love it

the bike is fantastic, and before first service i was averaging 45mpg city and 68mpg highway. insurance is very affordable and you cant go wrong with this bike. if you want power of a super-sport this bike isn't for you, it is designed for commuting. plus you would want to commute on a super-sport a...nyways! Read Full Review

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Fantastic high-value mid-range bike

I have put a little over 500 miles on the shiny red CBR500R. It is much quicker than I expected. I have been especially pleased with how well it pulls and accelerates, even in 6th gear. It is not going to pull your arms off but it does move. I personally prefer to have a torquey, low revving motor o...ver a high-revver with a narrow power band. This engine fits my riding style.

I took my wife on a ride on the bike. Between the two of us, we were ~430 pounds on the little CBR. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the bike could accelerate uphill in 6th gear with all that weight. I found out later that we were over the rated weight capacity of 370 pounds. Oops!

I do think the suspension could use some fine tuning. I was leaned over in a turn at one point and the front tire hit a small bumpy patch and jumped around a little. It only did it the one time so far but it did make me slow down a little while I'm getting to know the bike's (and more importantly my) limits.

I am delighted so far and am excited to continue exploring the limits of this new little gem.

Things I have learned in the one week:
4th gear is your friend! 4th gives the bike great acceleration when at highway speeds and when moving through sweeping turns. You can hit 80MPH+ quickly and easily in 4th. When doing twisties, 3rd & 4th work great. I now only use 5th & 6th at highway speeds for cruising.
The bike is actually quite fast once you learn to work the transmission and lose your fear of revving the engine.
I am delighted with the styling. So, it isn't a true super-sport. I like that it is trying to look sporty. I think it lives up to it's looks once you learn how to work it. It reminds me very much of my 2002 VFR800
This bike is an absolutely great value!!!

My Pros
Torquey motor
Great styling
Super comfortable seat
Feels very light
Very manuverable
Nice tires
Great price

Things I wish were better / different
No front fork adjustment
Only one of the two headlamps are lit when using low-beams. It makes it look like you have a bulb out.
Here in the US, the bike does not come with the tool for adjusting the rear suspension pre-load.
The overall gearing could be spread out a little more Read Full Review

Great Bike, Fantastic starter bike!

Ive had the bike for about 6 months and I think it handles great, has enough power to suffice and it is priced at a hard to beat price. Bike handles great around the turns, not too heavy, and feels good between the legs. Read Full Review

CBR500 Review, from central Maine...

This is an excellent bike -- handles great, brakes are solid, the power is pretty good for a 471cc bike. Definitely recommend this machine. Read Full Review