1988 Honda XBR500 review from United Kingdom
"Sublime handling and torque"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Absolutely nothing except stopping, particularly at traffic lights, but only when there is a car behind, otherwise it ticks over perfectly.
General comments?
Won the XBR on eBay off a lovely lady from St Austell in Cornwall. It cost £700. She was of mature years, same as me, and had the XBR for 10 years, but was finding the riding positionn hard on her wrists. The bike had been used for weekend runs with her family, and a yearly visit to the Isle of Man for the TT.
When I was a lad I had Velocettes; both the Viper, then the Venom Clubman, which I rode to Italy and Spain in 1963 and 1964. Always liked big singles. I sold a beautiful 500 ES2 Norton as my knees are giving trouble and bought the XBR.
What a revelation; I'm never off the bike. I'm retired now, but it tends to put a grin on my face every time I am out on it. The handling, power fuel consumption and ease of maintenance and lack of vibes all transpire to make this a super thumper. All you Velo and Norton owners, just find a good one and you will see what I'm on about, especially as they are so reasonable to buy. Su.
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Acceleration marks | 8/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Handling marks | 9/10 |
| Braking marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 32000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 34800 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Norton ES2 |
| Date of Entry | 27th April, 2008 |