Honda CL500
The successful quartet of beginner models using Honda’s 471 cc parallel-twin for motivation is about to become a quintet with the new Scrambler themed CL500 joining the Honda catalogue in 2023.
Largely based on the hugely popular CMX500 cruiser, which shares its drivetrain with the CBR500R fully-faired sports model, CB500F nakedbike and CB500X adventure-touring option, it will be interesting to see how the CL500 is received in the Australian market.
Setting the CL500 apart from the existing models is the combination of a 19/17 inch wheel combo, tall scrambler exhaust, longer travel suspension but still retaining a very reasonable 790 mm seat height.
Scramblers have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with the look proving a winner with riders, and that is obviously why we now have the new CL500. That includes fork gaiters, light dual-purpose tyres, a fairly bench-like seat, all built around the proven Honda platform.
That’s a tubular diamond steel frame paired with 41 mm telescopic forks, but with the addition of a set of pre-load adjustable dual shocks to suit the scrambler style.
Travel is a reasonably generous 150 mm at the front and 145 mm at the rear, a step up from most road machines..
155 mm ground clearance again is slightly more than your average road bike, for those who want to make use of that light off-roading capability.
Brakes comprise of a large single 310 mm rotor with two-piston caliper running sintered pads, with a single-piston caliper at the rear on the 240 mm rotor. Front and rear is linked, with ABS run and designed for both dirt tracks and asphalt according to Honda.
That 19-inch front and 17 inch rear tyre combo will be clad in Dunlop Mixtours, with a 110/80-R19 front and 150/70-R17 rear. Cast aluminium wheels are used, which may be disappointing for some, but the emphasis on off-road for this bike is definitely ‘light’.
The blacked out 471 cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin is naturally LAMS compliant, and runs a new set of PGM-FI settings specifically for the CL500, alongside shorter final gearing – in comparison to the CMX500 – along with a six-speed gearbox with slipper clutch.
The 34.3 kW (46 hp) peaks at 8500 rpm, and torque – a strong point of the 500 over its smaller 300 and 400 cc competition – reaches 43.4 Nm at 6250 rpm.
A two-onto-one down-pipe expands back into a huge twin-pipe muffler. Honda promise a ‘heavier low-frequency sound compared to the CMX500 cruiser, with similar pulsing feel’.
Simplicity is in many ways the name of the game with the CL500, running LCD instrumentation, four-LED headlight, circular LED indicators and an oval LED taillight.
High level handlebars offer a commanding seating position combined with the 790 mm seat height. Pads are run on the tank for grip, with steel ‘pegs’ including rubber inserts.
The 12L fuel tank is claimed to be good for over 300 km.
All up the CL500 weighs in at 192 kg, which Honda typify as light, but realistically is fairly run of the mill for a 500-650 cc class machine. The bike looks likely to face competition in the form of the Benelli Leoncino 500 Trail, which is available for close to the $10k mark here in Australia.
Pricing for the 2023 Honda CL500 has yet to be announced but the bikes are expected to arrive in Australia in Q2 of 2023, with colour options including Candy Caribbean Blue Sea, Candy Energy Orange, Matte Laurel Green and Matte Gunpowder Black.
Honda CL500 Specifications
| 2023 Honda CL500 Specifications | |
| Engine Type | Liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke 4-valve two-cylinder |
| Displacement | 471 cc |
| Bore & Stroke | 67 x 66.8 mm |
| Peak Power | 34.3kW @ 8500rpm |
| Peak Torque | 43.4Nm @ 6250rpm |
| Compression Ratio | 10.7:1 |
| Starter | Electric |
| Fuel System | PGM-FI electronic fuel injection |
| Clutch | Wet multiplate, assisted slipper clutch |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Drive | Chain |
| Front Suspension | 41mm telescopic fork, 150 mm travel |
| Rear Suspension | Twin shock, five-stop preload adjustable, 145 mm travel |
| Brakes | 310mm rotor, two-piston caliper, 240 mm rotor, single-piston caliper, linked brakes, ABS |
| Tyres | 110/80-19, 150/70-17 |
| Overall Length | 2175 mm |
| Overall Width | 831 mm |
| Overall Height | 1135 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1485 mm |
| Seat Height | 790 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 155 mm |
| Fuel Capacity | 12 L |
| Kerb Weight | 192 kg |
| Colours | Candy Caribbean Blue Sea, Candy Energy Orange, Matte Laurel Green and Matte Gunpowder Black |
| Price | TBA |
| Arrival | Q2, 2023 |
