[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by ds.raikkonen

Apart from emissions POV, E20 blend has:
-Anti-knock properties, enhances octane rating for modern high compression SI engines
-Lower fuel imports, support agri farmers

Yes, there are some advantages of E 20. Similarly, it is not without its disadvantages as well which can easily be read up by anyone interested.

However, in response to the original query, I stand by my statement that BS6 does not mandate E20.

[ds.raikkonen]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

BS6 does not mandate E20.

Yes, E20 compliance is required so that once rolled out pan-India, vehicles can run on this mix without any issues

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by ds.raikkonen

Yes, E20 compliance is required so that once rolled out pan-India, vehicles can run on this mix without any issues

I think I'm being misunderstood here. I have already said that its preferable to but a E20 compliant model (car or bike) so as to obviate any issues with the E20 blend of fuel which is headed our way (if not being sold already without us knowing it).

However to say that BS 6 mandates use of E20 fuel is incorrect. BS6 merely prescribes standards pertaining to emission levels and certain other things like having a OBD conforming to certain other norms. As I said we are digressing from the issue here when several other BS6 and E 20 threads exist on this forum.

To answer the original question again, the NX500 is not E20 compliant but is definitely and very much BS6 compliant.

Cheers

[antz.bin]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

How does the short suspension travel on the NX500 (135mm rear and 150mm front) fare in the real world riding?
Shouldn't this be a bit more if the bike has the 'NX' prefix and if its categorized under "Adventure Touring" bracket? Most bikes under that category have higher travel, for eg, 170mm + for 390 adv for both, 180mm for 310GS for both front and rear, and so on. Would the short suspension travel be an issue on th NX500, if the bike is taken off the tarmac.

The road biased Duke 390 has 150mm of travel at either end. So does the Scrambler 400x.

Suspension travel on the NX500 (150mm front, 135mm rear) is actually closer to Speed 400 (140mm front, 130mm rear) than it is to the 390 ADV or Himalayan. BUT, I have taken the Speed 400 off tarmac and apart from the road biased tyres, nothing else has been a worry. The NX500 should probably be fine as well as long as off road = unpaved roads and not trails.

The bigger enabler for Adventure touring would be the ground clearance. But even there, NX500 (180mm) is closer to Speed 400 (170mm) than it is to ADV 390 (200mm), Himalayan (230mm), Scrambler 400x (195mm), 310GS (220mm) or V Storm 250 (205mm).

Net Net: Duke 390 has better rear suspension travel AND more Ground Clearance (183mm) than the NX500. Scrambler 400x has even better GC and also shares the 19 inch front with the NX500.

[nasirkaka]

The NX500 should probably be fine as well as long as off road = unpaved roads and not trails.

It is easy to define where the paved road ends. But not so easy to distinguish between where the unpaved road ends, and the trail starts and the trail gets tough and at times even technical. All this amplified when one is riding with an enthusiastic bunch of riders willing to go that extra mile.
I really like the NX500 from pics, videos, reviews etc but am afraid Himalayan makes more sense for the usage. But the heart is still tugging at it. Decisions! Decisions!!

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

How can they sell without BS6.2 (E20) compliance? Is there any exception for CBU imports?

Just curious,
surjaonwheelz

I believe these bikes are homologated under Euro 5+ and not BS6(.2). Kawasaki told me the same thing about the ZX4R, and you can find that the other ninjas are homologated under BS6 (perhaps Transalp and ZX4R owners can share their RC details). Why then Honda never brought their big bikes last year, no one knows.

[sid_misra]

If the NX is not E20 compatible then people may run into issues later with a risk to their engine.

[PraNeel]

The NX500 page on Honda bigwing site was was giving error for past 2-3 days. Now the price is not shown on the product page, which is usually present at the end of the page.
Sold out? Price Revision? Website Issues?

[AtheK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkPHiZVFLiM

The Exhaust note from around 2:25 mark, sounds very nice indeed.

[Ritz2010]

Visited VM road to see NX500. It's BS6 stage 2 compliant.

The bigger turn indicator switch from previous gen 500x is gone. It's been made small to accomodate 5 way joystick to control display.

On-road price is 7.5L in Bengaluru.

Initial stock of 20 is already sold (read 20 bookings). Next stock is expected shortly.

No accesories available yet. White colour is expected around May.

Very good insulation casing done in NX500 compared to 500x.

[nasirkaka]

Saw the Honda NX500 this Saturday along with BHPian redliner, at two locations at Bangalore. The bike looks very nice especially from certain angles. The size is such that it will not camouflage on the road along with other commuter bikes, but it is not as drastic or 'attention grabbing' like some other bigger adv bikes. Good balance of looks is what i would say, sort of cross between dakar-ish front end and commute-ish rear.

