2023 Honda SCL500 Review: Top Speed & HP Aren't What Make This Scrambler Bike Special

Last year, Honda announced the revival of the Scrambler in the United States and foreign markets at the same time. The bikes debuted as 2023 model years and foreign markets received the CL500, using nomenclature that harkens back to the iconic CL72s and CL77s of the 1960s, as well as CL350s and CL360s of the 1970s. But here in the US, the new Scrambler will be known as the SCL500—and in fact, Honda can only call it a "Scrambler-style" motorcycle, presumably because Ducati owns the official Scrambler name.

Regardless of alphanumerical designation, however, the foreign and domestic Scramblers all use many parts shared with the rest of Honda's lineup. A 471cc parallel twin motor carries over from the Rebel, CBR500R, and CB500X, while higher exhaust routing increases ground clearance in classic fashion, along with a larger front wheel, retro rear dampers, and front fork bellows.

Following the success of Ducati's entry-level Scrambler, as well as Triumph's Scrambler 1200, Honda now enters the game at a lower price point with a starting sticker of $6,799 (plus freight). The move seems to bank on the fact that most modern Scramblers, regardless of brand, look relatively similar from more than 15 feet away, so a cheaper alternative that still delivers all the familiar Honda quality should, therefore, attract more entry-level motorcycle buyers interested in that Scrambler style.

I picked up the Scrambler at Honda's headquarters in Torrance, CA, in exchange for the most hardcore motorcycle I've ever ridden: the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade that turns every road into a track. Where I found the Fireblade almost impossible to ride comfortably at 6'1" tall with long limbs, the Scrambler's upright geometry helped my wrists and knees relax noticeably. A 31.1-inch seat height makes the bike easy to flat-foot, and the bike is lightweight thanks to the small parallel twin that, in complete opposition to the Fireblade, makes somewhere in the tame mid-40 horsepower range.

Pulling away for the first time, I figured that Honda either retuned the engine or played with gear ratios for the Scrambler, because each twist of throttle brought on peppier acceleration than in the similarly equipped CB500X I rode earlier this year. A look at the spec sheet revealed that's not the case, though, so I dove deeper and now believe the difference comes down to the Scrambler weighing about 5% less than the CB500X, at 419 pounds wet versus 439, and also lacking some of the aerodynamic drag without a windscreen and even more upright riding posture.

Rolling into the Scrambler's throttle almost never produces any lurching, with progressive power but no touchiness unless I completely let off and the combination of aero drag and suspension travel caused a bit of nose dive. The helpful addition of a slipper/assist clutch likely improves any stop-start sensitivity, but also makes the clutch lever itself perfectly lightweight to keep hands from tiring during the daily commute.

Positive shift pedal engagement never left me in doubt whether I had engaged the next gear up or down, and even the turn signal switchgear on the left grip switched on and off with a satisfactory little click (much better than the Fireblade's, in fact, despite the fractional pricing). Pulling the into brake lever, meanwhile, causes that bit of nose dive, too, even if the single front disc with Nissin two-piston caliper never feels particularly bitey. My Scrambler came equipped with ABS, though I never gave a strong enough yank into the brakes to find that mesh point.

But sliding over and hanging off the bench seat isn't really the point here, though, given the high bars and foot pegs mounted relatively far forward (even if a bit higher than expected). When asked to lean over and hustle through curves, the overall weight and 19-inch front wheel create a nimble, almost tossable, nature to the SCL500 nonetheless. Here the smooth throttle response and simple brakes make transitioning between bends and straights a blast, even if the true pace won't launch speed freaks out of the water.

Perhaps most surprisingly, the SCL500 also offers slightly more suspension travel than the CB500X, a more dedicated ADV bike. That counterintuitive fact might harken back to the original Scramblers' off-road provenance, but the bike I rode felt more perfectly engineered for city commuting than Baja adventuring. Just check out the exhaust routing, which on the modern version does travel at the very bottom of the frame unlike on early Scramblers. Honda needed to make room for the water-cooling system, to be fair, but banging the exhaust off rocks makes anything more than graded dirt roads something of a problem for the new bike.

Water cooling and the slipper clutch probably explain the extremely asymmetric spacing of the engine and clutch covers best. In this case, the clutch cover sticks out multiple inches further on the right of the frame, which made weight shifts in the canyons odd when my calves brushed up against the metal, but also requires a peculiar bow-legged stance at stoplights. At least the clutch cover never got too terribly hot, though.

Maybe those details make the SCL500 more appealing, in a way, though the affordable price required to play also probably leaves some buyers with the budget to start a bit of customization. Honda knows custom goodies will fit into the new Scrambler's charm, and offers everything from hand guards to front fenders to further accentuate any potential off-road cred.

Of course, I'd start with the Matte Laurel Green Metallic tank rather than Candy Orange, but a tail tidy first thing and aftermarket exhaust to open up the parallel twin would definitely be on my list. Maybe a set of lower handlebars to accentuate a cafe racer look (yes, I know, that's not particularly in the vein of Baja riding, but taste is subjective after all). And real knobby tires in place of the Dunlop Trailmax Mixtours would go a long way towards helping the SCL500 look more legit among its competitors, too.