During the recently concluded Makina Moto Show 2003, Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI) unveiled the CL500, a street scrambler-styled motorcycle that’s sure to turn heads whether parked or in motion.
But does HPI’s new big bike have what it takes to dethrone the Honda Rebel 500, as the brand’s 500 cubic capacity (cc) segment leader? Join us to find out.
Both the Honda CL500 and the Rebel 500 belong to the Japanese motorcycle brand’s “tourer” category. However, they sport two distinct designs that will suit the style of two different motorbike enthusiasts. Let’s start with the newcomer, the CL500.
The Honda CL500 is a retro-styled scrambler with plenty of features designed for treading the beaten, unpaved path.
Appointments like a round headlamp equipped with four bright LED lights, sturdy LED turn signals, a robust 41-millimeter (mm) upright telescopic front fork, a rear twin shock (with a five-step preload adjustment) arrangement, wheels that measure 19 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear, raised exhaust pipes, and an upright riding position give the Honda CL500 that go-anywhere look.
It is also noticeable that the Honda CL500 wears more straight lines and aggressive angles, which gives it a more dominating demeanor.
Meanwhile, the Honda Rebel 500 is designed to take riders in the opposite direction — a smooth, relaxed road. That said, it also comes with features with laid-back riding in mind like a low-slung seat, lowered exhaust pipes, and plenty of curves and contours here and there.
Notable features include similarly retro-inspired ones such as a round headlight with four LED lamps, LED signal lights, a naked 41mm telescopic fork at the front, a Showa rear suspension with Pro-Link system, and 16-inch wheels — front and back.
With the two bikes sporting styles from both ends of the spectrum, we’re calling this round a tie.
The Honda CL500 sports a circular instrument cluster seated in between the motorbike’s high and wide handlebar. The 100mm ring houses a negative LCD display, which gives the rider perfect visibility of relevant riding information both daytime and nighttime.
Further, the Honda CL500’s smooth, round, and perfectly formed 12-liter fuel tank rounds up the nostalgic look of the capable scrambler.
On the other hand, the spherical instrument cluster of the Honda Rebel 500 is complemented by a smaller, 11.2-liter fuel tank.
Visible on the digital display screen are important riding data such as the gear, the running speed, the fuel gauge, a trip meter, and even the time.
The Honda CL500 and the Rebel 500 are again neck and neck in this round. However, having a larger fuel tank does give a rider more range, so, we’re giving this round to the CL500.
Powering the Honda CL500 is a liquid-cooled, dual overhead cam (DOHC), four-stroke, four-valve, 471cc engine. It is paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Stopping power comes from 310mm disc brakes at the front and 240mm disc brakes at the rear.
On the other hand, the Honda Rebel 500 packs a similarly-sized liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke, 471cc powerplant. However, instead of having four valves, it gets eight. Nevertheless, the engine is also mated to a six-speed transmission.
Braking duties are carried out by hydraulic disc brakes, front and back.
Despite having similar engines, we’re giving this round to the Honda Rebel 500 since it has four more valves than the newcomer.
Honda CL500 – P409,000
Honda Rebel 500 – P399,000
The Honda CL500 and the Rebel 500 show that they are capable motorcycles with the two bikes winning even rounds throughout our big bike brawl. That said, choosing whether to buy the CL500 or the Rebel 500 will boil down to personal preference should one is looking for a cruiser or a scrambler.
Photos from Honda Philippines, Inc. and Juan Paulo Papa
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