Cbr 500Cc Leaked Pic

[CBR250]

On a slight tangent, I must replace my tyres - esp rear - very soon on CB500X. I would appreciate opinions and comments about:

A) Choice of tyre (go with the original Pirelli Scorpion Trails? Michelin Anelkas?) OR

Do pure road tyres give better service with grip (I want safety more than durability). Eg Michelin Pilot 3, Pirelli Rosso)? And are such tyres ok for the odd crap road of gravel and dirt?

[ll2]

On a slight tangent, I must replace my tyres - esp rear - very soon on CB500X. I would appreciate opinions and comments about:

A) Choice of tyre (go with the original Pirelli Scorpion Trails? Michelin Anelkas?) OR

Do pure road tyres give better service with grip (I want safety more than durability). Eg Michelin Pilot 3, Pirelli Rosso)? And are such tyres ok for the odd crap road of gravel and dirt?

Pirelli Rosso2s are good choice if grip is a concern. They are also durable enough. Wet grip is cool too.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[CBR250]

Thanks for reply - do you know what price for the Pirelli Rosso 2s? And anyone know where they can be found in Chiang Mai?

[ll2]

8600 thb in bangkok including labor and balancing. should be same in CM.

[mania]

Thanks for reply - do you know what price for the Pirelli Rosso 2s? And anyone know where they can be found in Chiang Mai?

I think for the 500 a pair runs about 9k baht

In Chiang Mai many places stock it.

Like Kawasaki, probably BW Honda too, Pekky's, Piston Shop etc.

Edited March 16, 2014 by mania

[bramds]

I have Pirelli Angels. Great grip and perfect for touring and commuting.

Check out the youtube reviews of Revzilla.

[edwinchester]

Had to take the trusty Cbr250r into the Kanchanaburi Honda dealer for a minor service today.

Speaking with the head mechanic there he told me that starting next month this dealership would be selling all of the current Honda 500's and that this was Hondas intention for all the larger dealerships to slowly start selling the larger locally produced bikes.

Great news, if true, on improving the availability of the bigger bikes.

[wantan]

Had to take the trusty Cbr250r into the Kanchanaburi Honda dealer for a minor service today.

Speaking with the head mechanic there he told me that starting next month this dealership would be selling all of the current Honda 500's and that this was Hondas intention for all the larger dealerships to slowly start selling the larger locally produced bikes.

Great news, if true, on improving the availability of the bigger bikes.

Thats at least very interesting news, though don't know if i would call it "great news". Depends on the quality of service these dealerships are able to offer.

[edwinchester]

Had to take the trusty Cbr250r into the Kanchanaburi Honda dealer for a minor service today.

Speaking with the head mechanic there he told me that starting next month this dealership would be selling all of the current Honda 500's and that this was Hondas intention for all the larger dealerships to slowly start selling the larger locally produced bikes.

Great news, if true, on improving the availability of the bigger bikes.

Thats at least very interesting news, though don't know if i would call it "great news". Depends on the quality of service these dealerships are able to offer.

Agree entirely on needing to offer quality service.

[CBR250]

Just a follow up on my new tyres for CB500X. I went to a tyre dealer here in Chiang Mai that has been recommended by a few people - Cockpit on Hang Dong Road - a few hundred metres up on the opposite side from Tesco (heading toward Hang Dong from Chiang Mai). Very friendly and - mostly - efficient (I had to get them to re-adjust the chain it was so tight when they finished).

I ended up paying a bit more than I had planned on - 12,700 for a pair of Michelin Road Pilot 4. Nearly same price as the Pirelli Scorpion Trails (standard on the 500X). They didn't have any other choices (such as the Pirelli Diablo Rossos or Angels) in stock, although they offered to order whatever I wanted. The Pilot 4 has had very good reviews. It is meant to be a softer compound than the Pirellis, so may wear fairly quickly. I got 14,000 km from the original Scorpion Trails, which was ok. The front still had a few thousand kms left, but I feel better going waaaaaaaay overboard for anything tyre related, due to their importance in staying upright and in one piece, so replaced both.

I'll report back on wear and my perception of handling characteristics when I get to change to the next tyres. Hopefully others will too, so we can all make better educated purchases.

[brfsa2]

you've made a great choice going for the Michelin Road Pilot 4,

For the CB500X they are definitely better fit than than the Diablo Rosso 2.

I would love to get the Road Pilot 4 GT, which is better for 2-up riding.

but cant find them anywhere in Bangkok.

[CBR250]

The Road Pilot 4 GT is the model I got from Cockpit. I wasn't aware that there were 3 versions of the Pilot 4! And yes, I saw that the GT is recomended for 2 up / luggage riding. I do a lot of touring with my gf, so it seems the best tyre for my use, at least on paper. (And they are used by BMW on the - I think - 1200, which is another stamp of aproval of quality).

I have only done a few hundred km on the tyres so far. Very good feel. Grip like a gekko on twisty roads in the mountains, and supple accross road imperfetions. Of course, all new tyres feel great once they are run in a little, it is how well they behave between about 2-10,000 km that seperates the meat from the nut cutlets. Now, if only they will last for 20,000 km.......

[dave_boo]

The Road Pilot 4 GT is the model I got from Cockpit. I wasn't aware that there were 3 versions of the Pilot 4! And yes, I saw that the GT is recomended for 2 up / luggage riding. I do a lot of touring with my gf, so it seems the best tyre for my use, at least on paper. (And they are used by BMW on the - I think - 1200, which is another stamp of aproval of quality).

