2021 so it might make more sense for me to buy a used 2019 and have a few more dollars do the upgrades you have.....thoughts? Thanks again for the informative video!
Yes if you get an 2019 model it is the same bike as a new 21. If you are going to do a lot offroad I would upgrade the suspension and wheels. If you only occationally wants to go gravel roads or light offroad, just put some 50/50 tires on the bike :-) And use saved money for gasoline, insurance and service.
Hey Sven! Been considering the rally raid level 2 kit recently but I keep shying away from it because I can't use a center stand- I don't mind the extra weight and I care about cleaning/maintaining my chain on very long trips- how do you get around this when you are traveling and need to do chain maintence or need to load up the bike level (not leaning on sidestand)?
I use a trail stick...push the bike over the side stand and secure it with the trail stick...I dont need to get the bike level, just get the rear wheel up from the ground.
Hello Sven! Great video, as always, and I really enjoy your content--very fun to watch both your touring videos and your upgrade videos. I have a question for you: I am 59 years old, 185.4 cm tall, 80.74 kg, and I have not ridden motorcycles for decades (since I was growing up), and I thought for sure the cb 500x would be the right bike (50/50 riding on road and off road on dirt roads/forest roads/mountain roads but no technical single track riding)--I sat on a 500 x for the 1st time this past weekend and found the stock bike to give me a slightly uncomfortable knee bend angle (I have an achey, arthritic right knee though not too bad yet). Did the Rally Raid work on the CB 500 x result in a more up right, less knee bent riding position in your opinion? I thought I read or heard somewhere that a Seat Comforts seat may boos you up on the 500 x, also. May have to look at other bikes (maybe a ktm 390 adventure or bmw g 310 gs perhaps) if I cannot find a more comfortable riding position. Thanks in advance for any input you may have--I just want a manageable (not too much weight or horsepower) adventure style bike to learn on/sharpen my skills so I did not want to go beyond 500 cc for the bike I buy.
Hi, the Rally Raid kit does not improve or change knee angel at all. What would help will be a higher seat and to lower the footpegs. With a higher seat and your height you will probably also need a higher wind screen.
Easiest way is to buy a slip on. 1-2 hp more and lower weight. And still legal. You may also change the pipes, but then you will have to tune the engine controller to get the right fuel mix and it will not comply to some rules.
You should check with Rally Raid Products. What I paid is no more relevant as its many years ago and we have a different exchange, VAT and postage rate.
Tja. 👍👍👍 Ser veldig greit ut, helle opplegget..., men skulle ikke en Husqvarna som din kompis kjører koste omtrent det samme, med langt badre dempere mer kraft, TC, befre bakkeklating....? Den er også lettere. Et komfortsete og vindskjerm er de eneste som Hq701 manglet - ut av butikken.... 🤔 Vel, smak og behag...
Prisforskjellen er over 25000 kroner, det er da ikke nesten det samme? Husqvarna 701 og ikke minst Tenere 700 er nok de som ligger nærmest i pris, flotte sykler som jeg godt kunne kjøpt. Men det er noe med alt. Mer krefter gir høyere bensinforbruk, bedre fjæringsveg gir også en høyere sykkel. De er nok noe mindre komfortable på laaange turer. De har også mindre tank og ingen av dem har felger for TL dekk. Jeg er ikke i tvil om hvilken av de tre jeg ville valgt for en world around trip som jeg planla da jeg kjøpte Hondaen. Savner ikke TC på Hondaen, på sterkere sykler er det en fordel. For totalprisen av min har jeg to hjulsett. Legg det til de to andre og prisforskjellen blir enda større.Og så har jeg hatt gleden av å bygge en sykkel som passer godt til mitt formål. :-)
You appear to have spent a lot of money upgrading your bike. Do you think you could have bought a motorcycle that already had the upgrades as a standard feature, gof the same price you gave paid girvthe bike and the upgrades?
The closest is Tenere 700, the price difference would still be quite a lot, even more if you should buy an extra wheel set for the Yama. T7 is a great bike I could buy, better than the Honda in some ways, for example power, ground clearance, suspension, but it is higher, heavier, higher fuel consumption, smaller tank, less comfortable on long trips, TT rims. LED blinkers is not standard as on the Honda.......to mention some things...most T7 owners spend a lot money on their bikes also to make them like they want.
