This is the start of my review on the Honda NX500 which I will regularly update. On the 7th November 2023, I changed the deposit on a Honda CB500X motorcycle to the brand new Honda NX500 Adventure Crossover motorcycle for an early delivery in April 2024. I chose the white colour variant. I collected my Honda NX500 on the 7th March as I was informed by the Honda Dealership that it was legal to ride it in the UK. I was fair chuffed riding a 2024 plate on the road before April. Although the motorcycle is branded as the Honda NX500, its official name for registration and insurance purposes is the Honda CB500 XA-R.

 Video Review

I have produced a video review of my Honda NX500 motorcycle which can be viewed at the foot of this page.

You can read the Full Review as it progresses or jump to a section of your choice in the contents section. Some sections will contain duplicate information.

Contents

Why the NX500 over the CB500X -

  • The addition of the Honda Selectable Torque Control

  • The Colour TFT Dash Screen

  • The slightly lighter 196Kg Wet Weight

  • Lighter 5 Spoke Wheels

  • LEDs all round

  • The improved Headlamp

  • The improved Visual Look

Reasons for the Purchase
 First and foremost it is a birthday present to myself as I celebrate my 75 years on planet earth. Also, I alternate my summer rides on my two sports motorcycles but I never take them on the rough country B roads of Scotland. These type of roads are just thin lines on a map, especially the ones that are just tracks over the mountain ranges. These are the types of roads I want to explore and as a keen photographer, to capture some landscape images. Of course, stopping for a very nice picnic, high up a hillside is also very appealing - nothing like a nice sandwich whilst chilling out and taking in the views. In the summer months, I will alternate the NX500 with my sports bikes - when I feel the need for speed. Scotland is notorious for wet weather and the month of July (2023) experienced rain most days. The Honda NX500 is the ideal bike to take out when there are intermittent showers. I have Gore-Tex clothing, so no soaking wet worries and the bike has traction control.

Every winter my two sports bikes are stored in the garage and connected to Optimate chargers. I hate the winter period in Scotland and travelling in my car to visit my family and friends on the dual carriageway is a pain in the neck. I usually end up sitting in long traffic queues. The Honda NX500 is a motorbike that I will use in the winter months when the weather is reasonable, even when there is rain about but not on snow and icy roads. It is ideal for lane splitting and fortunately the NX500 does have traction control which is an added safety bonus. All the Honda NX500 requires is some preparation with Muc-Off Motorcycle Protectant protection spray which I have found is better to apply and attracts less sticky dirt than ACF-50. Then it a decent wash down after every trip before it goes into the garage. Even on sunny dry days in Scotland in the winter, there is plenty of residual salt dust flying about on the roads, especially the dual carriageways, so a good wash cleans away the salt, especially from the braking system.

 I have been watching the recent video reviews on the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and the ongoing analysis of 'Weight to Power' ratio of 350cc motorcycles. I test rode the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 and it was a nice bike for my 2024 plan of rambling on the country lanes but not one that promoted safety on the very fast Edinburgh City Bypass; my main route to and from the country lanes of the Lothian and Borders of Scotland.

These days, a motorcycle does not have to be a full on fast sports bike but it should have enough poke and braking power to get you out of trouble: safely overtake those crawlers in the inside lane and yet staying ahead of the fast moving herd in the outside lane, brake efficiently in wet weather at dual carriageway speeds and have enough weight to remain firmly planted on the road, especially a soaking wet road at 70mph.

Hence, my 2024 Honda NX500 Adventure Crossover Motorcycle, which weighs in at 196Kg wet and the bike is in that sweet spot between those lightweight single pot 373cc motorcycles and the larger, heavier and higher seating positions of those 650cc, and above, adventure motorbikes. The parallel twin liquid cooled 471cc engine, the front twin ABS disc brakes, Showa 41mm SFF-BP front forks suspension, 830mm seat height and 180mm ground clearance have a lot to offer. It has more than enough poke for fast overtaking on the dual carriageways, excellent braking capability and more than capable of handling the narrow rough trail roads of Scotland. The icing on the cake has to be the introduction of the Honda Selectable Torque Control that can be switched off when required.


