Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has started deliveries of its new Honda NX500 mid-size adventure touring motorcycle. The NX500 essentially is a renamed Honda CB500X which was also on sale in India and shares the same engine and platform as the CB500X, but gets some minor cosmetic updates, new features and slightly lighter overall weight. The NX500 also receives a slightly lower price tag of Rs. 5.90 lakh (Ex-showroom) than the outgoing CB500X and is available in a choice of three colour options – Grand Prix Red, Pearl Horizon White and Gunpowder Black.
Also Read: Honda NX500 Launched At Rs. 5.90 Lakh
The Honda NX500 is a slightly revised Honda CB500X with a slightly lower price tag of Rs. 5.90 lakh (Ex-showroom) in India.
The Honda NX500 is powered by the same 471 cc, DOHC parallel-twin engine which makes 46 bhp at 8,600 rpm and 43 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. Power is transmitted via a 6-speed gearbox which comes with a slip and assist clutch, and the engine is mounted on a steel diamond-tube mainframe. Honda has also fine-tuned the NX500’s fuel injection settings which are said to improve low rpm acceleration and power delivery across the entire rev range. Honda Selectable Torque Control, which is essentially Honda’s traction control system is now standard.
Also new is a new 5-inch full-colour TFT screen which features connectivity with Honda RoadSync system.
Other features now include updated suspension, lighter wheels and new bodywork. Overall weight of the NX500 has also come down by 3 kg, with a 196 kg kerb weight. The NX500 comes with new Y-shaped 5-spoke cast wheels (19-inch front and 17-inch rear) which save 1.5 kg of unsprung weight. The suspension remains the same Showa 41 mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SFF-BP) and preload-adjustable rear shock, but the NX500 gets updated spring rate and damping settings. Overall suspension travel remains the same with 135 mm of travel both front and rear. Other key specifications like the 830 mm seat height and 1445 mm wheelbase remain the same.
Also Read: Honda NX500 Unveiled At EICMA 2023
The Honda NX500 retains the same basic silhouette as the Honda CB500X, and shares the same 471 cc parallel-twin engine.
At carandbike, we were quite impressed with the outgoing Honda CB500X, which was an all-round great bike, although its steep price tag meant it didn’t quite enjoy the success in India. With a revised price tag, the Honda NX500 does become more affordable, but with competition heating up in the sub-500 cc segment the still relatively higher price still remains a concern. Nevertheless, we hope to swing a leg over the new Honda NX500 to see what it offers to the Indian motorcyclist in particular and if it offers a good choice in its price segment.
Also Read: 2021 Honda CB500X Review
With the NX500, Honda has revived its NX series of dual-sport motorcycles, which have quite a history with Honda, with a mix of road and off-road capabilities. The Honda NX650 Dominator in particular, a single-cylinder dual-sport motorcycle produced between 1988 to 2003, is one of the most widely known models in Honda’s NX series, although it was never offered on sale in India.
