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**JMo (& piglet)** · #25 1 Oct 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdmirAlex

Hi everyone,

just a quick summary of where I come from before I ask my questions:
I am 25 years old, from Germany (which makes this RR conversion a PITA), and my love for motorcycle riding was lit during my voluntary year in Uganda from 2011-2012. Some of the discussions regarding 125s and 155s really made me nostalgic

. Anyways my first bike was a 2001 BMW F 650 GS because it has been a dream ever since to discover the world an the peoples within it. So it seemed logical to buy a bike that could handle a variety of situations and conditions. Unfortunately the thumper really did not impress me on long road trips through Germany and Europe. Due to the vibrations my arms and legs went numb after an hour or so. So I was on the lookout for another bike (the CB 500 X was the other contendor for my first bike, but couldnt afford a new one - there were no used ones in 2013). Since then I watched every Youtube-video from Blancolirio and any video that remotely handled the subject of the CB 500X. Basically thats going to be the next bike in the following year. Never the less there are some questions I'd like to ask the community. They are noobie questions, yet I regard them as worth it to consider:

Firstly: Do you think the Level 1b Kit is woth the while? My skills are not really developed. This is one reason why the 500X makes sense, since I can improve my riding skills. So many other people want the fastes available bike even though it might not make sense to start on these huge bikes... So the off-beaten paths id really take are gravel roads and maybe some forest roads. Are those 17" wired wheels acceptable in these conditions? Also I am 167cm on a good day, so the huge 19" conversion is quite intimidating to me... Or will I regret that choice soon and have to invest in yet another upgrade, the level 3 upgrade?

Secondly concerning hard-luggage: The way id like to ride in the near future (the next 2 years) is mainly to discover places. That includes some odd city-touring with the occasional stop to visit an interesting site. So my thoughts are that an aluminium-pannier is the better choice for luggage to discourage thiefs. What's your take on that? Blancolirio says that the Giantloop bags, or the Siskyou panniers, are all that you need, which is true, but only if you do not leave the bike over night or for a couple of hours in city centers... Or would it suffice to get one of those metel fishnet security think that you can wrap around your luggage?

Thirdly: Am I getting it right, that with your fork clamps you can install the level 2 Suspention kit (with additional 2") but still maintain the original ride height? Does that mean it is also possible to buy those and just increase the ride height about 1" due to my limited height?

Tank you for sharing your expertise and time.

Greetings

Alex

Hi Alex - thank you for your enthusiasm, the CB500X is a great bike, you won't be dissappointed!

To answer your questions regarding the Rally Raid kit/s and options:

1. The LEVEL 1b kit offers fully adjustable front and rear suspension (note. from 2017 onwards, this will include the new Fork Cartridges, which have externally adjustable compression and rebound damping, along with preload) - while the rear shock will continue to feature high and low speed compression damping, plus rebound and preload, and will now have the option of a hydraulic remote preload adjuster too, again, from the 2017 production onwards.

In comparison, the current LEVEL 1 suspension offers a similar build and overall suspension quality, but without the individual damping adjustment - the adjuster is a combined clicker, that controls rebound and compression in proportion to each other.

Basically, the standard LEVEL 1 suspension is a huge improvement over the stock set-up. You only need the further control of the individual adjusters that the 1b shock (and new fork cartridges) offer if you wish to further tailor your ride to specific conditions. Personally I'd take advantage of the great price on the regular LEVEL 1 kit at the moment.

2. The 17" front spoked wheel is built to exactly the same standards as our 19" front, so it is certainly just as strong. The only limitation is the smaller diameter (and proportionally wider tyre) that can make directional stability less positive in loose sandy or muddy conditions... the gyroscopic force of the larger [19"] diameter front wheel also helps with stability on-road and on rough piste type desert tracks and trails, especially at higher speeds...

However, if you are concerned about overall seat-height on the bike but want stronger wheels that the stock cast aluminium ones, then the 17" front and rear Rally Raid wheels are an excellent option. My friend Lisa just spent a week riding exactly the same trails as I did with her 17" front wheel and she found the bike very manageable and stable, you just had to take a little more care and ride accordingly.

3. Personally we feel the longer travel (+2"/50mm) suspension of the LEVEL 2 and 3 conversions is the optimum for this size bike, and certainly the bike is very capable indeed in LEVEL 3 specification. However, we are aware that a number of people choose the CB500X because of it's lower seat height, so if you are more comfortable at the standard ride-height, you'll be more confident, and that is the main thing when tackling unfamiliar terrain.

Fortunately, all the Rally Raid parts are bolt-on bolt-off, and no modification to the bike is required - so ultimately you can always sell your LEVEL 1 kit on if you ever decide to take you bike to the LEVEL 2/3 specification.

4. The LEVEL 2 (longer travel) suspension does come with a new triple clamp, but this is primarily to achieve the correct ride height front and rear, and to provide sufficient clearance for the larger 19" front wheel when fitted. While you could slide the fork legs through the triple clamps to the same hight as a LEVEL 1 bike if you kept the 17" front wheel size, the rear of the bike would still be 50mm higher, which would mess up the handling significantly.

Basically you can't have the longer travel suspension without the corresponding increase in seat height.

With regard to hard luggage - personally we feel the extra weight and bulk of such items undoes everything we have tried to achieve in keeping the size and weight of this bike small. However, I would concede that for general touring riding, and especially when visiting cities - having solid lockable luggage can be beneficial...

There are any number of pannier frames and hard boxes out there by the usual suspects - just be aware that the CB500X is only about 4/5ths (or 7/8ths) the size of the larger twin-cylinder adventure bikes [and has a short tail section too] so try to chose boxes that are physically in proportion to the bike - something around 35L a side is really the absolute maximum.

Personally I like the Caribou Cases system (from the USA) that uses Pelican cases as the boxes themselves - these are virtually indestructible plastic cases that are properly waterproof (typically used for transporting camera and other electronic equipment) and come in a range of sizes and options. If you're on a budget, you can always buy some pannier frames from a 3rd party and mount some Pelican Cases yourself.

I have never felt the need to use one of those metal security mesh nets over my soft bags, but typically I tend to plan any visits to tourist attractions to coincide with where I can remove my soft Coyote bag and leave it somewhere safe (such as inside a hotel).

Hope that helps - good luck with your new bike purchase, and feel free to ask any further questions about the Rally Raid options here, or over on the dedicated Vendor thread on the ADVrider forum here.

Jenny x