My Choice of Accessories:

 

Me on my New Bike

 

 

My Bike on the Centre Stand

R&G Tank Grips

I have fitted R&G Tank Traction Grips to my Honda NX500 which will provide me with more grip on the tank and prevent my knees from sliding -

 

 

Scottoiler Electronic System

My existing sports motorcycles have a Scottoiler fitted, so I have fitted an electronic Scottoiler X System to my Honda NX500 to continually oil the chain when I am out and about on the bike.

I plan to use the Honda NX500 all the year round and alternate it with my sports bikes in the summer. However, for storage in the garage, and for additional charging top ups, an Optimate flying lead is attached to my Honda's battery for connecting to my Optimate 4 Automatic Battery Charger. You can see the Optimate flying lead, in the image below, clipped to the rear foot peg.

An image of my Scottoiler X followed by a video of how it works -

 

 


Winter Clothing

Over here in Scotland during March and April (2024) we have, and still are, experiencing terrible weather. Storm winds, heavy rain and periods of extreme cold, especially when riding a motorbike. My Honda NX500 adventure motorcycle has proved to be an excellent choice and thanks to the weather I have been able to fully develop new clothing for this year's late Autumn and Winter periods.

My fully sleeved base layer, 10 year old Rev'It Gore-Tex touring jacket and Rev'It Gore-Tex trousers with their thermal layer and heavy Richa Gore-Tex gloves kept me dry but even with my Honda NX500 motorcycle's heated grips warming my palms, the back of my hands were freezing. Worse still, after a few miles on the dual carriageway, the areas under my arms were also freezing. My new Oxford Advanced Storm Collar did a great job of keeping the rain and cold of my neck and my Alpinestars boots were fully waterproof and cold proof thanks to my thermal socks.

In an effort to combat the cold, I put on my skin tight fully sleeved base layer, and then a fully sleeved M&S Marino Wool thermal vest. To top of the two layers, I purchased an Oxford Advanced Expedition MS Midlayer which was a tight slim fit and when zipped up, it pulled the layers tight in against my body. On went the Rev'It Gore-Tex jacket and Rev'It Gore-Tex trousers with their thermal layers, my Alpinestars boots, my Oxford Advanced Storm Collar and I also purchased a pair of  Rev'It Fusion 3 Gloves which are Gore-Tex winter gloves specifically designed for wearing with heated grips. My palm measurement was 10" which states on the Rev'It website that a 3XL is the correct glove size. Having previous experience with Rev'It glove measurements, I went for the 4XL and the gloves are a perfect comfortable fit.

Finally, the cold was kept at bay, and the summer weather (hopefully) will soon be here but next winter I will be out and about on my Honda NX500 wearing my new clothing to combat the worst of the Scottish weather.

 Summer Clothing

Of course, during the summer months, I will be wearing lighter clothing, my Rev'It leather jacket and jeans, or my Rev'It short textile jacket and Rev'It lightweight textile trousers. Unfortunately they are not fully waterproof, especially riding in Scotland's torrential and frequent rain, but I intend to supplement my backpack with an Oxford Stormseal Waterproof Rain Suit (already ordered - waiting on stock).

 

Full Review


General Information & Running In

The Honda NX500 is supplied with a 2 year warranty with various options to extend the warranty. Honda also offer an excellent and very cost effective 3 year annual maintenance contract with the 1st service at 600 miles. I purchased the 3 year annual maintenance contract for £399.00 inclusive of vat.

Its a little strange but the running in period, when you have to keep the engine revs low, is 300 miles but the 1st service is 600 miles.