Chris, that was my consideration when choosing my bike, problem is bikes from the showroom generally are not fully ready for off road except KTM and still cost Upwards of £13000, I feel getting a Cb500x for half that then upgrading with topnotch parts still gives you a cheaper lighter bike. I'm picking mine up tomorrow and already have a box of RR bits to fit for protection but no wheels or suspension yet. It all personal choice I feel.
Thanks for your replies guys. I live in Thailand and own a Honda CRF 250 which isn't very comfortable, especially for 2. Since the 2019 CB500X came out I've been very close to getting one. It costs £5,600 pounds here in Thailand ,which is really cheap. It's just the expense of the upgrades that put me off. Importing parts to upgrade is very expensive in Thailand.
Za te pare koliko si ti dao za motorcikl i za zamenske komponente, mogao si da kupiš mnogo ozbiljniji enduro motrcikl i da pri tom ne moraš ništa da menjaš.
Uz isti komfor, ekonomičnost goriva, raspon goriva i pouzdanost? I isti niski troškovi početnog ulaganja? Sumnjam. :-) Nemam potrebu za više enduro sposobnosti nego što ovaj bicikl daje meni i njegov je odličan all-round. Također se sjetite da imam dodatni kotač za cijenu od 2 kočnica i 2 aps pulsa.
Excellent Sven. You obviously have invested a lot in your CB500X, making it ideal for your purpose. Thank you for the video and for speaking in English.
Thanks , I do my best with the English :-)
Many more miles to you sir! You’re such an inspiration! Love from India !!
Thanks :-) Love from Norway !
Very Helpful! Thanks from the UK :)
Glad to hear that :-) Cheers !
You have transformed one Audi Q5 into a Toyota HZJ76. Good job!!!
Sven, thank you for the detailed review! I plan to buy CB500X as my first bike. Your previous reviews helped me a lot, and also rally raid is something that I'll need once I get some millage.
Keep up the good work, you have a subscription from me!
Thanks for subscribing. Glad to hear the videos is useful :-)
Excellent detailed review!
Thanks
Thanks, best regards from Slovakia
Great review, very well explained!
Man you keep her clean!
awesome review thanks Sven I've been looking at a cb500x or a himalayan for my dream trip to Norway Iceland an Denmark :)
Welcome to Norway :-)
I’ve had both 👍😉
Most excellent, thank you for thorough review! Glad your enjoying your bike, I couldn’t remember did you go with a 39 tooth sprocket in the back or 16 tooth in the front or kept stock?
Thanks, I have kept stock, to few wide fast riding roads here to get use of different gearing :-)
Good video, my only reservation going this route would be the combined price of the bike & upgrades gets close to what a new T7 costs (and will do pretty much out of the box) especially as a new CB500x costs 6k here in the u.k. Buy a used low mileage CB though, fit the rally raid parts & you have a very capable adventure bike for 2/3 the price of a T7, with better fuel consumption & range - and probably better long distance comfort for most riders too.
Agree, the T7 is very competitive priced and the gap between the T7 and a new CB500X with full Rally Raid upgrade is small. There are pros and cons for both bikes when comparing them and I think it depends on what the usage will be. The CB500X RR is a lot more allrounder than the T7. Better in the city, better for commuting, better for very long trips (because of fuel capacity and consumption) and it is capable enough for most people off road. The T7 is very capable off road. The extra power may be useful in some situations (and fun). The soft suspension and bigger wheels soaks up the bumps a lot better. It is also much better to ride when standing, as you do a lot when doing off road.
@@thetubelesschannel Yes the T7 is very capable off-road, there's a few videos on y.t of (very good) riders going crazy fast on bumpy tracks, keeping up with much lighter, dedicated dirt bikes. Of course, most riders would quickly end up in hospital if they tried going this fast off-road on a 200 kg bike : )
@@nosherz those who goes very fast offroad with the T7 may want to upgrade suspension to a firmer setup...to prevent bottoming it out...
@@thetubelesschannel Yep - dual purpose bikes & even 4x4 cars & trucks, no matter how much they cost new, you always have to spend more to get them to do the job properly.
@@thetubelesschannel Also, the two video's i watched of riders going fast on T7's, incredibly, both riders claimed the bikes were completely stock. Apart from being very skilled, they both looked to be smaller guys weighing probably 160 kg or below, so bottoming out was less of an issue.
