Honda CBR500 and CB500 leaked

Honda's new parallel twins break cover

Posted: 13 September 2012
by Visordown News

Honda's CBR500

WE revealed a few months ago that Honda was planning a parallel twin sports bike based around the a doubled-up version of the CBR250R's single-cylinder engine. And we were nearly right – we suggested the machine would be a CBR400, while the actual thing carries over the CBR250R's cylinder dimensions too, making it a CBR500.

As well as the faired bike, Honda is to make a naked version around the same chassis and engine, probably reviving the CB500 name.

Pictures leaked via www.cbr250.net show the faired bike has styling that's surprisingly close to that of the CBR600RR rather than copying the more modern shape of the CBR250R (which itself was a copy of the VFR1200). Since the CBR600RR itself is due for a revamp next month, gaining restyled plastics and an underbelly exhaust, it's a little odd that the new 500 should be so similar to the outgoing model, which has carried the same styling cues for a decade now.

Although the pictures don't give a clear view of either the faired or naked bike's chassis, they're believed to use a tubular steel frame similar to that of the CBR250R. Budget right-way-up forks, a single front disc and the fact the bikes will be built in Thailand all point towards low prices as the main attraction. With the doubled-up CBR250R motor giving somewhere around 45bhp, they should fit in nicely to the new A2 licence class due to be introduced in Europe and the UK next year, which will limit most new riders to sub-47bhp machines for two years.

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Discuss this story


Cabernet
I loved my 95 CB500. Great B road bike.

Posted: 13/09/2012 at 13:35


andy gardner
Great news, I hope these will be uk choices...

Posted: 13/09/2012 at 18:03


Leon Trotsky
Hmmm, I had one and all it did was break. Chopped it for a Suzuki and all that did was not break.

Posted: 13/09/2012 at 18:22


Russell Boorman
Revamped CBR600RR next month - Really?

Posted: 13/09/2012 at 23:28


Dave Arlowe
I got excited about this bike when I thought it was going to be a single, but if it's a twin, eh, not so much.

Posted: 14/09/2012 at 01:19


thoppa
45hp from a 500 twin ? That's about 10hp less than I'd expect. Mutton dressed as lamb ?

Posted: 14/09/2012 at 12:52


Ben yamin
All the new smaller stuff it seems is being designed to fit the new licence categories or to be sold in "cheaper" parts of the world.

Posted: 18/09/2012 at 14:16


Far Weasel
Yebbut its like Kawasaki calling the ZX10 a ZX10, when the new ZX10 is a world appart from the old ZX10.

..... Only Honda are doing it in reverse.

Well, they are if they call the naked version a CB500 anyway.

Posted: 18/09/2012 at 16:55


Far Weasel
Spoken like a someone who has never ridden the old CB 500 twin ;-P

Posted: 18/09/2012 at 16:57


Far Weasel
WHy don't the posts come out next to the post you reply to?

(The last one was a reply to Dave Arlow)

Posted: 18/09/2012 at 16:58


moko
The old CB500 was a brilliant bike,had great fun thrashing mine around Devon and Cornwall for a couple of years.RIDE did a good article once with one of the BSB riders on a CB500 (think it was Jamie Whitham) and one of their testers on a Fireblade around the Brands Hatch short circuit.Only place the Blade could pull ahead was on the straights and the little CB pulled it back in on the corners.
James Toseland started his race career in the CB500 Cup one make series and they're still raced today in the bargain basement Thundersport 500 series.Up-rate the suspension,set of sticky tyres and you've got yourself a real street-sleeper out in the twisties.they're also massively reliable,mate of mine toured Europe 3 times on his after it had clocked up over 60,000 miles.Loved it so much he seriously thought about taking it back to New Zealand with and now he's thinking of coming back he's actually contacted the bloke he sold it to and might be buying his old bike back.
A lot of bikers turn their noses up at that kind of bike,more fool them,cheap to buy,cheap to run and a lot of fun.

Posted: 18/09/2012 at 23:36


peter cakes
Now if Honda had brought back the old XBR 500 single but with a fairing on I'd have said 'yeah, nice one' but that thing just looks like yet another race bike look alike with a pointless/guttless engine.

Posted: 19/09/2012 at 09:55


hong kong fuey
Absolutely love the cb500 I have had 2 of them the last one was a beautiful black one and one of the last they made in italy. The italian ones had a reputation of being not as good as the older jap made ones. I personally don't agree. This bike was bullet proof. Leon Trotsky you must have had a odd bad one because the vast majority are brilliant bikes. Glad they are bringing it back. I now have a cbr600f

Posted: 10/10/2012 at 07:59

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