13th March 2024 - I have now completed the 300miles running in. It took 3 trips out and each day the weather was very cold with rain, torrential in some areas, and blustery winds. When possible, I kept the revs at around 4,000 to 5,000 throughout the gears to avoid labouring the engine, which is just as bad as high revs when running in. I have completed a chart below of my gear to speed to 4,000 revs ratios PLUS a second chart of best gears to match the speed limits to best revs -

 

1st Gear 17 mph 4,000 Revs
2nd Gear 28 mph 4,000 Revs
3rd Gear 34 mph 4,000 Revs
4th Gear 42 mph 4,000 Revs
5th Gear 48 mph 4,000 Revs
6th Gear 50 mph 4,000 Revs
     
  Speed Limits  
2nd Gear 20 mph 3,000 Revs
3rd Gear 30 mph 3,500 Revs
4th Gear 40 mph 3,750 Revs
5th Gear 50 mph 4,100 Revs
6th Gear 50 mph 4,000 Revs
6th Gear 60 mph 4,500 Revs
6th Gear 70 mph 5,250 Revs
     


I varied the type of roads. On the dual carriageway I was forced to overtake slow traffic in the nearside lane and popped the bike up to 70mph from 50mph in 6th gear at 5,250 revs in the outside lane with relative ease. The country roads with their hills, corners and straights proved excellent for bedding in the brakes, the gears and of course the engine. The Honda NX500 has plenty of torque and the engine braking is excellent.

 Windscreen Buffeting (Optional Tinted Windscreen)

I found that my (optional) tinted windscreen produced a fair amount of head buffeting at 70mph on the Edinburgh dual carriageway, unless I ducked down behind it - not cool on an adventure bike. I am guessing that a shorter rider would not have the same problem? Another issue is that although the tinted windscreen looks great on the bike, it is not ideal for seeing through in rain and dull wintry conditions. I may be wrong, but I cannot see how the windscreen can be adjusted on the Honda NX500.

My Triumph Speed Triple RS naked sports bike with its small windscreen produces a different kind of buffeting, which is dispersed across the torso rather than just the head. I guess the answer might be a smaller windscreen on the NX500 or the other solution could be to heighten the windscreen.

Its not a critical issue as I intend to be travelling at relatively slower speeds on country lanes and trails. Perhaps re-fitting the original clear windscreen is a better option - a distinct possibility and time will tell if I can live with the tinted one.

 

Cleaning the Honda NX500 Motorcycle

I guess all adventure motorcycles may have the same issue. Muck thrown up from the back of the bike in bad weather. The Honda NX500 is not too bad as the muck only reaches the lower parts of my legs and the base of my backpack and not up my back. Without the back pack, the muck would land on my rear end.

I am used to cleaning my sports motorcycles with very little trouble as they don't get that dirty on dry roads. The Honda NX500 is for use in all weathers. During the first trip of 101 miles and the two subsequent trips, I was riding in heavy rain, buffeting wind and riding over muck from tractors on country roads. The bike was covered in dirt, including the chain. Having checked my motorcycle, I noticed that the muck was mainly from the middle down and up on the back, including the rear of the seat.

A concern was the front of the bike where muck had been thrown up into the nooks and crannies of the exhaust pipes and the radiator vanes due to a relatively high front mudguard (high at its base) which offered no protection.

Suddenly, I was confronted with the nightmare - how do I clean it all off, especially getting into those nooks and crannies without using a power hose (not recommended) and even worse, I would have to clean the bike more often as I intended to use it during inclement weather, on country trails and especially during the winter period. I did my research on YouTube and having trawled through myriads of 'how to clean your motorcycle advice' I opted for the Muc-Off solution.

I have tended to use ACF-50 to protect the bike but Muc-Off Motorcycle Protectant is far easier to apply, there is less mess and there is much less sticky muck after a trip, and the muck is easier to wash off. It lasts long and the rain beads off the bikes components.

A video on using Muc-Off but I prefer to first clean the entire bike including the chain and sprockets and then finish cleaning the chain using the chain cleaner with the brush, dry the chain off and finally apply the chain lubricant -

 

Scottoiler X - Chain Lubrication System

I have a Scottoiler X System fitted to my Honda NX500 which will automatically apply a drip of oil on my chain when the bike is running on the road.

However, after a day out on the country trails of Scotland and cleaning the crud of my NX500 using Muc-Off cleaner, I will clean the chain, using Muc-Off chain cleaner, dry the chain off and apply some Muc-Off chain lubrication. I feel the Muc-Off chain lubrication is important as I also ride my sports bikes and the Honda NX500 might be sitting in the garage for a few days/weeks with a dry chain that may start to show signs of rust.

