Close look at the Honda NX500 via a quick showroom visit

At Rs 5.5 lakh on-road Bangalore, I am sold on the bike except for the price.

BHPian nasirkaka recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Saw the Honda NX500 this Saturday along with the BHPian redliner, at two locations in 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' as some other bigger adv bikes. A 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 Karizma, but the console area and the windscreen look nice. I have a feeling that the windscreen may channel a lot of wind around the helmet area. It's neither too tall, nor too short.

Ergonomics felt neutral, somewhat between an upright posture and a 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. The seat felt nice and plush and there was enough room for rider and pillion. Fit and finish are good with typical Honda quality. Switches are of good quality with horns and indicators interchanged from the normal. The exhaust looks a bit dated and commuter-ish.

There was CB500X available so took it for a short test ride, essentially it's the same as the NX500. That particular bike seemed to have some issues and felt a bit odd with thick heated grips, after-market mirrors, etc. But the engine still felt very smooth and the gearbox super slick. There was some high-pitched noise while revving the bike hard, which 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 an engine guard, bash plate, radiator guard, centre 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 for 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 to 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.

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