Motorcyclist comparison of the CB500X to the NC700X

The 500 is sounding like a fun machine to ride. Different is good ..... I wish I could own both.

X-FACTOR | Honda CB500X

I rode one at the shop the other day. They are pretty nice bikes, however, I prefer the versatility to the NCX.

I saw one at the dealer on Saturday. It looks a lot like the NCX. I do not know anything about them but had some time to burn so I talked to the guy who sold me my bike. Since it looked so close to the same I thought maybe it had a frunk but it doesn't. The one at the dealer had panniers. They are really small. It was the black on black color theme which I really like. When talking to the sales guys he said it is real peppy. He also said the suspension could use some work and that the NCX was actually better in that area which isn't saying a whole lot. As you would suspect they are targeting younger and newer riders but he said he'd glady sell me one or anyone for that matter. It is a good looking bike.

If you are doing to hit the highways a lot, the 500 is just a little down on power.

I have not ridden the 500 X but I did get a ride on the R version which I found good fun albeit a bit underpowered

I really like the frunk and the dct. That sold me.
Now if the 500 had the frunk and dct first, then I would of gotten the 500.
However, ocr said is true. If your planning alot of highways miles then its a little low on the power side.
Especially on 2 up.

I do agree it looks very much like the NC. At a distance I thought it was.
Ken

kjang said:

However, ocr said is true. If your planning alot of highways miles then its a little low on the power side.
Especially on 2 up.

Click to expand...

Heck the wife and I find the NC700 a bit under powered going 2up on the highway. It's not bad in the city though. It's just frustrating loosing a lot of power and having to really twist the throttle to get up a hill.

I got to ride the 500X last weekend and here are some general comments. The 500 and 700X are first cousins. The seating, grips, and pegs relationships are very close and I felt right at home immediately. Instruments and controls are pretty much the same but the 500 adds a mile per gallon feature. The 500's instrument pod has a yellowish tint to it and it seemed harder to read at first glance but this may be a personal bias because the conditions were bright sunshine and I was wearing polarized sunglasses. The 500 has a higher center of gravity but the wheelbase is shorter. Both are nimble and easy to maneuver at slow speeds and circles and U turns are a doddle. The brakes appear to have the same components and have the same feel and stopping power. Once out on a wide open highway it was apparent the 500 is working harder at the same speeds. 70 mph is about 6000 rpm vs 4000 (round figures) and the 700 is much smoother at highway speeds as felt in the bars, seat, and pegs. The 500 of course revs up higher and pulls right up to 8500 rpm. Short shifted like a 700 it has adequate acceleration, not quite that of the 700 but I think the two are going to have very close acceleration times when both are revved out to the top of the tach. The 500 develops a lot less torque at the same rpm so it is geared lower - hence the higher rpms at the same road speeds but when you roll on the throttle at say, 60 mph in top gear, the 500 just kind of sits there and slowly gathers speed while the 700 moves out pretty smartly in 6th. Dropped down two gears however the 500 pulls strongly to 80 and above. It is a conventional power band of course and the bike develops power in a linear fashion just revs out an additional 2000 rpm.

The 500 is built to a lower price point than the 700. The appearance of aluminum alloy castings is not as high quality and finish. The brake pedal of the 500 is welded up carbon steel and painted vs the stainless one of the 700. The foot pegs and shifter. Little things like this stand out when the two bikes are side by side.

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Rallye version.

I was on the CBR500 forum, thay talk about all the CB500's.

I became interested in one of the CB500F.

But after doing some research on that forum.

There are a few people that are having engine failures.

Some of the CB500 engines are failing, you can search it on the CB500 forums.

So for Now i will Not Buy one till after the problem is sorted out.