Naked motorcycles have surged in popularity, with the midrange 600cc class - as represented by Honda's own Hornet - all the way to the litre-bike class and beyond seeing noticeable rises in sales. That's because naked bikes are cheaper to buy, offer low entry and running costs and greatly reduced insurance premiums.
For nearly a decade now, Honda's quiet but remarkably popular CB500 has been something of a well-kept secret, winning quite a following among despatch riders and riding schools, and even weekend racers, many of whom competed in the Honda sponsored CB500 Cup races.
Often first purchased as merely a cheap and easy commuter, the CB500 soon proved itself to be a great all-rounder, ably doing its duty as day-to-day transport, but still offering ample reserves of performance to scratch up tight and twisty roads or cruise along happily on the motorways.
Still, 10 years after its debut, the CB500 was long overdue a major freshening up. Not just in style and looks, but in concept. What was called for was a more modern and distinctively European look and feel. The CBF500 is a bike that combines an easy reach to the ground when at stop, light, responsive handling not only at speed but in the hustle and bustle of urban traffic conditions, and a predictable power delivery that never gets out of hand.
Using the same 499cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin that powered the 1994 CB500, the sleek new CBF500 sets the standard in its class for easily accessible riding fun and excitement. Featuring a counter-balancer for silky-smooth operation at high revs and low, and high-performance slanted flat-slide VP carburettors for quick and powerful response, this engine delivers a near-perfect combination of easy operation and peppy performance with the added benefits of superb fuel economy, low emissions and long term reliability.
The CBF500's new six-spoke wheels feature a double spoke design. Strong and sure braking control is supplied up front for the standard version by a new single dual-piston calliper firmly gripping a large 296mm drilled rotor between sintered metal pads.
The ABS version is equipped with a larger three-piston front brake calliper, which provides the most suitable operating feel for smooth and effective ABS operation.
At the rear, a 240mm rotor is stopped by a single-piston calliper mounted on the swingarm in a conventional front and rear hydraulic disc brake system.
With the CBF500, Honda has produced a new bike that is not too radical or highly strung. It's just a good, solid all-round fun machine.
