Versys 650 owner rides the NX500: Shares 10 observations on Honda ADV

I've owned two Honda CBR 250Rs in the past.

BHPian Legal_Eagle recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I can see a lot many members going gaga over NX500. Rightly so, the product is a Honda. I have a Versys 650 presently, which I feel is heavy in everyday conditions. Was looking for a more manageable bike, ideally for a one-bike garage. So I headed straight to test ride NX500 at Bigwing, Lavelle Road, Bangalore. Had booked an appointment via a phone call before visiting them at 6.15 PM.

First things first, I was really disappointed with Bigwing customer service. I was their only customer at that time and nobody was interested in talking (probably because I had been in an Activa wearing simple formals and flip-flops, never mind) I then went to the reception counter after checking out the black NX500 and requested a test drive. I was asked to fill out a form showed them my DL and entered a few details in the form given. I was handed over the keys to a red NX500 parked outside. I took it out for a short spin.

Before going further, I would like to state that I have always loved Honda products for their over-engineered engines which can last a long long time.

Here is my first impression of NX500:

1. I have owned two CBR250Rs in the past, that being said, the fit and finish are average for a CBU. Especially the plastics are strictly average, and flimsy for a bike that costs an arm and a leg. What I would call top-notch is the build of Transalp which was parked outside, though it costs your kidneys. The plastics on the Versys650 feel like it is built to last.
2. The ride was quite disappointing as well. I felt the suspension on Scrambler 400x to be more plush, H450 is in a different league altogether. The 400x is so sprightly and sorted at city speeds (don't know about highway performance), and the H450 is vibey but it makes up with its beautiful suspension. The suspension on NX500 feels out of sorts at the front especially when exiting sharp ruts on the road, and there is some dive under braking. Adv390 has adjustable WP apex suspension, and Versys has adjustable Showas, I just feel that Honda could have tuned it better.
3. The power on tap is not too exciting, the Adv390 felt more lively as well as the scrambler 400x. No ride by wire. But the NX500 felt much more sorted at low speeds than the H450 and Adv390.
4. The toggle switch is tactile but I guess it will be difficult to operate with gloves. Braking is on par with what you expect from a Honda, with adequate feedback and stopping power.
5. The biggest positive is how easy the NX500 is to ride. It just feels so natural and nimble. You can weave in and out of tight spots in the traffic, very easy to manoeuvre. You don't feel like you are riding an ADV in the city, all the controls fall into place naturally. The clutch is super duper smooth. Comparatively, the Versys650 feels like riding an elephant.
6. The engine is typical Honda, smooth, tractable, very low NVH, linear power delivery. But my point is, that the power delivery is too predictable, boring, and sedate.
7. Honda's record in India with respect to CBU bikes is quite scary. Either the parts are not readily available or they will stop the model abruptly. The bikes from Honda as such do not demand much apart from regular maintenance but in case of a fall or accident, you have a pretty long lead time for spares.
8. The accessories for NX500 are exorbitantly priced, and with not many encouraging signs in the aftermarket accessories space, the owners shall be left shortchanged. I feel there is no point getting the front frame bracket at around 35k when you can actually replace the damaged side of the frame at much lower than half of what the bracket costs.
9. But is the on-road price of Rs.7.53 lakh justified? Let's see what we can get at the same price, you can get two interceptors, two adv390x, two H450s, two scrambler 400x, two Yezdi adventure, a pre-worshipped 2021-22 Versys650, Vstrom 650, etc. Is the NX500 twice as good as any of the above-mentioned bikes? It is ultimately for us to decide. If you ask me, it's an emphatic NO. All the above-mentioned bikes are fairly reliable, simple to maintain, have vast dealer service networks and are comparatively quite affordable.
10. In conclusion, I feel that, for the package it offers, NX500 is rather poorly priced and Honda being Honda, can pull the plug anytime. It may be a logical investment if you are planning to keep NX500 for a considerable amount of time but if you get bored soon which I definitely feel you will, your ROI may go for a toss. I feel that this is not a viable upgrade for those who already own a 40+ HP ADV bike, the only saving grace being refinement from the Honda Twin.

Local manufacturing along with price correction will go a long way, maybe Honda should take a leaf out of Aprilia's RS457 pricing, but for those who don't mind paying 7.5 big ones for a 451cc twin, well, I hope that your faith is paid back with interest!

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