Best type of bike for long distance commuting/touring?

JavaFan said:
common characteristics of true ADV bikes


  • higher ground clearance
  • longer suspension travel
  • steel, spoked wheels
  • moderate DS tires
  • engine bars
  • skid plate
  • hand guards
  • heated grips
  • tall windshield

CB500X has none of those things
all it has without spending a lot of dough is styling
and it is great styling, very attractive bike
of course it will have Honda dead-nuts reliability too

but it is not an ADV bike
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Taller seat, check

Bigger tank, check

Easy maintenance, check

Higher ground clearance than the other 500s, check

Ergonomics for long distance touring, check

Also if they didn't want it to do any type of offroad they wouldn't outfit it with 90/10 tires.

Riding in sand and rivers, check (these arent the stock tires, but stock wheels) https://photos.app.goo.gl/8FKTdASjAtb9ca8CA

Also it's a lot lighter and more manoeuvrable because of how light it is, there's been a huge movement of guys on bigger adv bikes switching to this one (if you check the adv rider forum thread)

When looking on google, one of the first results i'd found:

adventure-umbrella.jpg

adventure-motorcycles1.jpg


If you join a few cb500x groups you get to see what crazy stuff they commonly put their bikes through, even stock. Quite fascinating.
 
higher ground clearance
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Vstrom is 1/10th of an inch more big whoop :rolleyes:
and it's more than the street version Honda

longer suspension travel
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sometimes and the CB500x HAS longer suspension than the road version.

steel, spoked wheels
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Vstrom doesn't always ...some do ...not a deal breaker for off pavement.

moderate DS tires
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nah - riders choice

engine bars
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nah

skid plate
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nah

hand guards
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not decent ones...flimsy plastic

heated grips
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nah - 3rd party

tall windshield
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nah - 3rd party

You are losing this argument?. :D
Yah

You missed one key feature the CB500x doesn't have which is the larger front wheel.....again for it's purpose...in no way an issue.

Positives, low price, low weight, relatively low seat height, superb gas mileage and TONS of farkles up to the RR on a very affordable ADV bike that is simply a joy to ride
 
alright....CB500X is an entry level ADV bike
with a few dollars spent can become a very good ADV bike

happy Friday lads!







but if you are trail riding and pooch a rim hitting a rock
hope you have company to help you get out :)
 
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JavaFan said:
alright....CB500X is an entry level ADV bike
with a few dollars spent can become a very good ADV bike

happy Friday lads!







but if you are trail riding and pooch a rim hitting a rock
hope you have company to help you get out :)
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LOL

that last word from javafan

HAPPY FRIDAY and happy riding
 
This is a discussion board,not an argument board.If you think an off road capable bike doesn't need a 21" front wheel....you don't have enough experience off road to reply.

Next step with this thread is sending it to tt.It's run it's course.
 
the discussion is not about off road capable bikes ...it's about ADV bikes ....big difference and yes I ride a bike with a 21" front wheel and it's not really an off road bike either.
Y'know it was all done in good humour and really didn't need your interference.

Quote Originally Posted by JavaFan View Post
alright....CB500X is an entry level ADV bike
with a few dollars spent can become a very good ADV bike

happy Friday lads!


but if you are trail riding and pooch a rim hitting a rock
hope you have company to help you get out
LOL

that last word from javafan

HAPPY FRIDAY and happy riding
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Hehe - you too

....I'll be riding around looking for a clutch lever since I didn't heed my own advice and mind the wind.
Glad that's all that got beat up....sliders worked and fortunately a staff was around to add some lifting power.
 
gonna have to keep using smilies to ensure discussions are not confused for ill-natured exchanges :)

bummer about the fall-over
you should get like a fluorescent green shorty lever
would look awesome

I'm 2 wheel grounded until the new rear tire arrives
rode from south Texas back home with 2 plugs installed
ain't gonna push my luck any further
 
Yes, guess some don't get banter :rolleyes: When I think what I put my 305 Hawk through.....bout anything can be an adventure bike ;)

Yeah - just ordered a lever - not many third party available for the CBF1000. Bike is rideable - shortly lever style. Not paying $76 for an OEM. I MIGHT have a lever that fits as we've collected a few usually the clutch side gets snapped.

••••

Geez two plugs.

You checked Kiji for a tire?? ...I scored brand new set!! of Metzlers for the CBF for $140 ...they are a bit of an odd size and he had sold his bike.
We got a similar deal when my kid sold his SV650.. guy had a brand new rear - $70 - again guy had sold his bike.
 
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put on a set of Avon Trailriders last year, love them
bike behaves much better off pavement, and they are fantastic in the rain

with the massive flatspot from this trip + the plugs the rear is done
it's done well, around 14,000 km
front is still ~ 60%, and I don't like to mix brands
fortnine was 220 delivered to the door for a 180 size, not bad
doesn't seem to be anyone giving away Avons
 
The trend in recent years has been the ADV look bikes. Cruisers can put on the miles.

From the OP post, it appears they are just breaking into the hobby. While they have the priorities in terms of use, insurance will be a factor in some of the choices.

The Honda 500x is a nice machine. No doubt. Knocking off 100 kms trips to and from etc.


A few farkles for storage and you can have a weekend getaway machine for trips down to PA or where ever.

The Suzuki VStorm 650 is a great machine as well. Don’t remember any owners complaining about having one.

As for cruisers, my recommendations would likely put the OP into higher insurance ranges and not worth the price of admission. The lighter machines don’t serve the touring challenge very well as they don’t have much for wind protection and the larger machines end up being heavy when putting around.

I’d rather a sport touring machine personally for the type of riding the OP mentioned.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
And not much comfort for touring. FZ6 might be okay ...there are a couple around. They seem to sneak by the radar - but neat inline 4.
 
MacDoc said:
...but neat inline 4.
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Speaking of inline fours, how about the often overlooked little brother to your CBF1000, the Honda CBF600? They show up on the used market from time to time.

The Suzuki GSF650 Bandit is another reasonable choice.



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Yeah but the CBF600s seem to go for more than the 1000s .... lowest 600 is $4k while there is a 1000 at $3700. :rolleyes:

I'm very intrigued by the 600 Bandits but know nothing about them.
 
I think you can say that of any standard bike. Redress the fairings from cowl to beak, shove the forks down in the trees for a little more clearance, change tire and voila!

Lots of riders did this in the 70's with their standards, that's all Honda has done with the CB500.
mq1.jpg
 
I demoed the FZ09 a few years ago. It was the easiest bike to ride around.

The Yamaha FZ07-FZ09-FJ09 etc are also great choices.[/QUOTE]
 
A little bit of catching up. I finally decided to go with cb500x. How amazing the bike is! With 2500km and a trip from Toronto to Ottawa, I am confident to say that I love this bike! I want to say thank you to all who replied to this thread, you guys rock!
 
TorontoMiata said:
A little bit of catching up. I finally decided to go with cb500x. How amazing the bike is! With 2500km and a trip from Toronto to Ottawa, I am confident to say that I love this bike! I want to say thank you to all who replied to this thread, you guys rock!
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Congrats!
 
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