[achintatri]

Originally Posted by ShivC

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My world of owning a Honda CB500X ownership – was in fact amongst the first 2 owners in India. This is for those who are thinking of buying one…

Here's a my take on what it's like to own and ride this versatile machine albeit with some humour:

• The Adventure Illusion: Owning a CB500X makes every ride feel like a grand adventure. Even if it's just a trip to the grocery store, you mentally prepare for the off-road expedition through the treacherous terrain of Bangalore’s speed bumps.
• CB500X Language: You start speaking in CB500X code. "I'll be home in 20 minutes" actually means "I found a longer route and will be taking at least an hour."
• Mod Fever: You catch the modification fever. You start with a new crash bars, luggage racks, top case, hand guards, foot rest, shock absorbers and suddenly your CB500X looks like it's auditioning for a role in a Sholay sequel without the side car .. Who knew a practical adventure-touring bike could turn into a post-apocalyptic masterpiece?
• Gas Station Celebrity: At gas stations, you become a celebrity. People are genuinely curious about your bike, and you find yourself giving impromptu tours, explaining the intricacies of your highly advanced cup holder (read gas tank : kitna dete hai).
• Fuel Efficiency Boast: You boast about your fuel efficiency to every rider you meet. It's not a competition, but if it were, you'd be winning. You secretly judge those who need to refuel more frequently – "Amateurs!"
• Smooth Gear Changes : Achieving those buttery-smooth gear changes puts you in a state of zen. It's the motorcycling equivalent of finding inner peace, and you're the yogi of the asphalt, one with your bike and the open road.
• Indestructible DNA: The CB500X's engine wasn't built; it was forged in the fires of Mount Reliable. Legend has it that the engineers sprinkled a bit of unicorn dust on the blueprint for that extra touch of magic durability. The CB500X engine laughs at the mere concept of breaking down. It considers roadside assistance an insult to its mechanical prowess.
• Rainy Day Dilemma: Rainy days become a moral dilemma. Do you protect your pristine CB500X from the elements or take it out for a slippery adventure?.
• Packed Lunch Under the Seat: You discover the joy of storing random items under the seat. It's like your own tiny storage unit – very small snacks, a spare pair of socks, and that mysterious tool you've never used but insist on carrying. Its certainly small but who’s complaining….
• Noise Complaints: Your neighbours complain about the revving noise. Little do they know; you're just testing the horn, which sounds suspiciously like a caffeinated duck. Honk honk! Needs to be either replaced on put to sleep forever.
• Uphill Struggles: Uphill struggles become a metaphor for life. Your CB500X might not be the fastest uphill, but it's a trooper, just like you. You both huff and puff your way to the top, victorious in your own right.
• Cost : At the price I bought this price is a steal. Long terms asserts also come at a cots and this is a keeper bike through my bifocals of course...

In the world of CB500X ownership, every day is a comedy ride filled with quirky adventures and the joy of being part of the CB500X family. So, gear up, strap on your helmet and let the laughter-filled journey begin! May the chase of sunsets and rainbows be endless. The soul of any ADV warrior is always eternal so ADV Warrior let your eternal soul lead the way through the untamed landscapes and the endless possibilities of the open road!


PS: Have ridden almost all ADV styled bikes in India right from the GS , Tiger and down to the new Himalayan – this is most rider friendly motorcycle you could buy today amongst them all, one that is also guaranteed to put a smile every time you take it out of the garage. It can ride forever on that frugal sipping behavior - something that no other bike comes close to. In one word it’s the most "forgiving" of them all. However ownership cost is always subjective and is person driven and perceived value driven.

Brilliant write up. If Honda sees this, they are hiring you for their next ADV marketing builds. Keep it up.

