SuzukiSavage.com - Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with it?

piedmontbuckeye Senior Member Offline Go Bucks! Posts: 496 Easley, SC Gender:	Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with it? 01/30/18 at 13:37:59 I am looking into purchasing a Honda CB500F (500cc w/6-speed trans.). Do any of you have any experience with one of these or any particular good or bad knowledge about them?
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batman

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #1 - 01/30/18 at 16:09:13

PMB, No experience , but I read that the only problem some have had is the instrument pod burning up, this has happened with the bike parked ,not running .It makes me think that the clock wiring may be at fault ,as it is the only thing powered 24/7 and not turned off by the ignition key.The fact that most modern clocks require only 1 1/2 volts and the battery is 12v leads me to believe there may be resistance somewhere in the line ,if it is inside the pod it may have failed and caused a fire.(wild guess) . One owner had it happen to his bike twice,first time paid for by Honda, second a year later out of pocket $500.Other than that the bike looks solid ! I wouldn't mine one myself!

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« Last Edit: 01/30/18 at 17:22:57 by batman »

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zipidachimp Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1429 surrey, b.c. Gender:	Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with Reply #2 - 01/30/18 at 20:52:30 It felt good at the recent bike show, last year's models are a better deal. U-tube has a ton of vids, mostly positive. Actually feels better than the similar Rebel 500. My choice too for a light twin. (at least until RoyalEnfield brings out the 650 twin.)
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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #3 - 01/30/18 at 21:00:38

I had one of the 72 models . It was really Smooth ! It was also Heavy for its HP. I rode it for two years . One day I was out on the super slab running along 70-75mph and we came to Moneagle mountain on I-24 , the speed limit dropped to 55 but I just kept the 70 mph . There is a "Switch-back 270 deg. about 2/3 the way up. Well , coming out of the Switch-back I went to pull it the rest of the way open to accelerate out of the curve --- and found it was already wide open ! All ended well , but that when I decided to trade it for something a little lighter and more fun . In all fairness I was riding a young lady on the back and doing 70mph uphill and pulling the "G's" of a Switch back curve . I think I was tired of the weight anyway !
But , it was butter smooth , geared good , and easy to ride. I'd be glad to ride it again , but back then I could only have one bike and I was still in love with my old Honda CB350 twin that had dropped a valve into a piston at 7000 rpm and died. Embarrassed

Get it if its pretty !

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piedmontbuckeye

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #4 - 01/31/18 at 06:34:12

MMRanch wrote on 01/30/18 at 21:00:38:

I'd be glad to ride it again , but back then I could only have one bike and I was still in love with my old Honda CB350 twin. Embarrassed

Get it if its pretty !

I still like the old twin style of the Honda CB 350 and others of that era. I had a Honda 305 SuperHawk and literally loved it. I am hoping this CB500F will satisfy me. I still am just a 1-bike person. REtired and not much money!

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« Last Edit: 02/01/18 at 05:53:05 by piedmontbuckeye »

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #5 - 01/31/18 at 07:09:39

What I find puzzling about the new 500 is the fact that they claim torque peaks @ 7000 RPM but redline is only 8500 rpm .seeing as the bore and stroke are nearly equal (much like the savage) I would expect torque to peak about 4000 rpm . what gives? the cam? Maybe the torque drops like a stone after 7000 ? It could be the reason they added a 6th gear.

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piedmontbuckeye

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #6 - 01/31/18 at 07:44:12

batman wrote on 01/31/18 at 07:09:39:

What I find puzzling about the new 500 is the fact that they claim torque peaks @ 7000 RPM but redline is only 8500 rpm .seeing as the bore and stroke are nearly equal (much like the savage) I would expect torque to peak about 4000 rpm . what gives? the cam? Maybe the torque drops like a stone after 7000 ? It could be the reason they added a 6th gear.

