2025 Honda CL500 Review

The CLs from the ‘60s and ‘70s were such bikes, proving that a lightweight bike with off-road dynamics was great fun around town. Latterly, the high-barred, high-piped style has become an iconic signature for many 21st century riders.

Review – Key Features – Features & Benefits – Specifications

2025 Honda CL500: OLD SCHOOL MEETS NEW SCHOOL.

Introducing the 2025 Honda CL500…

Honda’s CL500 strikes a rich retro vein, drawing inspiration from the original CLs of the 60s and 70s. Using the A2-licence compatible twin-cylinder engine of Honda’s CB500 series, it applies a tubular diamond-structure steel frame, long-travel suspension and 19/17-inch front/rear wheel combination to good effect. With 2025 updates to comfort, ergonomics and visual style, it’s still ready for the rigours of urban travel as much as it is light off-road work. Its head-turning style has been amped up for 2025 with two new colours, whilst the rich details remain such as the rounded fuel tank, knee pads, rubber fork gaiters and an upswept dual-exit exhaust muffler with drilled heat shield. All lighting is LED, and the LCD screen is now easier to read in bright light.

Honda has a long history of getting smaller capacity bikes just right for riders around the world. A combination of easy usability, useful engine performance, affordability and distinct individuality equal motorcycles that, over time, come to mean so much to their owners.

The CLs from the ‘60s and ‘70s were such bikes, proving that a lightweight bike with off-road dynamics was great fun around town. Latterly, the high-barred, high-piped style has become an iconic signature for many 21st century riders.

Click forward 5 decades and, in 2018, the A2 licence compatible CMX500 Rebel arrived in the Honda range. Its ‘old school meets new school’ take on custom cool was an instant hit – and extremely customisable. And as a package – engine, chassis and styling – it’s proved irresistible to a legion of young riders and has quietly got on with the business of being the top-selling custom bike in Europe for the last three years.

Five years later it was time for something new and for 2023 Honda introduced, once again, a bike proudly wearing the CL badge – for riders who like to be that bit different. The CL500 draws heavily on the formula of the originals, with the right look, right engine and durability to go with the urban rough and tumble.

Mechanically unchanged for 2025 – apart from some minor visual and ergonomic updates – the CL500 carries on with individuality as standard fit, and huge custom potential, as seen in the metal at Wheels and Waves 2024.

The development concept used from the start of the CL500 project was ‘Express Yourself’. Deliberately targeting a young, style-conscious demographic, it’s a bike designed to fit neatly into an owner’s lifestyle with the ability to handle the daily commute, a long weekend ride, or even some light off-road – and to catch the eye while doing it.

The 471cc parallel twin-cylinder engine is Honda’s lively and popular A2 licence compatible powerplant that produces 34.3kW power and a healthy 43.4Nm torque, and thanks to 2025 revisions around the ECU and inclusion of an OBD2-2 sensor is now Euro5+ compliant.

The much-loved engine is paired with an assist/ slipper clutch-equipped six-speed gearbox, which features short final drive gearing to serve up smart around-town acceleration both from a standing start and through the gears.

A tubular steel trellis-style main frame is both a statement of style and the foundation of easy handling. Long-travel suspension comprises 41mm telescopic forks and adjustable rear shocks while the wheels – 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – wear Dunlop block-pattern tyres. Newly optimised footpeg positioning is matched to a revised seat construction, for increased rider comfort. Both front and rear brakes feature ABS modulation specifically balanced for excellent performance on a variety of surfaces, including light off-road.

The CL’s comprehensive specification includes LED lighting front and rear, a compact negative LCD instrument panel, as well as the latest safety systems such as Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) technology that operates the rear indicators as hazard lights under sudden, hard braking.

Honda’s A2 compliant ‘urban scrambler’ gains updates to comfort, ergonomics and visual style for 2025. A new LCD meter offers increased visibility in all scenarios, while revised seat and footpeg placement increase rider comfort. New brown and yellow colour options amp up the head-turning style.