[true_sedan]

Originally Posted by SiLxNcE

So, that brings me to the question of whether to wait for the new ADV or save in more money for the NX? I have no doubts on how phenomenal and bullet proof the NX will be. Have ridden a CB300R and came out mighty impressed. And thats only a single cyl Honda. But the price gap, and then accessories which cost a bomb, is it all really worth it? Or something like an ADV 390 is enough for the Indian touring scenario with light offroad trails at times? All the money saved can go into better gear, fuel and trips. But will the NX be a good long term investment (since its CBU and Honda being Honda, can discontinue it?) Also, any chances of this being discounted later? And right now, there are no timelines for the new ADV too. What are your thoughts?

I'm in the same boat as you are. Yesterday test drove the RE 450 and came back unimpressed. The vibrations were too much. I mean, painfully too much especially on the seat and fuel tank. Did not feel any vibes on the handlebars or the footpegs. My options are the same as yours. Either the honda nx500 or the upcoming ktm adventure 390. Honda nx500 is the best bike of the lot. Hands down. But it's a CBU and all CBUs are pain in the royal ass, when it comes to repairs and replacements. Not to mention they burn a hole in the pocket. This is a motorcycle you have to pamper around. Not a good quality in an adventure tourer. Advs by very nature should be capable to being thrown around and abused. I would suggest nx500 for only the following use cases and kind of people:
1) Pure highway touring.
2) Experienced riders who are totally confident that they won't drop the bike or drop it less. Imagine going to honda for a simple handle bar tilt correction after a drop.
3) People with deep pockets.
4) People who are ready to wait for 2-3 months for any replacement parts to arrive.

My suggestion would be to wait for the upcoming KTM adventure 390. I'm hearing news that the new adventure will be a totally different from the current gen. I can see you are a FZ owner. Going from a Japanese to an Indian is a step down on the vibrations front. If you can live with the vibes on the RE450, go for it. REs service network and throwability is unmatched by any other adventure tourer.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by true_sedan

2) Experienced riders who are totally confident that they won't drop the bike or drop it less. Imagine going to honda for a simple handle bar tilt correction after a drop.
3) People with deep pockets.
4) People who are ready to wait for 2-3 months for any replacement parts to arrive.

My suggestion would be to wait for the upcoming KTM adventure 390. I'm hearing news that the new adventure will be a totally different from the current gen. I can see you are a FZ owner. Going from a Japanese to an Indian is a step down on the vibrations front. If you can live with the vibes on the RE450, go for it. REs service network and throwability is unmatched by any other adventure tourer.

I am in the same boat and echo your thoughts completely. Coming from Honda CBR 250, I cannot live with the vibrations and top heavy nature of Himalayan 450. If NX500 was not a CBU, I would have paid extra and got it as I could see it as a down payment to Honda for the niggle free experience later.

I usually keep my vehicles very long and CBR 250 is a challenge now as it was discontinued and step motherly treatment by Honda to non commuter bikes. Cannot take that risk with a bigger commitment purchase which is a CBU.

Will wait for the upcoming KTM ADV 390 as I am not in urgent need for upgrade.

[VindyWheels]

Is the NX500 suitable for tall riders? I am 6.4. In one of the reviews read a comment by someone that the foot pegs are a bit back making you bend your knee more if you are tall making it less comfortable.

[achintatri]

Dear all, who have test driven NX500 or have been the owners of CB500, need some inputs to help me finalize my purchase of NX500:

1. Anyone with 5' 7" and around 70-75kg here who has been able to completely balance the bike while TDs, need to understand how a person with that kind of build would be able to handle the bike.

2. I am a regular pune-mumbai-pune driver (1-2 times in a month) and bought TVS Ronin last year thinking I would be able to do that but was disappointed in the first ride (I have some back issues that have now subsided to a certain extent after reducing some weight). Do you think moving to an ADV would help? Can't tour on Ronin for sure.

3. I use Ronin as a city bike now and love every bit of it but I want to re-live my biking days (when I was in my 20s), currently I am 42.

4. I would love to join some biking group(s) and roam around exploring our beautiful country (I am motivated by those in 70s still motocycling around the nation).

