Installation and Review of the Rally Raid Suspension on the Honda CB500X
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- The Rally Raid Part no.'s referenced in the video are:
- Level 1 Tractive Shock RRP 459
- Level 1 Fork Upgrade Kit RRP 460
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DESCRIPTION:
Rally-Raid Products is a UK based company founded by John Mitchinson and Wesley Beane in 2009. Having competed together in some of the worlds most grueling tests of strength, stamina, and endurance, they quickly realized a lot of stock motorcycles had weaknesses that could be improved! So they started manufacturing parts for their own race bikes, and for those of other racers.
Part of the incredible success of Rally Raid Products was is in the engineering, creativity, and craftsmanship behind the parts they make. In the early days, they mostly focused on KTMs and other high-end racing machines. But as the "adventure motorcycle" market started to take off, they expanded to help riders of all ages beef up their stock motorcycles. Whether for an RTW ('Round the World) adventure, or just plain fun-in-the mud, every rider wants to know their machine is going to reliably complete the task they set before it!
With the help of former rally racer, Jenny Morgan, one of their early projects became the Honda CB500X. At the time, it was the lightest twin-cylinder adventure bike on the market. It had a wonderfully nimble and reliable engine, great ergonomics, and an ample gas tank...all excellent features for a motorcycle that could whisk one away on a long adventure. But as a budget-friendly ride, it lacked quality in a few key components. One of those was in the suspension.
Over the years, Rally-Raid Products has become the go-to producer of exceptional suspension upgrades for the Honda CB500X. Partnering with Tractive Suspension, they have designed a couple fabulous options for owners of this beautiful adventure bike who are looking for a substantial upgrade. So when it came time for me to invest in some better shocks for "Trinity" (my 2013 CB500X), I knew this was the company I wanted to go with!
The Adventure Rider community is a close nit and helpful bunch of inmates. I'm so grateful for the advice and guidance I received from Jenny Morgan, Juan Brown, Scott Reinblatt, Adam Mitchinson, and so many others in all the improvements I've made to my bike, particularly with this suspension upgrade. I also want to say a big thanks to my friend, Robbin Knight, for helping with the installation, and my riding buddy, Jason Bennett, for helping produce this video.
Whether conquering the Trans-America Trail, or running errands around town, I can already tell a HUGE improvement!!! My only regret is not having done this upgrade to my bike sooner!
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Im getting that sticker. Still awesome! stock fork is trash so Im thinking of planning this project out. Cheers and thank you,
Awesome!!! Happy we could help. You won't regret the upgrade. If you can afford it, the RR Level 2 is even better!
Another excellent video Chris - and a clear explanation of the benefits and differences you get with the two suspension options. For anyone watching and reading these comments with the following question, I'd add that there is a degree of adjustability available with the RR fork kit/s - Chris' bike is an earlier model without the preload adjustment caps from Honda, from 2016-on they have adjustable caps to help you dial in your sag - and you can buy aftermarket caps as Chis mentions for the earlier models.
You can also alter the fork oil weight (viscosity) and volume to dial in a more personal preference... but the base settings which Rally-Raid suggest in their fitting instructions are an excellent starting point, and suitable for most riding conditions.
Thank you so much, Jenny! And thank you again for all your help and advice when I was looking to upgrade my bike. The RR kit and the TKC80 tires you suggested have been spot on! And I see your kindness and generosity doesn't end there. I truly appreciate your time in letting viewers know more details about the options at their disposal. YOU ROCK, my friend!!!
The Rally Raid Part no.'s referenced in the video (at 11:39) are:
- Level 1 Tractive Shock RRP 459
- Level 1 Fork Upgrade Kit RRP 460
Chris, maybe you can put that in the video description?
Thanks for the info and review Chris, it was exactly what I was looking for. Ride on!
BTW, where did you order them from @Chris Smith?
@@wobblycat thanks for the tip! I totally forgot to add the part numbers, didn't I? I'll put them in the description as you suggested. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the video. It's an inexpensive upgrade that will pay dividends in fewer chiropractic adjustments...HA! I ordered them from Rally Raid. Don't be in a hurry. They are a small company and order the parts in batches from their supplier. So be patient. I got lucky and even though they said it could take 3-4 weeks, I received mine in about 2.
Excellent!
