I’ve been riding my CBR500r for five years. I haven’t had an urge to get a larger bike at all. People compare themselves to others too much. I love this bike!
@@lequachtien10the best brand is the one where its cheap to repair, get parts and accessories and ofc reliable, yamaha is a very good brand i see lots of honda in saigon so it gets a bit boring, u can go with kawazaki too
Don’t listen to Yammie on this bike. Probably the best starter sport bike you can buy. The suspension and brakes can handle a lot more power than the bike puts down, it’s also comfortable and competent and Honda reliability coupled with the looks of this make it worth the money in my opinion.
Nah. Listen to Yam. Coming from one who personally learned how to street ride on my folks' CBR500R, he's 100% right. I almost went and got one for myself as my second bike cuz I liked it but priced at around $2K over the Ninja 400 and about 1500 over the R3, it's just a bad deal. Almost got the R3 but found a deal I couldn't refuse on a Z900... It cost me almost as much as the CBR500R would have 😆
I am almost 55 years old, been riding over 45 years. Tons of different brands and styles. This is a great everyday rider. Great reliably, great gas mileage, and fast enough to have fun and live through it. It's a little heavier, but the extra weight makes for a lot better ride on the interstate. I added some Viking sport bags and go all day on this thing. It carries my 5'11" and 230 pounds fine. You can't go wrong with this bike.
I love how many times he said starter bike 😂. I’m 54 and got my first mini bike at 4. When I looked for motorcycles in 2021 I had a lot of decisions to make. This bike is the best of both worlds it is fun to drive and cheap. Insurance was a major factor. I can insure this bike for a 1/4 of what I guess he would call a non starter bike. My son pays in two months what I pay a year. Also I don’t need the fastest bike out there and this is plenty fast for hiway driving. I laughed at his hour ride time.
In your opinion I'm coming from a Harley Dyna FXDB never rode a sport bike except for wife's CBR 600rr around town. I'm looking at CBR 500r I'm 47 looking to ride to work & More aggressive on weekends. Rode a Kawasaki ZX-6R yesterday in low setting to work and few Twisties ..... A lot of unusable power around town. My speed demon days are gone but I do enjoy short burst of speed not maintaining 120 on highway anymore. I feel like I am downsizing big time from FXDB 103, but I'm bored of riding cruisers and 636 I can definitely see me going to fast. I'm your opinion what do you think should I go with a 600 or do you enjoy the CBR500? I have a 10-year-old that I want to make it home to and riding 636 yesterday I felt the need to go fast. Thanks in advance
6'6" with 35" inseam, shopping for a bike last year. Tried the Ninja 650, Ninja 400, MT-07, and CBR500R. Immediately knew this was the one; i had room, my knee caps didn't fight with tank indents, and I didnt look lile a circus bear on a mini-cycle. Yammie probably wouldn't dump on it as much if lived with tall ppl struggles. Totally agree this is a sport-touring in disguise.
Got the 2022 model as my first bike. the inverted forks, dual disk brakes, and dual exit exhaust make it the best year for this bike since its inception. Fantastic little bike that will 100% do anything you need a motorcycle to do besides break the sound barrier, but thats not what you purchase this motorcycle for anyway. It has amazing mpg, looks awesome, is super comfortable while still retaining a mostly sporty appearance, and feels like a "bigger" motorcycle. As a thick boi, 5'10 220 pounds, i preferred this over the toy like ninja 400.
I just got mine a week ago and it's been awesome, especially as a beginner. Only complaint at the moment i have about it is the 1st gear being really aggressive, bu then again I just started riding this. It's been awesome joining the motorcycle community.