5. I love motorcycling and have achieved some level of old days charm through Ronin but need to move to next level of motorcycling i.e. touring.

6. Good suspension, weight management and perfect seat for long touring would be my primary requirement. (I am an admirer of quality products so quality should be at the core of the product).

7. Also any pointers where I can rent bikes like 650xt, CB500 or similar in PUNE would be of great help.

Thanks guys, looking forward for some wisdom as always :-). Please help me re-live my motorcycling touring dream.

Keep riding, stay safe.

[jlukose]

"I have decided to bite the bullet and booked the Grand Prix Red color. Delivery ETA is by the first week of March.

Recently, I did a comprehensive test ride of the older CB500X and the new Himalayan 450. Here are my observations:

Himalayan 450:

Pros:

- Fantastic suspension; it handles all bad patches and big potholes effortlessly.
- Very decent brakes.
- Very smooth gear shifts.
- Great rider triangle and good ergonomics (my height is 5’7").
- Superb pillion comfort; there is enough space, and the ergonomics are great.
- Very nice-to-read console.
- The brilliant RE ecosystem, with service network, parts, and accessories availability.

Cons:

- Felt the clutch was hard.
- Experienced terrible vibrations on footpegs/tank/handlebar at 4.5k rpm in 3rd and 4th gears. Also felt similar vibrations in the 5k rpm range in 5th and 6th gears. In all other rpm ranges and gears, vibrations are present but tolerable.
- Regarding the Sherpa 450, the engine is capable, but you need to work the engine to be in the correct rpms/gears to get the power/torque out. Slow-speed maneuvering was difficult, as there is very little power and pull below 3.5k rpm.
- Felt a fair amount of heat overall in the ride. Still under tolerable limits only.
- 6-month service intervals.

CB500X:

Pros:

- Very decent ergonomics for both rider and pillion, but not as brilliant as the Himalayan 450.
- The engine is excellent. It has enough juice to pull from about 2k rpms without any strains. My wife and I were able to climb some hairpins in Kerala in 4th gear at around 2.5k rpm. The engine pulls very relaxed and linearly at low rpms.
Superb weight management. Both the Himalayan 450 and CB500X have the same kerb weight, with maybe slight differences. Handling the CB500X was much easier compared to the Himalayan. Whether lifting the vehicle off the side stand or handling it in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the CB500X made it very easy.
- Very light clutch, joy to use.
- Brakes are good, with more bite than the Himalayan 450. The new NX500 should have even better braking with the dual front discs.
- Comfortable suspension. The suspension setup was able to soak up all the bad undulations on the road. Where it fails is when landing in a deep pothole, and this is where the Himalayan 450's long-travel suspension helps. So, the CB500X has very good ride quality for road touring and mild off-roading but may not be the best choice for proper off-road trails or really bad patches of roads.
- No heat felt.
- Reasonable costs for regular service with 1-year service intervals.

Cons:
(I am not talking about the motorcycle price here as we all acknowledge the extra we are paying; I will only discuss the mechanical package.)

- Lesser pillion comfort compared to the Himalayan 450. The seat is comfortable, but overall it's less roomy and may not have all the luggage-carrying capability as the Himalayan 450.
- Very few electronic features for the prices offered (may not be a con, given how sophisticated motorcycles have become).
- No default accessories like bash plate, hand guards, crash bars, USB socket, and OEM accessories are going to be costly.
- Ownership costs post 5 years of warranty are concerning.

Decision-making:

My main purpose is road touring with a pillion, and I wanted something with upright ergonomics, minimal vibrations, very tractable, and should be able to accommodate both rider and pillion. As the current 400+ singles did not meet the criteria, I started looking further up and ended up with NX500. I did not want to invest in the higher segment premium ADVs as I always felt the ~50bhp ~50 nm range is good enough for my touring needs in India, nor am I interested in careful handling and weight of the higher segment ADVs.

