The GB500's engine was derived from the Honda XL600 engine, a dry-sump four-stroke dirt bike. The four-valve single cylinder engine featured a radial four-valve combustion chamber, along with a tubular frame, wire-spoked wheels with alloy rims, clip-on handlebars, solo seat, seat hump, and pin-striped fuel tank. The styling resembled TT single-cylinder racing bikes (such as the Manx Norton, the BSA Gold Star and the AJS 7R) that were prominent in the TT until the 1960s. The GB500 was a fine-handling machine: by contrast, its sibling, the XBR500, had a 10mm shorter wheelbase which "made the steering very edgy.Although sales of the TT were initially sluggish, today GB500s in good condition command premium prices.

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