Thank you so much for the kind feedback, Juan! You inspired me to finally make the upgrade!!! :-)
Wow Chris, I was stunned to see how much wasted space Honda has in the front fork springs using that 6" white spacer. I think I might have to consider upgrading my wife's CB500x on top of everything else I have done, so far.
Hi Pete! I felt the same way when I was researching this upgrade. What a waste!!! I'm telling you, if I'd known then what a difference it would make to my bike, I would have done this upgrade WAY sooner! The Level 1 kit is quite affordable. And you can even just order the front and back individually if you don't want to pay for all of it at the same time. I just ordered both to save on shipping. You can also upgrade the rear shock with a "remote reservoir". But I rarely ride with a pillion so figured I wouldn't need to ratchet the preload up and down much once I got it dialed in. Anyway, hope this helps! And I'm glad your wife is enjoying her ride!!!
Thanks for sharing!!!!!
You're very welcome! It completely changed the bike!!! If you haven't already done so, check out some of the other videos in the CB500X Playlist...and also watch me drop the bike a bunch of times in our Trans-America Trail travel series across the country! 🙂
I got the tractive shock and paid a reputable shop install it. A few months later the hydraulic fluid started leaking. I contacted RR, they said they'd check with the manufacturer. That was months ago, and I haven't heard from them since. The hydraulic adjustment was great for the few months that it worked. I was totally heartbroken over this. Though others seem happy, I can not recommend this company.
Hi Dave! I'm so sorry to hear about your issues. I know Rally Raid is a small company, and have been overwhelmed with orders at times. Maybe your request got lost in the shuffle. I would reach out to them again, documenting who you spoke to and when, so they have a history of your issue. They seem to have a good reputation as far as customer service. Hopefully they realize they dropped the ball and will jump on getting you taken care of. Cheers!
Nice review, I am also looking for new suspensions for my cb500x. I might get one of this soon. Thanks..
I've been extremely pleased with their L1 kit. If I was taller, I'd go for the L2 kit. But with my short legs, this really improves the ride quality without making me "tippy-toe" at stop lights...HA!
The original Honda spring looks more sophisticated in that it has 2 pitched coils as opposed to the new single pitch coils though much longer. I guess the overall spring length made the difference. Honda should revise their original design.
The Honda springs use what's called a "progressive" pattern...wound tighter at one end than the other. But this is to compensate for the lack of an oil regulator, which the new Rally Raid system comes with. Plus as you mentioned the new system is longer to make better use of the "dead space" Honda fills with that white PVC pipe. It would be nice if Honda added the improvements. But unfortunately they are marketing the bike to a certain price point and adding such advancements would probably raise the price of the bike too much for them to consider doing so.
@@MotoPhotoAdventures Probably true, but a company with Honda's experience & resources SHOULD be able to build the better suspension in the FIRST PLACE! I KNOW this bike. I own a 2018, love it, and would have gladly paid an Extra $500-$800 for a PROPER suspension. SHAME on Honda for making US do all the extra work!
@@bruceforster3709 I hear you, brother! I would have gladly paid extra for a proper suspension as well. Here's hoping they'll bring out an improved version in the future!
Ah... Found it 😎
Nice!
Thanks Phil! Glad you liked it. :-)
pardon my saying but why don't you protect your radiator from mud and rocks poping on it?
That's an excellent question! I've just never gotten around to ordering a radiator guard. Maybe that should be my next purchase! Do you have a brand or model you recommend?
@@MotoPhotoAdventures oh no,no to be precise i never buy brads my self i stick to chinese ones wherever ii seems fit! so try anything you choose!
Sounds good, @@TheDorminor! I'll check them out.
Where do you buy Rally Raid parts in US. I’m in Alabama
There's only one place to get Rally Raid products...direct from their website. They are shipped from the UK. As long as it's in stock, it doesn't take that long to get it. Enjoy your new suspension!!! :-)
I am so torn. I have a 2014 I want to do the TAT on but not sure the RR is the way to go. I was going to sell it and buy a Royal Enfield Himalayan instead. But something keeps bring me back to the RR kits.
