The adventure touring motorcycle segment has been booming for the last few years and many players have come forward with quite a few offerings, making it one of the most competitive segments. With the arrival of the 2022 Honda CB500X, Honda is here with a motorcycle that could tick all the boxes of an adventure tourer motorcycle enthusiast, offering decent performance, reliability, and touring ability at a low cost.

Launched for a base MSRP $6,999, the 2022 Honda CB500X is one of the best value for money propositions of the segment. Coming in with a single color combination, this motorcycle retains the punchy parallel-twin motor, high refinement level, supreme comfort level irrespective of the road condition, and top-notch reliability of a motorcycle from Honda. Competing with the likes of the Suzuki V-Strom 650 and the Kawasaki Versys 650, here are 10 things every motorcycle enthusiast should know about the 2022 Honda CB500X.

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10 Parallel Twin Motor Has Enough Grunt For Quick Overtakes

Honda CB500X
Via youtube.com

The 2022 Honda CB500X retains the 471cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin DOHC motor with a compression ratio of 10.7:1. This motor can put out 47 hp and 31.7 lb-ft of torque, and the redline comes at close to 9,000 RPM. Being a four-valve motor, it is very refined, and the fueling is done with the help of a fuel injection system with 34mm throttle bodies.

honda cb500x Engine
via motorcyclenews

This motorcycle shines in the low and mid-range RPMs since the motor has more than enough grunt for a quick burst of acceleration at those rev ranges. As a result, riding through the cities and freeways is very enjoyable. The motor exhibits no serious vibrations as well. However, the top-end performance is quite lackluster.

9 The Gearbox Is Smooth And Slick

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The 6-speed gearbox that is present in the Honda CB500X is easily one of the best in the segment. The shift quality cannot be faulted and there is no unwanted noise and play from the gearbox as well. Chances of having a false neutral are next to none, too.

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Another impressive aspect of this gearbox is the well-laid-out gear ratios on offer. The initial gears are adequately short and that makes it an easy motorcycle to ride around the city traffic without needing too many gearshifts. The sixth gear is very tall and that aids in the highway riding ability.

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8 Fuel Efficiency Is Among The Best Of The Segment

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Via hbhonda.com

Coming with a small, under-stressed parallel-twin motor, the 2022 Honda CB500X is quite impressive in terms of gas mileage. This adventure tourer motorcycle managed to give out a combined gas mileage of 65 miles per gallon, which is the best of the middleweight segment.

2019 Honda CB500X
via motorcyclenews

Along with the excellent fuel economy figures, the Honda CB500X has a massive 4.7-gallon fuel tank capacity. The superior tank capacity coupled with top-notch gas mileage means that the 2022 CB500X could go more than 300 miles in a full tank. Hence, the tank capacity is easily the best of the lot too.

7 Off-Road Is Not Where This Motorcycle Shines

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Ultimate Motorcycling

If you are looking for a motorcycle to do hardcore off-roading, the 2022 Honda CB500X will surely disappoint you. This is a motorcycle that is built for the open highways, and hence the motorcycle feels a bit out of pace when ridden on slush and sand.

Honda CB500X
Itchy Boots

The motorcycle is a bit front-heavy and that is not very ideal for off-road adventures. Along with that, the direction changes feel slow and decently heavy curb weight, and the road-based tires bog down the CB500X further in such terrains. The stand-up riding position is not very accommodating as well.

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6 City Riding Is Pretty Easy

honda cb500x
via motorcyclenews

Coming with an adequately soft suspension setup for the front and rear, the 2022 CB500X is supremely comfortable at slow city speeds. The suspension is capable of taking in even the biggest of the potholes and does a wonderful job in absorbing it without transmitting it to the rider and the pillion.

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The ergonomics of the motorcycle are excellent and there is ample amount of legroom for the rider and pillion. Apart from that, the heating is well taken care of and the heat emitted will never bother the rider, even on the hottest of the days in the peak rush hour traffic.

5 Highways Is Where It Feels At Home

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Honda

Take the 2022 CB500X to the highways and you would be perfectly happy with the way this adventure tourer performs on the long open roads. The motorcycle could easily do the freeway speed limit all day long with no major heating or vibrations coming from the motor. As a result, the rider would be comfortable even after a 1,000-mile road trip.

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The suspension system is designed for open highways and has no faults. With the 41mm Showa USD forks with pre-load adjustability and a Pro-Link single shock at the rear with pre-load adjustability, the CB500X rides flat at the stiffest setting. The tires grip very well and the wind visor provides adequate wind protection too.

4 Sharp Brakes Adds To The Riding Experience

2022 Honda CB500X adventure
via advpulse

The 2022 Honda CB500X comes with dual discs up front, The radially-mounted Nissin calipers gripping 296 mm front discs are a massive upgrade from the previous 310mm single disc. The rear gets a 240mm disc at the rear. The new braking hardware is more than enough to stop the motorcycle on a dime.

2022 Honda CB500X adventure-motorcycle
via advpulse

The front brakes are more than enough to stop the motorcycle. The front-end dive is manageable, and the CB500X has excellent initial bite. Even the braking progression is better than most of the rivals, and the front brake is all that is needed for a fast stop. Nevertheless, the rear brake does a decent job too. ABS is on board and is not very intrusive.

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3 Very Decent Ergonomics

2022 honda cb500x adventure motorcycle
via ultimatemotorcycling

Honda has managed to take forward the same design and ergonomics of the outgoing 2021 model, and hence it feels similar. The ergonomics of the CB500X is spot on and the rider, irrespective of the size and height, would have nothing to complain about.

2022 honda cb500-lineup cb500f cb500x cbr500r
via ultimatemotorcycling

The raised handlebar which is quite forward set, and the rubber-mounted footpegs not too rear set, makes for a comfortable straight-up riding position. The seats are wide and well-cushioned. The legroom is excellent for both the rider and the pillion. All the controls and switches are well positioned too.

2 Does Get All The Basic Features

Honda CB500X dashboard
via Zigwheels

The 2022 Honda CB500X is reasonably packed with features, especially considering the base price tag of $6,999. When it comes to the performance and engine side, Honda offers an anti-lock braking system, a programmed fuel injection system, and a slip and assist clutch system, all of which are much needed in this day and age.

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Some other features like LED lighting and multi-spoke cast wheels add to the looks and versatility of the motorcycle. The digital instrument cluster is easy to read and offers all the necessary information. Apart from that, the tall windscreen comes as standard and that does a reasonable job in protecting the rider from windblast at the freeway speeds.

1 Build Quality Is Top-Notch

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This is a motorcycle that is built to very high standards and that shows the moment you swing your legs over. All the touchpoints of the motorcycle feel much more premium in comparison to the segment rivals and are solidly put together. There are no rattles and squeaks anywhere as well.

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All the body panels are fitted precisely, and the panel gaps are consistent and minimal throughout. There are no exposed wiring and screws anywhere. The wires are also enclosed in a thick layer of insulation, which would help it to keep it away from the elements. The paint and plastic quality are superb too.