2025 · Naked Bike · Buyer's Guide
The Scrambler That Just Works
The CL500 is built around a 471cc liquid-cooled parallel twin making 46 hp and 32 lb-ft, and the whole bike leans on that easygoing engine rather than any chase for peak numbers. Torque shows up low and climbs in a friendly, rising curve that suits the upright scrambler stance and the tall 19-inch front wheel. ABS comes standard. It sits in the class as the honest middleweight you actually use: light enough at heart to thread through a city, tall enough in the bars to feel a little adventurous without demanding anything of you.
On the road it stays relaxed and predictable, and Honda build quality means it should age the quiet, long-lived way these twins usually do. It's genuinely for the rider who wants character without drama, whether that's a newcomer building confidence or a veteran done with heavy, angry machines. The honest caveat is the power ceiling. With 46 hp pushing 423 lb wet, it's happiest on backroads and in town, and it won't excite you if your idea of fun is a long, fast highway pull. Buy it for what it is and it rarely disappoints.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 46 hp (34 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 32 lb-ft (43 Nm) |
| Displacement | 471 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 110/80-19 |
| Rear tire | 150/70-17 |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 423 lb (192 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.2 gal (12 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Lighting
Safety
Swing a leg over and the first thing you notice is how normal it all feels. The bars sit wide and close, your back stays upright, and at 31.1 inches both boots reach the ground with room to spare. Pull away and the twin sends a light, even thrum through the pegs and grips, more pleasant background hum than buzz, with a soft throaty note that never wears on you. The tall front wheel gives the steering a slow, deliberate roll into a turn that reads as reassurance at town speed. Being a naked bike, the wind builds on your chest as the pace climbs, and that pressure does the fun work, making 55 mph feel like plenty. The seat stays kind across an afternoon, and you climb off relaxed rather than wrung out.
This one comes from years of listening to riders rather than any single test loop: threads that fill up over a winter, conversations in the paddock, and the steady stream of owner emails that land in Nils' inbox. On the CL500 the chatter settles in a consistent place. Riders like living with it, and the complaints stay narrow and specific.
The praise runs on two steady fronts. Riders consistently call it light on its feet, quick to flick through city traffic and tight backroads thanks to a narrow build and generous steering lock. The retro scrambler styling draws near-universal love, from the upswept exhaust to the rubber gaiters, and owners trust it to hold up over the years. A smaller group running the 2025 bike note that the revised footpegs and new seat padding add real long-distance comfort without softening the scrambler feel.
The gripes are few and specific. Push hard and the soft, non-adjustable suspension starts to wallow, going vague through spirited cornering where it was tuned for comfort instead. Several riders also miss having a tachometer, since the minimal dash leaves no direct read on engine speed.
Handlebar lock screw may loosen and interfere with steering (recall)
The handlebar lock screw can loosen and fall between the frame and steering stem, potentially interfering with steering operation and increasing crash risk. Honda recall KUO (NHTSA 26V146) affects 2023-2025 CL500 models.
Display readability in direct sunlight
The LCD instrument panel, derived from the Rebel, can become difficult to read in intense midday sunlight, reducing usability for some riders.
Where this Honda CL500 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CL500 is actually built for.
The CL500 fits your Saturdays: light and easy through the city, calm on the Skyline curves at a social pace, and good-looking parked at Alice's. It won't win a straight-line brag, and that isn't why you ride.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If you ride the Dragon and Cherohala to sharpen technique rather than chase speed, the CL500's light, forgiving handling lets you work on your lines all day. Just know the 46 hp rewards smoothness, not brute pace on the straights.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For relaxed Hill Country weekends built around the ride, the BBQ, and the crowd, the CL500 is a willing, dependable partner that sips fuel. The longest fast stretches will want more power, but the Twisted Sisters suit it well.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CL500. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
