Ep. 77: Detailed Review | 2023 CB500X (Does it compare to Africa Twin?)

[@tonkie1131]

I’ve watched many reviews, before I got my cb500x and this is by far the best, I have now got my bike and agree with most of what you have said, it’s a great bike

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you sir, appreciate your feedback! Enjoy your wonderful machine😉

[@marklowen7353]

Im 59 years and have had bikes since I was 16. I just love this one, its a hoot. I havnt taken it to the dirt but there is another Irish chap who does do some pretty harsh stuff with it in the mountains. The bike is really surprising in the twisties but Im going to change the front sprocket to improve the motorway experience a bit. Truly an excellent bike.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Fully agree, it's my favorite bike of 2022! I'm sure it's capable of way more than I could test. Would be great to have one with no responsibility at all haha. Enjoy your beautiful machine sir! All the best!

[@lonniepruitt5487]

You remind of me.. I go back and forth, between 500 and NT1100 which is not available in United States yet. I’m touring kinda guy... I want make trip to Colorado rockies someday soon.. stay safe my friend.

[@honda116969]

Yeah you should put the 16 🦷⚙️ you will be super happy, I put it on my bike & I don't really see much of a downside it rides really nice & just drops your RPM about 4-500 RPMs on the 🛣️ & makes 1st ⚙️ usable! 👍👍💯 Takes less than 1 hour to put on & cost about $20 bucks. Not like it's hard to put the stock one back on if you're unhappy

[@adam346]

I live near a busy road and the only real time I get annoyed with when screamers or some tuner with a modified exhaust blast through doing double the speed limit... it has made me reflexively hate loud exhausts... this is nice, I like it's sound.

[@KingJulienMoto]

it's pretty solid indeed, I enjoyed it very much :)

[@JohnDoe-xr5is]

2019 they upgraded the front wheel to 19"....2022 they upgraded the front suspension and gave it dual front brake rotors. Perhaps the next 'upgrade' will be the electronics. I won't know, I'm taking delivery of my 2023 next week!

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hehe very nice sir, congratulations! You will have tons of fun, it’s such a wonderful machine! :) Let’s see what the next year brings though. Hornet is the first middleweight by Honda with upgraded electronics, so others might follow soon as well. Would be a nice to have, but the 500X doesn’t get much better than it is now anyway. The upgrades done to breaks and suspension are a massive jump forward!

[@VarvasNukka]

Yep. Giving it the tft dash from the new hornet (and transalp?) is probably in the next upgrade package since it streamlines production for honda. Other than that there really isn't much expect maybe give it a bit better rear spring and more colour options to be pretty much perfect for what it is.

[@honda116969]

I have the 2019 cb500x absolutely love that bike I was going to get the new 1 but I just decided to save some money & get the '19 model because I don't really ride off-road much I just enjoy having the 500cc motor & the bike was almost brand-new with only 500 miles. I think it's better than the Africa twin imo main reason is it's just easier to ride & not so heavy

[@philsayers8067]

Had a 2022 for 12 months now, fun ride, freat fuel efficiency and a solid all round motorcycle

[@KingJulienMoto]

right? I think Honda is absolutely killing it with this model. great value for money and totally does what it was built for, even more

[@alfredocesarano757]

I got the same bike few weeks ago, in black color. I bought it new and I cannot but confirm all your considerations, it is such a capable bike. I am so happy about it, I have the feeling to have got a much better product than the price I have paid for it. I have equipped it with central stand, hand guards and crash bar just as you. Really I love it.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Amazing my friend, I’m so happy for you!!👊🙏 Enjoy every bit, you got yourself a wonderful bike!

[@billwelsh7489]

Good review! I own a 2022 CB500X and its one of the best bikes I've ever ridden. I'm 66yrs old and I also own a Harley Electra Glide Ultra. My only complaints are the seat - Honda doesn't know how to make an all day saddle unless it says Gold Wing on this side of the bike! Another is I long for ride by wire and cruise control. That would be awesome. Ride modes - not on my wish list. Sometimes ride modes work well, most often riders complain they don't - but you still pay for them either way! The sum up of this machine is one word - Fun!

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you very much for your comment Bill. I think you summed it up perfectly, fully agree with everything you said!👍 Ride safe, all the best!

[@CB500Xoo7]

Excellent review! I’ve had mine for a little over a month and I love it! Lots of fun and the ride is comfortable and smooth even on curves.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Absolutely, this bike caught me completely by surprise. Didn’t expect such a great perfomance in every situation :)

[@anthonygebala1198]

I own one and love it. Enough real world power all day comfort,great mpg, good size bike and good build quality. Plus loads of aftermarket gear available. Buy one you will love it.