It's a tough decision, Craig! Do you follow Noraly on "Itchy Boots"? You know she left her Himalayan in Peru when she evacuated for Covid to return to Europe. She bought a CB500X and has taken it all over Iceland, Norway, Sweden, etc. Much of it was off-road. Parts were on the TET (Trans-European Trail), which is basically a European version of the TAT. She commented that the CB500X is better than the Himalayan. So my personal thoughts would be to stick with your gut and go with the Honda. It's super reliable, very lightweight twin-cylinder, good fuel economy, large tank, excellent stator (so you can add accessories like GPS, phone charger, auxiliary lights), and handles just about anything. Because they are so dependable, you can buy a used one with confidence, leaving enough money in the piggy bank for the Rally Raid suspension. If you do it the way I did, $800 turns it into an excellent "all-around" machine. Or if you have the funds, $3000 turns it into an AMAZING off-roading dream-machine!
Chris, i am 5'4" and like to get Cb500X. if i lower the seat would it affect the perfotmance greatly?
I'm 5'7" with a pretty short inseam. The CB500X should be absolutely perfect for you. I really don't think you'll need to lower the seat. You'll just be on your tip-toes sometimes. But there's nothing wrong with that. If it's uncomfortable, I would just get one of the "lower" aftermarket seats instead of lowering the actual suspension. The bike doesn't have a lot of ground clearance to begin with. So reducing that even more would not be my first choice. However, if you did, I doubt it would affect performance at all. It's a great bike! And if you add the Rally Raid L1 kit like I did, you get much better suspension without increasing the seat height, which I love!
What fork boots did you use?
I measured the diameters of the top and bottom of the fork and found some on eBay that were close. Then just cut them to length and used black zip ties. Not perfect, but they work great!
Hey Chris I was just curious what fork spring rate did you go with? 5.5Nm or5.0Nm?
Oooh...great question, Dolly! I can't remember. But I went with whatever was "normal" for my ride weight of 175-200 pounds (depending on how I suit up). You getting ready to order? You're going to love it!!!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures thank you Chris
Thanks for vid!
I plan to install this on my CB500X in the spring. I am still debating to get the 2" increase. I'm not riding hard off-road, but I do scrape my bash plate every once in awhile.
Is there any increase in ground clearance with the RR1?
Thanks Gump! I've been extremely happy with the Rally Raid L1 kit. But I'm short (didn't think I would like the 2" increase), I'm on a budget, and I don't do a ton of off-roading. So the L1 kit was perfect! However, if I did do a lot more off-roading, I could definitely see the value in the extra ground clearance and extra suspension travel! Don't wait until Spring...do it this winter so your bike is ready to hit the trails in the spring!
Yes, as Chris suggests - if you're comfortable with the increase in seat height, then the +2" LEVEL 2 kit is the way to go since not only do you have more travel overall, but fundamentally the bike is now floating more in the middle of the two [further] extremes, so the ride is more plush, both on and off-road. The LEVEL1 kit is an excellent and affordable upgrade (particularly as you can upgrade the front and rear independently if you wish/as budget allows), but to really see the potential of these bikes, the longer travel LEVEL 2 kit is the way to go.
It's also worth noting that the LEVEL 2 shock has additional and individual damping adjustment with extra oil capacity in a reservoir too.
After some internet and CZcams searching, I will probably get the RR2. My bike is a 2020. Honda finally installed a 19" front in 2019, making the bike a little more off-road friendly. The RR2 on the older models raises the CB500X about 2 inches. My guess is that it would be around 1.5" on the newer models.
I'm also vertically challenged at 5'7". Adding 1.5-2" more ride height should be fine. I will be definitely tiptoeing.
Thanks Chris for all you vids. It's been fun following your travels on the TAT. I plan to do this some year. Next year is Alaska on the Cb500x. My buddies think I'm crazy riding this long distance. They are begging me to take my Goldwing. Lol!
@@gump2236 to clarify: in both instances, the Rally-Raid LEVEL 2 kit provides 170mm travel front and rear, regardless of the age of the bike. On the earlier models [with 5" travel and the 17" front wheel as standard], this equates to +2" (50mm) increase in travel, ground clearance and seat height; however the 2019-on model where Honda have fitted the factory 19" front end and slightly longer 150mm travel suspension themselves that bike is already a little taller, so the increase over standard is only +20mm once you've fitted the RR LEVEL 2 replacement shock and fork kit to the 2019-on model.
