Road test of HondaCB 500 F 2015 A heavy heritage for a light ballerina.

for many young riders, their first taste of two-wheeled adventures takes place in a world dominated by the ER-6n, MT-07, Bandit 650, Gladius or CB 650 F. Generous displacement, charisma, and everything you need to please as well as be fashionable. But when you've got a bit (or more) of bottle and a few miles under your belt, remembering this category brings back the 500 GSE, ER-5, XJ 600, and the essential CB 500. An inexpensive, super-reliable machine, practical as hell on a daily basis, super-easy to ride and capable of doing track work on weekends - where some of the legend was born, with the famous Sébastien Charpentier shining in the CB 500 Cup. That was then. And today, the CB 500 has changed a lot. It's called F, it comes in sporty R and crossover X versions, and it shares nothing with its 90s ancestor, except the spirit. But is it up to the challenge?

so it's with great anticipation and little indulgence that I prepare to put the new CB 500 F through its paces. But this one doesn't fall apart. The design has taken pride of place, and it shows everywhere. The silhouette is slim, taut and sharp, and the face a little provocative. Good shoulders give it confidence and consistency, while the body tapers as you settle in. As always with Honda, the overall quality calls for little criticism. The discovery begins well.
Alas for her, I can't help comparing her to the venerable Nineties version, and the Honda loses its first point with storage space. On my old CB 500, the under-seat trunk allowed me to stow a bottle of water, rain pants, a sandwich and a U-shape. Here, you'll have to make do with the pants and a small anti-theft device No, all machines in this segment share this lack of space. These days, only GTs have room for our frivolities.

couriers and students will be delighted with a top-case (available as an accessory) to carry their essentials. Let's be blunt now, and see what the CB 500 F has under the bonnet. The architecture remains classic and tried-and-tested: a twin, with 4 valves per cylinder, double ACT, fuel injection and liquid cooling. It's not the block of yesteryear; its displacement has shrunk by around 30 cm3. And to comply with A2 regulations, watts have plummeted to 48hp. Some ten horses lost between generations. But Honda's engine-makers insisted on making the engine as available as possible. What will it say on the road?

let's get out of town and find out. Without hurrying too much, just to get a taste of the CB's urban predispositions. And as expected, the little mutineer is like a fish in water. Light, intuitive and as slender as a feather. A glance is enough to move her to one side; a gesture puts her back where you want her. A ballerina!
A bicycle would be less maneuverable. It's so relaxed that you have plenty of time to appreciate the dashboard, lit up in a delicate blue. The speed display takes pride of place, and is perfectly legible. A bar graph provides information on engine speed; and requires some reading, as is customary with this m.... system. The fuel gauge is discreet, too discreet, as are the small scrolling info displays (trip, fuel consumption, etc.).
A quick glance at the mirrors confirms their effectiveness, with the right one revealing more scenery than the left. Could this be a difference in settings or a visual defect on the part of the rider?

our model was fitted with a Leovince muffler, bringing more virility and muted depth to the Honda block. At idle, the illusion is captivating, with a heavy, engaging, rewarding hum. Ego-boosting.
As long as you're cruising around town, the Berlingot can get out of any situation. It responds without great force but with sincerity, and with a linearity that's as exemplary as it is bland. Its suppleness means it can evolve at almost any revs up to 4th gear, but not beyond. The final gears require at least 2,500 rpm to feel comfortable. Even so, it's better to stay in 3rd gear for urban driving. Flexible controls make take-offs a breeze. On the gearbox side, the selector asserts a certain firmness on top of the bucket. But if you shift the gears briskly, selection becomes much smoother.
As long as you're in control... Mr Honda, what's with this completely koff left-hand commodo ???? Reversing the position of the indicators and horn isn't great. We beep every other time we try to indicate our intention to turn.

after apologizing half a dozen times, we're out of the city. Direction St-Christophe-la grotte. We'll make a U-turn first, as the road has been paved with gravel. Special mention for bullshit, which I won't go into in order to avoid being much ruder. Instead, let's concentrate on the CB 500 F, which I'm working hard to get up the revs and into the corners. And the bike takes to it without apprehension. Its featherweight is an asset, its obviousness a guarantee of rideability, and its chassis is more convincing than that of previous decades. It's faster than in the city, but just as relaxed.
It's on the engine front that the CB 500 F left me disappointed. With a very nostalgic bitterness. OK, it's perfect for young licence holders... But it lacks pep when you tease it. The spinning of the handle is followed by a rev-up... which takes its time. Once it's given its all in the mid-range, the twin continues its half-hearted climb. It no longer has the raging edge of its ancestor, which revelled in the 10,000rpm mark and spat out snarls as long as the needle hooked the right-hand side of the rev counter. We'd like more, but let's put it into perspective: the mechanics are far more playful than those of the NC. And it offers appreciable consistency in the most frequently used revs. It's perfectly suited to the playful use of a young licensee. The CBR range is on the other side of the spectrum. With a good start on an open German road, the speedometer can exceed 170 km/h. Don't stay there, it's not interested. And there's not much point in persevering to reach top speed, not to mention the fact that it'll wear out your patience more than anything else.

do you take a 500 and just drive it from one end to the other all day long? Certainly not! You'd expect it to be available for everyday use, and to make life easier. With a little comfort, it's all the more appreciable. In this respect, the well-designed seat and suspension do an honourable job. The damping is very comfortable, much better than I expected. The whole system is very homogeneous and considerate.
With a single disc at the front, braking has to perform an essential task with limited resources. Admittedly, the machine weighs less than 200 kilos and is reinforced by ABS, and its daily missions will not require trapper braking. As a result, requests to the right-hand lever are answered satisfactorily, but without zeal. The CB 500 brakes well, with a feeling befitting a motorcycle of its standing. More demanding riders will find that the control lacks sensitivity, and will regret that there's no more bite and power, especially when squeezing hard.
Among the little extras are the passenger grips, which are both stylish AND functional - they're easy to grip, and spread wide enough for large, gloved palms to grasp - the HISS immobilizer, fuel consumption that's right up there with the daisies, and that feeling of control that's always present.
I'm more acerbic about the disappearance of the center stand, the aforementioned damn left-hand commodo, and the lackluster engine. But it's ideal for everyday use, and for not scaring off new recruits.

playful, easy-going, well-finished and quick to get the job done, the CB 500 F carries on the torch of its lineage without blushing. It will delight new bikers, and could convince others. Those who knew the old one will always say "it was better before". For those who look more to the horizon than to the past, it can unhesitatingly claim to be one of the best choices in the category.

M.B