[@KingJulienMoto]

absolutely agree, thank you! :)

[@samotieno4993]

Am getting mine soon and i cant wait to confirm ... best review by far.

[@KingJulienMoto]

thank you buddy, appreciate your feedback! and also congrats, this bike is an excellent choice!

[@whatthefitt]

Fantastic review wow! Looking to buy a 2023 cb500x when I move to Thailand in a couple of months.. keep up the great reviews

[@KingJulienMoto]

Well, you have some real treat to look forward to! Happy for you man, feel free to share pics then! ;)

[@creativesolution3]

I own the 2020 model and must say that one of the things I like about this bike is the minimal specs and electronics. If Honda only had a 600 or 650 version of this simple bike, with an 18l to 20l fuel tank and more or less the same fuel consumption, it would be more then enough to enhance the fun and joy. from my point of view, to much electronic controls, for the long run, reduce the ability to gain good instincts which result in less safety. But again, this is my opinion and point of view and no one is forced to accept it.

[@KingJulienMoto]

absolutely agree!!

[@jdillon8360]

Would the NC750X suit your needs?

[@igorsergijevic4562]

Fantastična recenzija. Odlično predstavljanje. Bravo!

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hvala ti bratee!!

[@heimvegen5295]

Been throwing mine around mountain tracks here for a couple of seasons here. Changed and lowered the footpegs and put some decent tires on which made a huge difference! Like a different bike! - great for small jumps over cattlegrids on muddy and gravel tracks etc. (Did not like the oem tyres at all...)

[@KingJulienMoto]

Sounds good man! Wish I had one of these babies for a proper unlimited test. Very capable machine indeed!

[@sierrasurvivaladventures]

Superb review. Showing pillion riding, which is something I have not seen on KZbin before in a review. If ever you're in the north of CZ, let's ride. We'll done mate.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you buddy, appreciate your kindness! Of course, I love having reasons to travel! We can surely catch up next season, that would be nice!

[@BillyTube-q6o]

Fantastic review mate. What a cracking bike

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you very much for your kind words man! And hell yes - this bike is simply amazing!

[@YuliOgnyanov]

awesome video, man! thanks for the review

[@KingJulienMoto]

Cheers man, I'm super happy you found it useful! :)

[@druid4243]

That was a fantastic demo of the exhaust sound actually. Never seen a motorcycle review do something like that.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I always try to include all those things that I myself would like to know before I buy a bike, so I’m glad when it is useful to others as well :)

[@alexh7140]

just purchased this cant wait to get it!!

[@KingJulienMoto]

congrats, amazing choice!! :)

[@holeshot7819]

Awesome review bro!

[@KingJulienMoto]

thank you mate, glad you enjoyed it! ;)

[@DynaDub]

That's the best video I've seen on the CB500X

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you so much, I am super happy you found it useful!

[@divexplore21]

This is the best 500X review I have seen. 👍

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you sir, appreciate your kind feedback! :)

[@carbondioxide9683]

Another bike, another great review! Well done my friend, it was really enjoyable to watch ^^ I didn't expect that but the green one is my fav - it suits this bike perfectly. Haha, who needs liters when You have 8 cartons of cigarettes - that's a true unit of measure 😂 Have a good one and I can't wait for the next bike ^^

[@KingJulienMoto]

Haha thank you so much my dear friend!🤗 The green one is definitely my favorite, too! A great color for any adventure bike really. I’ll make sure to bring some more reviews this season, happy you liked them so far!🙏😌 Take good care, all the best!

[@michiganmoto7687]

If they would make this with 21/18 wheel set up it would be great. Currently as far it sets it just doesn’t have the ground clearance to be a good off-road adv bike. Probably fine for flatland dirt but not for much else.

[@KingJulienMoto]

thanks, what you said makes sense👍

[@thecharliebravomotorcycler5335]

I call bullshit; mine has been over Ophir, Engineer, etc...

