Honda Bringing New SCL500 to US Market

[Hugh Janus]

It’s official: Honda is bringing the scrambler-style SCL500 (née CL500) to the US for 2023. The bike will be available in two colors (Candy Orange shown) starting this June. (American Honda/)

After revealing its new Rebel-based CL500 “scrambler”-style bike last year in Milan, Honda is announcing that the same model will also be coming to US shores. At the time, we noted that the CL500′s 47 hp limit meant it was clearly aimed at riders operating within the EU’s tiered licensing system, but we also speculated that the bike’s appealing style (and history) would make it an easy fit for American markets as well.

Turns out we didn’t have to wait long; Honda has officially confirmed the SCL500 will join its US lineup for the 2023 model year. Other than the slightly tweaked naming convention (it’s still called the CL500 in the UK and Euro markets, and even on some of Honda’s US press materials) this will be pretty much the same bike we saw at its debut last November. Maybe the additional “S” sounds more scrambler-y?

In the same release, Honda also mentioned the return of several models to the 2024 US lineup, some with notable updates. The Shadow Phantom cruiser, for one, gets styling and performance upgrades, while its classic counterpart, the Shadow Aero, marks a more subtle return, with a new color. Meanwhile the versatile (and renamed) ADV160 scooter gets more power as well as improved ergonomics.

Related: 2023 Honda CL500 First Look

Packing the same 471cc parallel-twin engine as the Rebel 500, the SCL’s scrambler stance means it has undergone modifications to the frame, tank, and suspension. (American Honda/)

2024 Honda SCL500

Despite the new name, the SCL500 retains all the same foundational bits from last year’s initial reveal: the main frame and engine of the Rebel 500 recast into a motorcycle with more rearset footpegs, a higher exhaust, and a taller, flatter double seat (although the subframe is new in order to accommodate the taller seat and repositioned shocks). The result is retro-light, in the form of a simple, stripped-down bike with all the usual “scrambler” design cues, like a ribbed saddle, chunky tires, a high-routed exhaust, upright riding position, and twin shocks.

Tank pads, fork gaiters, and blacked-out mechanical components are a nod to current styling trends. The taller seat is still just 31.1 inches off the ground. (American Honda/)

Of course, Honda made its mark on the US with a similar template back in the 1960s when bikes like its CL72 made the scene, so we shouldn’t be surprised by the retro aesthetic on the SCL500. Clearly, the bike is more aimed at a user-friendly experience, with a sub-50 hp, 471cc parallel-twin engine snatched right off the Rebel 500, a manageable weight of around 420 pounds for easy handling, and in-vogue styling which includes things like fork gaiters, tank knee pads on the reshaped fuel tank, chopped fenders, and blacked-out mechanical components.

Standard ABS and LED lighting sell the safety angle somewhat, but concessions to price, like a nonadjustable telescopic fork, single disc brakes, a smallish fuel tank, middling suspension travel, and no electronic rider aids, also make it clear that the target demographic for the SCL500 is a recreational street rider rather than a berm-ripping enduro jockey.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that; Honda is embracing the whole “personalization” angle on this particular bike, nudging prospective buyers toward a fairly robust catalog of aftermarket accessories designed especially for the SCL500. That includes items like a mini “rally”-style fairing, a tall front fender, racks, and entire Rally and Tour Pack collections to expand luggage capacity.

The bike will be available in two colors—Candy Orange and Matt Laurel Green Metallic—when it hits dealerships later this month. We have a feeling the SCL500′s approachable vibe, attractive aesthetic, and reasonable price tag—Honda has quoted an MSRP of $6,799—will make for a pretty compelling package on the showroom floor.

Honda is rolling out more than 20 accessories in support of the SCL500, with everything from mini fairings to seats to luggage. (American Honda/)
Say hello to the 2024 Shadow Phantom, now with disc brakes front and rear (but still just five speeds). Deep Pearl Gray Metallic color shown. (American Honda/)

2024 Honda Shadow Phantom

If you’re thinking the Phantom hasn’t been updated in, like, forever, you wouldn’t be too far off the mark—at least in motorcycle terms. Honda’s bobber-style middleweight has been rumbling along untweaked for going on 15 years now (if you don’t count color changes, which we don’t), packing the same liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin engine stuffed into a steel frame balanced between two wire-spoke wheels and blacked out to the moon. Five-speed transmission? Check. Shaft drive? Check. But hold onto your engineer boots; for the 2024 model year, the low-riding cruiser is actually seeing some updates, even if they’re minimal.

