Honda’s line-up includes a reimagined version of their CL72 street scrambler from 1962. Paul headed to Hampton Downs to check it out.
The Waikato’s premier race circuit would seem like a peculiar choice to test a LAMS-approved 500 scrambler, but to be honest, I wasn’t planning on actually taking it on the track. Passmasters Rider Training was running a day for the Carl Cox Cup competitors, and with a few bikes in the BRM shed to test, I figured the little Honda would be a nice ride for the trip.
The original CL72 Scrambler from the sixties was a version of the CB72 road bike just with a bit more off-road ability, and Honda has used the same trick with the new version. Based around the same 471cc parallel-twin that we’ve seen in the various itinerations of the CB500, there’s been a few tweaks to the chassis and running gear but not to the powerplant when making the Scrambler.
The motor is one of those solid performers, yet doesn’t do anything to make it stand out. But that’s not a bad thing in the LAMS arena, with the reliable twin producing a useable 46.6hp and a reasonably heady 8500rpm, while a useful 43.4Nm of torque features at 6500rpm. Those figures aren’t exactly going to set the roads alight, but for someone new to motorcycling, there’s enough performance to keep the ride entertaining.
With styling cues taken from the original namesake, the CL500 features a small 12-litre retro-styled fuel tank, a 19-inch front wheel, high-level exhaust, and wide handlebars. There’s a bit more travel from the non-adjustable 41mm forks with 150mm of room before reaching the bottom, and there are even gaiters on the fork legs to give the Honda that Scrambler vibe. And while the wheels aren’t spoked, the small spokes on the cast wheels give the Honda a cool look.
From the cockpit you’re greeted with a touch of modern as the retro (i.e. round) instruments feature an LCD dash giving you time, speed, gear, fuel and mileage on the display. It’s functional and looks cool, but is a bugger to read when the sun’s behind you, no matter what brightness you set it to. There’s LED lighting all round, with the front indicators staying on as a kind of driving light, although I feel it’s more to give the bike an American feel. Still, the headlight is stylish with the four individual LEDs offering modern levels of lighting performance from the round, classic-styled light.
Overall, the silhouette is spot-on, although the bike is a little small. With a 790mm seat height, it will be popular with those who struggle to touch the floor on bigger bikes, although the position of the footpegs right where you tend to put your feet took away a bit of the benefit as you’ve got to place your feet further forward. But there’s no denying this will be a sweet ride for anyone who shivers at the idea of a big, heavy motorcycle.
Capable Cruiser
Heading out of Hamilton and onto the expressway heading north, I was slightly surprised how eager the Scrambler was as it took off up the slipway and merged into the speeding traffic. But then I shouldn’t really have been, as I’ve spent a week thrashing a CB500X around northern Thailand and was constantly impressed at the time with how well Honda’s parallel-twin outperforms the sum of its parts. Low gearing helps get the CL500 off the line, while the peak power coming in at a heady 8,500rpm means the Scrambler doesn’t tend to run out of steam if you hold onto the revs.
Slotting into the faster-moving traffic, it continued to impress, happily cruising behind a couple of fast-moving SUVs before pulling in sixth gear when they eventually moved over to let me pass. They probably chuckled at the sight of a 100-kilo dude crouched down on the tank with his helmet almost on the handlebars as he struggled to get out of the wind, but I was determined to get past and when you’ve only got 46.6hp to play with, every little bit helps.
Settling back down to a cruise and the Honda purrs along at 110km/h and slightly more without a drama. It’s also a nice place for the powerplant, with instant response coming when you roll on the throttle, although the lack of a rev counter meant I never really knew where the revs were. It got buzzier the higher I went, but not so much as to cause discomfort.
Pulling into Hampton Downs and spying a large gravel car park down by the club circuit, I couldn’t help a few laps just to see what the Scrambler was like at ‘scrambling’. And it was surprisingly rather good. The power delivery doesn’t feature a ‘barp-y’ bottom end, so keeping the revs up offers drive out of the corners and a bit of sliding action. But as long as the gravel remained reasonably smooth, the CL500 was happy rarking around. Honda says the ABS has been developed for ‘situations of low traction’, and it behaved when grabbing a handful on the loose stuff for testing purposes. The rear can’t be deactivated, so there’s no backing it in, but then that’s not the sort of riding this bike has been designed for. It’s designed for a simple life, and that’s exactly what it gives.
With photos done of the newbies on the racetrack, I made a beeline for home although this time dodging through the backroads to avoid the motorway at all costs. With the small, narrow and often bumpy roads providing a real test for the Honda’s suspension, it didn’t do a bad job of soaking up the lumps and bumps. Damping was a little uncontrolled as the pace quickened, but again, the Scrambler is designed more for a tour than a race, especially with the sit-up riding position and lack of fairing, meaning there’s a decent amount of wind to battle as the pace creeps up. Honda NZ obviously knew this, so if you buy one at the moment of writing (Jan ’24), you get a free small fly screen that goes around the headlight. And it will probably be enough to deflect the worst away, especially as the riding position is more sit-in than sit-on.
The low saddle is narrow at the front which will appeal to those wanting help reaching the floor, and it then widens as you slide back, offering the best of both worlds. As I mentioned before, the large footpegs are positioned almost exactly where I wanted to put my feet down which was a little annoying, but the position is spot on for riding and also for standing up if you are getting a bit adventurous. You can even remove the rubbers from the pegs and make use of the metal teeth for extra grip, but if you’re going that far, then I’d hazard a guess that you’re on the wrong bike anyway.
The high-level exhaust is definitely a bit of form over function designed to give the Scrambler look, but the negative is that it pushed my right heel out when I had the balls of my feet up on the pegs. And the engine also pokes out more on the right than the left which is a little odd. The heat shield on the exhaust does an impressive job of keeping the warmth from the muffler away from any body parts, but I imagine it would be a bit of a peculiar stance for anyone sitting on the back. There’s also the issue of how to mount luggage, although again, at the time of writing, Honda was offering a free genuine accessory luggage rack and bag which mounts on the opposite side to the can.
Easy Companion
Like the rest of Honda’s 500cc parallel-twin range, the CL500 just gets on with the job in hand without fuss. It’s fun to hold onto the revs to get the most out of the twin down twisty roads without feeling like you’re going excessively fast. The single two-piston caliper gripping a 310mm disc at the front offers reasonable stopping power that’s enough for the performance you can generate from the rest of the bike, and it’s a nice, progressive feel from the lever making it ideal for learners. In fact, there’s nothing really about the CL500 that’s likely to catch you out other than plenty of admiring glances when you pull up. I reckon it’s probably the best of Honda’s 500cc bunch in terms of looks.
At 192 kilos ready-to-ride combined with that nice low saddle, the Scrambler will certainly be more accommodating for newer riders looking for a bit of gravel ability than the taller CB500X. And thanks to the Dunlop Trailmax Mixtours which offer a bit of a block-type pattern, the Scrambler is more than happy to tackle a bit of loose stuff on occasion. The only disappointment is that neither the brake or clutch lever are span adjustable, which is a necessity for smaller riders who might have a smaller reach with their fingers.
At $13,945 in any of the three colours (green, orange or black) and with the headlight visor and luggage system included, the CL500 Scrambler is an affordable and easy way to get into riding for someone who wants a cool ride that can handle a bit of everything.
Photography www.twocreative.co.nz
