2020 Honda CBR500R ABS Guide

EVERY RIDE IS A VICTORY LAP.

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS:

Honda’s CBR500R is all about balance. Long heralded by both riders who are moving up from smaller machines, and those looking to downsize without giving up the performance and style that drew them to motorcycling, this model finds the balancing point between performance and sensible running costs. With its sporty styling and user-friendly performance, the fully faired CBR500R can do it all, too, from daily commuting to weekend rides.

Turn every curb into your personal podium, with a street bike that has a fit and finish worthy of the Grand Prix. We’re talking about the Honda CBR500R, the perfect combination of performance, versatility and price. It comes stock with an always-reliable 471cc twin-cylinder engine, steel tube frame, programed fuel-injectors, aggressive supersport styling and more. Compact and responsive, every ride on the Honda CBR500R will have you feeling like you’re in the winners’ circle.

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

More powerful and technologically advanced model adds to Honda’s supersport legacy

Honda Motor Co. founder Soichiro Honda dreamed of competing in races around the world—and winning—with a vehicle of his own making. Driven by the same competitive spirit, and having since amassed the most premier-class Grand Prix victories of any manufacturer, Honda announced today the 2021 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. An evolution of Honda’s legendary 1,000cc sportbike, the all-new model draws heavily on MotoGP technology and will carry Honda’s sport motorcycle lineup into the future while also bolstering its racing efforts in series including the FIM Superbike World Championship.

Designed from the ground up with involvement from Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and an extreme focus on outright track performance, the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP pairs a more compact, yet more powerful inline four-cylinder engine with an all-new frame with optimized rigidity for improved grip and feel. An advanced suite of electronic rider aids works to enable fast lap times, while aerodynamic technologies from the RC213V MotoGP race bike are used to both increase downforce and improve braking stability. For the first time, the “Fireblade” name is being used in the U.S. market.

“From our earliest days, Honda has been committed to developing class-leading motorcycles capable of winning races,” said Chris Cox, American Honda’s Manager of Experiential Marketing/Public Relations. “Developed around technologies and information gleaned from Honda’s Grand Prix racing efforts, the 2021 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP highlights the brand’s competitive spirit, and we’re excited for riders to experience the latest in our storied line of sport motorcycles.”

CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP

Focusing on outright track performance, engineers have developed the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP with engine and chassis technology from MotoGP, the all-new model drawing heavily on the RCV combustion efficiency and low-friction solutions. The engine is more compact than the inline four-cylinder powerplant it replaces and benefits from the use of high-end technologies like titanium connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons and finger-follower rocker arms.

The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP uses an all-new aluminum diamond frame with increased vertical and torsional rigidity, but decreased horizontal rigidity, for maximum levels of grip and feel. A longer swingarm—stamped from aluminum of 18 individual thicknesses—is developed with lessons learned through Honda’s Grand Prix efforts, further highlighting the connection between the all-new model and Honda’s championship-winning race bikes.

Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) has been optimized and an adjustable Start Mode joins Power, Engine Brake and Wheelie Control; a quick shifter is standard. The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is outfitted with a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), three-level Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) and second-generation Öhlins Smart Electronic Control (S-EC) suspension and user interface. New Brembo Stylema brake calipers bite 330mm rotors through two-level ABS. The bodywork and riding position have an uncompromising focus on aerodynamic performance, and the fairing features MotoGP-derived winglets to generate downforce. A full-color TFT screen and Honda Smart Key are the finishing touches.

• Pricing: TBD
• Availability: June 2020
• Color: HRC Tricolor

In addition to announcing the 2021 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, Honda confirmed the return of a number of sport and naked models for the 2020 model year:

CBR600RR

High-level sport-bike performance needn’t always come in large packages, as proven by the popular CBR600RR, which is equally at home on twisty back roads and dedicated race circuits. The model that has earned eight World Supersport titles (nine if you count its CBR600F predecessor) touts a strong engine and front suspension featuring Honda’s 41mm Big Piston Fork for exceptional handling and supple action.

• Price
  • CBR600RR ABS: $12,799
  • CBR600RR: $11,799
• Availability: March 2020
• Color: Matte Black Metallic

CBR650R ABS

Designed to be enjoyed on the street, yet taking cues from an RR machine, the CBR650R offers light, responsive handling through its finely tuned chassis and enjoyable power through its high-revving inline four-cylinder engine. Sharp lines, LED lighting and an aggressive riding position complete the package, striking an ideal balance between performance and practicality—an enjoyable intersection of values for the modern sport bike rider. Available in ABS version only.

• Price: $9,699
• Availability: April 2020
• Color: Grand Prix Red/Stripe

CB650R ABS

A true middleweight standard, the CB650R pairs a light, versatile chassis to a 649cc inline four-cylinder engine with great torque and a smooth throttle delivery. Honda’s Neo Sports Café design theme showcases smooth lines and compact packaging, guaranteeing that this is a bike that’s just as exciting to look at as it is to ride. Available in ABS version only.

• Price: $9,199
• Availability: January 2020
• Color: Chromosphere Red

CBR500R

Honda’s CBR500R is all about balance. Long heralded by both riders who are moving up from smaller machines, and those looking to downsize without giving up the performance and style that drew them to motorcycling, this model finds the balancing point between performance and sensible running costs. With its sporty styling and user-friendly performance, the fully faired CBR500R can do it all, too, from daily commuting to weekend rides.