An image of my Scottoiler X followed by a video of how it works -

 

 


Maintenance Checklist

I have included a Maintenance Checklist.  I always check my bike using this list - prior to heading out on a trip.

Checking the Coolant Level

According to the Honda user manual, the Honda NX500 coolant level should be (with the engine cold) between the maximum and minimum marks on the white plastic reserve expansion tank when the bike is standing upright on two wheels. Any coolant top ups (not the front radiator - do not remove the radiator cap) must be accomplished by filling the white plastic reserve expansion tank from the white plastic down pipe with its small black cap on the centre/left of the bike. When the engine and the coolant are cold, remove the pipe's black cap and the manual advises that you top up to the maximum level and NOT above it.

The white plastic reserve expansion tank is situated under the bike and is best viewed from the left side by lying under the bike and peering in at the back of the left foot peg above the top of the chain to read the marks. Of course to achieve the correct reading the bike must be standing on two wheels in an upright position. The recommended coolant is Honda Pro HP Coolant to top up the reserve expansion tank as it contains the proper inhibitors to prevent rust and sludge building up in the coolant system.

 Radiator Guard

In the short time I have ridden the bike in mucky bad weather, the radiator gets a lot of muck thrown up on it and I guess it won't be long before it gets a stone ding. I have decided to fit a radiator guard and one will soon be available from R&G Motorcycle Parts. It is easy to fit with the supplied 4 rubber grommets to keep it away the front of the radiator and to prevent vibration/noise. It is secured with 4 cable ties, also supplied. This radiator guard is still not available so I decided to order a GIVI PR1171 Radiator Guard which is fitted using the supplied bolts in the pack.
Checking the Engine Oil Level

The engine oil level can be seen through a small round window situated near the bottom of the engine on the right side of the bike. If the engine is cold, start it and run it until it is warm. Switch off the engine and stand the bike on two wheels in an upright position and let the oil settle (a couple of minutes) before checking the window. The oil level should be across the middle of the window. The user manual recommends that if the level is on or below the lower level, a top up is required. You remove the oil filler cap on the right side of the bike and with the bike still on two wheels and upright, you top up to the maximum level in the window (NOT above Max) The recommended oil is Honda SAE API Service 10W-30 motorcycle engine oil which meets specification API SH (or higher) and JASO 903 Standard MA. WARNING: Do not use energy conserving or resource conserving oils.

 

 

Lights

The Honda NX500 has the following lights 'permanently on' -

  • Dipped Front Light

  • Front Indicators on Low (High Blinking when Indicating)

  • Rear Light

  • Rear Indicators on Low (High Blinking when Indicating)

  • Two Front Spot Lights (Optional Extra - Permanently Switched On)

NOTE: With harsh braking, both rear indicators commence high blinking - similar to when the indicator hazard warning switch is pressed. They return to their 'low light' setting when the harsh braking stops.
 

Controls

The controls are all as expected with the exception of the flasher/main beam switch. The kill switch, hazard warning switch and starter switch are all on the control cluster on the right of the handle bars - shown in first image below -
 


 The far left of the image below shows the Honda heated grips switch which flashes a set number of green blips depending on the press setting. After the setting is selected the blips become a steady green. When the bike ignition is switched off, the heated grips are switched off and remain off when the bike is re-started.

The next top switch to the right is the traction control toggle switch. The bike must be stopped with the engine running to toggle the traction control off/on. When set to off, there is a light showing on the TFT display. In any case, when the bike ignition is switched off, the traction control reverts to on. NOTE: When starting the bike the traction control light will be on but it goes off when the bike moves off (unless I switch the traction control off using the toggle switch)

The next top switch to the right with the white centre is the TFT Screen set-up toggle switch. More of this in the TFT Screen section.

Below is the horn switch and below that is the indicator switch which when used (right or left) displays well spaced right and left green lights on the TFT Screen. The indicators are not self cancelling. 
        

