CBR500R

[gt_turbo]

Picked up my CBR500R ABS today! Was deciding between the 300 and the CBR500R, but comparing the prices of 300 ABS to a CBR500R ABS and the specs, it's a no brainer. I'm still keeping the 250 to blast around on the track. The CBR will be my new daily commuter. I believe in the US, ABS is only available in red. I wanted the white HRC tri-color, but it didn't have ABS.

Positives: The ride home from the dealer, I am doing motoman's break in method, yes this thing definitely has torque! I took some back roads home and I think this bike can definitely hold it's own in the twisties. It's going to make a great daily commuter and weekend warrior. I love the looks, subjective of course, but it really does look better in person than in those brochure photoshoots. It just looks simpler than the ninja 300, which has IMO too much going on. My insurance is like only $5 more than what I'm paying for the 250, so that's awesome too.

Gripes so far: The stock rearsets, I am so used to the more aggressive position on my modded 250 that everything felt strange. I can't wait for them to come out with clip-ons and rearsets. The stock exhaust, it's super quiet, large, and ugly. Will definitely get a slip-on or full system. Can't wait for the mods to start coming out for this bike.

Now for the pics:

[thisisbenji]

Looks good! I really like the new Honda 500s! How does it compare to the 250? I'v been thinking about purchasing one, but I'm worried the power upgrade won't be enough.

[geeker]

Looks good! Those rear sets look like they could be pricy to replace though. I've never seen a set like that in such a large piece.

[psych0hans]

Congratz on the new bike!!!

[joshuajcrouch]

Great looking bike. Take pix and post them up when you start modding. What size rear tire is that on the CBR? 150 or 160?

...and love your Ninja too.

[fleemos]

Congrats on the new bike! I don't think the exhaust is too big but I just don't like the chrome.

[Jono]

@gt_turbo Awesome!!! It's a shame the HRC tri-color is not offered with the ABS. I would have to have the HRC scheme. It looks so good! But I think the red and black looks pretty nice as well. Can't wait to hear more about how it compares to the 250 after you've owned it for a little while.


You thinking of a CBR600RR front end swap on this one!?! I bet it would be less difficult than the 250 swap.

Originally Posted by geeker

Looks good! Those rear sets look like they could be pricy to replace though. I've never seen a set like that in such a large piece.

I guess you haven't seen the older ninja 650's. Now those are some massive rearsets.

[himynameisjoe]

Love these... A lot a lot! The only problem is they're honda, and they're so narrow.It makes me feel almost claustrophobic every time I sit on a honda. But that may be easy to get over once you ride it for a day.

[Madman44]

Congrats on the 500r! I have been seriously considering a black one as my next upgrade. Let us know your thoughts on the power difference between the 500 and 250 once you get to know the bike.

How's the seat? Comfy?

And does it seem taller than the 250? Thanks
Ride safe, bud!

[ZackoFF96]

congrats on the 500r ! but i think the 250 looks better

[shovit]

By the looks of the stock clip-ons it almost looks like you can move them below the triple.

[geeker]

Originally Posted by Jono

I guess you haven't seen the older ninja 650's. Now those are some massive rearsets.

Completely forgot about those, and I've ridden one before. Lol

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by fleemos

Congrats on the new bike! I don't think the exhaust is too big but I just don't like the chrome.

agreed, not a fan of chrome.

Originally Posted by Jono

@gt_turbo Awesome!!! It's a shame the HRC tri-color is not offered with the ABS.

You thinking of a CBR600RR front end swap on this one!?! I bet it would be less difficult than the 250 swap.

Canada is getting the tri-color ABS. Darn Canadians! And yes, the thought of swapping forks with a CBR600 has cross my mind. But I think I won't doing anything too major for at least the first couple thousand miles.

Originally Posted by himynameisjoe

Love these... A lot a lot! The only problem is they're honda, and they're so narrow.It makes me feel almost claustrophobic every time I sit on a honda. But that may be easy to get over once you ride it for a day.

I am short guy like 29" in seam, so I love the narrowness of the seat and how tight Honda makes the rider triangle. But reportedly a lot of 6'+ ppl prefer the size of the CBR500R over the 300 at least on the CBR500 forums.