The 2025 CL500 will be available in the following colour options:

• Pearl Dusk Yellow *NEW*
• Mat Laurel Green Metallic
• Mat Fresco Brown *NEW*
• Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic

2025 Honda CL500 Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

• Styling simple and raw, just like the original CL
• 790mm seat height gives easy ground reach and legroom; new seat urethane and revised footpeg shape
• Negative display LCD dash now easier to read in sunlight
• Full LED lighting and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) technology for the rear indicators
• 471cc liquid-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine, A2 licence compatible
• Unique PGM-FI settings and shorter final drive gearing
• Assist/slipper clutch for rear wheel control
• Iconic ‘upswept’ twin-exit exhaust muffler
• Tubular diamond-structure steel frame
• 41mm telescopic forks and twin, spring preload adjustable rear shocks
• Two-piston front brake caliper working a 310mm floating disc
• ABS balanced for light off-road use
• 19-inch front/17-inch rear combination

Back in 1962 our very first street scrambler, the CL72, made its debut. We figured it was time for a new breed to roll out, made for the streets of today. The CL500 drips with raw style and detail that only comes with long history. It also packs a strong, A2-compliant twin-cylinder engine into a sturdy, compact chassis and begs to be ridden, customised and enjoyed. Just like the original.

Look the Part
Our iconic style starts with the 12L fuel tank; smooth, rounded and perfectly formed, with authentic rubber knee pads for comfort. And everything that can be – engine, frame and suspension – is blacked out for sleek, minimalist looks. Rubber gaiters protect fork legs, just like back in the day. High, wide handlebars give excellent control and, in true CL tradition, mirror the evocative high-level exhaust muffler, with its distinctive drilled stainless heat shield and twin-pipe exit, that sits just right.

Stand Out Individuality the Way You Want It
We’ve built the CL500, now you need to make it yours. And that starts with colour; choose between Pearl Dask Yellow, Matte Fresco Brown, Matte Laurel Green Metallic, or Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic. What else? That’s up to you. Maybe start with the simple pleasure of riding, meeting friends, hanging out and talking bikes. You’ll find what you need and want for your CL500. It will evolve around you, just as it should and become the motorcycle you dream of. More than lifestyle, this is living.

Built Ready To Ride
The CL500 is built to handle whatever you’ve got from dirt roads, cobbled city streets or weekends away. Longer travel suspension soaks up the bumps and deep-grooved tyres ensure confidence from walking speed upwards. Seat height is 790mm, the mid-section slim, great for easy ground reach and low-speed manoeuvrability. Comfort is enhanced thanks to a new seat material and repositioned foot pegs. There’s plenty of leg room (a taller seat is available as an optional accessory) while the pillion seat mounts low, for easy access.

Strong Torque Equals Instant Response
Whether just starting your two-wheeled journey – or have been riding for years – you’ll love this engine. Parallel twin-cylinder, DOHC 4V and spinning a 180° crank, it’s so easy to use at low speed, with smooth throttle response, easy-going power delivery and soulful sound. And, thanks to street scrambler-specification intake, exhaust and gearing there’s strong torque all the way through the rev-range – with peak of 43.4Nm @ 6,250rpm – which equals acceleration, when needed, that even the most experienced will enjoy.

Assist & Slipper Clutch Control
The engine’s clutch is designed to help you ride; it assists with a light lever load and makes for smoother, easier gear changes up and down. And you don’t have to juggle engine rpm or worry about the rear wheel locking up on multiple down changes – the slipper function takes care of that.

A2 Licence Compatible
With 35kW peak power the CL500 is ready for an A2 licence holder. The engine’s power delivery and character are also well-mannered and easy going, especially low down in the rev-range, so perfect for new riders.

LED Lighting
The classic round headlight features four bright LED bulbs for a distinct light signature. But LED lighting is also energy efficient, runs cooler and the bulbs last longer. And, most importantly, visibility to other road users is much improved.

Enhanced Seat Comfort
Once you start riding the CL500, you will not want to stop. It’s that kind of bike. So new urethane foam material for the seat makes for all day comfort.

A street scrambler should keep things simple, so a neat, 100mm ring houses the negative LCD display. Information on show is just what you need, including a gear position indicator, fuel consumption and individual left/right indicator arrows. Now, even clearer in bright sunlight, thanks to adjustments to the meter visibility.

Stability in Both On and Off-road Environments
41mm telescopic front forks feature 150mm travel for supple control, and the Showa rear shocks are preload adjustable. There’s the surefooted stability of a 19-inch front wheel, and the 310mm floating front disc and two-piston caliper ensure progressive stopping power with ABS optimised for dirt tracks as well as road.

