Beautiful CB500 and interesting review

Doran said:
But not as the people here use it. They use the term 'commuter' as a slur as opposed to class of motorcycle.
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i wasn't knocking the bike as such
im just saying its not the bike you seem to think it is

Doran said:
Thats not true. Did Honda give it these terms when it made it? Of course not.
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I'm afraid it is true, they are a commuter bike and every time i see one a dispatch rider is riding it
 
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ShakenNstirred said:
every time i see one a dispatch rider is riding it
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Its one of the reasons I like it. There is something very cool about those dudes in all black around London, with sellotape all over their bikes and makeshift fairing. They look like something from Star wars.
 
Some of these despatch riders probably have no experience at all, infact some of them may have just recently passed thier test.

PS: Have a look at THIS site, it has a lot of info and reviews, it may help.
 
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Fireskull said:
Nope not most of them lol, but have big big balls, the only ones more crazy are the dispatch cyclists.
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In some ways, I am alike a dispatch cyclist. In that I ride a fixed speed bike around London during rush hour. HARDCORE! :cool:
 
i think everyones being overly kind to the CB500 here, just to be polite

yeah they race them blah blah BUT, hate to say it Doran, they are pieces of junk based on 70s design that was rubbish when it came out and now is even worse.

there are so many modern bikes of that kinda class of bike that do the job so much better and are not even that more expensive...

/just my 2p, spoken how it is ;)

edit: i admit i've not ridden one, but I've ridden modern counterparts of the CB500 and they were ok but very underwhelming.. kinda the bike version of a ford fiesta or citroen saxo. dull dull dull, but functional. then again, who wants a bike purely to be functional ?, biking is about passion or excitement or both, not just for getting from a to b :)

you can even stretch to a SV650 for under 1500 quid or a bandit for under 1200, both low milage good nick
 
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The CB500 can not in any way be described as an exciting or aesthetically pleasing bike.
They are designed to work well in and around town centres, plus they are cheap.
Whilst ideal for a winter hack, I would never have one even as a commuting bike. There are far better bikes out there.
They are cheap and reliable, that is why they are so popular amongst training schools as well as dispatch riders.

TBH, until you ride one, you will not know how bland they actually are.
The hornet will outhandle it and get out of the turns quicker, the CB has very basic suspension that is not designed for scratching around.
 
The reason commuters use them is because they were designed to take a beating, but also cheap to repair.
Also if you crash them you dont give a crap lol, insurance places it and you carry on, I doubt anyone feels any attachment to it, I felt no connection to my 125, but if I crashed my Gsxr I think I would cry for a week lol I love my bike :p
 
The review linked in the OP appears to be nearly 7 years old, things have moved on. Perhaps 10 years ago the CB500 might have been something to aspire to it isn't now, it's outclassed in every way by bikes like Kawasaki's Versys.
 
Fireskull said:
The reason commuters use them is because they were designed to take a beating, but also cheap to repair.
Also if you crash them you dont give a crap lol, insurance places it and you carry on, I doubt anyone feels any attachment to it, I felt no connection to my 125, but if I crashed my Gsxr I think I would cry for a week lol I love my bike :p
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guess so, but though it's a sensible choice, it would be better to start off in biking with something you can feel attached to and passionate about than a bike that could put you off biking for life.

im abit cranky though, just got a deep down hate for 'practical' bikes :D
 
Flukester said:
i think everyones being overly kind to the CB500 here, just to be polite

yeah they race them blah blah BUT, hate to say it Doran, they are pieces of junk based on 70s design that was rubbish when it came out and now is even worse.

there are so many modern bikes of that kinda class of bike that do the job so much better and are not even that more expensive...
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I wanted a bike to commute on last year, I had about a grand to spare.
Instead of buying one of the hundreds of CB500's i could have had of reasonable age and nick that were for sale for that money, i went out and bought a much older ZZR 600.
Why?
Because a CB 500 even on my short couple of mile commute, would bore the living **** out of me.
I've been on one once, and i wouldnt ride one again.
 
PieEater said:
The review linked in the OP appears to be nearly 7 years old, things have moved on. Perhaps 10 years ago the CB500 might have been something to aspire to it isn't now, it's outclassed in every way by bikes like Kawasaki's Versys.
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i'm not sure it ever has been :), now the versys is a seriously good bike :D
 
Flukester said:
guess so, but though it's a sensible choice, it would be better to start off in biking with something you can feel attached to and passionate about than a bike that could put you off biking for life.

im abit cranky though, just got a deep down hate for 'practical' bikes :D
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haha, True but you dont want something your going to cry over when you drop it :D My vote is still a bandit or fazer

In my eyes the CB500 is something bike couriers use because they dont give a crap what they ride and Test centers buy for DAS :) imo of course :p
 
Fireskull said:
haha, True but you dont want something your going to cry over when you drop it :D My vote is still a bandit or fazer
:p
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yeah both go real well and would be ace round a city commuting, plus have some go when you twist the throttle. SV650 would be abit to torquey, in-line fours are easier to ride smooth in traffic.

+1
 
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