It's all about ur clutch ... u can throw that thang way up just let ur clutch out very slowly. Imagine a 1liter bike vs this lol n some ppl say yeah I wanna start on one as a first ever motorcycle yeah okay have fun
@@Redline6ix mane I live where there are some steep hills and I have to well at least around there start off on 1st. But other than that, all is good in the hood
I had one, they are decent bikes. They aren't superfast, 50 hp, but they have a lot of torque and good midrange power. The cbr500 has some good suspension and a well made frame for a relatively cheap bike. It has good build quality and feels right and confident. It's fairly comfortable too. I could go for 3 or 4 hours before I would start getting a little sore. I made 500+ mile trips on this bike cruising between 95 and 105 mph. For those who want to know, the top speed is 116mph. You could get a bit more with a smaller back sprocket, the like could probably do 125 mph down a hill if you had the right sprockets. It's a bit of money to spend when you can find much more powerful bikes used. This bike will last a long time. It's well made, and the engine isn't stressed much, it's like 10 or 10.5 to 1 compression, and 87 octane friendly.
I own a 2019 CBR500R as my first bike. I see the downfalls and positives, but as a 6'1 dude, about 200 lbs...it's a very nice ride for me. This is my first bike so I can't compare much. I've been on a 300cc ninja and it feels way to light and has a bad seating position for a person my size. So I'd like to tell myself that wouldn't be far different from the 400cc ninja. But as someone who has experienced this amazing bike...as a beginner...sometimes I feel a 650r would have been the right move. It's amazing at what it does, but as a safe rider, I still feel like it can be sluggish when u don't wish it to be.
i'm 6'2' and i have a 2020 400 ninja and a 21 cbr500r and the honda is my go to all the time. Much more comfort, doesn't get blown around in the wind and is more fuel efficient. If I ever raced I would use the n400 but for absolutey everything else I'd take the 500r hands down.
I have one, red 2021 and love it. I tried the mt07 too it's more powerful but the cbr500r is funnier to ride and heat less in the busy roads. Love how you can hear and feel the pops even with stock exhaust. A great every day bike and also have some fun too. The next upgrade for me would be a 4 cylinder bike. My eyes are on the cbr650r.
@@kasit008 Does it pull to one side when you're accelerating on a straight road as well? If yes then your rear wheel might be misaligned. However it's more likely that you're just feeling the camber of the road. Roads are often slightly tilted to one side, or sloped allowing rain water to flow off more easily.
@@philipe.9466 Ok new discovery. I tried like really relaxing my grip on a road thats sloped down to the left but my bike still steers to the right. I can feel the tension on my left arm constantly pushing on the left handlebar to make it go straight. Or right arm pulling in
Seems good for what it is. I’ve seen a couple people mentioning it’s speed and it being too slow. No ones buying anything smaller than a 600 for speed so not too sure why speed would even be a topic with this bike.
I got a cbf and I can't legally fully make use of the second gear in town, and 3rd gear on backroads. 48hp is more than enough to have fun with. But if you like to ride in straight lines I can understand 600cc+ people abit.
i see a lot of taller dudes talking about how this bike is comfortable for them but also, as a shorter/lighter rider (5'5ish) it's great for me as well.
It’s really interesting seeing all these comments about the price tag. I just got one, and it was literally the cheapest new a2 compliant “sport” bike I could get. I have to say tho, ninja 400 is not a thing in my country, we only get the 125 and if you want a bigger one you have to go for the 650, which is not a2.
After owning one for a while it’s not so much a sport bike as it is a sport commuter. It’ll handle well for what it is , plenty fast for daily use, but not worth the cost. I’d only buy used or just bump up to the 650r. I paid $4k for my 2017 last February
He was only honest at the end. It's a decent bike right up until you look at the price and look at the competition. It's thousands more expensive with less performance compared to the comp. It's like 500 dollars cheaper than a MT-07 new.. I feel like they said this stuff not to upset Honda.
Hello, I'm an experienced CBR500R rider who rented that sane model of bike for a week straight. Note, I've never ridden a race bike before but I have 20 years of riding experience. Keep in mind I was riding this bike for eight hours straight inside a city until the evening arrived. In my experience, this bike was the most safest and fastest possible bike for teaching a new rider in the realm of speed and corning. A few examples: - Good throttle response for getting out if dangerous situations with dumb riders who are drunk or not paying attention. - Fantastic braking, I've gone through countless break checks through tight corners and straight stretches from a unused parking lot. Going in at the total speed of 80kph-25kph and stopping without lifting the back wheel or skidding. - No issues with the machine in any with way. Unlike the Duke.