After test riding the CB500X, I found value in the package it offers, though it costs twice as much as the available 400+cc singles. If you want a motorcycle with very decent tractable low-end torque, minimal vibrations, brilliant weight management, possibly decent service experience, high reliability, good enough pillion support, the new NX500 is going to bring you a lot of smiles.

That said, it's a CBU unit and might have its own additional costs in the long run. One needs to plan on the logistics and time delays when it comes to spares, accessories, and service. But I believe the bike is a keeper and should hold its value, provided Honda decides to continue investing in the market. Maybe the bikes will come as CKD units later on, and that should help with some good price corrections, or Honda being Honda, maybe they will never drop the price. We need to wait and see ."

[dinesh_redhawk]

So finally, I booked my first premium bike in red color. Did the PDI today and paid all the amount. Delivery is in 2 days. OEM Accessories have come to India. Gurgaon showrooms are selling crash guards at 35k, tankpad at 4k. Bangalore will be getting those in few weeks. Being a CBU unit bike doesn't come with first aid kit. Comes with only tools kit. No number plate holder as well for a 8 lakhs bike. We need to buy that as well. The bike model is strangely mentioned as CB500X in all official documents, invoice, registration, insurance. And NX500 is just a marketing tag for New Xperience.

I hope Honda keeps this bike, spares and accessories alive and available for a long long time as I intend to keep this for a long time and preferably the prices should come down as Honda's life cost service and maintenance was one of the biggest reason why I didn't go for Kawasaki Versys 650. The bike definitely needs a handle bar riser and I don't know by when accessories will be available by local players. Zana said 1-2 months as they are waiting for their own bike delivery to happen first for R&D.

I am still not sure whether I took the right decision or not but I didn't want to waste too much time of my life thinking, researching, waiting and worrying for a new bike as per my budget and requirement, rather than buying the one which is available rite now and suits my requirements. I hope Honda this time takes the right step and continues this model and hopefully produce it locally.

Mod Note : Post edited for paragraph spacing, capitalization and self promotion of social media handle. Please do not promote your social media handle on Team-BHP.
Request you to go through Forum's posting guidelines for structured post composition.

Thanks for support and understanding.

[nasirkaka]

Shumi, in his latest Instagram video post says that NX500 should unofficially be ok to run on E20 fuel. If true, its a great new.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3RhpRmhgYW/

[ashwinbalachand]

Hi all,

I have booked the NX 500 at the Chennai Top Line showroom. I have booked the white color and have been told it will come by May

I am concerned about the bike not being E20 compliant. It is E10 and E15 compliant. Can someone who knows about this share some light on this?

[sreejithsin]

The NX500 is only E5 and E10 compliant, not E15. There is no official statement from Honda related to whether it is E20 compliant. The only news we have related to this is the video from Schumi, which was shared in a previous post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3RhpRmhgYW/

Ofcourse all vehicles including the NX500 will continue to run on E20 fuel, but the rubber/plastic parts in the fuel line may be subject to corrosition and early wear and tear. This is because the E20 is a critical blend of ethanol, prior blends including E5 and E10 requied only mininum changes in the engine. E20 requires subtantially more changes. There is an existing thread in team-bhp which discusses the effect of E20 fuel on older vehicles.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...l-engines.html (Impact of 20% ethanol petrol on current petrol engines)

I too have a booking on NX and this aspect is worrying me a bit. I would not have cared if this was a sub 3L motorcycle. But while paying more than 7L, things like these are a cause for concern. Especially since many are planning to keep this bike long term.

And if you look at it from another angle, E20 may not be the end of the blend, E27 can come after that.

I tried to officially contact honda and received a call - but the person whom I talked to had no idea regarding all this - he even told me that NX500 is manufactured in India . But the showroom had a knowledgable person who said Honda will introduce upgrade kits to make old vehicles e20 compliant and that the kit is already available for CB350. Since I own a CB350 I was doubtfull regarding this. I enquired the service center of another BigWing and they said they are not aware of such kits. Another point which he mentioned is that since it is a CBU, it would be of high quality (over engineered) and would not cause problems.