For one, it’s actually getting some more visual depth in the form of a new two-tone gas tank. And on the ergonomic front, we’re seeing a new handlebar and handlebar clamps as well as an updated, sleeker single seat to enhance rider comfort (an optional passenger seat and pegs can also be added). There are a couple of small cosmetic updates as well, with new headlight and air-cleaner covers, updated display instruments on the tank, new LED turn signals, and machine-cut cylinder head fins to give the styling a bit more of a modern punch.

And speaking of modern, we’re finally getting to see a disc brake to replace the drum at the rear of the Phantom, which is a more than welcome development (the Phantom’s sibling, the Shadow Aero, also gets new colors and a new disc rear brake for the 2024 model year). There’s also a new ABS version of the Phantom available, though it’ll cost you an additional $300 (and the non-ABS version will not be available in California).

The 2024 Shadow Phantom will come in Deep Pearl Gray Metallic and Orange Metallic and be available in June. MSRP is $8,399 for the base model and $8,699 for ABS.

The 2024 Shadow Phantom’s styling updates include reshaped fenders, a revised seat, and machine-cut cylinder head fins. An ABS option is available. (American Honda/)
The ADV150 returns as the ADV160 for 2024, featuring a bigger engine, and a revised frame with a lower seat and more storage space. (American Honda/)

2024 Honda ADV160

Honda didn’t provide as much info on the 2024 ADV160, but clearly the name change says it all; the ADV150 has gained 10cc for the new model year. According to the release, the “ADV160 touts a new, larger-displacement engine that delivers improved performance and reduced emissions,” which the bike first received for the Asian market last year.

Now those upgrades are also coming to the US with the new four-valve eSP+ engine boasting a 156.9cc displacement, which is up 7.6cc from the previous 149.3cc two-valve unit. That may not sound like much, but Honda says the air-intake/exhaust system is optimized, with ample torque in the low and middle rev ranges, giving the ADV160 more power to make it freeway-legal in most states.

But that’s not the only notable update; the ADV scooter also gets a new frame giving it a seat height 0.6 inch lower than before (now 30.1 inches), while the reshaped seat makes it easier for riders to touch the ground. The handlebar has been correspondingly lowered to maintain a comfortable riding position. The underseat storage space also increases by 2 liters (for a total of 30 liters), and the adjustable windscreen is now taller to give riders more protection.

Last but not least is the addition of the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) rider aid that we’ve seen on bigger-ticket Honda sport and adventure models; it’s now standard on this versatile scooter which will be available in July for an MSRP of $4,499.

The SCL500 in Matt Laurel Green Metallic. (American Honda/)

2023 Honda SCL500 Specs

MSRP:	$6,799
Engine:	DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin; 4 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	471cc
Bore x Stroke:	67.0 x 66.8mm
Compression Ratio:	10.7:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	6 speed/chain
Claimed Horsepower:	N/A
Claimed Torque:	N/A
Fuel System:	PGM-FI electronic fuel injection w/ 34mm throttle bodies
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate slipper/assist
Management/Ignition:	Electronic
Frame:	Steel diamond
Front Suspension:	41mm fork; 5.3 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Twin shocks, preload adjustable; 5.7 in travel
Front Brake:	2-piston caliper, 310mm disc w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston caliper, 240mm disc w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Cast aluminum alloy
Tires, Front/Rear:	110/80-19 / 150/70-17
Rake/Trail:	27.0°/4.3 in
Wheelbase:	58.4 in.
Ground Clearance:	6.1 in.
Seat Height:	31.1 in.
Fuel Capacity:	3.2 gal.
Claimed Curb Weight:	419 lb.
Contact:	powersports.honda.com

Source

[Catteeclan]

Ugly. Spoked wheels might have helped.

Looks like the Himalayan.

[Pedro]

3 hours ago, Catteeclan said:

Ugly. Spoked wheels might have helped.

Looks like the Himalayan.

That frame doesn't give designers a lot of margin for creativity though. 

How shit must that suspension be, considering it's a "scrambler"?

[boboneleg]

It's feckin 'orrible

[Pedro]

Saw one a couple of days ago riding around my town. It’s not gorgeous but it’s not as bad as on the pictures here. Looks like what it is…

[Saul]

1 minute ago, Pedro said:

Saw one a couple of days ago riding around my town. It’s not gorgeous but it’s not as bad as on the pictures here. Looks like what it is…

I don’t mind the CL.   I had several looks at them up at Damerells.   Don’t like the tacky add on kit, but I don’t mind the bike   and it’s looks.  Not sure it would be my first choice but I could live with it.  

[Pedro]

It’s certainly not photogenic, but it’s ok in person