Everybody dumps on this bike (too heavy, not enough power, etc). It's such an approachable, easy to ride bike. The Ninja 400 is pretty good in that regard too, but I give the comfort award to the CBR. One thing I tell new riders is that an aggressive seating position will make learning to ride a bit more challenging. KTM RC390 would be a good example of an entry level sport bike that isn't ideal for new riders. Likewise, if you are aging, overweight, and have bad joints like me, the CBR is a much easier bike to live with. That said, when I worked at a powersports dealer, I pushed a lot of folks to the Ninja 400 because it's an absolutely wonderful bike. It's actually not too uncomfortable for me, but the overall size is a bit cramped for over 6 footer whereas the CBR is a little bigger, roomier bike. I would almoat classify the CBR as a sport touring bike. Find some luggage that fits and a double-bubble windscreen and set off for the horizon. The CB500X probably makes more sense for that, but not everybody wants an ADV style bike (I'll admit that I do, though). Price is the biggest disadvantage when conpared to the 400cc class. This newest version of the CBR is the best yet with its inverted forks and dual disc front brakes, but you aren't really giving up that much compared to older versions. The sweet spot would be a 2017-2018 which has some updates compared to the first-gen version and should be available for a decent-ish price (maybe not so much now with Covid tax, inflation, etc). If you are a real cheapskate, just go buy an old Suzuki SV650.
Back when I was looking at buying my first bike, I saw the motorcycle magazine comparison test of the CBR500, RC390 and the Ninja 400. That test showed the cbr being slower and more expensive than the other two. I ended up going with the RC390 without testing anything else. I while later, a friend of mine bought the Ninja 400. We swapped bikes for a little while, and I found the ninja 400 wildly uncomfortable. The bars were too narrow, and angled terribly. My feet felt too far forward, and I felt entirely too upright. I hated it. Moral of the story: Comfort is subjective.
@@TeamNoAffiliation Comfort is very subjective. My comment was from the perspective of a pretty broad generalization. Most new riders find that low handlebars are harder to control with confidence. I'm just beyond 30 years riding, and I do not find the typical aggressive sport bike riding posture comfortable or confidence inspiring. A relaxed body will generally have better control over a motorcycle.
Best bike for learners, especialy for places like Australia who have learner engine restrictions. I have had one for 3 years and still have fun on it, and i commute with it 80+kms per day. I have the 2013 red one. I might upgrade to a 600 in a few years but this is plenty fast for now.
its an odd prospect imo... if you want a sport-bike as a starter, Ninja 400... after that you will want to up the power more so 9~ hp is not going to do it... go for something in the 600 range. Now, as a first and possibly forever bike... like, you want to get on the road, have enough power to do highways easily and don't really care much about overt speed... seems fine. I would go for the cb500x or the naked F version personally but that is me.
I have a 2018 model and i love this bike. Its my daily commuter and so comfort, reliability and MPG is essential and this bike delivers. I average 66 MPG which is unheard of for most cars. Its got that sporty look but with a comfortable sitting position. The only negative I have is the exhaust, its....there lol very quiet, not much to hear. I upgraded it with a dekelvic exhaust and its perfect now. Highly recommend it.
Perfect choice. I picked up the Sword Silver in December and it has been so much fun. The handling is really impressive and the brakes are really strong once the pads are properly bedded. The ergos are perfect; not straight up like N400 and not racer replica either. Puts you in a good sporting position that also works for when you aren't scratching backroads. I am a very experienced rider and I have other bikes in the stable, but the CBR is the one I reach for first. The new front suspension and twin discs up front are a big deal. Great feedback from the front end, and worth the extra dollars compared to damper rod fork on '21 model.
At the age 51 and a few different bikes i have to say i cannot fault my 2019 Honda cbr500r its prefect all year round though any weather . Before this bike i had Honda cb500f for five years and 2001 honda cb500s . They are work horse . The worst bike was Suzuki bandit 600s which had electrical problems, engine problems which needed a complete engine rebuild .
as a owner of this one from 2019 I'm glad to choose this bike anytime, is a great bike but not for competition, great fuel comsumption and plenty of power to stay in the law but have some fun
I like this bike. I think it would be a great first or second bike. One thing I don't care for is the look of the exhaust, but I say that about a lot of bikes these days.