[@walterquave8023]

As I’m 69 years old and I love my CB500X and you can increase the screen brightness it comes from the factory at medium brightness

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you, well noted! Glad you enjoy your bike, it is an amazing machine indeed! :)

[@rosarioroberto5823]

Greetings As always another fantastic detailed video 🇺🇸🍾🎉🇺🇸 Any fuel surge during low speeds (parking lot), any variations in high speeds, how about heat from the engine after 1 hour riding. Thank you for assisting me. Keep producing more videos.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Heyy thank you so much for such a kind reaction! I'll try to bring more fun content for sure! :) Now about your questions - I didn't expect any fuel surge or any unexpectedly violent reaction from the engine. This thing is really smooth at slow speeds, as well as at high ones. Maybe one little nit-pick I would have is that on highway I sometimes felt as if the front wheel was wobbling. Really just micro movements, but it was there. But I read on forums that it is normal. Maybe it has something to do with the decreased weight of the front wheel. But again, it didn't make my riding experience any less awesome. Barely noticeable. And regarding the engine heat - there wasn't one moment when I would be bothered by it. It's a rather small engine, so it produces pretty low heat, even for the two-cylinder standards. Hope this helps, cheers! :)

[@seanb1081]

I'm the owner of a CB500X 2020 model. The engine can be a bit "twitchy" at very low speeds, but once you learn how to use the clutch and throttle just right, you can glide on through anything at slow speeds. I find the bike a lot smoother to handle if I keep it in the 2nd gear at slow speeds, as much as possible, and slip the clutch a little. It's only when it gets down to about 5km that I'll drop it into 1st gear. Throttle and clutch control skills are all you need to keep it purring no matter what the speed. My home's driveway involves coming up a VERY steep hill, with a hair pin turn at the top and only about 2 meters to make the 180-degree turn. I can handle it easily.

[@jdillon8360]

Good video. I like that Slovakia has trams as well, just like my home city Melbourne.

[@KingJulienMoto]

oh yes, we are so much dependent on them, especially since we have no subway here.. :( so we need a lot of busses and trams in every bigger city :)) Anyway, I would love to see Melbourne one day, it looks gorgeous in pics and videos, lucky you!! :)

[@paulbass1972]

Finally a bike that can store 8 cartons of cigarettes and 2 grilled fish.. Sold!! 🎉😂👏

[@KingJulienMoto]

Right? RIGHT?!!😁

[@KeepItSimpleSailor]

The stock exhaust is heavy rubbish, but aftermarket slip-on mufflers are readily available. There’s mixed views on wind buffeting. The suspension is okay on the road but nothing special and pushing the bike off-road requires good off-road technique to make up for the suspension. Fuel economy is really good, up to about 105kmh. The motor responds well to hard use, and likes to be in the mid-high range revs for fun factor. Engine braking is good. Hard braking also flashes the rear indicators like hazard lights to supplement the brake light. It’s a terrible bike for carrying a pillion, but that’s no surprise given the suspension. The dash isn’t very good - it can be adjusted brighter, but it’s still not great. Traction control wouldn’t work on this bike and it’s better off being kept electronically simple. There’s better bikes, but probably not at the price and not with that legendary Honda reliability. I really like my bike (2023), and use it for day and extended rural touring on mixed road surfaces.

[@martin.1243]

Kristova noho ja som tam videl Matoviča na bilborde :) inak dík za recenziu táto motorka je nádherná kurnik asi budem musieť začať šetriť..

[@KingJulienMoto]

:D :D :D jooj sorry, niekedy ''v terene'' clovek nevychyta vsetky muchy :D ospravedlnujem sa vsetkym ktorym som sposobil akukolvek ujmu alebo traumu. podme sa radsej sustredit na tu krasnu motorku :D vela stastia kamo, dufam ze sa ti podari nasetrit a kupit a budes mega spokojny!

[@martin.1243]

👍 :)

[@AboutaMileAdventures]

Did you turn the brightness up on the display? It comes on bar 3 of 8.

[@KingJulienMoto]

I have to confess I wasn't aware of this. Thought it was essentially the same display with the same functions as the 2020 CBR, but I guess they made some improvements after all :)

[@pintupramod]

Lovely review

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you sir, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@hugovermaak6233]

Cqn you change the seat

[@djpunisha29]

picking up my green 500X next week :)

[@KingJulienMoto]

great choice my man, enjoy it!!

[@Kachne-Motors]

Very good video!

[@KingJulienMoto]

Thank you very much! :)

[@marcochavane3124]

I'm not sure if I'd consider this the Baby Africa Twin. I think that would be the CRF300L Rally. This is more like a Baby TransAlp but still a really neat bike.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Interesting take sir, you made a good point there. I only had experience with Africa Twin and this bike kinda reminded me of it in some ways, hence the comparison :)

[@marcochavane3124]

@@KingJulienMoto understandable. I think a 21/18 wheel setup would make a stronger argument for that. But many people have used these as dedicated adventure bikes regardless of wheel size and it seems to have a very strong following from people that are getting outside and having fun.

[@teutonman7018]

I think people have got this wrong. Its not a baby africa twin. It's a baby 1200 Crosstourer Adventure.

