Honda CB500X (a couple of days in the saddle)

[Thump]

A 250 is probably easily big enough for Thailand. In the early 90s I lived in Tokyo for over three years and did a spot of touring two-up (lightweight, small bottomed girlfriend) on a Suzuki DR250SH, a superb little bike. Not so different to the Kawa 250 but a lot quicker.

I'd say so. I've had big bikes like a ZX9R and a 1400 Intruder in the US but here in TH that's overkill.

Here I take off from a red light and leave the heavy Diesel trucks behind - on my Nouvo 135!

Songkhla is not a small town but all I see are a couple of CBR250s and only one CRF. "Bigger" bikes like the Ninjas or the Honda 500s come either from Hat Yai or Malaysia.

Even in Hua Hin I felt like "a hawk between doves" on my VRT250. 20hp on a 145kg bike give enough acceleration and I rarely go to the top speed of 130 or so.

Of course, a bigger bike is more comfortable, you shift less, have more mass, make a bigger impression, but I'd use it less on a daily basis.

 

[Thump]

A 250 is probably easily big enough for Thailand. In the early 90s I lived in Tokyo for over three years and did a spot of touring two-up (lightweight, small bottomed girlfriend) on a Suzuki DR250SH, a superb little bike. Not so different to the Kawa 250 but a lot quicker.

I'd say so. I've had big bikes like a ZX9R and a 1400 Intruder in the US but here in TH that's overkill.

Here I take off from a red light and leave the heavy Diesel trucks behind - on my Nouvo 135!

Songkhla is not a small town but all I see are a couple of CBR250s and only one CRF. "Bigger bikes" like the Ninjas or the Honda 500s come either from Hat Yai or Malaysia.

Even in Hua Hin I felt like "a hawk among doves" on my VTR250. 20hp on a 145kg bike give enough acceleration and I rarely go to the top speed of 130 or so.

Of course, a bigger bike is more comfortable, you shift less, have more mass, make a bigger impression, but I'd use it less on a daily basis.

 

[2wheels]

Today I met the owner of the 500X (mentioned above) that's wearing the nice side boxes.



He's a Thai guy and he said they were 'home made' by himself.

His name is Khun Suriya.
Phone 053 282724 or 085 1552729
He works for an international insurance company and has limited English.

email bluesky9@hotmail.com

 

[Algarve Nick]

2wheels, they are a very professional job.

Hawk, great post. 'A hawk between doves.' I really like that.

- - - Updated - - -

Hawk? Who's he? Of course, I meant Thump.

 

[Algarve Nick]

Just had a thought. I'm not a big fan of screens and I was wondering if any owners of the CB500X have taken theirs off. With Thailand's humidity I'll want as much air hitting me as possible. Seeing that traffic goes so slowly I can't see any reason for a screen. I have no problem when on my Suzuki B-King at speeds of 100 mph/160 kph. Maybe I'm just a masochist.:MG

 

[2wheels]

'Algave Mick', keep in mind that the screen on Khun Suriya's 500X is an after-market Givi (4,100 baht).



.... and it's much taller than the standard screen.



Of course, the 500F doesn't have a screen.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Of course, the 500F doesn't have a screen.

View attachment 24633

That was one of the main reasons why I bought the F, why was I going to pay 15,000 Baht more for the X just to take the screen off.
The F feels like you are going faster than you are on the X at the same speed

 

[Thump]

That was one of the main reasons why I bought the F, why was I going to pay 15,000 Baht more for the X just to take the screen off.
The F feels like you are going faster than you are on the X at the same speed

Is that good or bad?

 

[Captain_Slash]

Its good in my book because I am riding slower with the F than I would have done with the X, riding it round the twisty narrow backroads that I love 95 kph on the F feels the same as 120 kph on the X

 

[Thump]

Sometimes it's not about speed, it's about the fun factor, and you can have lots of fun on small and medium sized bikes.

Going slower can be as much if not more enjoyable and you're probably safer and use less gas.

I'm happy puttering around small back roads even slower than 95 km/h and prefer to do it on a 145kg bike.

 

[Changnoi1]

Wow nice alum cases on that CB500X. I would love to have some made for me but even a bit smaller. I assume they are made in Chiang Mai?

 

[2wheels]

I assume they are made in Chiang Mai?

He lives in Chiang Mai, so I also assume so.