Just a day after we reported that certain dealers were accepting pre-bookings for it, Honda has launched the NX500 in India at Rs 5.90 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom, Delhi). 

Powering the Honda NX500 is a liquid-cooled, 471cc, parallel-twin engine that’s rated for 47.5hp and 43Nm and this motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slip and assist clutch.

A diamond frame suspended by a USD fork and preload-adjustable monoshock, both by Showa, is on offer here. With its 17.5 litre tank fully brimmed, the NX500 tips the scales at 196 kg (3kg less than the CB500X it replaces). Braking duties are handled by Nissin, with axial calipers biting down upon twin 296mm discs at the front and a single 240mm disc is found at the rear. Dual-channel ABS is standard. Like the erstwhile CB500X it rolls on cast alloy wheels with a 19-inch front and a 17-inch rear.

Another change to the CB500X is the 5-inch TFT dash found on the NX500. You can pair your smartphone to the dash and receive navigation data and notification updates. The NX500 is available in three colours – white, black and red– and gets a switchable traction control system. 

At its Rs  5.90 lakh asking price, the Honda NX500 sits closer to something like the Kawasaki Versys 650 (Rs 7.77 lakh) than its comparable rivals like the Royal Enfield Himalayan (Rs 2.85 lakh-2.98 lakh, ex-showroom, Chennai) and the KTM 390 Adventure (Rs 2.81 lakh-3.61 lakh). Bookings are now open at all HondaBigWing dealers and deliveries are slated to begin from February 2024.