EICMA 2022 – Honda Reveals The New CL500 Retro Scrambler

In terms of design, Honda's upcoming CL500 retro scrambler motorcycle draws inspiration from the CL motorcycles in the late '60s and early '70s. On top of that, the Honda CL500 retro scrambler motorcycle is available in 4 different colours.

In terms of the powertrain, the upcoming Honda CL500 retro scrambler motorcycle comes powered by a 471cc, parallel-twin engine. This is the same engine that powers other Honda motorcycles such as the Honda CBR500R, CB500X, CB500F, and CMX 500 Rebel.

This parallel-twin powerplant in the Honda CL500 produces 46bhp of peak power at 8,500rpm and 43.4Nm of peak torque at 6,250rpm. On top of that, this powertrain is also Euro5 compatible and sports a revised fuel injection system along with a new air intake unit and an updated exhaust setup.

This engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox and the rear sprocket of the upcoming Honda CL500 motorcycle sports 41-tooth. In comparison, the Honda Rebel gets a 40-tooth rear sprocket.

Thanks to this larger rear sprocket, the upcoming Honda CL500 retro scrambler motorcycle is expected to have stronger acceleration figures. However, the top speed of the motorcycle is likely to be sacrificed due to this larger sprocket. Moreover, the twin-exhaust system on the upcoming Honda CL500 motorcycle has also been revised to deliver a lower-frequency soundtrack.

To make life easier for new riders, Honda has also equipped the upcoming CL500 retro scrambler motorcycle with a slipper clutch, along with a low seat height of just 790mm and 192kg kerb weight.

Speaking about weight, the upcoming Honda CL500 motorcycle gets a blacked-out tubular steel trellis frame and this whole motorcycle is suspended on 41mm conventional forks at the front and a pair of pre-load adjustable shocks at the rear.

Since the upcoming Honda CL500 motorcycle is on the lighter side, the braking duty on the motorcycle is carried out by a single 310mm disc at the front with a twin-piston caliper. However, the specification of the rear disc brake setup is yet to be confirmed.

In terms of pricing, Honda is yet to announce the sticker price on the upcoming Honda CL500 motorcycle. We expect Honda to price the CL500 motorcycle around Rs 5.5 lakh, ex-showroom.

Thoughts About The Upcoming Honda CL500

With the launch of the Honda CL500 motorcycle, the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer will be further expanding its 500cc product portfolio in the international markets. On top of that, the company will also be able to attract a good chunk of young customers as well.