[MandarMax]

Today I visited Pashankar Honda at Dhole Patil Road, Pune, with two friends who have also booked the Honda NX500. Although we were only allowed a very short ride due to the pending temporary registration formalities, I could spend sufficient time with the bike and here are some observations I'd like to share:

The bike lives up to the expectations based on the online pictures and videos I had seen. The design is both appealing and practical. Its quality, fit, and finish are impeccable, leaving nothing to be desired.



It commands a good road presence, striking a balance between being noticeable, yet not drawing undue attention.





The engine's sound profile is modest at regular RPMs but gives a very nice and pleasing note when revved harder. Again, just like the looks, the sound will not draw unnecessary attention towards the bike.

The ride experience was good. The engine runs smoothly, I didn’t notice vibrations at lower speeds. The bike pulls cleanly in high gear at low speeds without any fuss. During my brief test, I reached speeds of around 70 kph effortlessly, a speed which felt much slower due to the bike's stable ride (I thought I was doing only about 40!).

The bright LCD is easily legible even in direct sunlight, though it does tend to attract fingerprints. Despite this, I didn't notice any distracting reflections from the rider's vantage point.



Despite the bike being taken for multiple short rides before mine, I experienced no noticeable engine heat on my legs, though further testing on longer rides would be more telling. The seat is sufficiently wide and felt very comfortable. This is a bike you can ride for long distances without feeling tired!

The pillion seat is also comfortable, and you are perched higher for a good view ahead. Unless you are over 6 ft, most pillions will have to use foot pegs for mounting and dismounting.

The bike's design is user-friendly and non-intimidating, making it accessible even to newer riders. At 5' 8", I could almost flat-foot comfortably.



The bike was displayed in both red and black, the red variant stands out and would be my personal preference. The black would appeal to those preferring a more understated look.



The headlight seems adequate. A test in the dark can confirm whether one would need aux lights.



The front indicators are dimly lit by default, providing a distinctive look, though the rear indicators do not have this feature.



Other bits:

• Unlike the dual-tone horns found on more affordable Honda models like the CB350, the NX500 comes with a single, but sufficiently loud horn.
• Deliveries are expected to start from March.
• White colour is expected to be available only from April.

In conclusion, my initial impressions of the Honda NX500 are overwhelmingly positive. The bike stands out for its blend of performance, comfort, and practicality, making it an attractive option for those in the market. While the price point is still a concern, the NX500's offerings position it as a compelling choice within its segment.

A longer test ride would be required to assess further heat management, overall comfort, brakes/ABS/traction control, suspension etc.

[night_eagle]

Originally Posted by night_eagle

The sales advisor was not aware of any extended warranty programme. They also rely on Honda portal for such information.

I got an update from the SA this morning. 3-yr extended warranty is now available and costs ~ Rs. 8k. Also, bank loan up to 85% of on-road price can be availed at 5.65-5.79% ROI for 1-5yr term.

[VRod_24]

Originally Posted by night_eagle

I got an update from the SA this morning. 3-yr extended warranty is now available and costs ~ Rs. 8k. Also, bank loan up to 85% of on-road price can be availed at 5.65-5.79% ROI for 1-5yr term.

Which bigwing showroom in bangalore offered you this and also what is the waiting period they are quoting for the bike ?

[night_eagle]

Originally Posted by VRod_24

Which bigwing showroom in bangalore offered you this and also what is the waiting period they are quoting for the bike ?

I got it from the Lavelle Road branch. At the time of booking (around 26 Jan), they mentioned Feb-Mar as the tentative delivery window.

[naveenvenkatesh]

Originally Posted by night_eagle

I got an update from the SA this morning. 3-yr extended warranty is now available and costs ~ Rs. 8k. Also, bank loan up to 85% of on-road price can be availed at 5.65-5.79% ROI for 1-5yr term.

Which institution is giving 2 wheeler loan at such low interest rate? What is the catch?