Great vid thanks. Do you find the comfort / plushness of the upgraded suspension on the road makes a big difference?
Thanks, yes it became better also on the tarmac. I wouldn't say a big difference but noticeable. Bit more plush but still firm enough to do corners fast.
Merci beaucoup l'Ami !
CB500X=1, Mobile home=0......... :^) I didn't expect that!
Haha nor did I....
Great video as always Sven but maybe a mention of any shortcomings of the kit or bike with kit installed? Anything you don’t like or that you feel Is Limited? Or is at all Perfect and amazing?
I think the minuses is very minor. Two things....the way the external reservoir is mounted.....its a tiny bit to near my right leg (get used to that) and I didn't like the fastening bands....looks a bit unprofessional. The engine guard could probably be mounted a bit closer to the catalyzer to get more ground clearance. A positive not mentioned: The instructions from RR is very instructive, making install easy.
When it comes to the bike it self, one has to remember it is a very simple fork of the conventional type (not USD). That limits the possibilities to make the fork better. I think the rear is better than the front. The bike it self also limits how much longer suspension travel (and ground clearance) it is possible to achieve. To make trailriding more comfortable you will need more suspension travel and a bit softer setup. If the travel is short it has to be stiffer to prevent bottoming out. I think. These limits is in the bike, the RR-kit does what is possible on the basis of the bike :-) Thats said....I doubt I will ride any bike harder or faster than I do with the CB500X offroad. So for me its just enough.
Sven Olsen now that was an awesome response. Maybe worth recapping in another video? Thanks so much for taking the time to consider it all and explain. Very helpful. 👍🏻👍🏻 be well Sven. You and your family!
@@Phoeff99 thanks and same for you and yours !
Great video, thanks! I am 71 and just street ride with a 2007 Honda VFR. I never "played in the dirt" very much but am considering a CB500x. There doesn't appear to be much difference in the 2019-2021 so it might make more sense for me to buy a used 2019 and have a few more dollars do the upgrades you have.....thoughts? Thanks again for the informative video!
Yes if you get an 2019 model it is the same bike as a new 21. If you are going to do a lot offroad I would upgrade the suspension and wheels. If you only occationally wants to go gravel roads or light offroad, just put some 50/50 tires on the bike :-) And use saved money for gasoline, insurance and service.
@@thetubelesschannel thanks for getting back to me, and for the advice!
Hey Sven! Been considering the rally raid level 2 kit recently but I keep shying away from it because I can't use a center stand- I don't mind the extra weight and I care about cleaning/maintaining my chain on very long trips- how do you get around this when you are traveling and need to do chain maintence or need to load up the bike level (not leaning on sidestand)?
I use a trail stick...push the bike over the side stand and secure it with the trail stick...I dont need to get the bike level, just get the rear wheel up from the ground.
Sven, your cb500x, on the road with trunk,, wobbling handlebar,, beetween 60 and 70 km/h/?
Never felt any wobbling !
i Olsen.
nice to see your Ténéré.
but i have a question about the CB500X.
where did you buy your rally rims?
Rally Raid Products in UK
Great review. Do you service your bike at home or dealers?
Saj. R at dealer 😊
hahaha you crashed into a mobile home!? holy cow. glad you're okay
Thanks :-)
Hello Sven! Great video, as always, and I really enjoy your content--very fun to watch both your touring videos and your upgrade videos. I have a question for you: I am 59 years old, 185.4 cm tall, 80.74 kg, and I have not ridden motorcycles for decades (since I was growing up), and I thought for sure the cb 500x would be the right bike (50/50 riding on road and off road on dirt roads/forest roads/mountain roads but no technical single track riding)--I sat on a 500 x for the 1st time this past weekend and found the stock bike to give me a slightly uncomfortable knee bend angle (I have an achey, arthritic right knee though not too bad yet). Did the Rally Raid work on the CB 500 x result in a more up right, less knee bent riding position in your opinion? I thought I read or heard somewhere that a Seat Comforts seat may boos you up on the 500 x, also. May have to look at other bikes (maybe a ktm 390 adventure or bmw g 310 gs perhaps) if I cannot find a more comfortable riding position. Thanks in advance for any input you may have--I just want a manageable (not too much weight or horsepower) adventure style bike to learn on/sharpen my skills so I did not want to go beyond 500 cc for the bike I buy.