The exhaust really doesn't look great but it sounds considerably better than the older 500's. I slapped a Mivv Gp slipon on mine and every time I look at my bike something down there gets hard if you know what I mean.
I know!! They kind of kill us up here!! Hahaha. At least they are Canadian dollars,,,,,,. The Canadian equivalent of $7200 USD is about $9300 CAD, so if you are just over $10K all in out the door, you are not doing as bad as it can be on some other bikes. I’m an older guy with a balance issue that showed up. It’s not bad, but I’m done with 2 wheels,,,, especially now that I’m used to 3!! I ride a Can Am Ryker Rally and a Can Am Spyder RT. I like shifting, but with a trike you get used to the Automatic and the CVT. The Ryker is a lot of fun especially on gravel and winding gravel roads. You can hang the rear out when rounding the corner with a little effort and it just hangs there!! Of course make sure no one is coming!!l they do fall down a bit on 2 track though. If you straddle the trail with the front tires in the track it’s usually rough as h*ll with the rear wheel on “virgin” ground so to speak. If you put the rear tire in one of the grooves it’s a bit smoother, but then your front tires are on the rough and often slick grass,,,,. Not a full off-road bike, but sure makes gravel roads easy. The Spyder RT I keep on the pavement unless I accidentally find gravel, the. I seek out the pavement !!😂😂. It’s fine kinda, but the tires are too wide and not designed for it. Also it’s too expensive a trike to let the gravel chew up!!! The trikes are really nice in the brutal cross winds we get here in central and southern Alberta. No leaning and then checking to see if the front tire is even still on the road!! 😮😮 haha. I hope it’s a great summer for you!!
@@bernhardg6187 - Wow!! I know Denmark is an expensive place to live, but 50% markup?? Ouch! Is that partly because of the shipping costs are so much higher? That’s a lot. I don’t think I’ll complain again knowing how expensive it is there!! Thanks for the information!!
I got this last week and love it, I’ve got a Honda nighthawk 750 I ride around on too but it isn’t nearly as reliable for me and don’t wanna put too many miles on it so I use the 500 as the daily
I remember the cb500f from 20 years ago, similar engine to this but with 58hp, 35lbs torque and 125mph. If Honda derestricted this bike and gave it 540cc instead of 471cc, you would get 60hp + and 40lbs + torque with the same fuel economy. Call it the CBR500 RR.
Great for starting! But I have had mine as a brand new rider for a week now. Unfortunately to commute where I need to commute, the bike is very unpleasant to ride on the freeway due to how high the rpm’s go at 70+ mph it’s very annoying. I’ll be looking into a CBR650 or ZX-6R. If you have to commute on a fast freeway daily, I suggest not buying this one.
I just feel like Honda along with other manufacturers have watered down their once superbike and supersports tiers (CBR, YZF, GSXR) etc, which doesn't bother me that much, but still this is closer to a CB than a CBR
Honestly, you shouldnt really NEED a bigger faster sportier bike. Most roads in all of the countries on earth don't let you legally drive faster than 80 mph/128 km/h. If you do need more, you are either... - Doing something illegal, street racing or running form the cops. - A resident/visitor in Germany driving on the autotbahn. - Or you're racing on a race track doing super bike racing. For most people on earth who are law abiding citizens, you don't really need more than 50 horsepower on a bike. on a bike, that power makes for a formidable power to weight ratio. and speeding in general is exceptionally dangerous on a bike, as there is not much protecting you from a gruesome and exceptionally painful death. This bike i think is a perfect balance between practicality and power. It's as fast as you need it to be, but not excessively so. In my opinion, this is the ultimate sports bike because its everything a sane person would want. affordable, reliable, quality, well balanced and it has a very reasonable about of power. if i were to own a sports bike, this would be my pick.