[@commotoed]

Very good presentation well stated!

[@KingJulienMoto]

thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@mickleblade]

Did you increase the shock preload with a passenger?

[@KingJulienMoto]

nope, didn’t have to care about anything really :))

[@user-jr1cs6ob3m]

Of course you do

[@vhonsamson6177]

Bro what type o saddle luggage bracket brand is fitted on this bike.. please reply.. cheers

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hey, everything you see here is Honda OEM accessories, manufacturer unknown. But you can order them via Honda website.

[@tomasguerin3966]

Did you increase the led display to maximum brightness?

[@KingJulienMoto]

Honestly, I didn’t play with that. But I had the very same dash on my CBR and it sucked no matter what I did😏

[@ChaiNinja]

Question for you sir. What is the brand of your tail luggage? I would love to put that on my cb500x as well.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hey man, the one I had on my demo bike is a Honda original accessory, which you can order via Honda website or any dealership. Costs around 500 Eur. Hope this helps, cheers!

[@seanb1081]

Extreme off road.... LOL! Mate, here in Australia, we would say that the "off road" you chose (near the nudist area) is about the same you would see in a Millon different areas throughout the country. My grandmother could have traveled that, so called off road, no worries! PS: I own A 2020 CB500X and have no complaints with the bike.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Chillout pussycat, it’s supposed to be fun..😜 I’m nowhere near an off-road rider and even if I was crazy enought to try something extreme, I would have to make very sure Honda approves destroying the demo bike.. which they obviously didn’t. Cheers, ride safe!👊😉

[@malcolm8564]

I've seen many reviews of this bike and all said the seat is really good. I'm ordering one and my only decision is green or red?

[@KingJulienMoto]

Both are beautiful, but remember that red adds 5 ponies :D You can't really go wrong with either of them. I love the green color but when I saw the red one in person.. a completely different animal. I couldn´t decide either :)) and yes, the seat is really good!

[@porter5877]

The seat is terrible! Especially after miles! Look it up,loads of people hate the seat....

[@Bemoon11]

I like this colour 🎉❤

[@KingJulienMoto]

me too! :)

[@dmsentra]

I've been waiting for a 450-600cc twin cyl., sub 380 pound, 7"+ travels, 32-33" seat height bike for years. I'm still waiting. Get rid of all the fancy plastics and extra doodads.

[@Bemoon11]

Can you review Honda CB 650 naked

[@KingJulienMoto]

I wish! unfortunately, I'm probably not gonna make it this year. next year for sure :)

[@svaralen]

Love this bike!!! Do you think is beginner friendly? I am 50 years old with 1,83cm high and 100kg weight...should be a lovely first bike!! Regards from far away Serbia 🇷🇸✌️

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hi Alen, I totally do recommend this as your first bike! It's very capable and fun for a beginner so it doesn't get boring soon, unlike most of the 300cc bikes. At the same time, the power delivery is so smooth and linear that it surely won't surprise you. Also, if you drop it, you can easily pick it up and it's very unlikely that it would get wrecked after a minor fall. It's a very solid and durable piece of machine. I just recommend you to visit your local Honda dealership, sit on the bike and see how it fits you. I am 6 cm shorter than you and it is by far the most comfy machine I've ever ridden, but everybody's different, so better see for yourself :)

[@svaralen]

@@KingJulienMoto thanx a lot for your reply 👍. Unfortunatly in Belgrade, the only Honda dealer don't have the cb500x in the shop, never had in order to see it, seat on it or even to try it...delivery time is around 6 month and only 2 years warranty. But will go to buy it anyway, made my choice!!! Thanx again and love your videos ✌️

[@KingJulienMoto]

@@svaralen I see, that’s unfortunate.. But I really believe you will be happy with the bike. It’s wonderful. Or another option would be to come over here to Slovakia to test ride it😀

[@seanb1081]

I road bikes all the time from my early teens to my mid 20's.(I didn't bother getting a car untill I was about about 24 years old) Then, as always, life changed and didn't get back on an MC until a couple of years ago in my late 50's. At first, I found the weight and height of the CB00X a little daunting, but now 3 months later and 1200KMs of riding in all sought of conditions, it feels perfect! (PS: I'm 6ft, 78KG but have a short inner leg measurement)

[@ewganhoff]

The price is too high now the Hornet is here for £7000. Put a screen and bar risers on a hornet and youve got nearly the same thing with double the power and less weight for nearly the same price. To be fair, the Hornets price is making a lot of middleweight bikes look stupid right now.