 

There is the flasher/main beam hook style switch at the back of the left hand side handlebar controls as shown in the image below. It is flicked forward to put on the main beam and flicked back to put the main beam off. If flicked completely back it also flashes the front main beam light. Personally, it does look and feel very flimsy and I guess time will tell if it holds up okay.
 


 Finally, there is the option, which I had fitted, of spotlights fitted to a crash protection bar with a press on/press off switch on the dashboard and also a 12V Socket on the dashboard - both shown on the left side of the image below -
 

 

TFT Screen & Toggle Switch Control

I have the TFT Screen setup as shown in the images below. It is fairly simple to use the toggle switch on the left side of the handle bars to set it up. (See toggle switch with white centre in the first image below)

Toggle up and down to change the bottom 'Information Bar' for various displays (I have the bike's - Total 101 mile - showing).

Toggle to the right to jump to the 'Selectable Screen' and then toggle up and down to select a display (I have the Trip A and the 0 to 100 mile/gal showing).
 


 

 

You can also enter the main Settings Menu by toggling right onto the 'Selectable Screen'  as shown on the right in the first image below, then toggle down to the gear icon display in the 2nd image, then toggle right to get into the main menu settings in the 3rd image. Then, using the toggle switch (right, left, up and down) to follow the menu direction indications.

NOTE: My TFT Screen background is set for Auto - these images were shot in my garage with very little light - the screen displayed a black background.

 

Selectable Screen on the Right

 

 

Gear Icon Screen on the Right

 

 

Menu Settings

 

 

Setting the Shift Point

I don't plan to ride the Honda NX500 like my sports bikes - I purchased the bike for a more sedate form of riding on country B roads and narrow trails. I decided to change the point at which the revolutions of the engine triggered the tachometer to flash a light on the TFT Screen.

Once you reach the Setting Menu (1st image below - using the above TFT Screen & Toggle Switch Control method) you use the toggle switch to move right onto the Shift Point (2nd image below) and then move right onto the Shift Point Setting (3rd image below) and then move right onto setting the tachometer shift point (4th image below).

Using the toggle switch move up or down which will set the tachometer shift point of your choice - I set mine for 8,000 engine revolutions. Once you have a number you like - toggle to the left, all the way out of the menus, to the main TFT Screen.
 

1st Image - Setting Menu


2nd Image - Shift Point

 

3rd Image - Shift Point Setting

 

4th Image - Setting the Tachometer Shift Point


 Seating

I found the seat to be very comfortable, even after a hour in the saddle. I have a 32" inside leg and wearing my heavy Gore-Tex textile trousers, I was able to flat foot my boots on the road with ease. It is not a wide seat and there is no pain on my thighs with both my boots on the roadway. There are times when you have to 'duck walk' the bike into a parking space but (of course) when standing at traffic lights or at any other obstacle on the road, there was no problem putting my left foot down on the road and keeping my right foot down on the foot brake.

You can remove the seat by inserting the ignition key in the left side, just under the seat, and turning the key, you hear a click and the seat pops up at the rear. There is a toolkit secured under the seat at the back with the bike's battery at the front. See image below -


Side Stand & Centre Stand

When the side stand is down and with the bike in neutral gear, you do not have to pull in the clutch lever when starting. However, the bike will not start if the side stand is down with a gear selected.

When stopping the bike and planning to put down the side stand, it is a pain in the butt. You have to be a bit of a contortionist to get your left boot behind the left foot peg, either using the heel or bending your foot around to get your toe on the stand to press it down. I ended up using my heel, but with difficulty - not good. The problem for me is that the side stand pin is more to the rear of the bike in comparison to the left foot peg, so I have to turn much more to my left and look down to see where the side stand pin is. This is different to my sports bike where the side stand pin is further forward and I can just put my foot straight down without looking and push the side stand down.

Fortunately, standing at the left side of the bike, my (optional) centre stand is a breeze to put my right foot down on and with relative ease, haul the bike backwards and up onto the centre stand.

