The wait is over for all the adventure enthusiasts wanting to get their hands on the Honda CB500X.
This parallel twin compact adventurer motorcycle is the latest offering from Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI). The Honda CB500X will be imported as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit which means the imported parts of the bike will be locally assembled in India. This will be the company’s début middleweight adventure tourer which will be sold through its exclusive BigWing dealerships. Bookings for the Honda CB500X have opened all over India at Honda’s premium big bike dealerships – BigWing Topline and BigWing.
The Honda CB500X is priced at Rs 6.87 lakh (ex-showroom). The premium price tag, which may not be accepted well by potential buyers, is only because the bike is not manufactured in India. The motorcycle will available in two colours – Grand Prix Red and Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic.
The Honda CB500X is powered by a 471-cc, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin-cylinder engine that delivers a maximum power of 47.6 hp at 8,500 rpm and peak torque of 43.2 Nm at 6,500 rpm. The engine comes mated to a six-speed gearbox equipped with an assisted-shift slipper clutch. What makes the bike an able adventurer is its long-travel 41-mm telescopic front forks and the Honda Pro-Link rear monoshock suspension set-up with a 9-stage spring preload adjustment which will help smother uneven roads.
The 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast – aluminium wheels shod with tubeless block-pattern tyres add to the off-roading capabilities of the bike. It will be interesting to see how Indian buyers react to the bike’s 830-millimetre saddle height and 197 kg weight. Honda confidently claim that the comfortable seating makes the Honda CB500X a perfect motorcycle for city riding as well as a powerful machine for the rough terrain with its upswept exhaust, muffler tuned to produce a crisp, grunty exhaust note, and usable power and torque offered across the range.
A few of the features Honda highlight on CB500X are full-LED lighting, diamond-shaped steel-tube frame, long-travel 41-mm front suspension, Honda Pro-Link rear suspension, negative display LCD dial, and a tall windscreen to tackle wind blast. The Honda CB500X comes equipped with the smart ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) technology that detects sudden braking and automatically activates the front and rear hazard lights. Honda also offers the theft-deterrent Honda Ignition Security System (HISS).
Also read: Honda CB350 RS or H’ness CB350 – Which One Should You Buy?
Story: Cherry Mathew Roy
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