Originally Posted by Madman44

Let us know your thoughts on the power difference between the 500 and 250 once you get to know the bike.

How's the seat? Comfy?

And does it seem taller than the 250? Thanks
Ride safe, bud!

I'll do a follow up after more seat time. And the seat is soft and super comfy, nothing like that hard foam or whatever the 250 has. And for me being short, I sit close to the tank a lot, so I will not be missing any of that ball busting that sometimes occurs when braking.

O yea, on paper it is like half inch taller seat height than the 250. But due to the seat being narrower than the 250, I don't even feel a difference. I can get the balls of my feet down on both bikes. My modded 250 sits a little higher than stock.

Originally Posted by shovit

By the looks of the stock clip-ons it almost looks like you can move them below the triple.

Yes, I thought of this too when I saw it in the show room. Maybe it is that easy? I'll have to take a closer look.


Another thing I do miss compared to the 250, Honda did not put a cat in the gas tank. My 250 was mewing at me as I was moving the bikes around the garage.

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by joshuajcrouch

Great looking bike. Take pix and post them up when you start modding. What size rear tire is that on the CBR? 150 or 160?

I'll post pics of mods, but it might be a while before they hit the market. The rear is 160 iirc. I really like the wheels on this bike too.

[KawiKid860]

Wanna race? 500 vs 500 lets go! I do like these new honda 500s, it's a very Honda design, I can see bits of CBR and VFR in it! Would be a hard choice for me between this and the 300 if I had cash for a new bike and needed to replace my current 500.

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by KawiKid860

Wanna race? 500 vs 500 lets go! I do like these new honda 500s, it's a very Honda design, I can see bits of CBR and VFR in it! Would be a hard choice for me between this and the 300 if I had cash for a new bike and needed to replace my current 500.

lol. i know you got me in the HP department. i wish kawi would have redesigned and released the 300 as a 500 and then just added fuel injection to the old 250. now the price of the 300 is too close to Honda's 500. and yea I definitely see resemblance to the CBR1000RR.

[sharky nrk]

I sat on the 500s at COTA and really liked the naked version. Would be a really great all around commuter, fun, small bike. Looking forward to seeing the mods come in on this one.

[caps]

Nice looking bikes

[Nemesis]

Nice!

What's the redline on that thing?

I believe the EJC are racing these bikes. They looked super fast in the race vid but not sure just how fast.

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Nice!

What's the redline on that thing?

I believe the EJC are racing these bikes. They looked super fast in the race vid but not sure just how fast.

redlines at 8.5k, right about there.


i want those rearsets, exhaust, clip-ons... just gimme everything.



i want those rearsets, exhaust, clip-ons... just gimme everything on top.

[StephenA]

8.5k? wow, what does that feel like compared to the 250? that's like me car lol

also, what's it like on the freeway?

[psych0hans]

I'm sure there'll be good weight savings just with the exhaust and rearsets...

[NathanUc]

Congrats on the new bike!! I didn't get the chance to even see one of these in person but I'll admit, your pictures did make it a tiny bit more attractive than the terrible stock pictures from Honda. Must be the sexy red

[gt_turbo]

This motor is built for torque, not high revving like the ninjette. I was skeptical to, thinking I'd be missing out on the high rev fun. But the torque makes this bike move quickly very easily and still very exciting.

[choneofakind]

I haven't found any dyno sheets from full exhaust manufacturers. I'm curious to see if their intent was to keep the torquey character of the 500 or if they wanted to improve the top end and make it more revvy, like the ninjette.

I also wonder how it responds to ignition advancing, etc.

[Joshorilla]

The guy that works in the shop below my office suite just brought one, I chatted with him for a bit about it, he upgraded from a Honda 125CBF and he's loving it.

Seeing it parked next to my bike, it looks a lot bigger, the engine looks massive in it, very easily mistaken for a 600, infact before I realised it was a 500 I thought "A 600 with only one front disc?!" very nice bike in the flesh, pictures don't quite do them justice.

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

I haven't found any dyno sheets from full exhaust manufacturers. I'm curious to see if their intent was to keep the torquey character of the 500 or if they wanted to improve the top end and make it more revvy, like the ninjette.

I also wonder how it responds to ignition advancing, etc.

The only one I have seen is Tyga's so far. The curve is very smooth. This bike is deigned for torque, it's a nice change from the 250.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[choneofakind]

Wow even in stock form, that's one smooth power/torque curve. Great find. I want to know what Tyga did to that bike. I feel like they could have gotten more than 1 tq and 1 hp.

[Joshorilla]

Stock exhausts now days are very good, being a brand new bike, the typical belief that the exhaust restricts the system isn't nearly as true as it was ten years ago, so the performance gains aren't as pronounced.

It looks like they just put a magot slip-on on it, it's nice they got a linear performance increase with it, no dips, but it goes to show how well tuned the exhaust system is on this bike from the factory.

I have a feeling that the key to performance gains on this bike would be a better fuel map, iron it out for performance rather than reducing emissions which they tend to be programmed more for nowadays.

EDIT: If Tyga are boasting such modest gains from the 500, it gives more credit to their questionable stated gains with their full system on the Ninja 250r.

[Jiggles]

What's the price difference between the 300 and 500 with abs?

[Joshorilla]

Over here the 500 with ABS is £4000 + £500 for ABS

My Ninja 250r was £4000

The Ninja 300 is currently reduced at £4199 + £££ for ABS

The 500 is a no-brainer here

[choneofakind]

^^ I was wondering about the system vs the fuel map. I looks to me like it's only a slip-on and I doubt they changed the fueling at all.

But I have to disagree with you a little. I'll agree that the fueling makes a huge difference and that stock exhausts have some a lot way. But you're going to get better gains every time with an aftermarket full exhaust system over a stock system, assuming you adjust the fuel curve on both of them.

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

What's the price difference between the 300 and 500 with abs?

MSRP for a 300 ABS is $5500
MSRP for a 500 ABS is $6500

according to the 300 price thread it appears 7 out 15 ppl with 300 ABS paid between $6300-$6700 OTD. I paid $6900 for my 500 OTD. I've seen most ppl on the 500 forums reporting about $7200-$7500.

[thisisbenji]

There's also the CB500F that I'm considering, with ABS I was quoted $6,700 OTD by my local dealer.

[Slono]

Do people hate the sv650s or something? I'd say they blow the cbr500 out of the water for what they're valued at on the used market these days. I picked a 2010 ABS model sv650 for $5900 in Canada with mods... In the states they probably go for a least a $1000 cheaper.

[Alex]

Suzuki hasn't sold a new SV650 in the US since 2008, so the very newest used examples are already pushing 5 years old. The Gladius, which replaced it for a year or two, didn't have nearly the same fanbase.

[ChrisMKV]

Originally Posted by thisisbenji

There's also the CB500F that I'm considering, with ABS I was quoted $6,700 OTD by my local dealer.

While I was stopped at a red light today, someone pulled up on a brand new white 500F.

Have to say the pictures really do not do it justice at all, looks absolutely the business in person. No-nonsense practical modern naked bike like. I like

Bit disappointed in the exhaust though, sounded almost like a car. I guess it makes sense for the general styling of the bike, and the point is of course highly subjective...

[gt_turbo]

Originally Posted by Slono

Do people hate the sv650s or something? I'd say they blow the cbr500 out of the water for what they're valued at on the used market these days. I picked a 2010 ABS model sv650 for $5900 in Canada with mods... In the states they probably go for a least a $1000 cheaper.

actually i wanted a 07-08 sv650 naked. i don't like the huge headlights on the faired version. but was not able to find one in my area, so i went with the cbr500r. definitely not as fast but still a great bike.

[choneofakind]

I recently saw a CBR500R next to Ninja300 the other day in my local dealer. I gotta say, in pictures I like the 500R better, but in person I dig the 300. The 500R just does nothing for me

As a rider of an 'ugly-ass' pregen, I should know that a test ride says a lot more than just a glance

[Toly]

Yeah, me, too, when I saw both the R and the F live at the dealer, I was like "meh". Then I said what the heck, for $5500+ why not. And I'm still hooked Ok gotta go for a ride now.