 

 

My Bike on the Centre Stand

 

The Gearbox

The gearbox is slick, no heavy clunking, more of a click between the gears and no false neutrals. It does not require a quick shifter and if you want, you can easily shift up the box using the throttle and your left foot, without using the clutch. Having stated that, using the clutch at any speed to shift up and down the gears is effortless. I tend to shift gears in the mid rev 'sweet spot' with plenty of torque and I am very rarely above 6,000 rpm.
The Mirrors

The mirrors are excellent with very slight vibration at 5,500 revs and above which does not impact on the view behind. Properly adjusted, there is a clear view behind on both sides with only a tiny bit of the jacket sleeve showing.

Brakes

The brakes are gradually bedding in and I suspect they will get even better. Using both brakes, the emergency stopping distance at 60mph and 70mph is superb and the confidence the brakes deliver is excellent, even in torrential rain.

The rear brake (at first) was non existent but it has greatly improved after 300 miles, but on its own, it still requires a very firm press of the brake pedal to have any major impact on stopping the bike. For slow manoeuvres, I use a gently throttle, clutch and the rear brake, which is more than adequate  - they work very well.

The front brake has real bite and stopping power. It does not disappoint and when combined with the rear brake it instills a feeling of safety when riding in fast traffic on the outside lane of a dual carriageway.

You can see examples of 60mph and 70mph braking in my video review at the foot of this page.

Slow Speed Manoeuvres

The Honda NX500 is a dream bike for slow speed handling providing I make gentle throttle adjustments when in 1st gear as the bike offers up harsh engine braking during deceleration. However, I had no difficulty in completing clutch/throttle/back brake 'ultra slow' manoeuvres. The turning circle is excellent.
 
On the Road

My first 300 miles (3 x 100mile+ trips) on the Honda NX500 were conducted in penetrating drizzle, very high winds and very often torrential rain. In combination, on the country roads, I had tractor muck to contend with. The motorcycle produced superb tyre grip in the wet on the corners, and I found myself leaning it over much more than I would on my sports bikes.

The bike is extremely flickable on the corners, lightweight to handle when riding on the country roads, and yet heavy enough to remain stable at higher speeds on the dual carriageways. I guess with all my accessories, the Honda probably now weighs in at around 200kg wet. The high winds buffeted my helmet at higher speeds but at 70mph on the soaking wet dual carriageway the bike remained planted and did not produce any sudden shifts as the side winds struck it. I had no problem overtaking slower vehicles in the inside lane and easily accelerated from 50mph to 70mph - very often using 6th gear. The engine on the Honda NX500 is the same one as on the earlier model, the Honda CB500X which I tested on a private road and I achieved 95mph without any difficulty and with poke to spare.

I have never switched the traction control off, I prefer to leave it working. You can switch it off when the bike is stopped and the engine running. You flick the toggle switch and a light appears on the left/top of the TFT Screen. If you switch the ignition off and back on - the traction control is reset automatically to ON and there is no light on the TFT Screen. NOTE: The TC light is on when you start the bike but it goes off once you move off. Despite riding in torrential rain and accelerating out of country road corners, I have never felt the traction control come on or indeed the light on the TFT Screen flicker to indicate the traction control was working. I guess the tyre grip and the suspension are just very good.

The torque is excellent and I use 1st gear to get up to a reasonable speed and then up through the gears, shifting at around 4,000revs to 6,000revs which seems to maintain the peak torque. The gearbox is excellent and produces little clicks when shifting up and down the box at all speeds - I did not experience any clunking when changing up/down the gears. On the odd occasion, when coming to a complete stop (unless you blip the engine and drop the gear beforehand) shifting down from 2nd to 1st gear when stopped at a stop sign will often produce the usual clunk that most motorbikes suffer from.

The brakes are gradually bedding in and I suspect they will get even better. Using both brakes, the emergency stopping distance (I tested the brakes together at 60mph) is superb and the confidence the brakes deliver on a soaking wet dual carriageway is excellent.

The suspension and handling of the Honda NX500 are excellent. I threw it around a few country road corners, up and over some serious rises and falls in the roadway and the tyres remained planted on the tarmac, even in the soaking wet rain. Crazy stuff on those corners with an eye open for tractor muck but great fun. I never thought that I could have so much fun riding a bike in bad weather.