I would guess that the torque would be affected by the valve timing AND lift. I am certainly not an expert. i did love the engine when I test rode the 500 Rebel, as it would fit my style of riding. I only do back roads through mountains and rarely use any interstate. So.. I am figuring that this may suit me. I really don't like the single-cylinder issue, nor the "cruising" seating position. So, I will be selling or trading in my Savage, though it runs perfectly and even smoothly when kept in the right ranges per gear.

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Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with Reply #7 - 01/31/18 at 08:00:30 MMRanch wrote on 01/30/18 at 21:00:38: I had one of the 72 models . Beyond name, the 2017/18 version has absolutely nothing in common with a 1972 model. There is no basis for comparison.
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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #8 - 01/31/18 at 08:36:08

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 01/31/18 at 08:00:30:

MMRanch wrote on 01/30/18 at 21:00:38:
I had one of the 72 models .

Beyond name, the 2017/18 version has absolutely nothing in common with a 1972 model. There is no basis for comparison.

Agreed. I have extensively read test reports and watched videos about the last few years' versions.

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #9 - 01/31/18 at 08:41:01

I saw the CB500 at the dealer....and it is a nice looking bike and most likely could do about anything that a lone rider wanted to do (it didn't look like a good bike for riding double). I thought that if I needed a good reliable street bike for riding alone and didn't care that it had no vintage/retro looking attributes - it was definitely worth considering. If you wanted to load it up with luggage and make a sport touring bike out of it......the small size and style starts to look a bit weird with side bags and a top box - but I am sure it would still rack up plenty of miles without issue.

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #10 - 01/31/18 at 08:47:05

batman wrote on 01/31/18 at 07:09:39:

What I find puzzling about the new 500 is the fact that they claim torque peaks @ 7000 RPM but redline is only 8500 rpm .seeing as the bore and stroke are nearly equal (much like the savage) I would expect torque to peak about 4000 rpm . what gives? the cam? Maybe the torque drops like a stone after 7000 ? It could be the reason they added a 6th gear.

The higher rpm for the torque doesn't surprise me a bit - it is a medium size twin with a 67mm bore and a 66.8mm stroke.....smaller parts need to spin faster to get good performance from them - and I expect that the bike is set up to have a strong mid-range torque more than high rpm horsepower. The 8,500 rpm redline is pretty normal for Honda twins that aren't tuned to be sport bikes. My Honda NT700 V-twin has peak torque at 6,500 rpm, maxium HP at 8,000 rpm....and a redline at 8,500.

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Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with
Reply #11 - 01/31/18 at 09:09:59

https://sloansmotorcycle.com/Showroom/2017/Honda/Motorcycle/CB500F/Base

Is a twin --- CB500F

F used to mean "Four" ,

The Twin might should be CB500T . because as they have already used the label " CB500F" for a "Four Cylinder" ....
Ofcourse , if Honda wasn't confused they would have thrown the sedonary drive chain as far away as they could throw it , and put a belt on ... it is a street bike after all ! Wink

All that aside :

I'll bet the new 500T(F) would be a lot more FUN to drive than the Old 500F !

if ya like that Sportbike Ride ...

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« Last Edit: 01/31/18 at 15:19:24 by MMRanch »

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Fast 650 Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 406 Valrico, FL Gender:	Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with Reply #12 - 01/31/18 at 09:41:25 They may have shied away from calling it a 500T after the horrible mess they made in the late 70's with that CB500T. They stroked the CB450, and that was the only thing they did. Paint shakers are smooth compared the old 500T.
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zipidachimp Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1429 surrey, b.c. Gender:	Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with Reply #13 - 01/31/18 at 14:49:13 go for it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDlB9cOVDBk cheers! ps: or you could try a '94 model! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHYwYC8GItA
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MMRanch Serious Thumper Offline Evil flourishes if Good Men do Nothing. Posts: 5857 LYNCHBURG TN Gender:	Re: Honda CB500F - Anyone had any experience with Reply #14 - 01/31/18 at 16:05:13 It looked like (to me) the 94 model was doing the better job . It ran with the "GOLDEN RULE" stay in YOUR own lane NO MATTER WHAT , and the lean angle seemed a lot more too !
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