Winter test: We spend a week commuting with Honda's do-it-all CB500X

Honda’s CB500X adventure bike doesn’t have an ambient temperature readout. Right now, that’s a good thing. Ten miles in to a 55 mile commute through fog, ice and that brown, salty slush coating our roads from December to March, my fingers are suggesting somewhere around minus-two. I’m not looking for sympathy, but if you want glamour, I’d suggest going back to bed and popping back in the summer.

The idea was simple. Rather than moan about zero grip and puny lean angles, let’s get out there and use winter to test the stuff we can’t do in summer. Like headlights… and traction control… and weather protection. The real world stuff that all-too easily gets forgotten in summer or is simply just hard to test on warm, dry, clean tarmac.

The ease with which the CB500 dealt with all of this is one of the reasons why they sell so well. That 496cc twin cylinder engine might spend most of its time doing that lovely linear-power-delivery thing that Honda’s do so well. But when you need a bit of extra acceleration to sort out a mistimed overtake, it’s there, hiding at the top of the rev counter.

Likewise, a glance at the spec sheet shows a chassis that’s neither long or short with steering geometry neither radical or conservative. But… the CB turns easily, with confidence and is predictably stable under heavy braking, on frosty roads when an ancient John Deere appears out of nowhere.

There are no gimmicks; no variable valve timing, multiple riding modes, anti-wheelie settings or traction control. The ABS needs a proper emergency to provoke it, which is how it should be and although a single front brake disc might leave the racers lacking, on the road, you just use a bit more rear brake to manage your speed. Well-chosen suspension settings mean the weight transfer under braking is smooth and progressive so the rear ABS doesn’t come in too early because the wheel’s off the ground.

Because of the weather, I’d expected to spend most of the test period cruising around, with everything clenched, being as gentle with the controls as I could, but, in reality, on a bike with such an easy chassis and power delivery I found myself being much more aggressive and having a lot more fun than anyone on two wheels has any right to in late January. It’s not about cornering and lean angle, more to do with traffic-busting and getting to work 35 minutes earlier than in the car, while doing 20mpg more.  Talking of which, the stats are as follows; average time taken during a week on test to do the 55 mile trip was 64 minutes, giving an average speed of  51mph at an average of 64mpg.. Most of the journey (about 40 miles) is in 50mph+ speed limits, overtaking a never-ending queue of cars stuck behind a truck doing 41mph. In a car it takes between 85-100 minutes. Buying a CB500X means an extra hour each day to hug your wife and kids, watch Netflix or practice the drums. That’s five hours a week, 20 hours a month, 250 hours a year. It’s like having ten extra days holiday a year for having more fun getting to work. £5599? That’s a bargain.

2017 HONDA CB500X - SPECS