Menus
- For aspiring pilots !
- In the saddle
- In the city
- Motorway and expressways
- Departmental
- Braking
- Comfort and duo
- Practical aspects and accessories
- Consumption
- Conclusion
- Competitors:
For aspiring pilots !
A streamlined variant of the small CB 500 F roadster, this CBR 500 R offers a hint of versatility in addition thanks to the protection offered by its fairing for an additional € 400…. Caught between the potential future queen of the A2 license and a trail version that promises to be more protective on long journeys, this morning road with a zest of sportiness risks going unfairly under the radar of many bikers, beginners or not..
Those who have already threw themselves greedily on the test of the small Honda CB 500 F roadster, presented alongside this CBR 500 R with which it forms a common platform, already know that the engine part-cycle basis is excellent. So let’s focus on what differentiates these two versions…. Variation “R” obliges, Honda drew its inspiration from the CBR 1000 RR to design the fairing of this 500. Well, the lines are much less sharp but the family link is there, especially in the color white / red / blue tested here. The only small departure from the rules of the genre, an openwork fairing to reveal the engine. The Japanese Honda having worked particularly hard on the exterior appearance of their brand new vertical twin, they preferred to expose it to the light of day rather than hide it under a layer of plastic. On the scale, the fairing weighs the whole two kilos with 194 kg all full. The other difference is the driving position. Seat height (785 mm) and position of the footrests are unchanged but the almost flat handlebars of the F are replaced here by bracelets positioned above the triple tree. Narrower (560 mm against 600 mm) and lower (- 49 mm), they are in keeping with the sportier vocation of this R version. For the rest, the CBR 500 R is a cut-and-paste of the roadster. The frame is always open type and made of 35 mm section steel tube. Nothing to report either on the suspension flap with the same fork 41 mm in diameter (120 mm of travel) devoid of adjustments and a single shock absorber mounted on a rod and adjustable in preload. As for the engine, the constraint of a development adapted to the European A2 license means that the technical data do not vary one iota from one version to another.
The 47.5 horses are obtained at 8,500 rpm against 7,000 rpm for the maximum torque (43 Nm). A modest performance that hides a high level of technical refinement: roller rockers, type CBR 600 RR type grooved skirt pistons supposed to trap the oil for better lubrication, balance shaft to eliminate vibrations, fuel supply ducts. rectilinear air and partitioned air box improving filling, engine casings incorporating the crankshaft configuration, primary and secondary shaft of the CBR 600 RR for optimum compactness ….
And like the old generation of CB 500, this block was developed to be virtually indestructible (lifespan over 300,000 km) and inexpensive to maintain with an oil change every 12,000 km and a glance at the valves every 24,000 km. Last reason for satisfaction, consumption in the WMTC standardized cycle would be contained to only 3.52 L / 100 km.
In the saddle
A little clarification before getting to the heart of the matter, inclement weather conditions deprived us of a track test of this sporting version. Let’s remain philosophical, this setback will at least have allowed us to drive this R in real conditions. With my five-footer, stepping over the beast is no problem and the thin, low saddle allows you to have both feet firmly planted on the ground and even bent legs. Thank you Honda, for us gnomes this is rare. The torso is tilted to the front without excess, with a final position closer to the Sport-GT type VFR than a CBR. For adults, a small-micro-pavement near my colleagues revealed a saddle-footrest distance a little tight over long distances for those over 1.80 m. The dashboard, identical to the roadster, permanently displays the engine speed, speed, fuel level and time and you can scroll through a window two partial mileage, the average or instantaneous consumption or the fuel consumption. of the reserve. Everything is complete and readable even in direct sunlight.
The overall finish is of a very good standard with engine bolts entirely in stainless steel BTR, quality paintwork and a fairing (almost) devoid of any visible fixing. Honda has even taken the trouble to equip its CB 500 range with a coded key. But, to use an expression dear to my former Jedi master Patrick Greenwood, there are still some annoying details…. Starting with non-adjustable handlebar levers, a kickstand that will take a little getting used to before unfolding without looking or even a handlebar that wedges your winter gloves against the tank when the steering stop was reached.
In the city
Let’s kick in a door: this Honda is almost a bike. The grip takes at most a few kilometers before you feel at home. The twin accepts to resume on a trickle of gas from 2,000 rev / min in 6th (47 km / h) and you can wring the handle without fear of vibrations from 3,000 revolutions. Then, the revs are linear up to 7000 rpm, the maximum torque threshold encouraging a natural upshift. The orders do not call for any particular criticism.
Let’s just point out that randomly when the bikes were changed, one of the models tested had a slightly catchy gearbox. A good robber, the CBR 500 R readily accepts the practice of zig-zagging between lines even if it is less comfortable there than its roadster cousin because of its fixed mirrors, handicapping in traffic jams. The low-speed evolutions also highlight remarkable agility and a reassuringly progressive front axle when stepping into the angle.
