The Honda CB500X is back with more off-road chops for 2019, including a 19-inch front wheel in place of the old 17. (Photos by Drew Ruiz)

For reasons that remain a mystery, Honda waited until the 2016 model year and the introduction of its very capable CRF1000L Africa Twin to get serious about joining the adventure bike party. Sure, there were short-lived tryouts late in the last century (e.g., the original Africa Twin, Transalps and NX650 models), but these were well ahead of the explosion in ADV-bike understanding and popularity, and the 1998-2013 semi-ADV Varadero was never brought to the U.S.

Read our Tour Test Review of the 2016 Honda Africa Twin DCT

But just prior to the new Africa Twin, Honda dipped a toe in the ADV pond by calling its ruggedly styled new-for-2013 CB500X an “adventure sport” motorcycle, and despite its 17-inch wheels at both ends and 4.7/5.5-inch suspension travel, quite a few riders took that description at Honda?s word.
Slightly increased suspension travel and a beefier shock in back help allow the CB500X to tackle rougher sections reasonably well.

Subsequently our March 2014 issue tour test to Tombstone, Arizona, included some dirt roads, where the CB500X?s light weight and decent ground clearance helped it do OK (absent deep sand or ruts). The bike?s lower price and seat height has since endeared it to beginning and smaller riders, some of whom want to sample the ADV experience without spending a lot of money?call the...