2013 Honda CB500X 10,000km Review

When the only vehicle you own is motorcycle, you have some pretty specific considerations about what you need. Shortly before getting my Honda CB500X last year, I made a list of requirements and considered the purposes I would be using my motorcycle for. 

One of the biggest considerations was that I wanted to be able to use the bike for hiking. That meant I needed a bike that could travel on highway speeds to get out of town, as well as ride on unpaved roads to get to the trailhead. I needed a bike that had aftermarket options for luggage to put my hiking boots in, and store my helmet and riding gear while I was on the trail. I wanted to be able to tour long distances and potentially take it across borders, so I needed something comfortable. And I wanted something reliable with a decent sized fuel tank that was good on gas and reasonable for insurance. (In British Columbia we seem to have some of the most expensive vehicle insurance in the world.) I wanted something that wasn’t too flashy or conspicuous, especially in potential situations of traveling abroad, particularly alone as a woman. And lastly, I wanted something that was inexpensive and simple to fix, that didn’t require specialized parts. 
I narrowed down my focus to the Suzuki V-Strom 650, the Kawasaki Versys 650 and the Honda CB500X. When a secondhand 2013 Honda CB500X bike with very low mileage came up for sale at a good price last summer, I jumped on it. 

I’ve ridden over 12,000km on the bike now, and I am happy to report that the bike has indeed met every criteria I laid out. It is a comfortable, reliable and economical machine that has been very low-maintenance and has taken me on many hikes and adventures over the past year. 

There are times that I wish the engine had a big more power, especially when overtaking, and sometimes the bike’s sound at higher vibrations is very obnoxious. I also find the horn button to be obtrusively large and hit it by accident more often that I would care to admit. But overall, this bike is a fantastic bike and incredibly capable and versatile. There are plenty of aftermarket options for this motorcycle, including the Rally Raid kit that can turn the bike into an adventure motorcycle. 

I am excited about the 2019 CB500X and the changes that have been made to make it closer to being an actual adventure bike that can tackle offroading situations.