“Great bike. I brought this because I was travelling 30 miles a day for work and doing 300+ miles of weekend riding. I brought an aftermarket Corbin seat for it which lowered the seating position a little, and allowed me to sit further back on the bike comfortably. If I behaved then i'd be getting 85mpg on the dial, which is in American gallons. So add 20% for UK MPG. Out on a ride i'd get 70mpg. I've done 10+ hours on this bike for 4 days strait, and it never threw a problem at me. 21k on the clock and the sprockets are still in good condition, chain was changed for cosmetic reasons so can't comment on the life of the original although it was a D.I.D.
Nice on tyres, doing 17k before I changed my rear, and it still has a few thousand miles before illegal. Changed the front at the same time although it didn't need it at all.”
“I've returned to biking after a long absence since the early 1970s. I started out last year with a CBF 125 and quickly became hooked again. So this spring I switched to a CB 500 XA. My mate and I toured Scotland in the early summer and then toured Wales in early autumn.
This bike was a perfect step up after a nervous reintroduction on the CBF 125. I find it comfortable and unbelievably easy to ride: confidence boosting. It quickly shows you that the bike is better then you.
Biking hones your awareness of everything going on around you. You have to read the road so far ahead and be constantly prepared for any eventuality. It forces you to become master of the machine: it is wonderful. The CB 500 makes this so easy. It has great brakes, fantastic manoeuvrability and great response.
It is extremely economical to own too. If there's any drawback for me, it is that it slightly lacks in mid-range torque. So next year I'll be looking for an upgrade with a bit more power. Then maybe we'll be touring Eastern Europe.”
