Test: Honda CBF 500
whole food?
Harry H. is completely insecure. Tea discussion surges at the weekly motorcycle get-together. Karsten K., owner of the new Kawasaki ZX-10R, marks Stefan S. with his one-year-old Suzuki GSX-R 1000 as a loser because it only has 165 hp, and that is simply mega-out in the new 1000 supersport ranking. Harry H., owner of an old Honda CB 500, keeps quiet, doesn’t want to come out as an underdog. Because he’s toying with buying the new one VS.BF 500 ?? with just 57 hp. As much as his CB, with which he in no way feels underpowered.
Why also? The CBF only takes 5.2 seconds from zero to one hundred, 10.7 to 140, values that even drivers of sporty cars can only dream of. And a top speed of 184 km / h is always too much on good country roads. Of course, the two-cylinder needs to be turned properly for such performance. But that is not difficult for him; At best, it indicates the increased heart rate through slight vibrations in the comfortably positioned handlebar ends and footrests.
And otherwise? When it comes to driving behavior, Harry H.’s CB 500 always reached its limits with its unstable chassis. Not so with the CBF. The completely new chassis with revised fork and central spring strut behaves in an exemplary manner compared to the previous model. Nothing twists, nothing rocks anymore. Even in fast bends with bumps, the CBF 500 pulls its course unimpressed. The tightly damped fork and the equally tightly damped shock absorber keep the CBF clean at all times. The wide radial tires and the decent lean angle allow even a sporty driving style. Handy, with little effort, the including anti-lock braking system, which weighs 211 kilograms, can be tilted from one lean angle to the next and neatly follows the targeted direction. Even with a forced gait, the twin shows no weaknesses. The chassis is now superior to the engine in every situation. No comparison to the CB 500, which had a lively life of its own in curves on smooth asphalt. Small drop of bitterness: The 120 front tire stands up abruptly when braking in an inclined position, a 110 would have been the clearly better choice.
Keyword brakes. Tea three-piston floating caliper in the front wheel grabs a lot, but lacks the last bit of feeling for the pressure point. But if things get tight, the CBF 500 driver can simply pack it up without regrets, and the ABS does the rest. It announces its function with clearly noticeable control intervals and brings the CBF 500 to a safe standstill even in poor conditions.
And what insight does Harry H. gain now? That with the CBF 500, Honda has created a fully-fledged motorcycle at an attractive price, whose performance on country roads is always sufficient for rapid movement, whose chassis offers first-class, even sporty qualities, and thanks to the anti-lock braking system, unlike his friends from the stokers’ faction, with the state-of-the-art technology. And ergonomics that ensure relaxation even on long journeys. However, two completely superfluous plastic panels stand in the way of a narrow knee.
The CBF 500 answers the question about driving pleasure with a clear yes. And one thing is certain. When Harry H. comes home after an extended tour, he can lean back and relax knowing that he has fully savored the qualities of his motorcycle, in contrast to the stressed club colleagues Karsten K. and Stefan S., who have long been from the boring Feeling plagued that you have always given everything but far too little.
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