Launch: 2013 Honda CBR500R

Honda’s assault on the sports (CBR500R), naked (CB500F) and adventure (CB500X) market segments in Australia has officially begun, with all three Thai-built bikes sharing the same frame and 471cc parallel twin engine.

There’s certainly a lot of ‘new territory’ feel about the triumvirate, although as an exercise in engineering there’s not a particularly big story to tell.

But that’s probably missing the point. The CBR250R, the first major export-orientated Honda out of Thailand, wasn’t a technophile either, but it was an instant hit and rocketed to No. 1 in Australia – and it’s taken a great bike like the Kawasaki Ninja 300 to drop it down a peg.

The new 500s are built on the same CBR250R philosophy of being frugal, manageable, affordable, sensible, forgiving, good looking, fun and fuss-free, and that’s why Honda has extremely high hopes for the new tackle as it takes aim at four distinct customers: learners, those looking to graduate from 250cc to 500cc machinery, new riders to motorcycling, and those who just want to ease up a bit.

The national press launch for the CBR500R was recently held in Queensland, and we’ll be riding the CB500F and CB500X further down the track.

At $6990 ($7490 for the ABS version), the CBR500R is – as promised -- well positioned compared to its major opposition: the Hyosung GT650R ($7490) and Suzuki GS500F ($7990). In terms of performance, the CBR500R and GS500F are practically neck and neck on the specs sheets, with the Honda 2.5hp better off, and there’s also only a 3kg weight differential – also in Big Red’s favour.

The figures tell the story: with the ageing Suzuki close on its heels, the CBR500R isn’t a powerhouse, but with just under 50hp available (at a peak of 8500rpm) and 43Nm of torque at 7000rpm there’s still enough zip to satisfy those moving up or riders looking to downsize.

Honda has certainly put in the hard yards on this engine, and if you scratch below the surface that becomes evident – and it even has some CBR600RR features like grooved pistons and the same bore size.

The eight-valve liquid-cooled twin layout was chosen because of its “light weight, all-round ability and flexible usability”, and it has a slightly oversquare dimensions -- bore and stroke are 67mm x 66.8mm respectively. The crankshaft pins are phased at 180 degrees and a primary balancer sits behind the cylinders, close to the bike’s centre of gravity. Service intervals are – wait for it – 24,000km!

Our launch route didn’t offer a particularly scintillating parcel of roads, so there’s no doubt we didn’t ride to anywhere near the CBR500R’s full potential – this bike can be pushed a lot harder, with the clip-on bars offering a nice balance: a little bit of extra weight over the front end to befit its “sporting” moniker (it is a CBR after all...) but not at the expense of a comfortable seating position. The seat height is just 790mm.

The ‘taste’ test did also confirm that the parallel twin is quite responsive from a standing start, and then gets another hurry-up from about 5000rpm. It’s not an intimating beast by any stretch of the imagination, and that’s just the way Honda wants it.

The clutch and throttle are super light, and the gearbox on my test unit was quite slick – even though it only had about 10km on the odometer.

The ergonomics, as expected, aren’t going to upset anyone, and learners, commuters and scratchers should all find the CBR500R a comfortable bike to rack up the kilometres. A warning though: the seat does start to grow teeth after about 30 minutes in the saddle, and the standard screen does produce a fair windblast. There is a taller windscreen in the accessories catalogue for $144.24, and you can also grab a seat cowl ($182.14) and wheel sticker kit ($63.80) while you’re at it.

The front of the bike is quite elongated – mainly due to the skinny tank -- to the extent that the mirrors, hanging off spindly-looking storks, look like they are a million miles away.

The chassis specs aren’t jaw-dropping, but they do enough to give the bike an extremely planted and responsive feel.  The CBR500R has a steel diamond frame, with other parts of the chassis including non-adjustable 41mm telescopic front forks, a nine-stage preload-adjustable shock, and 17-inch cast aluminium wheels with Y-shaped spokes matched to 120-section (front) and 160-section radial tyres. There are wave-pattern disc brakes, which provide just enough enthusiasm to bring the 194kg machine to a stop.

The fuel tank holds 15.7 litres, and Honda says it has a range of 420km – a claim we’ll put to the test when we undertake our own comprehensive review on the CBR500R in coming weeks.

The digital instrumentation is functional and easy to read with a number of features in a relatively small ‘window’. The dash includes a speedometer, bar graph tachometer, odometer, dual trip meters, clock, plus a digital fuel level gauge and fuel consumption. HISS (Honda Intelligent Security System) is built in to the ignition, and the headlights feature two 55W Halogen bulbs and multi-reflectors. There is space under the seat to store a U-lock.

The CBR500RR is going to sell like hotcakes, because it’s a sensible bike which just happens to look sharp. It is available in three colour options: Pearl Himalayas White, Graphite Black or Seal Silver Metallic.

If prospective riders would like a spin on the CBR500R or CB500F, Honda Australia Rider Training is offering free test rides in Melbourne and Sydney on Sunday, May 5 2013. Click here for more information.

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PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 50hp (36.8kW) at 8500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 43Nm at 7000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel diamond
Front suspension: 41mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: Monoshock, nine-stage preload adjustment
Front brakes: 320mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear brake: 240mm disc with single-piston caliper
Wheels: Cast aluminium, Y-spoked
Tyres: Front 120/70-17, rear 160/60-17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: Not given
Trail: Not given
Claimed kerb weight: 192kg (194kg ABS)
Seat height: 790mm
Wheelbase: 1410mm
Fuel capacity: 15.7 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $6990 ($7490 for the ABS version)
Colours: Pearl White, Graphite Black or Seal Silver Metallic
Test bike supplied by: Triumph Australia, www.hondamotorcycles.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres