With the introduction of the all-new CBR500R, Honda boldly redefines the middleweight class and infuses a whole new level of excitement for sport riders in search of superior value, along with great fun. An all-new liquid-cooled dohc engine is counter-balanced and features a 180-degree crank for reduced vibration and good torque production. Bore diameter is identical to the CBR600RR’s 67.0mm, but stroke is a much longer 66.8.mm. The cylinder head has four valves per barrel, actuated by twin cams with lightweight rocker arms. Fuel mixture is delivered via Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) with 34mm throttle bodies.
Excellent handling was at the top of the engineer’s list, so a lightweight but rigid steel-tube frame is used for sporty response. Pro-Link rear suspension with a preload-adjustable shock and a conventional 41mm fork are hung at each end. The braking system consists of 320mm wave-style disc with a twin-piston caliper up front and a 240mm disc and single-piston caliper out back. The 500R rolls on 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels in 120/70 and 160/60 sizes front and rear, respectively. Seat height is set at 30.9 in.
Full-coverage aerodynamic bodywork is patterned after its CBR600RR and CBR1000RR siblings. Colors include red, black or Pearl White/blue/red. The ABS model is only available in red. The cockpit has a full array of instrumentation within its LCD display, including speedometer, tachometer, odometer, twin tripmeters, fuel gauge, clock, average fuel consumption and current fuel consumption.
