Honda CB 500 F SP 2016 — Specifications

The SP badge is making its way through Honda's lineup. After adorning the CB 650, it now lands on the CB 500 F, this 471 cc roadster that serves as a bridge between the A2 license and the world of unrestricted two-wheelers. With 48 horsepower developed at 8,500 rpm and 43.1 Nm of torque, the machine never claimed to rival a Street Triple or a Z650; it plays a different game, that of controlled accessibility, and it plays it well.

While some might have expected reworked suspension or an exhaust with a sportier line to justify this label, Honda made a different choice, more commercial than engineering-driven. The SP pack amounts to a seat cowl, an engine guard, a rear fender shaped along the bike's lines, a wind deflector, and a few protective sliders. All coordinated to the chosen color, whether the tricolor, red, matte black, or orange. It is visually coherent, unapologetic, and enough to transform the silhouette of an already well-designed motorcycle since its redesign.

The surcharge is 600 euros. For context, in France, the price of a 2016 Honda CB 500 F SP was positioned at around 6,299 euros with the pack included, which remains within the segment's range. At that price, you get 192 kg fully fueled, an 785 mm seat height that suits a wide range of rider sizes, and a 16.7-liter tank for decent range. The 6-speed gearbox, steel diamond frame, and 41 mm fork round out a technical picture that is unsurprising but solid.

The target audience is clear: the newly licensed A2 rider, or the experienced rider who wants a no-fuss daily machine. The CB 500 F is not a thrill-seeking motorcycle — its top speed is capped at 180 km/h and it makes no claim otherwise. What the SP version brings is above all a more assertive visual identity on an already reliable platform. Not revolutionary, but honest.