- 2023 Honda CL500 priced at £5,999 in the UK
- To arrive at dealerships between March-May
- Unlikely to come to India anytime soon
The Honda CL500 modern-retro scrambler offering was unveiled at the 2022 EICMA show in November last year. This is the newest addition to the brand’s 500cc portfolio which also comprises the CB500R, CBR500R, CB500X, and Rebel 500. While these bikes have been available abroad for a while now, the CL500’s pricing for the UK has recently been announced. It will be priced at £5,999 (Rs 5.96 lakh) in the country.
Honda CL500: Design and Features
The CL500 is a great amalgamation of visual elements depicting retro scramblers and contemporary street bikes. The standout elements are the high-set exhaust with a dotted shield and a sloping fuel tank similar to the Rebel cruiser. Giving it a modern look are the blacked-out engine casing, alloy wheels, and funky colour options. The list of available features is decent with a fully-digital negative LCD instrument cluster, a full-LED lighting system, dual-channel ABS, and a slipper clutch.
Honda CL500: Engine and Hardware
Powering the scrambler is a 471cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled mill that we have seen on the CB500X adventure bike and all other 500cc Hondas. This unit produces around 46bhp and 43.4Nm of peak torque along with a six-speed transmission system. Notably, this is almost the same power but lesser peak torque as compared to the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 which produces 47bhp and 52Nm.
It’s based on a new tubular diamond-type frame that is suspended by 41mm telescopic forks up front with 150mm travel and old-school twin shock absorbers at the rear with five-step adjustability. Bringing this 192kg (kerb) machine with a 19-17-inch wheel combination to a halt is a single disc at both ends. Further, the bike is shod with Dunlop Mixtour tyres which sport a block-type tread pattern.
Honda CL500: Competition and India Launch
Once launched, the closest rival to the Honda CL500 will be the Benelli Leoncino 500 which is sold in India as well. The motorcycle will start reaching dealers in the UK in spring 2023 i.e. between March to May. In case you’re wondering, the motorcycle is unlikely to be available in India anytime soon. From Honda’s 500cc line-up, the only motorcycle that was available in India until last month was the CB500X adventure-tourer. Although it’s discontinued as of now, BigWing dealers believe that its 2023 model will be launched in our country around mid-2023.
