Alright, let’s break down how I actually ran that Honda CBR500R 0-60 mph test the other day. Wanted to see what this thing really does.
Picking the Spot
First things first, needed somewhere safe and legal to do this. Not some public road, that’s dumb and dangerous. I drove way out to this massive, super empty industrial park near the edge of town. Place is deserted on weekends, especially early morning. Wide, smooth roads, absolutely zero traffic – perfect for a quick blast. Safety gear first: jacket, helmet, gloves, proper boots. Not messing around.
Getting the Bike Ready
Rolled the CBR500R off the trailer. Checked a few things:
- Made sure the tires felt firm, not low. Cold morning air can drop pressure.
- Peeked at the brake pads quickly – still plenty meat on ’em.
- Checked the fuel level. Didn’t need much, but wanted enough so it wouldn’t starve under hard acceleration.
Pulled out my phone with a basic stopwatch app – figured it was good enough for a rough idea. No fancy GPS timers this time, just keeping it simple.
The First Try (Kinda Messy)
Okay, gear up, gloves on. Planted my feet firmly on the ground. Slid into first gear. Clutch lever pulled all the way in. Opened the throttle just a bit, enough to get the revs up a little past idle – didn’t want to stall it. Released the clutch lever slowly… felt it bite… then WHAM, dumped the clutch the rest of the way and pinned the throttle wide open. Big mistake. The front wheel jumped up! Instinctively chopped the throttle. Bike lurched forward weirdly, engine bogged down for a split second. Total mess. Looked at the stopwatch – missed the start button clean! Way slower than it should be.
Learning From That Mess
Took a breath. Rode around the block slowly to cool down (me and the bike). Realized what happened: dumped the clutch too fast and gave it too much gas right away. Recipe for a wheelie I wasn’t ready for. Needed smoother clutch action, especially at the bite point.
The Second Shot (Better!)
Set up again. First gear. Clutch in. This time, rolled the throttle open more progressively as I eased the clutch into the biting point. Felt the bike start to pull hard. Once I felt it was hooked up, feeding power steadily, I smoothly released the clutch the rest of the way AND rolled the throttle open to full pin at the same time. Bam! This time the bike launched forward, stayed planted. No wheelies, just a solid shove in the back. Up through first gear quick, clicked into second. Hit 60 mph! Slammed the brakes hard right after – staying safe in that deserted zone. Looked down at the stopwatch: way better. Not perfect, but felt legit.
Nailing a Clean One
Got greedy. Wanted one more really clean run without braking earlier or anything. Circled back one more time. Focused hard on that clutch-feathering right at the start. Same routine: engage the bite point with steady throttle, THEN fully release clutch and go wide open throttle simultaneously. Engine pulled strong, tires gripped, zipped through first and into second again. Glanced at the speedo hitting 60. Hit the stopwatch button quick! Eased off the power and braked smoothly back down. Finally got a time I felt good about writing down. Bike ran awesome. Smiled like an idiot inside the helmet.
Took the bike back onto the trailer, packed up. Learned a lot about how that little engine likes to be launched – it’s all about feeling that clutch bite, man. Gotta be smooth to be quick!
