Simon had a three month affair with the Harley-Davidson X350, and has now done three months on the X500. After 2500km of urban daily riding and some weekend fun, he is a big fan!
Using the Harley X350 as a daily rider for three months, Simon really got to like the bike, you can read his updates here. Then he swapped to the big sibling, the Harley-Davidson X500, for a three month test over late spring early summer. Here’s update three, the final.
Simon said that 2500km with the Harley-Davidson X500 has been entirely rewarding and a little surprising.
My last month with the X500 has not produced the best riding opportunities, so I have not racked up the miles as much as I was wanting. Having said that, putting over 2500 kays on the odometer has provided a very decent lesson in what living with an X500 is like. The Harley-Davidson X500 has been entirely rewarding and a little surprising.
Read about Simon’s second 1000km with the X500 here, and his X500 review here…
It’s pretty safe to say that the overall styling of the bike and its badging and derivative Harley-Davidson Sportster styling cues has caught the attention of quite a few fellow riders and prompted a fair bit of curiosity. Responses have all been highly positive and not only to the appearance of the bike, but how it makes sense that H-D is pursuing the younger and perhaps novice rider market with their more budget friendly and LAMS compliant X-series machines.
“The standard Maxxis tyres have proven to be dependably grippy”…
I think the X500 may also surprise a few riders with its cornering prowess, needing to be leant a long way over before the footpegs or exhaust start making contact with the deck. The standard Maxxis tyres have proven to be dependably grippy despite looking a little hard and not providing much feedback.
With the sun now higher in the sky, I am at times having difficulty making out the dash due to reflection. Not a big deal, really as there is not a lot going on with the simple speedo-LCD combination, but a little annoying having the sun reflected into your face. Anyhow, the seat is spacious and allows you to shift posture easily to remain comfortably unblinded.
The gearbox action remains slick and smooth, however, I have tripped into a false neutral a couple of times when wearing certain riding boots. A tiny adjustment of the selection lever would probably eliminate this occasional embarrassment. Night riding (not that I did a lot of it) is OK, but a bit more penetration on dip from the LED headlight would be welcomed.
“What really has struck me with the X500 and its X350 sibling is how darn well these bikes actually ride”…
High-beam lighting is pretty good and gives you a good depth of vision. Other than a couple of very minor gripes, the X500 as an overall stock package has proven to be a great all-round motorcycle with plenty of utility. As for riding two-up, my missus was not particularly keen to perch on the rearward sloping pillion pad, so I did not get that opportunity. I am pretty confident, however, that the torquey motor will make taking a passenger easy work.
Comfort is good for about two-hours according to Simon, which is not too bad for a nakedbike.
What really has struck me with the X500 and its X350 sibling is how darn well these bikes actually ride. They are both miles ahead of the Indian made H-D Street 500 of a few years back, which is the model that the X’s have supplanted. I mean, far superior engine and drivetrain core performance, chassis components (brakes especially), balance, contemporary design, and overall build quality.
These attributes have come to shine during our long-term riding experience and, to me, have left lasting, positive, and enjoyable memories. The handling competence, willing and accessible performance, and general availability by being so easy to use are a great combination that really ought to attract and satisfy a lot of riders, no matter experience, gender or age.
The Harley-Davidson X500 includes performance features such as:
- A 500cc DOHC 4-valve liquid-cooled parallel twin tuned to produce strong midrange torque and mated to a six-speed transmission.
- Cable-actuated wet-plate clutch with chain final drive.
17-inch (432mm) front and rear wheels to deliver nimble performance. - Maxxis Supermaxx ST tyres sized 120/70-ZR17 in front and 160/60-ZR17 in the
rear. - Dual front disc brakes and a single rear disc brake including Antilock Braking
System (ABS) as standard. - 50mm inverted fork front suspension with adjustable rebound damping.
- Monoshock rear suspension with coil spring and pre-load and rebound damping
adjustability. - Mid foot controls and a low-rise handlebar, putting the rider in a centred,
comfortable posture on the bike. - 820mm unladen seat height.
The Harley-Davidson X500 is available with an Australian Ride Away Price of $11,495 AUD in Dramatic Black, Dynamic Orange, Supersonic Silver, and Pearl White. Go and see your Harley dealer for a test.
2025 Harley-Davidson X500 (LAMS)
Price: $11,495 Ride-Away
Warranty: Two-Years Unlimited KM
Colours: Dramatic Black, Dynamic Orange, Supersonic Silver, and Pearl White.
Claimed power: 35kW(47.6hp)@8500rpm
Claimed torque: 46Nm@6000rpm
Wet weight: 208kg
Fuel capacity: 13.1L
Fuel Consumption (Claimed): 4.85L/100km
Engine: Liquid-cooled, in-line two-cylinder, four-stroke, DOHC, four-valves per cylinder, 499.6cc, 69 x 66.8mm bore x stroke, 37mm throttle body, 11.5:1 compression ratio, Delphi MT05 ignition, NGK CR8E spark plugs, six-speed gearbox, wet clutch, 2-1 exhaust.
Chassis: Steel tube trellis frame, steel tube trellis swingarm
Rake: 24.5º Trail: 100.5mm
Suspension: 50mm USD forks, rebound adjustable, lateral rear shock, preload & rebound adjustable, 112mm travel
Brakes: Bosch ABS, dual semi-floating 320mm rotors, radial four-piston calipers, single 260mm rear rotor, single piston floating caliper
Wheels & Tyres: Aluminum alloy, 3.50 x 17in, 4.50 x 17in, 120/70 – R17, 160/60 – R17, Maxxis SuperMaxx tyres.
Dimensions:
Seat height: 820mm
Wheelbase: 1485mm
Overall Length: 2135mm
Overall Height: 1120mm
Ground Clearance: 153mm
Instruments & Electronics: LCD display, ABS
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