Test rides will begin sometime this week as registration is still pending. I did manage to sit on the bike . Front the saddle, the tank reminds of Karizma, but console area and the windscreen looks nice. I have a feeling that windscreen may channel a lot of wind around the helmet area. Its neither too tall, not too short.

Ergonomics felt neutral, somewhat between an upright posture and slightly sporty one. A handlebar riser may be required for super upright posture and also to help with standing and riding. There seems to be some slack in cables to accommodate a riser, but we never know until we try to fit one.

Weight did not feel much, foot pegs were tucked inside, and felt a bit small. Seat felt nice and plush and there was enough room for rider and pillion. Fit and finish is good with typical Honda quality. Switches are of good quality with horn and indicator interchanged from the normal. The exhaust look a bit dated and commuter-ish.

There was CB500X available so took it for a short test ride, essentially its same as the NX500. That particular bike seemed to have some issue and felt a bit odd with thick heated grips, after market mirrors, etc. But the engine still felt very smooth and gear box super slick. There was some high pitched noise while revving the bike hard, could be vibrations from some loose elements / guards etc which was odd. All in all, that test ride was not conclusive enough.


The NX500 is 5.55 OTR in Bangalore without any accessories. Even a USB socket has to be bought separately. I feel essentials like engine guard, bash plate, radiator guard, center stand, riser, knuckle guard, luggage plate, and a pair of aux lights may cost upwards of 1-1.5L.

I am sold on the bike except the price. Would test ride the NX 500 when available and weigh my options. The bike looks more suited towards touring and we may feel a bit unsure to take it off the road to unknown territories. It looks capable enough do some light trails but not hard-core off roading unless one is looking at rally-raid kits and such mods which are very expensive to begin with and difficult to procure.

Sharing some pictures of the bike below.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

With NX500 in offering now, there is line of thought which says sell the interceptor and the 310GS both, and get the NX500. I guess the NX500 would be able to do what both these bikes offer.

The NX500 will do what those two bikes can do and offer you a lot more comfort and versatility.

Unless you head into the uber high end VFR DCT space, a Honda motor can be maintained and fixed at just about any garage. They are simple and easy to work on. Your regular service will cost more that any Royal Enfield for sure. No escape here. That being said, a regular, timely service is the only thing Hondas need. They rarely go wrong. You crash the bike, thats on you (Or your insurance). For regular upkeep, even post warranty, they don't demand much attention. That is the appeal.

[nasirkaka]

Unless you head into the uber high end VFR DCT space, a Honda motor can be maintained and fixed at just about any garage. They are simple and easy to work on.

What about the E10 compatibility of the NX500 and not E20? Do you think it is a big cause of concern for future, as some pointed out in previous messages? I was talking to another BHPian and was of the opinion that this Honda 500 engine is not very high compression and in real life, it may not make much difference between E10 and we could run it on E20.

[sid_misra]

I have checked a lot of forums. I don't think anyone can say for sure how E20 fuel would impact. Some vehicles react very badly to even 5% more ethanol.

While Honda engine quality is good and may sustain but I don't think they will recommend E20 yet and warranty may become an issue post 2025.

[night_eagle]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Test rides will begin sometime this week as registration is still pending. .

NX500 is now available for test rides in the Lavelle Road, Bengaluru Bigwing branch. Apparently they received 8 units (4 Black + 4 Red) in the first lot and 7 of them have been allotted to people who were first to book the bike. One red unit is being used for test drives.

Coming to the test ride, I only got to ride the bike for ~400mts - maybe because it was the first day of test rides and there were 4-5 people in the queue. Now, forming a firm opinion based on such a short ride is a challenge, so I will share my preliminary views. For reference, I currently ride a CB350 H'ness:

• I am 6'1 and I was able to flat foot the bike easily. The bike did not feel heavy to take off the side stand.
  
  
• For my height, the riding stance was a bit aggressive. Handlebar risers should be able to resolve this issue.
• Seat felt comfortable with enough space for the rider to move around. Can't comment on the pillion comfort but the seat looked flat-ish and spacious.
  
  
• Did not feel any vibrations and the clutch was butter smooth. The fit and finish was great. Nothing new here. Typical Honda!
  
• The foot pegs were rear set as compared to H'ness. Inadvertently, I did place my left foot on the gear lever while in 1st gear and had to look down to understand why I was not able to shift to 2nd gear.
  
• The windshield offered ample protection. Pls keep in mind I was not able to go beyond 45kmph.
  
• Instrument console was readable in bright sunlight.
  
• Moving from toe+heel gear shifter on the H'ness to toe only shifter on NX500 will take some adjustment.
  
• I liked the red colour unit more than the black one. Thankfully, I have also booked the red colour.