New Off-Road Kit Makes the Honda CB500X More Dirt Capable
Honda CB500X gets a serious off-road upgrade with the CB-X Adventure Kit.
UK-based Rally Raid Products has developed an off-road performance upgrade kit for the Honda CB500X. The CB-X Adventure Kit is a suite of components that turn the stock Honda CB500X into a more dirt-capable, globe-crossing adventure touring motorcycle. Rally Raid Products chose the Honda CB500X as an Adventure Bike platform because of the bike’s affordability (US MSRP $6,299 for non-ABS model), reliability and low maintenance requirements, readily available parts and service on every continent.
The stock CB500X offers a counterbalanced 471cc parallel-twin with a 6-speed transmission that provides a smoother highway ride compared to other single-cylinder dual sport bikes in the middle-weight category. A 4.5-gallon fuel tank gives the CB500X a range of roughly 200 miles with a burn rate of around 50 mpg. With a wet weight of 430 lbs (195 kg), low seat height and smooth power output (roughly 45 hp), it’s less intimidating than many of the 800cc+ Adventure Bikes that dominate the class.
The CB500X has always been a versatile machine but it’s never been known for its off-road capability. With 5.5 inches of suspension travel in front and 4.7 inches in the rear, along with the 17 inch cast wheels and only 6.5 inches ground clearance, the stock CB500X is limited to light trail work.
Rally Raid has addressed the Honda CB500X’s off-road limitations with the CB-X Adventure Kit. The basic Adventure kit includes replacement wire-spoked wheel set, longer travel suspension and low front fender designed to accommodate knobby tires. The standard kit increase suspension travel to nearly 7 inches and ground clearance is just over 9 inches. Optional accessories include a protective skid plate, heavy-duty platform footpegs and tail and side racks designed for attaching saddlebags, panniers or soft luggage components.
The CB-X Adventure Kit is designed to be a straightforward DYI swap and set up, with no specialized tools required. Although, any element of the conversion can also be carried out by a professional workshop if the buyer prefers.
Adventure motorcycle luggage maker Giant Loop has been designated as the exclusive North American distributor for the new Rally Raid Products CB-X Adventure kit for the Honda CB500X. The kit’s luggage racks are designed to be compatible with the Giant Loop’s line of off-road soft bags.
The CB-X Adventure Kit for the CB500X offers the promise of a fairly light, reliable and affordable adventure bike with a smooth highway ride and good off-road performance. Details of what’s included in the kit are provided on the next page, although some features and pricing may change slightly before the launch date.
Click the “Next Page” link to continue to full specifications of the kit.
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The pricing is going to be what makes or breaks this conversion kit. At some point, it will have been way cheaper to just buy a more expensive bike, and with just a set of wheels running over $1000, I can’t fahom how they’re going to keep this at a reasonable price point.
[…] window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); I wonder if any of the suspension parts will fit he NC700 New Off-Road Kit Makes the Honda CB500X More Dirt Capable – ADV Pulse 2013 NC700x 1999 TW200 1968 Mini-trail 50 Reply With […]
$2500 is waaaaay high, but also understandable given what’s included. It’ll make sense for people who already have this bike and wish it was more capable, so they can buy it later as they can afford it. But to buy the bike and plan to do this kit? I’d suggest a V-Strom instead, even though it still has cast wheels… or get the new “XT” model that came out in 2015, which has spoked wheels. I’d like a set of those, but I priced ’em up and it’d cost $2000 just to get those wheels for my bike. Ouch.
This will be lighter and far smaller than the v-strom. This adds up to better offroad characteristics. New, the cb is a great value but yuo can get very good used prices. The kit also comes in stages so you can upgrade as need and money allows.
Africa Twin is on my list.
[…] to see who was still around. Sadly quite a few I see. I reckon this is right up your street Bob. https://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/ho…-off-road-kit/ Last edited by McVicar; 29-05-15 at 11:40 AM. Reply With […]
It seems as though the low fender is a shortcoming. Mud and low fenders don’t play well together.
Can I get the cb500x off road kit in Australia
Check with Rally Raid Products UK…
http://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/honda-cb500x-cb500f
[…] now turned their attention towards improving this new baby GS in a similar way to their popular Honda CB500X Adventure kit — making it even more capable both on and off-road as a light[er]-weight, all-terrain […]