• Price
  • CBR500R ABS: $6,999
  • CBR500R: $6,699
• Availability: February 2020
• Colors: Grand Prix Red, Matte Gray Metallic

CBR300R

With strong power and nimble handling, Honda’s littlest full-faring sport bike makes every ride a fun one, while its affordable price and low operating cost make it easy on the wallet. Great for beginners and experienced riders alike, the CBR300R has dual headlights and stylish exhaust system, as well as available ABS.

• Price
  • CBR300R ABS: $4,999
  • CBR300R: $4,699
• Availability: March 2020
• Colors: Grand Prix Red, Matte Black Metallic

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

STYLING

The fully faired CBR500R’s gets its aggressive form from straight, wedge-like feature lines and extended lower fairings that emphasize a real sense of speed. The rider’s seat pad and seat unit—plus the upper and side fairings—have are narrow to improve ergonomics and movement. Sharply chiseled dual LED headlights stare menacingly ahead, completing the all-LED look.

The view forward from the CBR500R’s cockpit is pure sport. The handlebars clip on beneath the top triple clamp, resulting in a sporty riding position; the fairing is also set low to give the rider Total Control—the design philosophy behind the styling design, and a fundamental concept for Honda’s CBR range.

LCD instruments feature a Gear Position and Shift Up indicator; this is set to a default 8,750 rpm but can be adjusted in 250 rpm increments between 5,000 and 8,750 rpm.

CHASSIS

The 35mm steel diamond-tube mainframe is light and strong, with a tuned degree of yield that gives plenty of feedback to the rider as road surfaces change. Vibration is minimized by the shape and position of the engine mounts, plus the frame’s rigidity balance.

Mass centralization, with the engine in close proximity to the swingarm pivot point, delivers turning agility, while optimum front/rear weight distribution ensures stability. Curb weight (measured with fluids) is 423 pounds for the ABS version. With a low seat height of 30.9 inches, the CBR500R is very easy to manage, and its riding position comfortably accommodates riders of any height.

The 41mm telescopic fork delivers a compliant yet controlled ride and gives great front-end feel. A single-tube rear shock (as found on larger-capacity sport bikes) with large-diameter piston ensures excellent suspension response and temperature management. It has nine-stage spring-preload adjustment and works through a rigid box-section steel swingarm, which features pressed-steel chain-adjustment end-pieces. Lightweight, 17-inch cast aluminum wheels employ hollow cross-section Y-shaped spokes.

ENGINE

The CBR500R’s eight-valve, liquid-cooled parallel-twin-cylinder engine offers a well-proportioned balance of physical size and enjoyable power output, with an energetic, high-revving character and capable top-end performance. Fast acceleration comes courtesy of an engine specially tuned with good low-to-mid-range power and ideal torque through the 3,000 to 7,000 rpm range.

Feeding the PGM-FI fuel injection is a more-or-less straight shot of airflow through the airbox and throttle bodies. The battery is positioned away from the rear of the airbox intake duct to allow greater airflow; the exhaust muffler features dual exit pipes, adding a sportier-sounding edge to each pulse. Peak power arrives at 8,500 rpm, with maximum torque delivered at 7,000 rpm.

The primary couple-balancer sits behind the cylinders, close to the bike’s center of gravity. The primary and balancer gears use scissor gears, reducing noise. The crank counterweight is specifically shaped for couple-balance is light to allow the engine to spin freely, with reduced inertia.

Acting as a stressed member, the engine complements the frame’s rigidity with four frame hangers on the cylinder head. 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 cam chain has the surface of its pins treated with Vanadium, reducing friction with increased protection against wear.

A six-speed gearbox mirrors that of the RR and uses the same gear-change arm structure and link mechanism. An assist/slipper clutch enables lighter upshifts and smoother downshifts, too.

One-year, transferable, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage available with Honda Protection Plan.

• Meets current EPA and CARB standards
• California version differs slightly due to emissions equipment

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: starting from $ 6,999 USD
Canada MSRP Price: $ See Dealer for pricing in CDN
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £ GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

*Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride Meets current EPA standards

Models sold in California meet current CARB standards and may differ slightly due to emissions equipment Specifications subject to change

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details

Engine & Drivetrain

Engine Type

Liquid-cooled parallel twin

Displacement

471 cc

Bore & Stroke

67 mm x 66.8 mm

Compression Ratio

10.7:1

Valve Train

Chain-driven DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

Fuel Delivery

PGM-FI electronic fuel injection

Transmission

Six-speed

Final Drive

#520 O-ring sealed chain

Chassis & Suspension

Front Suspension

41 mm telescopic fork with spring preload adjustment: 108 mm (4.3 in.) travel

Rear Suspension

Pro-Link^® single shock with 5-stage spring preload adjustment; 119 mm ( 4.7 in.) travel

Additional Information

Tires

Front: 120/70ZR-17
Rear: 160/60ZR-17

Brakes

Front: 320 mm single wave disc with two-piston caliper
Rear: 240 mm single wave disc with single-piston caliper 2-channel ABS

Seat Height

785 mm (30.9 in.)

Wheelbase

1,410 mm (55.5 in.)

Curb Weight

192 kg (423 lb) including required fluids and full tank of gas—ready to ride

Fuel Capacity

17.1 litres

Colour

Grand Prix Red, Mat Axis Gray Metallic

Warranty

12 months, unlimited mileage, freely transferable warranty; extended coverage available with Honda Plus

2020 Honda CBR500R ABS – Totalmotorcycle.com European Specifications/Technical Details

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