Honda SCL500 Scrambler Review - Episode 2 - video Dailymotion

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Motorcyclist Magazine publishes Episode 2 of its official review of the 2023 Honda SCL500 ($6,799).   Video/edit: Jordan Powell Photography: Drew Ruiz  Motorcycle Riding Gear Worn  Helmet: Shoei RF-SR Jacket: REV'IT! Hyperspeed 2 GT Air Gloves: REV'IT! Avion 3 Pant: REV'IT! Reed SF Boots: TCX R04D Air   Insta360 Video Footage Courtesy: https://store.insta360.com/product/x3  Read the best motorcycle news and reviews: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/  Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motorcyclistonline/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcyclistmag/

Transcript

00:00 Hey folks, we just got done riding American Honda's 2023 SCL500. This is an all-new

00:07 scrambler-style street bike from American Honda. Now, this particular motorcycle is based on the

00:15 underpinnings of its ultra-popular Rebel 500 and CB500X street bikes. Those bikes are awesome

00:24 in their respective cruiser and entry-level ADV application. And now, we have an authentic

00:31 scrambler-styled motorcycle from American Honda. This vehicle is priced at $6,800,

00:38 so it's quite a value in the class. Let's jump into it. This bike's powered by Honda's tried and

00:44 true 471cc parallel twin engine. Twin cylinders, eight-valve cylinder heads, dual overhead cam,

00:52 water-cooled and fuel-injected. This engine is good for right around 43 ponies at the business

00:59 end of the Dunlop Trail Max 17-inch tire. Right around 30 pound-feet torque out of this engine.

01:05 This engine's really fun to ride. It's very beginner-rider friendly. It has smooth power,

01:11 yet it still has enough acceleration to get up to 85 miles per hour and run on the freeway.

01:18 A little bit of engine vibration through the handlebar, footpeg, and seat, but it's not bad

01:23 at all. Now, the reason why I like this motorcycle so much is because it's just so light.

01:28 With a full 3.2 gallons of fuel, it weighs in at 419 pounds. That's pretty light for a full-size

01:36 street bike. It changes directions really well. The suspension on this bike, it's nothing fancy

01:42 by any means with its classic telescopic fork and preload adjustable shocks that operate directly

01:49 between the subframe and the swing arm without a linkage. Suspension's real rudimentary, but it

01:54 works. This thing rides over small and medium-sized bumps really well. It really delivers a good ride.

02:01 I'm six foot tall. I weigh 205 pounds. I fit really nice on this bike. I really like the

02:06 ergonomics on it. They're very comfortable, even for a taller rider. The handlebar bend

02:12 isn't too wimpy feeling. It has nice rearward sweep, not too high, not too low. And despite

02:17 its price point and despite its engine size, this bike still feels like a full, real motorcycle.

02:24 The proportions are right. Of course, Honda prides itself on its durability and build quality.

02:30 These particular models are built out of Honda's Thailand factory. And fit and finish in typical

02:37 Honda pedigree is excellent. This thing is really put together. It's much more well put together

02:43 than other motorcycles that are a little bit less expensive in this class. Overall, another really

02:51 nice motorcycle from Honda. I really like how easy this bike is to ride. The engine has enough

02:57 pep to get some excitement, but it's not too overwhelming to really take you for a ride.

03:04 The styling on this bike, it's definitely not my favorite, but I still have to give respect to Honda

03:09 for trying with that upswept muffler, those boots over the fork leg, the LED lighting package on

03:15 this motorcycle. We didn't get to ride it at night this time, but I've ridden this motorcycle extensively

03:20 in Rebel 500 and Rebel 1100 configuration at night. And the headlights on this bike work

03:25 really good. It's really neat that this vehicle comes with all LED lighting. Aside

03:32 from the curious styling and the fact that the instrumentation is a little bit hard to see

03:38 in bright daylight, it'd be nice if American Honda could introduce a more high contrast LCD

03:44 display. That'd be a nice improvement. But for $6,800, this bike is a heck of a good deal.

03:51 It rides really well. It's super comfortable. It's not going to break the bank at $6,800.

03:57 And if you're new to riding or someone who wants a scrambler style bike, that's really not going to

04:04 take up a lot of room in the garage and not scare you or demand a crazy amount of maintenance,

04:09 this Honda SCL will be the bike for you. Well folks, that wraps up our official review of Honda's

04:18 SCL 500. Make sure to surf on over to MotorcyclistOnline.com. That's where all of our

04:23 written content comes to light. Of course, give this video a thumbs up if you liked it,

04:27 thumbs it down if you didn't because we'd love to hear from the naysayers. Everyone's

04:31 opinion counts here and we'll see you in the next episode. Thanks for riding with us.

Honda SCL500 Scrambler Review - Episode 2

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