We also need to check the owners manual of NX500 to know what it says about fuel.

[Sebring]

I'm not getting this concern regarding E20 compliance. Every NX 500 tank has this E20 compliance sticker on it and this reassures me.

[sreejithsin]

Originally Posted by Sebring

I'm not getting this concern regarding E20 compliance. Every NX 500 tank has this E20 compliance sticker on it and this reassures me.

There is no E20 sticker on tank. Check the following post.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post5709985

[RiderS]

NX500!

I had almost finalised to go far Versys 650, when I visited the showroom I was not convinced enough with the handling particularly with the weight of the vehicle that would not suit my height and weight

The option I was left with is NX500 but then there was no clue of launch date, I was waiting and by mid of February I accidentally went to the showroom for enquiry. To my surprise that day was the official booking date for the bike. Immediately I booked one for me.

As a CBU unit I feel that the price is reasonable. I see that the bike delivery has commenced in other parts of the country and anxiously waiting for my turn

[Arshad YR]

My experience test riding the NX 500:

Visited the Lavelle road showroom today to check out the NX500 and the CB300R. I rode the NX500 after riding the CB300R.

The bike was smooth as butter. The power delivery, the handling and the weight management was really good. Although the test ride was short, the ride really impressed me. I've ridden almost all the single cylinders from 200-400 cc but none of them can beat the smoothness and refinement of a twin. The bike sounds really amazing. It has gentle pops on deceleration and sounds amazing when doing a rev match downshift. It is not intimidating to ride. The ground clearance seemed a little low when parked next to the Transalp but I think it is enough for tackling most of our road conditions. The overall quality of the bike also seemed good. Couldn't notice any rough edges in the short time I spent with the bike. The swapped indicator and horn switch was very annoying in the short ride. The horn is also like a button rather than a conventional switch.

My only gripe with the bike was the pricing. I hope Honda launches a CKD variant of this and prices it competitively. This will definitely sell like hot cakes then.

The waiting period is 2 months for the bike as of now in Bangalore. The bike also doesn't come with accessories like crash guard, sump guard etc. I think everything needs to be fitted aftermarket. As of now even the showroom had not received the list of accessories available for this bike. Adding all of this will definitely push the price over 8 lakhs.

The dealership experience was amazing. Everyone that I interacted with answered all my questions patiently. I would highly recommend visiting this branch if you are interested in checking out any of the Honda bikes on offer.

Originally Posted by achintatri

Dear all, who have test driven NX500 or have been the owners of CB500, need some inputs to help me finalize my purchase of NX500:

1. Anyone with 5' 7" and around 70-75kg here who has been able to completely balance the bike while TDs, need to understand how a person with that kind of build would be able to handle the bike.

6. Good suspension, weight management and perfect seat for long touring would be my primary requirement. (I am an admirer of quality products so quality should be at the core of the product).
.

Hi Achint ,
I am 5'6 and around 58-60kgs. I did not have any issue riding the bike. You can almost flatfoot it if you buy good boots. It was a little difficult to reverse it from a standstill but I had no other issues with it. I have mentioned my riding impressions above.

[dinesh_redhawk]

Got the bike delivered to me yesterday. Everything was good except for the fact, similar to my test ride bike, this bike also had the handle tilted towards right. And yes I checked with 2 other bikes in showroom and this was not the case.

In my new bike, the headlight, the front wheel and the handle direction were not aligned properly. Hence today Honda technician will visit my place and rectify this. Apart from this there were no complaints. Delivery process was smooth. Everything was good.

On my way back home, noticed couple of things - handle riser is required, some sound comes from underbody like a metal is hit when the bike jumps over speed breakers, need to check that. The pillion seat is slippery, my pillion was almost completely on my back. Could be because of jeans and as its a new seat. Horn and indicator switch placement is a pain. The thump from the exhaust is very bassy. Sounds good. No first aid kit, no saree guard, no numberplate holder.