I'm looking round for a bike to get back into biking. I had to stop in 2017 because of money (and tinnitus). This bike looks perfect for what I need. I'm done with racing around everywhere, it doesn't interest me any more. I want to get something a bit more relaxed, so I can enjoy the ride more. and I'm only 5'1" with a 25" inseam so getting something smaller with a lower seat height (and lighter!) would be a distinct bonus. They look FABULOUS though. I'd love to know if it would be possible to swap the top yoke to change the clip-ons to the raised bars the naked version has. Jus to raise the seating position a bit more.
I would consider this bike but the only thing that is a deal breaker is the tank being so big and the handle bars too far forward since im not exactly big
im on my 3rd ninja, but i have always had cbr as a 2nd choice in the rear view mirror. the 500 is nice just wish they would max out the cc's on it. 500!!!
I really can't decide between this and the Ninja 400. The Ninja just seems like it would be a lot more fun to ride. It really comes down to weight - 60lbs lighter! It's the much faster and sharper-handling bike. Plus that huge analog tach with a 12,000rpm redline! All had for $1500 less than the Honda. But you get what you pay for, and the Honda not only has better reliability but the build quality, paint, fit and finish, brakes, suspension, and fuel economy is far superior. I would even say it looks better than the Ninja and that extra weight keeps you more planted on the highway, and probably keeps you from taking turns too fast as a newer rider. Truly an impossible decision!
N400 if you are going to rework ergos and do track days, but for real world sport riding, my Sword Silver CBR is great, for the reasons you listed and more. As another has stated, simply sitting on them both will be the first thing you need to do.
Interesting… racing bikes really started looking like naked bikes with the uncovered engine parts and, set back handles and tiny windshields. Ducatis still look like racing bikes.
Thanks for the video review. Currently I ride the CBR250R, but I am planning to upgrade to a slightly bigger bike in the future. The CBR500R is one of those bikes I am considering. How big is the difference in performance between the cbr500r and the cbr650r?
I actually don't like this bike. I ride in Europe and for the A2 license this is the maximum amount of power you can ride for 2 years, so that's fair enough and makes this bike really balanced and not underpowered, given the context. I really like the looks of the CBR500R but its engine just doesn't feel like it belongs to this motorcycle. I was used to peppy and revvy 125 tompers and the first time I rode this Honda 500 I thought out loud "lol it feels like a tractor". It's quite torquy but it's just not revvy and "squeezable" (you know when you squeeze the engine like a lemon and it's a lot of fun). Which is fair enough, but it really doesn't match with its aggressive and sporty looks. I ended up buying a CB500X, which has the same engine (and most of the mechanical bits), it's more comfortable, it has a bigger screen fairing and you can tour more with it. But overall I think the 500X is more fair: the 500X rides how it looks, the 500R doesn't. I love my 500X so far. It's a bit boring, but its teaching me a lot and at the end of the day I still think it was the best pick for a learner A2 bike. If you like the sporty vibe, go with the Ninja 400, it kinda looks the same, but that one revs to the moon and screams while doing so. That's exciting. The 500R may go as fast as the Ninja 400 but it does so in a more boring way.
I really want one of these but the dealerships are being crazy with the markups. I'm hoping maybe some of these end up on the used market for reasonable prices within the next year or two.
Just curious not trolling: What's the top speed any CBR500r owners had their bike at? I've got a Ninja 400 (came close to getting the Honda though) and the fastest I've ever gotten it to was 130 (w/slip-on exhaust) Just curious, I could see how the extra weight might be good or bad for that.
idk if it would make much sense but I really want to sell my cb300r for this one since it sounds perfect as a workhorse bike with plenty of power. I just really feel limited at freeway speeds on the 286 single and basically rattle my bones loose after every trip so I'd really like to step up to a 600 or 650 but don't really want to pay north of 9 grand for Hondas other offerings. I'm stuck atm
@@surferdude642 I've been doing alot of research and have come down to the mt07. Seems like a perfect bike for me tbh; decent highway, amazing intercity, fantastic aftermarket. now it's a matter of saving up.
@@izzy8609 Good choice, I have a 2016 FZ07 since new here in California, 24,000 miles and no issues. Powerful engine and gas mileage ranges from low 50's to 60 mpg plus all the attributes you mentioned. If you're under 150 lbs even the suspension is not bad.