I have only done a few hundred km on the tyres so far. Very good feel. Grip like a gekko on twisty roads in the mountains, and supple accross road imperfetions. Of course, all new tyres feel great once they are run in a little, it is how well they behave between about 2-10,000 km that seperates the meat from the nut cutlets. Now, if only they will last for 20,000 km.......

As I only have 4k on my stock tyres I'll be watching your posts with interest. Granted that number of km racked up was within 4 weeks of owning the bike, but still you should have plenty of km on those tyres to be able to report back as to whether they are a good replacement by the time I get as far on the current set as you did.

[Wong!]

@CBR250

Is there any reason you didn't use Big Wing or one of the specialist bike places in CM?

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[CBR250]

I don't know about BigWing Chiang Mai and tyres. Maybe they are good.

As to Kawasaki Chiang Mai, I was told that they do not do electronic balancing - sounds hard to believe given the capacity of bikes they sell, so maybe just unfounded rumour.

I suspect shops such as Peckys may be good for tyres and fitting given their focus on superbikes, but cannot say for sure as I know of no-one who has used them.

Anyway, the recommendations on GT Rider were the main reason I chose Cockpit - and Cockpit Hangdong does indeed welcome bikers and seems to have a bike consciousness.

There was a Ducati and BMW having tyres fitted too. Iam not being critical of other shops, just seemed that the best bet for me was Cockpit.

[mania]

As to Kawasaki Chiang Mai, I was told that they do not do electronic balancing -

Chiang Mai Kawasaki does electronic spin balancing.

I have bought my Rosso II's there & had them mounted & balanced.

Both times as I ran thru one already

They also have a pretty wide selection of tires

BW Chiangmai given their modern shop surely has a spin balance also.

They are the only shop I know in CM that has a dyno but they will only dyno Honda's

Edited May 15, 2014 by mania

[CBR250]

Sorry for impugning the abilities of Kawasaki CM - Note to self: Do not repeat hearsay!

However, as I wrote, aside from uncertainty over the big bike shops capacity and expertise in relation to tyres, I mainly chose Cockpit based on GT Rider recommendations, and was happy with the service and prices. I have the same attitude with car tyres - I prefer tyre specialists rather than the Ford (or whatever) dealer to deal with the rubber on my wheels.

It may be of some use if others also report on tyre experiences and prices at different shops. Then us riders can make more informed - and hence better - choices for this key purchase.

[dave_boo]

Has anyone received any messages about a recall? Wife said that there was a need to replace "ARM cores"....and it was going to be done at no cost per a call from Honda. As she is anything but mechanically inclined and I am out of the country, I am not sure if this is simply the standard valve check of if something else has popped up. Any information in this regards would be much appreciated.

[bramds]

I just came from Big Wing and they didn't say anything about that.

[dave_boo]

I just came from Big Wing and they didn't say anything about that.

Thanks; which Big Wing was that?

[bramds]

I just came from Big Wing and they didn't say anything about that.

Thanks; which Big Wing was that?

Bangkok

[dave_boo]

I just came from Big Wing and they didn't say anything about that.

Thanks; which Big Wing was that?

Bangkok

Thanks again. That was the same branch that called the missus. Funnily enough there is a supposed problem they informed her about, but they are too busy to take care of it this weekend...

[Wong!]

Honda just called to tell me to pop down to get a 'screw' (wife's translation) changed, free of charge of course. No fuss, just looking after their customers. Nice to see.

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[dave_boo]

Honda just called to tell me to pop down to get a 'screw' (wife's translation) changed, free of charge of course. No fuss, just looking after their customers. Nice to see.

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Keep us appraised about exactly what it is that is being changed. Mine was done this last weekend; had to be taken down to Pattaya, but at least there was a beach break for the family.

[332]

How many faulty issues have the 500 series been called back for now? 3 iirc.

The oil bolt issue, after Big Wing staff and management were reportedly saying that there's no problem and denied anything was wrong with bikes losing 1/2 their oil in a few days.

Then there was another bolt or something that was wrong and needed to be replaced.

Now this, another something that has gone wrong and owners need to get to a Big Wing to get it fixed.

Thai made. Hardly inspires confidence.

[dave_boo]

How many faulty issues have the 500 series been called back for now? 3 iirc.

The oil bolt issue, after Big Wing staff and management were reportedly saying that there's no problem and denied anything was wrong with bikes losing 1/2 their oil in a few days.

Then there was another bolt or something that was wrong and needed to be replaced.

Now this, another something that has gone wrong and owners need to get to a Big Wing to get it fixed.

Thai made. Hardly inspires confidence.

Wow...FUD much?

There were people crying that first service required valve check. That requirement has been removed. There was a production run where apparently the rocker arm sealing bolt were not installed properly/not the proper corrosion resistant type on certain bikes; Honda recalled the bikes in March 2014 stateside. There have been no other recalls.

As we only have translations of what the issue is, why not wait to see if there is a different problem than the rocker arm sealing bolt before nutting? I'd rather have a company do a recall (even if it's late assuming it's the same bolt) than not...how many Kawi's were recalled in LOS compared to worldwide? Going through the years it seems that this was Honda's first recall (if the NC700X is thai made than second) from thai manufactured bikes...most recalls seem to be jap produced bikes. Assuming, again, it's the same problem, I think Honda did a hell of a job notifying me that it needed to come in for that as the bike has not been in for service since the end of 2013 due to my work schedule. That inspires confidence in me.