[night_eagle]

Originally Posted by naveenvenkatesh

Which institution is giving 2 wheeler loan at such low interest rate? What is the catch?

I think it's IDFC First bank. I just shared the info as received from the SA. Surely there will be some T&C associated with that loan.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by naveenvenkatesh

Which institution is giving 2 wheeler loan at such low interest rate? What is the catch?

Originally Posted by night_eagle

I think it's IDFC First bank. I just shared the info as received from the SA. Surely there will be some T&C associated with that loan.

They must be referring to flat interest rate of ~6% which will map to around ~11-12% of monthly reducing balance interest rate, that is in-line with what most of the other financiers will also offer in the market. Some banks do this to show a more lucrative number to customers, in reality the net outflow may be even more in some cases

[night_eagle]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

They must be referring to flat interest rate of ~6% which will map to around ~11-12% of monthly reducing balance interest rate, that is in-line with what most of the other financiers will also offer in the market. Some banks do this to show a more lucrative number to customers, in reality the net outflow may be even more in some cases

You are absolutely right. I asked the SA for the detailed quotation and the EMI amounts correspond to an effective interest rate of ~10.5% p.a.

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by night_eagle

I got an update from the SA this morning. 3-yr extended warranty is now available and costs ~ Rs. 8k. Also, bank loan up to 85% of on-road price can be availed at 5.65-5.79% ROI for 1-5yr term.

When comparing loans, best to compare EMI, processing fee, foreclosure possibility / charges. The rate of interest quoted are just plain confusing!!

A friend recently took a loan for his Scrambler and not just loan agents, even websites like bank bazaar etc were all over the place. It was so confusing to even use the EMI calculator using rates being quoted. Finally we simply decided to compare EMI and other charges.

[Ritz2010]

Originally Posted by therider

Just wondering, what would be the price difference if this brought as CKD unit later compared to current CBU units. Anybody any thoughts?

With no localisation confirmed I would still like to know how much will be the price difference. 7.5 is definitely higher side a thanks to Bengaluru Tax structure considering basic accessories it's 8L.

With Comet price cut I'll be pushed for it rather 8L bike by Home secretary

[Guru_Shikhar]

Hi @MandarMax,
Thanks for the information. Glad to get that Pashankar Auto Pune has this bike at display and TD. Otherwise whenever they have bigger capacity enquiry they divert it to Worli Honda showroom.

Can you pl share the OTR price Pune? Also can you change colour if the delivery is delayed.

Thanks a lot.

Cheers

[TusharK]

Honda NX500 deliveries commence in India

Last month, Honda launched the NX500 in the Indian market. Customer deliveries of the adventure tourer have now commenced.



The Honda NX500 was unveiled at EICMA 2023. It replaces the CB500X in the brand’s ADV line-up.

The NX500 is powered by a 471cc parallel-twin engine, which now features a crank counterweight and balancer shaft. Honda claims these upgrades have made the engine smoother. It develops 47 BHP @ 8,600 rpm and 43 Nm @ 6,500 rpm and is paired with a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper clutch.

The bike comes with a 41 mm Showa upside-down fork and a mono-shock at the rear. Braking is handled by dual 296 mm discs at the front and a single 240 mm disc at the rear. It rides on lightweight alloy wheels and gets features like traction control and dual-channel ABS.

Link to Team-BHP News

[ebonho]

That's a nice looking bike in all black.

Cheers, Doc

[Rudraksh]

One of the best-looking adventure bikes on the market.
Wish, it was launched at a reasonable price but then its Honda and CBU.

[windiesel]

I checked out the NX500 yesterday. It definitely looks substantial and sounds great. One thing that I didn't find solid and confidence inspiring was the thin and short side stand. when climbing aboard ADV style and getting off, the bike feels like it's going to tip over. This was in stark contrast to the H450, which has a indestructible looking solid hunk of a side stand. My Speed400 too has a very efficient side stand which I believe all bikes must have, especially those that don't come with a center stand.