The number of big-bike riders grew exponentially during the pandemic. Brands with expressway-legal offerings were the biggest winners, Honda Philippines (HPI) included.
As soon as our roads started opening up, we also started seeing more and more of Honda’s competitive offerings like the Rebel 500, CB500X, and CB500R. Heck, even the middleweight, four-cylinder CB650R became a common sighting.
There’s one relatively affordable model that HPI brought in, however, that somewhat flew under the radar: the CB500F. It’s a naked that packs the same engine as its 500cc siblings, but it didn’t quite boom like the other Hondas.
Recently, I was offered a test ride of this underrated Japanese bike, and I made it a point to find out why it didn’t become a fan favorite like its stablemates. Isn’t it good enough? Or was it simply overshadowed by the success of the other Hondas?
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Styling
The CB500F isn’t a head-turner, I’ll be honest, but it actually looks pretty good. The design is balanced for a naked—it’s neither too aggressive nor too subdued. It does look like a Honda, with its headlights somewhat looking similar to that of its smaller sibling, the CB150.
Now, I’m not a big fan of the color red, but in this case, I think it suits the CB500F perfectly. Come to think of it, it shouldn’t come as a surprise, because that’s Honda’s signature color, after all.
The saddle
I didn’t expect much from the CB500F’s seat at first, because it really doesn’t look that comfortable. I was immediately proven wrong after I sat astride. There’s decent cushioning, and the riding position is almost perfect for my 5’6” frame. My wingspan and inseam aren’t all that great, but I still found the CB500F to be a great fit.
The handlebars and footpegs are positioned just right for the average-sized Filipino. That said, taller individuals like my 6’2” boss Carlo Chungunco will have a less pleasant time with this bike.
For newbies or shorter individuals, this should be manageable to ride. It’s listed at 189kg, but it seems lighter than that. Meanwhile, Its seat height is 789mm or 31.06 inches, but the bike’s slim frame makes it easy to straddle.
As for the pillion seat, it’s actually pretty decent. There’s also ample cushioning, and the rear footpegs are placed just right. However, the problem here is the lack of grab bars behind the bike. I know some OBRs prefer having a separate grab bar at the rear, as it also gives an added sense of security for backrides.
Engine performance
As mentioned previously, the CB500F packs a familiar Honda engine. That’s the 471cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin powertrain that churns out 46.94hp at 8,500rpm and 43.2Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. My father owns a Rebel 500, so I’m quite familiar with this engine, and I can easily say that you can expect more of the same performance in the CB500F.
It’s not freakishly powerful, so it’s ideal for beginners. But at the same time, it’s got more than enough oomph for your typical weekend road trips, and I’m sure even seasoned riders will find the performance just right.
Ride and handling
The decent saddle I was talking about earlier is also paired with a fairly decent ride. It’s not as comfortable as a CB500X, but I find it a lot comfier than the Rebel 500. Perhaps it’s the riding position that makes it slightly better. Of course, on long, open straights, any of these 500cc Hondas will be perfectly fine to ride.
In the twisties, however, is where the CB500F really impressed me. I’m no highly skilled rider by any means, but spirited rides on winding mountain roads with this bike was a breeze and all sorts of fun. At some point during a long ride from Rizal back to Laguna, though, I slightly overshot through a corner, but that was more of a skill issue. The stock tires are wide and grippy, and the bike just leans as far as its rider can take it.
Stopping power is also excellent in the CB500F. The Nisin calipers with the dual front discs and single rear disc perform well even in real-world hard-braking situations. Don}t ask me how I know.
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Extra features
While RoadSync features in newer Honda bikes these days are nice and all, I’m still content with the instrument cluster you get in the CB500F. Honda has always built good TFT displays, and the same can be said here. All the information you need such as trip meters and fuel-consumption gauges are readily available and visible even during daytime.
The CB500F also comes standard with ABS and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). The latter is a feature that prevents wheel slippage on low-traction surfaces, and I found it helpful during one of my long rides that included a surprise half-kilometer off-roading section.
Verdict
At P379,000, the Honda CB500F is a darn good bargain. It’s very much worth anyone’s consideration—whether you’re looking for your first big bike or just looking to add a new tollway-legal steed to your garage. I’m certain that the only reason we don’t see as many of these on the road as we do the other 500 models is because this was the last to arrive, and at that point, its stablemates had already captured the market and remained top-of-mind among Honda customers.
Now, it’s time to raise one important issue with this review: Between the time I was lent the bike and the time I put out this article, the CB500F was discontinued and replaced with the CB500 Hornet. To be fair to HPI, it wasn’t a complete curveball of a move, seeing as the smaller Hornet had already been previewed in the market before. So by the time you’re reading this, brand-new CB500F units are probably already running out.
The good part is that while the CB500F’s replacement has newer tech across the board, it isn’t completely mechanically different from its predecessor (it’s even priced the same), so this review should still give you a good idea of how this newer CB500 Hornet should perform. And while I haven’t tried out that newer one yet, I know it’ll offer even better value for money since I already find the CB500F competitive given its price tag and what it brings to the table.
Rest assured, we’ll be back with a review of the CB500 Hornet as soon as we get our hands on one.
SPECS: Honda CB500F 2024
Price: P379,000
Engine: 471cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Power: 46.94hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 43.2Nm @ 6,500rpm
Wet weight: 189kg
Seat height: 789mm (31.06 inches)
Fuel-tank capacity: 17.1 liters
Score: 9/10
More photos of the Honda CB500F 2024:
