Is the Honda SCL500 a Beginner Bike Worth keeping? 

Most comfortable bike i have owned. Perfect for the older rider.

Anything below 600cc is a beginner bike mentality still makes no sense

A great bike. The 500 is great for 99% of people. It can get up to 85mph well, is lightweight, and handles great. If you aren't an adrenaline junky looking to rip down the highway at 100mph+, then this bike will suit you for years. The only disadvantage when compared to the Rebel line is the lack of aftermarket mods, but that is something that will come with time.

It makes perfect senses for a beginner or a commuter. I'm a new rider to yet get my first bike. I almost got th rebel as I like the looks and I'm not into sport bikes, but when I saw the scl500 I felt in love. It makes for someone who lives at the Mexican border and travels south were roads are rough, so I won't venture into hard core offroading, but for bad road, dirt and potholes is perfect. Also the power is sweet, as you'll get good gas, not too powerful that you will get in trouble or not fast enough to ride in the highway. I also liked the Husqvarna Svartpilen, but reliability is keeping away. I just wished there more available, as local.greedy dealers want like $3k above MSRP

I've put almost 400 miles on my SCL500 in about a month. I love everything about it. Im 6 foot 3 and its comfy as a good glove for me, handles the highways like a champ!!! If I were to focus on the negatives there are only 2 really: #1 There is no tachometer at all. (Honda previously advertised that it did come with a tach and then quickly edited their website when it was pointed out to them...I have the screenshots to prove it.) Kinda a huge part missing from the bike that's sooooo good in every other way for a new rider. Knowing your RPMs matter, regardless of engine compression and all the hooey people say in defense of Honda omitting a tach from this cluster. (False advertising alone is indefensible on any vehicle purchase imo!) #2 For those of us in the North American market it only comes in 2 colors: orange/green. Sure it has nothing to do with the bikes performance but you'd think that for a bike with so much thought into the style Honda wouldn't be so limiting to the consumers of one market. (Non North American buyers have several other options!) But maybe I'm still bitter about being told I was buying a bike with a tach and then being called a liar by their customer relations department....heh.

I would MUCH rather have this than the Rebel. It almost makes that horrendous gas tank look OK.

Been riding Honda’s for Years since the 1970’s …… improve the Pipe ….. improve the wheels …… separate old-school Speedo & Tach …… twin rotors upfront ! I want one, for those days that I want to leave the VFR at home and just ride !!!!! Thank You for the Video !!! 🏍️

Nice to see the return of the UJM.

Good info enjoyable video I am almost 70 been in the business all my life, have allot of injuries and I want to get this bike for those reasons thanks 😎

I have this SCL500 here in Thailand it cost $6,300 after tax in U.S. in most states it costs $7300 after tax.

The shooting location looks like the "off road" section of Zack Courts' Daily Rider videos.

Why do people always call bikes like these "beginner" bikes? I've ridden for a long time and personally I prefer a smaller bike with less CC's. Not everyone "experienced" wants a liter bike that weighs over 500+lbs. It's a brilliant package put forth by Honda. Just wish it was less "murdered" out with all the black and they actually added some retro-styled chrome (like they did with the Monkey). I still bought one but if I do any mods it'll be to add some color or chrome. At least Honda could have painted the front fender to match the tank. I also think Vance and Hines missed the boat by making a blacked out exhaust with single outlet. So many creative ways to make an attractive exhaust for this bike and they come up with the most generic looking black pipe they can.

Would make a better bike for riding around the world then a GS.

Like it being water cooled and the more current engine but that's about it, it just makes me want to keep my 85 Nighthawk 650 with shaft drive going for now. Wish they would bring back the Ascot 500, that was a nice bike also.

What i really wanted was a CB500r with that styling language; this is... close enough.

Wondering what it would take to upgrade the forks? Cartriges?

Your a good salesman

It makes me extremely Happy that Honda added S to the CL, because on RU-vid it weeds out the British reviews on this beautiful bike.

Nice, but too much black for me. Spokes and classic instrumentation would have been nicer, plus a rear rack and a screen.

I'm surprised that Honda decided to go with that cheapo gauge. I understand cost-cutting where it likely won't be noticed, but c'mon, Honda, gauges are something we look at repeatedly. There was a problem with the gen-1 CB500X, as well, in which they put an ugly yellowish-brown face plate over the gauge, reducing legibility. 'Makes you wonder...

Hopefully there would be more of this bikes as it seems like they are just starting to promote this bike to bike journalists

Let’s see this do the Baja.

Seems a bit underpowered. 471 cc and 46 hp. Honda Transalp 755 cc and 90 hp. The transalp 60% bigger engine but 100% more power. 284 cc yields 44 more hp. Both similar parallel twin platforms. I'll save and spring for the Transalp.

So...the SCL500 Faux Scrambler. That's ok, it's the UJM styling influence that I like...just not sure about the inconvenience of that high pipe, and the crappy gauge is a real problem.

I hate the label beginner bike. If been riding 30 years and would add this bike to my stable.

I bought mine around 4 months ago I daily it so I know a few things you said ain't true as follows it goes around 110 😂 you can't really hear the exhaust after 3rd gear and it's very touchy it wants to go 😂😂😂. With that being said the shocks suck in the front I can agree with that but I have put almost 3400 miles on mine

How tall are you?

I am currently looking at one of these bad boys. I have an Indian, and daily commute it. but the suspension is seriously so bad. I feel every tiny bump in the road. My only drawback for the scl500 is from reviews they say the seat is uncomfortable for long rides and I haven’t seen any replacement seats

Honda Make an 1100 UJM version. Skip the high pipe. Use 17in wheels. Give it a tank that can travel 200miles.

Whoever designed that muffler should be taken out in the desert and left There!!!...😡😡

I still prefer the look of the CB350 (sadly not in n. america)

If you're a big person, you might want to upsize to something like a Triumph 1200.

Honda really ruined the looks of this bike by not making the fork stanchions black. seriously Honda? everythign else is blacked out except for the forks...

You can’t call it a scrambler if it does go off road.

These guys no longer know shit, what a shame

HONDA

Cant read these dumb beginner bike titles anymore

To bad it is not tall...tall guys cant use it