Honda's new-for-2013 500cc twins

I don't buy More Crap than News, this link was on another forum:

Pics here

and here

470cc fuckin hell its a moped,lol

they look kinda nice tho

It all depends on your use, if we all wanted max power why are we on cb500's?
Im really glad to see honda continuing to make parallel twins, and not follow this trend for ever larger cc's and greater complexity
I want a bike that will pick up a decent pace while staying cheap to run, easy to fix myself and not weigh a ton. the bhp is a pretty minor concern to me, i plan to spend 0% of my time at 100+ mph


my other bike is a dirt bike, its about 30bhp and 350cc, it is very far from dull to ride believe me

Hario and Spit both make a good point - The CB was and is about being a solid all round commuter, with that little "sleeper" ability. It doesn't look much, but a quick twist of the right grip and you're at the national speed limit before you know it (because we all abide to the speed limt, don't we gentlemen?)

But a lighter frame, lower centre of gravity means it more fun when the roads get twisty. Maybe Honda are trying to focus it as the first big bike you don't want to get rid of?

i know badseeds you dont read mcn but there is a feature on the 3 new 500 hondas next week

I have a feeling the 500 market will come Alive soon with bikes around 46BHP to comply with the new rules , the 33BHP bikes market will die, ninja 250's won't be worth much at all.

JapManEng wrote:Maybe Honda are trying to focus it as the first big bike you don't want to get rid of?

Funny you should say that, I bought my CB500 in March '98 with 50 miles on it after passing direct access, it's still going strong at 81,000!

The amount of good times I've had on it I couldn't bear to part with it!

ryancook1993 wrote:I have a feeling the 500 market will come Alive soon with bikes around 46BHP to comply with the new rules , the 33BHP bikes market will die, ninja 250's won't be worth much at all.

He's right y'know. It'll be like 1982 all over again when the 250 market died. And as then, it'll inject some excitement and development into little bikes.
The market for small displacement bikes is huge and I think Honda want to attract commuters on Leads & Silverwings on to these new 500's. Honda are making a new class for themselves and every other Japanese manufacturer will follow suit.
Remember the Bandit?

Its all to do with new laws from EU.
If the anti tampering law is passed then If you restrict a bike to 33bhp then that will be its max power for the rest of its life.
So you buy a 1000cc bike that will only have a max power for its life.

I think that the now defunct Used Motorcycle Guide got it right years ago - cb5 is a nicely balanced bike for the Uk. That applies to 500's too (well, 500 singles and twins) - good economy, not overpowered, cheap maintenance/consumables...
I've had my cb5 since 2001 and its seen sportsbikes and tourers come and go around it, does everything and keeps going. Also had other cb5's, all were good bikes.

My cb does 60mpg, sounds good but with small urban cars doing the same now the manufacturers need to get into fuel economy and shake up dealer maintenance pricing. A parallel twin, light chassis bike is the way forward. Fast forward to the 60's when these size bikes, in a lower state of tune were day to day transport. Add in todays build quality and here we go - safer biking, mass appeal and a retro time marketing theme. Works for me!



m1

Here's the vid they were making:

I imagine this is the same engine as the NC700 with smaller displacement ( half a Jazz lump )?? The red line seems to be set higher, though ,so I don`t know.