Natural Riding Position with Flat Seat
For easy control and turning in an urban area the riding position is upright, with arms and knees placed in a comfortable, natural posture. It also gives you great all-round visibility. There’s plenty of room on the flat seat to move back and forward, allowing for a more aggressive attitude.

Adventure Package
Equip your CL500 for both on and off-road journeys with Rally Steps, High Seat, and Wheel Stripes for enhanced performance.

Style Pack
Transform your CL500 into a true scrambler with the addition of a Front Fender, Headlight Cowl, Rear Side Cover, Knuckle Guards, and Rear Suspension Cover.

Travel Pack
Maximise your CL500’s travel capabilities with a left-side Saddlebag, Heated Grips, a 12V Socket, and an Adjustable Brake Level for added comfort and convenience.

2025 Honda CL500 Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

Styling & Equipment

‘Simple, Raw and Tough’ were the three words that set the tone and direction for the CL500’s styling team. The street scrambler style looks right wherever it rolls with the added benefit of ergonomics that make for a bike that’s very easy to ride in a variety of situations.

The combination of the clean, round fuel tank shape and upswept muffler ­with stainless steel heat shield strikes the nostalgia chords hard. And all the lovingly crafted details (the tank pads and rubber fork gaiters, the wadded, smooth outer seat skin with embossed Honda logo, high-level handlebars) combine to create a look that oozes charm. The paint options, all set against the completely blacked out engine and chassis, make each tank colour ‘pop’ vibrantly.

A low seat height of 790mm, in combination with a slim mid-section, offers easy ground reach and ample legroom. Featuring a new urethane foam material for enhanced comfort, it’s also designed to cover the frame rails for standing up and low rear section for easy pillion access. It also detaches easily with the ignition key and features a tucked-away helmet holder.

The high handlebars not only look good, they’re angled precisely to provide leverage both when standing up or sitting down, with off-road style grips and internal weights to reduce fatigue. The tank pads provide another contact point for the legs when standing; whilst the steel footpegs have been repositioned and feature rubber inserts for increased comfort.

The low-set 175mm diameter headlight has classic form but houses four LED bulbs with thick inner lenses for a distinctive frontal signature. Small, 55mm circular LED indicators feature classic looks and sit either side of a thin, ovalized LED taillight.

A neat, 100mm diameter circular display houses the negative LCD dash. Simple and uncluttered information delivery includes gear position indicator, fuel consumption and individual indicator arrows; a 2025 update is increased readability in bright light.

Hard, sudden braking operates the standard equipment Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) which flashes the rear indicators to alert road users behind, before auto-cancelling.

With fuel economy of 27.7km/L, a 12L capacity tank gives the CL500 a potential range of over 300km.

Engine

The CL500’s 471cc 8-valve, liquid-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine is smooth, easy to use and thoroughly engaging. The hugely popular and durable unit has made its reputation in Honda’s CB(R)500 series and the CMX500 Rebel.

For the CL500, it features revised PGM-FI fuel injection mapping (updated for 2025 for OBD2-2 compliance) and a different intake and exhaust setup to deliver engaging torque of 43.4Nm @ 6,250rpm and peak power of 34.3kW @ 8,500rpm. For crisper acceleration through each gear the rear sprocket uses 41 teeth, versus the 40 used by the Rebel.

It’s a power unit that strikes a great balance between physical size and flexible output, with a willing delivery of both mid-range torque and top end power that has made it one of Honda’s most-loved engines. Bore and stroke is set at 67mm x 66.8mm with compression ratio of 10.7:1. Internally the cylinder head uses roller rocker arms; shim-type valve adjustment allows them to be light, for lower valve-spring load and reduced friction.

A silent (SV Chain) cam chain has the surface of its pins treated with Vanadium, reducing friction with increased protection against dust. Friction is further reduced by the addition of striations on the piston skirt (a finish that increases surface area, introducing gaps in which oil can flow for better lubrication).