@@surferdude642 yeah im a lightweight and I feel people are being overly critical of its suspension due to their track background or bias to fancier bikes. also have you noticed any rust on the swing arm or issues with the coolant pipes? I heard that was an issue some people have. I'll probably ride in the rain more times than I'd like so that would be a big issue if my swingarm suddenly shits the bed.
@@izzy8609 I don't have any issues with rust on swingarm or anywhere and the coolant pipes look fine. I have heard about those issues though. I guess I'm not the best person to address those concerns, heck it almost never rains here. It does get pretty cold, damp, and foggy on the coast and have done some riding in those conditions, but most of my riding has been in good weather so far.
Still using big heavy exhaust I see. When I had the 17 version I had to get a lighter slip on. Gave me so much more front end feel. I would have thought by now honda would have lightened the end can.
It is really comfortable motorbike, it is way more comfortable than super sport but it is not the best choice for long (an hour!!!!) commute (7:00 min), WTF? So it is comfortable for what? Lie on it and watching stars at night?
Have u guys ever heard of the zx25r or cbr250rr_sp? These are 250cc bikes with almost 51hp(zx25r)and I think43hp for Honda and they r much lighter so u get better acceleration I guess.i love this new 500r though ,my country allows bikes below 300cc on the streets😁
ZX25R and CBR250RR SP have no torque though so the Ninja 400 roasts both of them in 0-100kph or 0-160kph. Its only maybe at final top speed where they might catch up but they would all be similar top end speed anyway. The CBR500R would beat them both in a sprint too as it loses to the Ninja 400 but not by a huge amount. Check out a Ninja 400 thrashing the low torque ZX25R on here ...see for yourself.
Would it be a good bike for a 45 minute commute to work? The trip is 30min 45mph stretch mainly through town with one 15mile stretch 55mph between work and home.
Im a short guy with a small inseam. I'm planning to get an Aprilia RS 660, but when I sat on this one for a try today - It was crazy comfortable, and I could flat foot it. But the Aprila's seat is higher by just 2 inches, and getting my leg over it was a bit of a challenge, and I end up tip toeing it. Im not really a beginner, as I have decent experience with 600cc bikes. Seeing the many reviews, Aprilia wins - no contest... but the whole comfort I got from trying out the 500 is getting the better of me. If I go on group rides (which I havent done before) A lot of my mates have upwards of 600's ... Im guessing that'd be a bad idea to be the runt of the group. What say you? Stick to my og plan of getting the RS 660? or get this 500r instead? is the CBR650r just as comfortable?
I’d say give the 650r a test. I’ve not ridden the 500 (isn’t available in India), nor have I ridden the RS660 (insanely expensive and not really popular), but I’ve ridden the 650r and am expecting mine to arrive by October this year. I’ll say quite comfortable and pleasant to ride. I felt the height was quite comfortable and would support a various range of heights to ride.
Keep in mind that testing the seat height in the showroom is a best case condition. Out on the road you'll have to deal with all the variables, as I'm sure you know. Not saying it can't be done, but your skill will constantly be tested.
I know one paper that the CBR 500 makes more power, but the ninja 400 actually puts down more power in side to side comparisons and is a faster bike overall.
@ElCoco1984 There is a substantial weight difference between a 650 and a 400. There is also a large weight difference between the CBR 500 and Ninja 400. If you're looking for power I would suggest moving up to the 600 class, not the 650.
I really like how cbr 500r looks, but thats where positive things end when compared to other manufacturers. Yes old story but ninja 400 is more bike for less money. Most power doesnt matter when it has most weight, coast most as well. Not to understand wrong: cbr 500r is a good first bike if money is no issue, but no where near top bikes against its rivals, other bikes offer so much more for much cheaper price! Ps: 180° parallel twin sounds like a lawnmower!!! 🤮
price of this bike for first bike is too high, ninja 400 is cheaper 2k, these 2 bikes everything are highly alike, 2022 cbr 500r has some new upgrade, but I do not think it worth that price.