I don't do much urban riding in Edinburgh City, probably the only time is when I take my bikes in for servicing at the dealerships. However, when those occasions occur and much more often when I am lane splitting between stationary traffic on the dual carriageway, I like to keep the revs of the bike relatively high to avoid stalling, especially when I am suddenly forced to reduce my 20mph lane splitting speed. When lane splitting and continually moving forward, I tend to remain in 2nd gear and only dropping to 1st when the speed is likely to drop because of slower manoeuvres (even duck walking) between tight stationary traffic. I never use the front brake when lane splitting except in an extreme emergency - I prefer to feather the clutch and gently use the throttle in combination with the rear brake.

The Honda NX500 motorcycle could be classed as an 'all rounder'. It has enough poke to have some serious sports fun on the corners, enough power for safely touring, especially overtaking and staying ahead of the herd on dual carriageways and the perfect adventure bike for traversing those single track roads high up on the hills. I baled out on the cow tracks as I did not have enough experience to keep the bike moving over soaking wet grass, mud and water filled holes.

I have put together a table showing my preferred engine revs in relation to the road speed limits and gears -

 

  Speed Limits  
2nd Gear 20 mph 3,000 Revs
3rd Gear 30 mph 3,500 Revs
4th Gear 40 mph 3,750 Revs
5th Gear 50 mph 4,100 Revs
6th Gear 50 mph 4,000 Revs
6th Gear 60 mph 4,500 Revs
6th Gear 70 mph 5,250 Revs
     


 

On Country Trails
 Having taken the Honda NX500 on a green/muddy cattle track up on the hills, the bike performed okay - better than me. I have absolutely no experience riding off-road, so to say I was apprehensive is an understatement. I had both feet hovering above the ground and even with the traction control on (perhaps a mistake) the rear wheel was sliding about left and right behind me. I am sure that 2nd gear would have proved a lot better than 1st but I was not skillful enough to control the bike at a faster pace and as for standing up on the pegs - well that was not going to happen.

After about 50 yards, I decided that my riding skills on cattle tracks were useless and if I continued I would end up on the ground, face in the mud. I enjoyed the challenge but soon recognised that an off-road training course would be required before I returned - that is not going to happen.

However, riding the bike on those narrow 'single traffic' road trails on the hills, proved to be very enjoyable. This was the main reason for purchasing the Honda NX500 and it is working out very well.

Stock Exhaust Note
The exhaust note is surprisingly throaty. Its very pleasant to hear as I shift up through the gears. I suspect it can only get better as the bike puts on more miles. You can hear the exhaust note in my video review at the foot of this page.

 Luggage
I did plan to add luggage and there were various choices. Honda offered their own branded hard cases that clip onto minimal pannier racks which I thought were excellent. Then there was the SW-Motech Blaze Pro Saddlebags thrown over the rear seat, with (simple) clip-off bag support rods fitted to the rear foot pegs, which I figured were simple to use.

However, I use a small backpack when on my sports bikes which can easily accommodate all the stuff I want to carry and it is not too heavy on my back. So, I figured, I would use the same set-up when riding the Honda NX500.

I use a large Kriega R35 backpack and a Kriega Drypack fitted to the rear of my Suzuki GSX-1250FA Sports/Tourer when I head out for a week-end break, so I figured I could use the same set-up if I ever used the NX500 for a week-end away.

Negatives
So far after running in the Honda NX500 for 650 miles, I have found a few negatives (not deal breakers) -

  • The side stand pin is set further back towards the rear wheel in relation to the left foot peg. More at Side Stand & Centre Stand.

  • Checking the water coolant is not very easy and probably will require a second pair of hands to help out. More at Checking the Coolant Level

  • Heavy buffeting against my head at higher speeds on the dual carriageways. See Windscreen Buffeting

  • There is a Flasher/Main Beam Switch at the back of the left hand side controls. Personally, it does look and feel a bit flimsy - I guess time will tell if it holds up okay.

_____________________
 


Honda NX500 Motorcycle Video Review -
 

 

 

Richard Lawrence
Scotland
United Kingdom

 

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