The crankshaft pins are phased at 180° and a primary couple-balancer sits behind the cylinders, close to the bike’s centre of gravity. The balancer gears use scissor gears, reducing noise. The crank counterweight is specifically shaped for couple-balance and its light weight allows the engine to spin freely, with reduced inertia. Inlet valve diameter is 26.0mm with exhaust valve diameter of 21.5mm.

The crankcases use centrifugally cast thin-walled sleeves. Their internal design reduces the ‘pumping’ losses that can occur with a 180° phased firing order. A deep oil sump holds 3.2L.

Slick to use up or down, the six-speed gearbox is designed to offer effortless changes, especially around town. An assist/slipper clutch helps with rear wheel control, lightens the lever operation load and reduces rider fatigue.

In iconic CL style the exhaust twin-pipe muffler is upswept and fed by 2-1 downpipes. The note is tuned for heavier low-frequency sound compared to the Rebel, with a similar pulsing feel. A new OBD2-2 exhaust sensor ensures EURO5+ compliance.

Chassis

The tubular diamond-structure steel frame provides the handling ability, ride comfort and foundation of style for the CL500. It’s beautifully simple, with strong tubes and loop-shaped rear subframe. Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) was employed to get the rigidity and weight balance optimised perfectly.

A scrambler-style bike must cope with it all – from rough city streets to uneven dirt roads and the goal for the chassis was to create light, responsive handling with suspension that can absorb the hits. Ground clearance is 155mm; caster angle is set at 27° with trail of 108mm and 1,485mm wheelbase. Kerb weight is 192kg.

Up front, 41mm telescopic forks feature 150mm travel and wear classic black fork gaiters. While adding period style they also protect the legs and seals from dust and damage. The top and bottom yokes are CL-specific and enhance steering accuracy and feel.

At the rear, an elegantly simple swingarm uses 45mm round tubing to muscular effect. Long-stroke twin rear shocks offer 145mm travel and 5-step spring preload adjustment (3 up from standard, 1 down). Damping at both ends is set to deliver a supple, comfortable ride no matter the road surface.

A two-piston front caliper works a 310mm floating disc through sintered pads. The hydraulic pressure between the front and rear single-piston caliper/240mm disc is balanced to provide hlgh levels of braking control on a wide range of surfaces. The ABS too is optimised for use on dirt tracks as well as asphalt.

The wheels are a 19-inch front/17-inch rear combination for confident grip and light handling across varying terrain. Tyres are deep-groove Dunlop Mixtours, sized 110/80 R19 front and 150/70 R17 rear.

Accessories

A full range of Genuine Honda accessories are available for the CL500, ready for personalisation to owner preference. The rear subframe is designed for easy fitment of cosmetic parts or the soft rear pannier; a rear rack also mounts the 38L top box. There’s also the option of a 30mm higher seat – finished in brown with black double stitching – for taller riders.

Cosmetic additions to add classic off-road style include:

• Lightweight Polypropylene Side Number Boards
• Fly Screen
• Knuckle Guards
• High Front Mudguard

For convenience, three specially designed packs are ready to go:

• Adventure Pack

Elevates off-road style and readiness with Rally Footpegs, flatter High Seat, Wheel Stripes, and central Tank Pad.

• Style Pack

A cosmetic boost from Headlight Cowl, Cowl Stripe, Rear Side Cover, Rear Side Cover Stripe, Knuckle Guards, High Front Mudguard and Rear Suspension Cover, all of them finished in black.

• Travel Pack

Ready for the long haul and includes Soft Saddlebag, Heated Grips, ACC Socket and Adjustable Brake Lever.

Other practical items available individually include Heated Grips, ACC Charging Socket and a 38L Top Box.

2025 Honda CL500 – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: $NA USD
Canada MSRP Price: $ NA CDN (includes Freight, PDI and Fees)
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £ See Dealer for pricing in GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

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2025 Honda CL500 – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details

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2025 Honda CL500 – Totalmotorcycle.com Europe Specifications/Technical Details

All specifications are provisional and subject to change without notice.

Please note that the figures provided are results obtained by Honda under standardised testing conditions prescribed by WMTC. Tests are conducted on a rolling road using a standard version of the vehicle with only one rider and no additional optional equipment. Actual fuel consumption may vary depending on how you ride, how you maintain your vehicle, weather, road conditions, tire pressure, installation of accessories, cargo, rider and passenger weight, and other factors.

Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).