While the CB500X is often marketed as an adventure bike, there’s quite a bit of debate in the riding community about whether or not it fits the mold as such. While some riders say it's not a road bike with adventure styling, others say it can handle light off-road use. Yet with its 19-inch front wheel and long-travel suspension, the bike seems to promise some off-road capability, but road-biased tires and the absence of serious protective features such as crash bars and a skid plate in the box make some question just how much adventure it really is. That has commentators debating what actually makes a 'real' adventure bike and if the CB500X's versatility is enough to earn the label.