[@KingJulienMoto]

I would disagree about the ''nearly the same thing''. Rode both bikes and I wouldn't compare them at all.. I agree with the rest though. The new Hornet is practically impossible to beat when it comes to value for money.

[@KG-lb1rh]

Nette Müllberge am Badestrand, ansonsten nette Vorstellung

[@klano8443]

I test rode one and it's a great bike but it's no offroad bike it's a road bike fullstop.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Agreed it belongs on the road, though with those tyres you can survive pretty well in a mild off-road terrain, too. That’s it :)

[@DynaDub]

What about us older riders?

[@KingJulienMoto]

I would absolutely recommend to test ride it if you have a chance, but it was definitely one of the most comfortable machines I've ever ridden. The ergonomics are extremely nice and everything else feels smooth and in its right place. The power delivery is definitely there but it's not scary, so I find the engine great for both, beginners and older riders. But as I said, you should at least sit on it to feel the bike or even better take it for a spin :)

[@removed.account]

Honda has so many new bikes this year. Any chance that we will see review of the new hornet or xl750? This bike also look tempting, especialy the fuel conumption. 😅 Maybe I will eaven schedule test ride later this year. P.S. I would love to see packs of cigaretes as a rolling joke in upcoming reviews. P.S.S. Would you be able to make video about frame sliders? I tried to research this topic my self, however I know eaven less than I knew before.

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hey there, thank you for your suggestions! ;) About the bike reviews.. I’ll see whether Honda wants me to test any of their demo machines. If so, then I surely would like to get my hands on the two you mentioned but I can’t promise anything right now. I will defo keep everybody posted! I would strongly advise you to get your test ride scheduled mate, CB500X is a great machine, you’ll see! Please let me know your impressions then, thanks! ;) Regarding the running joke, that might be a little complicated haha. I happend to have a ridiculous amount of cigarettes that my friend from Austria ordered (see, they’re a lot cheaper in Slovakia), so I thought I should use them somehow, but it was an isolated incident since I don’t smoke, haha. I will make sure to come up with some other stupid shit for sure though. I know I can’t be normal for 30 minutes straight so no worries :)) Frame sliders is a pretty interesting topic, I will defo have a look at it and see whether a whole video about it makes sense. Otherwise I could at least suggest some solid brands ;) Cheers, see ya around!

[@KingJulienMoto]

Hey! Update: I will do Hornet and Transalp this year ;)

[@removed.account]

@@KingJulienMoto That some great news! :D If I were facing now which one to buy - Hornet or MT07, then Hornet seems like such a no-brainer for me. Its full of cool stuff like riding modes, self canceling indicator, build-in navigation, QS Up/Down, and a lot more. Also if I recall correctly it is also cheaper, and has more power. But please, don't make me want this motorcycle as much as you did with Rosie, I don't have room for another one. 🤪

[@KingJulienMoto]

@@removed.account yeah Hornet vs. MT07 is a no brainer indeed. It has all you said, except the navigation really sucks. But in its defense, there is not one dedicated motorcycle app that would actually work properly. They’re usually delayed and not always actually showing data on display. I didn’t figure out how to display navigation on Hornet and it seems that you can only pair your phone with the bike to control the phone etc., but the navigation has to be viewed on the phone. I need to double-check though, maybe I just didn’t figure it out :)

[@KingJulienMoto]

@@removed.account Rosie is still top Honda middleweight though, in my humble opinion😇

[@patientprepper2030]

ummm.. your were not flat footed. lol. Still a good review.

[@KingJulienMoto]

haha okay fair enough.. but if I tried harder I could be. especially on an even terrain :)

[@rafaelmolina123]

If this is a baby Africa, then what do you call the cb150x 😢

[@KingJulienMoto]

a wonderful little bike that will eventually get there :D you have to understand mate, I only did it for the catchy headline ;)

[@maakamakana7007]

Man. I love a pretty woman in leathers..oyiiiiiiiiii

[@KingJulienMoto]

hahaaaaa who doesn’t brother?!🤣🫶

[@roadrunner3505]

lose the music...

[@KingJulienMoto]

no.

[@kaugurid1608]

вшё хреново давай по новой !

[@romans883]

You took this bike on sandy road where city cars were all over and you call it extreme ? Please hit some real dirt road with boulders and mud and call that extreme lol

[@KingJulienMoto]

You’re missing the point sir, it’s to make the review more fun. I have enough integrity not to destroy a demo bike in a terrain that’s beyond my capabilities ;)

[@KingJulienMoto]

Plus it is not build for the terrain you call “extreme”, which should be obvious from the review, too. Cheers.