2016–2018 · Sport Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Cheap Miles, Honda Reliability
The CBR500R wraps a 471 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin in a full fairing and a riding position that keeps your wrists out of it. Power is 48 hp at 8,500 rpm with 32 lb-ft at 7,000, delivered in one clean, linear pull rather than a step. Both ends run 17-inch wheels, there is a 320 mm front disc, ABS is standard, and the fork and shock are both adjustable. LED lighting rounds out the package. In a class built around big, heavy, high-power machinery, this one goes the other way: light effort everywhere, nothing about it trying to intimidate you.
It rides the way it reads on paper. 428 lb wet, a 30.9 in seat, and steering that answers a thought instead of a shove. At real touring pace it sits flat and settled, and a 4.4 gal tank paired with 74 mpg turns fuel stops into an afterthought. Top speed is 112 mph, so interstate work is comfortable rather than effortless. Honda built this thing to survive neglect, and it does. The honest caveat is the class it sits in. Sport-tourers are normally powered well into triple digits, and 48 hp loaded two-up on a long grade means planning your passes properly.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 48 hp (35 kW) @ 8,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 32 lb-ft (43 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 471 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Seat height | 30.9 in (785 mm) |
| Wet weight | 428 lb (194 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.7 L) |
| Top speed | 112 mph (180 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 74 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Lighting
Safety
Over the years I've picked up a lot about this generation of CBR500R: paddock talk, owner chats, club-night conversations, and the emails and messages riders send me directly. The pattern is consistent. Owners love how easy and cheap it is to live with, and the complaints begin when they try to ride it like a pure sportbike.
Riders bring up the engine first. Newer riders say it never catches them out, and those with years in the saddle still enjoy its refined, easy nature. Owners describe the bike as planted on the highway, and several say crosswinds push it around less than they expected. Range comes up often, with reports of more than 300 miles (500 km) on a tank. Commuters and weekend riders also mention the well-padded seat and the generous legroom.
The most common gripe is the suspension. Riders say it's tuned for comfort, so the front dives noticeably under hard braking and the bike wallows when pushed through tight, twisty roads. The riders who hit that limit first are the ones who like to attack a canyon. A smaller group adds that the engine gets buzzy when held high in the revs on long highway days.
Fuel pump and injector stuttering
Isolated reports describe engine bogging and stuttering, traced to fuel pump failure or clogged injectors. Repair typically involves cleaning or replacing these components.
Engine vibration and buzzing above 6,000 rpm
Several owners in forum discussions note noticeable vibration when revving the engine beyond 6,000 rpm. While considered normal for the parallel-twin, it can be uncomfortable for some riders.
Wind buffeting with stock windscreen
The stock windscreen provides limited protection, leading to significant wind noise and buffeting at highway speeds. Many owners swap to aftermarket screens for better comfort.
Where this Honda CBR500R 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
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CBR500R is actually built for.
For 200 to 400 mile days on Highway 1 or the Blue Ridge, this fits better than the spec sheet suggests. Budget for a taller screen before your first long one and you will enjoy every mile.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
On the Dragon and the Cherohala this is a proper teaching tool: light, forgiving, generous with lean angle. You spend your attention on lines and throttle timing, not on managing weight.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Coast to coast, two-up and packed, 48 hp is thin for the job, and there is no cruise control or factory luggage. Fine solo day-tripper, wrong tool for a fully loaded Beartooth run.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2013–2015
Accessible Miles, Zero Drama
Compare to the previous model →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 CBR500R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2019–2021
The Beginner's Reliable Track Primer
Competitor · 2018–2024
Light Weight, Sharp Lines
Roughly $900 cheaper used than this bike at 8 yr
Competitor · 2014
Corner Entry On Repeat
Same Platform · 2017–2018
Easy Miles, Penny Pincher
Roughly $600 cheaper used than this bike at 8 yr