HONDA CB500X 2023 BUFFETING/16TOOTH FRONT SPROCKET/ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS

[piotrwator]

Great video ! No one on YT tells so much useful informations - using so short form. You have answered to all of my questions. Thanks a lot !

[rustyevolution]

Im 190cm tall ( 6' 3") and have zero issues with the original windscreen and buffetting or noise. I even wear a helmet with a peak visor and the aerodynamics are perfect such that i get no vibration of the visor. Last year I spent 8 months riding 20, 000 kilometers on an extensive ADV trip with a fair amount of offroad and even at higher speeds on major roadways wind buffetting and noise was never an issue.
If you only ride on paved roads then perhaps changing the front sprocket makes sense for longer gear ratio, but I ride a good deal of offroad and you lose crucial low end torque with a 16 tooth sprocket. It makes the bike significantly less capable offroad. You might as well get a different bike if you chose to handicap off road performance. Honda knows what they are doing and the CB500X is designed as an ADV bike with modest off road capabilities. Changing the sprocket takes away from that and makes it a street bike only. Perhaps the CBR would better suit your needs.

[johnwood]

I've 25, 000miles experience with the CB500X, I don't ride off road or gravel roads where the stock gearing would I've no doubt work fine.
I'm 1.83m tall and so fitted a Givi D1171ST screen to stop buffeting, which it did very well until I broke it when I dropped the bike, so imagine my surprise on refitting the OEM screen with a deflector similar to the second one in the video(the type with two point black fittings)to find not only did it eliminate buffeting but was far quieter than the Givi and has been tested and stable upto 80mph .
The CB500X is a brilliant bike that punches far above and is more than the sum of it's parts, the jack of all and master of more than many people would ever think
Thanks for the video😊

[rob]

One of the best bike info videos I've ever come across! You are so direct on only important points, never searching for words, and precisely sharing points to improve a bike!

[rocket]

I've owned about 35 bikes since the late 70s. At least half of them I've put 1 more tooth on the front sprocket you lose a little on take off but highway speeds are more comfortable.

[markusludwig]

The low 1st gear with the orig.15tooth makes the CB500X the perfect allrounder for me, because I take it on the TransEuroTrails, often riding in a standing position, slowly through rougher terrain ... as always it depends on rider preferences and the way of usage. Great videocontent for those who road-travel.

[williamhanchett]

Excellent video, thank you. That was information I needed.

[oyk]

I cannot aggre more on what you said. Gear are as they should be 1rst place. Most motocycles i ride no need to get 6th in red line exept when i search for max speed that sould only last 10sec for engine protecjtion. As far as buffeting goes, air is headed to middle of helm not of bad aerodynamic but for ATRACTIVE desine than leads to selling points, larger would look funy and smaller whould look not as anventure bike. BUT instead of adding a higher windsreen i go with the solution of chousing the SMALLER one. WRS got also a small windscreen and VIOLA!! problem solved!!. Wind comes to neck area just end of helmet so no more buffeting for me. im 1, 75mm high so consered about this option. Very very good for city and much enjoyable. Not that much for trip althouh is doable, Sorry my bad english im greek and lazy to autocorrect but i think you get the meanig!!

[davidmatthews]

The huge disadvantage of the 16 tooth front sprocket is that it will lose the thing that makes the 500X such a great motorcycle for me and so many other riders, the ability to perform better than its power and torque figures suggest on the roads where it is best suited with hills and bends. 16 teeth may make motorway cruising more relaxed for those that do that sort of riding but it will kill the performance in, hills and mountains and on roads with bends where the original gearing is spot on. The 500X is neither powerful enough nor has enough torque to cope with higher gearing and for those who ride with a pillion or heavily laden bikes the problem will simply be multiplied. As far as first being first, second being second etc my original bike came with that feature. The 16 Thoth sprocket is no more than a darkly, an unnecessary addition peddled by YouTube influencers as a ‘must have’. Unlike most other farkles it’s an addition that ruins the performance of the motorcycle in most on road situations and all off-road use.
As far as the windscreen goes, for me, the noise is only a problem when I wear my cheap helmet, silence is the word when I use one of my Schubert lids. Spend your money on a better helmet not a bigger wind brake.

[Durnyful]

I have a 2021 in Crete & a 2022 in Uk. In crete 15t feels perfect, a lot of twisty mountain roads & tracks. As soon as i rode the 2022 in the uk 1st felt far too short. Diffrrent strokes for different folks

[mihaigeanta]

The sproket change is one of the mods I'm thinking of making but I'm not sure how it will affect the actual speed because with stock sprocket shows only 3-4km/h more than gps speed and not 8-9 as you explain in the video.

[KeepItSimpleSailor]

I’ve got the 2023. The windshield is fine, though I changed to the dark windshield for aesthetics. Wind flow over the windshield is smooth flowing and at the right height for keeping a bit cooler in hot climates. I won’t be using a 16T sprocket, because the only benefit is a mild change in rpm at freeway speeds. I bought the bike to explore and rarely travel much more than 100kmh, and on my preferred backroads generally a bit less. Stock gearing works well for my purposes.

[sniperjared]

Would the 16T swap make sense on highways that regularly hit 80mph traffic speed?

[RobertSantos-rwdy]

Thanks for the insights, but happy with the 15-toothed front sprocket and the original windscreen. Not on the freeway or high-speed roads. Any comments on a crash bar set upper and lower and bash / Engine guard? Cheers mate.

[Lemon]

They didnt 'insert' a speed limit. That is the structural limitation of wind smashing into a huge surf board, because its very tall. Ive been at speeds of 150kph and nothing happened to it, but the bolts may come lose from vibratoon

[creativesolution]

The best way to add a top case and keep the beauty of the bike is to put the original Honda CB500X top box rack.

[Iamwhatiam]

Change the stock handlebar ends to a heavier type

[findingneutral]

Thanks for the information share. I've been on my 2021 CB500X 8k miles. Just hardtop. I've pondered the 16t as well. Can you advise if this throws off the ABS feature? Also are there any fitment concerns getting it installed? Lastly, does it accept the oem chain? Thanks again.
P.S. I devoted riding hardtop so much on mine I swapped out the Dunlops for Michelin Road 5's. That too transforms the handling and comfort level on this bike. Smooth as butter and coming up on 6, 500 trouble free miles on them. Front shows no wear the rear is just now starting to wear, but very slightly.

[funnyrabbitadventures]

Corection WRS screen is actualy 53cm in length where Puig is 52cm

[ozoutdorz]

Buffeting??....what if you were shorter.?