Hi, the Rally Raid kit does not improve or change knee angel at all. What would help will be a higher seat and to lower the footpegs. With a higher seat and your height you will probably also need a higher wind screen.
Hi Sven, great video thank you! One question can this engine be tuned for more power and how? Tak!
Easiest way is to buy a slip on. 1-2 hp more and lower weight. And still legal. You may also change the pipes, but then you will have to tune the engine controller to get the right fuel mix and it will not comply to some rules.
How are you liking those Angel GTs, Sven??
So far I like them....too early to judge longevity but grips on dry tarmac is good. Not ridden them a lot in wet yet...but seems ok.
Sir how much it costs spokes wheels set....
Thanks in advance
You should check with Rally Raid Products. What I paid is no more relevant as its many years ago and we have a different exchange, VAT and postage rate.
Hi Sven, have you had issues with the Scorpion exhaust? Mine is leaking at the joint closest to the exhaust that you cant take apart
Publik Video no issues so far
Tja. 👍👍👍 Ser veldig greit ut, helle opplegget..., men skulle ikke en Husqvarna som din kompis kjører koste omtrent det samme, med langt badre dempere mer kraft, TC, befre bakkeklating....? Den er også lettere. Et komfortsete og vindskjerm er de eneste som Hq701 manglet - ut av butikken.... 🤔 Vel, smak og behag...
Prisforskjellen er over 25000 kroner, det er da ikke nesten det samme? Husqvarna 701 og ikke minst Tenere 700 er nok de som ligger nærmest i pris, flotte sykler som jeg godt kunne kjøpt. Men det er noe med alt. Mer krefter gir høyere bensinforbruk, bedre fjæringsveg gir også en høyere sykkel. De er nok noe mindre komfortable på laaange turer. De har også mindre tank og ingen av dem har felger for TL dekk. Jeg er ikke i tvil om hvilken av de tre jeg ville valgt for en world around trip som jeg planla da jeg kjøpte Hondaen. Savner ikke TC på Hondaen, på sterkere sykler er det en fordel. For totalprisen av min har jeg to hjulsett. Legg det til de to andre og prisforskjellen blir enda større.Og så har jeg hatt gleden av å bygge en sykkel som passer godt til mitt formål. :-)
@@thetubelesschannel
Overbevisende 😃👍
You appear to have spent a lot of money upgrading your bike. Do you think you could have bought a motorcycle that already had the upgrades as a standard feature, gof the same price you gave paid girvthe bike and the upgrades?
The closest is Tenere 700, the price difference would still be quite a lot, even more if you should buy an extra wheel set for the Yama. T7 is a great bike I could buy, better than the Honda in some ways, for example power, ground clearance, suspension, but it is higher, heavier, higher fuel consumption, smaller tank, less comfortable on long trips, TT rims. LED blinkers is not standard as on the Honda.......to mention some things...most T7 owners spend a lot money on their bikes also to make them like they want.
Chris, that was my consideration when choosing my bike, problem is bikes from the showroom generally are not fully ready for off road except KTM and still cost Upwards of £13000, I feel getting a Cb500x for half that then upgrading with topnotch parts still gives you a cheaper lighter bike. I'm picking mine up tomorrow and already have a box of RR bits to fit for protection but no wheels or suspension yet. It all personal choice I feel.
Thanks for your replies guys. I live in Thailand and own a Honda CRF 250 which isn't very comfortable, especially for 2. Since the 2019 CB500X came out I've been very close to getting one. It costs £5,600 pounds here in Thailand ,which is really cheap. It's just the expense of the upgrades that put me off. Importing parts to upgrade is very expensive in Thailand.
👍
Za te pare koliko si ti dao za motorcikl i za zamenske komponente, mogao si da kupiš mnogo ozbiljniji enduro motrcikl i da pri tom ne moraš ništa da menjaš.
Uz isti komfor, ekonomičnost goriva, raspon goriva i pouzdanost? I isti niski troškovi početnog ulaganja? Sumnjam. :-) Nemam potrebu za više enduro sposobnosti nego što ovaj bicikl daje meni i njegov je odličan all-round. Također se sjetite da imam dodatni kotač za cijenu od 2 kočnica i 2 aps pulsa.