Motorway and expressways
Here, the CBR is doing better than the roadster without really shining. The fairing is too narrow to provide protection worthy of the name, and the screen does not offer really significant legal-looking protection. To cut the road, you’ll have to fall back on the optional high screen (€ 108.5) to take full advantage of the 420 km of theoretical autonomy provided by the 15.7-liter tank. A detail all the more unfortunate that the saddle, despite its apparent firmness, proved to be comfortable during our day of riding. As for the maximum speed, it is located like the roadster at around 190 km / h.
Departmental
Attention danger. The Honda staff briefed us before setting off by warning us that the Spanish asphalt was particularly slippery. Add to this particularly heavy traffic and you will understand that the opportunities to test the limits of the CBR were rare. But in normal driving condition, the chassis of the CBR is free from reproach. The sport-comfort compromise defined by the suspensions is very satisfactory – just a bit stiff on small shocks – and a very good front-to-rear balance, giving the whole a behavior that is always healthy and reassuring. In the quick sequences, we find the “feather” side of the roadster, although the narrower handlebars and the additional weight on the front axle require a little more effort to shift from one angle to the other.
To run smoothly, the twin will need to be maintained above 7,000 rpm. The revs then become pleasing (in terms of power) up to 8,500 rpm. Beyond that, the power regulates then drops slightly before reaching the breaker at 9500 rpm. Admittedly, it still lacks a bit of gniak at high revs (and 10 more horsepower) to compete with the old CB 500 but the CBR has never seemed underpowered on the rare occasions when our group has gone into “mode”. unbridled attack ”.
Braking
The simple 320 mm diameter front disc and its two-piston caliper could lead to fear of the worst as regards the slowing power of this little sports car. However, it is not. The power is there, as is the feeling, and this modest equipment even offers a bite that is as surprising as it is welcome at the start of the race. Some bleeding colleagues have reported a lack of power in “trapper” mode. A detail that we will be sure to check the next time we get started on French territory, just like endurance in intensive use ….
The rear element (240mm and single piston) is a good stabilizer and even offers surprising feedback, too. No untimely triggering of the ABS to report despite the precarious conditions of adhesion, proof that the settings are rather permissive. Fans of the track day will not need to rummage in the fuse box to deactivate the control unit ….
Comfort and duo
The two-part saddle is naturally firm but not necessarily uncomfortable. A long distance test should confirm this. Installed on the sandbag element after a mini-climbing session, my small size was very comfortable with low anchored rubber-sheathed footrests and ideally placed side handles.
Practical aspects and accessories
In addition to the presence of a warning control on the handlebars, practical in traffic jams, the CBR 500 R has a catalog of well-supplied options for the GTiser or the coursifier: front fender (79 €) and rear (111 €) imitating carbon, body-colored seat cowl (€ 156), 35-liter top-case (€ 119), Akrapovic exhaust (€ 599), heated grips (€ 420)…. More surprisingly, the side case set is absent from the option catalog for the CBR 500 R while it appears in that of the roadster. A choice which is all the more surprising as, due to the common platform, the two machines share the same rear section !
Consumption
As the driving conditions in press presentations are always out of the ordinary (high acceleration-braking for the multiple photo runs, acceleration and recovery tests, etc.), the fuel consumption recorded is rarely in line with the figures announced by the manufacturers. In this case, the on-board computers of two of our test machines were showing 4.7 and 4.2 L / 100 km, respectively. A remarkably low level which suggests that the manufacturer’s figures can be reproduced on a daily basis in the context of more serene use.
Conclusion
Fun, playful, the CBR 500 R offers superior qualities to the already excellent roadster version, with the sporty look in addition. The protection offered by its fairing gives it a hint of additional versatility but to cut the road, the X version, sold at an equivalent price, will logically be more suitable. Still, its price, set at € 5,990 (CB 500 F ABS: € 5,590) should appeal to a large portion of future young people looking for a machine with a sporty look. Because apart from the new Kawasaki Ninja 300, alternatives are rare! We can no longer hope that the insurance companies, always quick to explode the rates as soon as they see a piece of fairing, play the game and classify this CBR 500 R in the category of road rather than that of sports ….
Strong points
- Healthy and playful part-cycle
- Frugal and fun engine
- Price-quality ratio
- Look racing ….
Weak points
- … but protection not at the original top !
- Some finishing details
Competitors:
The technical sheet of the Honda CBR 500 R
User reactions and testimonials on the
motorcycle guide
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And women then?
We forget them but there are, and more and more.
And for adults, there’s always the pseudo-trail variation.