Essentially this means the newer models have the same overall seat height as the original models once they both have the LEVEL 2 kit fitted.
Great explanation! Thanks Jmo!
Hey Chris I got a question for you. What fork boots did you go with? And what preload adjuster did you go with, and where do you buy one? I guess that's more than one question. I got my forK kit from Rally Raid now,I got to put it on, so I wanted to get everything to go with it. Hope you don't mind all these questions.
Hi Dolly! No worries...happy to help! My bike is a 2013. So it doesn't come with preload adjusters. You can buy some after-market ones. But I didn't bother. I just put the OEM caps back on and they worked great. The fork gators are just a cheap eBay brand. I've had them for a while. So I don't have an exact link. But if you search by your bike on eBay they'll tell you which ones fit. They even have different colors if you're into that. Also don't forget to pick up fork oil. This is the perfect time to change out your fork oil. I just went with the Honda OEM oil. Good luck and let me know how you like it!!! :-)
@@MotoPhotoAdventures thank you so much Chris. Mine is a 2015 not too much newer than yours. Thank you for answering my questions so quickly
@@DollyAndFamilyGetOutAndRide my pleasure, my friend!
Its not a Africa Twin, what’s with the sticker?
HAHA!!! Thanks for the comment, Cruncher! All is revealed...czcams.com/video/nWQu9tZEcC0/video.html. :-)
Hey Chris....what tires are you running?
Hi Sharper Light! These are the Continental TKC 80s. I LOVE THEM!!! Just be aware the rear tire doesn't last very long, especially if you ride on pavement a lot. It has excellent grip and rides great on pavement. Just doesn't last long, obviously, since it's a knobby tire with a soft compound designed to grip well in dirt and mud. If you're doing much off-roading, this is the best ADV tire I've used!
Have u taken it on single track with the upgrade?
Hi Michael! Does the treacherous 11,600 foot Cinnamon Pass count?!? :-) Check it out: czcams.com/video/Im8M-tRJXuY/video.html
@@MotoPhotoAdventures we do probably 60-40 road and dirt. Do u think level one will be sufficient
@@michaelanglin5686 if it's in your budget, for any serious off-road riding, L2 is the best choice. It just wasn't in my budget. Plus I do more 40-60. And I'm short. So keeping the seat height the same was another factor that appealed to me in the L1 option. I'm very happy with my choice. But if money was no object, I think a full L2 Rally Raid CB500X is one of the BEST all-around do-anything motorcycle options on the planet!
@@MotoPhotoAdventures thanks for the reply I just was gonna order it but when I went to check out it wasn’t available! Then said 2-3 weeks lol so idk haha hopefully I’ll get it ordered! Do u ever ride on the east coast?
@@michaelanglin5686 that's pretty normal. The Rally Raid parts are in high demand and they are a small shop. But it's totally worth the wait. And sometimes it arrives in less time than expected. I was quoted the same, but everything arrived in 10 days! Oh, and yes, I live on the east coast in Charleston, SC. In fact this video was filmed in the Francis Marion Forest, probably 10 miles from the coast. After we complete the video series on the Trans-America Trail (czcams.com/play/PLMpCu16Bx7xPo7Ro_lGpz0vrw1CP8Gw0l.html) we'll be producing a video series we did on the South Carolina Adventure Route...an off-road adventure that circumnavigates the state (scadventureroute.wixsite.com/website). Stay tuned for that!
You should be more clear about the videos content as we have no idea what you were going to install. I dropped out in the 1st minute. It will help your channel in the future.
Hi Bruce! Thank you for the helpful comment. I'm so sorry it seamed vague. The Rally Raid brand name is extremely well known among owners of the Honda CB500X. I figured having the bike name and the name of the aftermarket shock manufacturer made it pretty clear. But you're right, if you're not familiar with either, I could see not knowing what you were getting into. I'll do my best to remedy the title. The video description has almost 5000 words regarding the history of Rally Raid products, and describing what the video is all about. But of course most people don't dig into the description before watching a video. Maybe you could help me out by describing what you thought would be in the video so I can make sure and correct it? Thanks again for the kind comment!
Absolutely amazing video and Channel! I have a Cb500X and I,m improving It ...how much cost It is? Please look at my channel about my adventures with this bike. BEST regards from Spain!