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Honda NX 500 in review (Baujahr 2024)

A2 adventure bike with all-rounder qualities

28.08.2024

Photos: Motorradtest.de

With the NX 500, Honda is launching a successor to the successful CB 500 X. The new model now has a modern cockpit as well as traction control. Tanja and Dietmar found out where the strengths and weaknesses of the Honda NX 500 lie during an extensive test drive.

The all-rounder par excellence

Basically, the NX 500 is still a good-natured all-rounder that positions itself somewhere between an adventure bike and a cross-over. The machine has 48 hp, so it is A2 capable and actually looks exactly as it drives: fluffy and not too ostentatious, somehow a machine for everyone. The NX 500 costs 8,090 euros including the overpass and is already well equipped as standard. It is available in three colors.

Color choices: black, red, white.

Dimensions and seat test

The seat test reveals no great surprises (as does the whole machine itself, by the way), you sit comfortably upright, the moderately wide handlebars fall into your hands as if by themselves and the seat height of 830 mm also fits the restrained appearance of the NX 500. Even smaller people should get their feet on the ground well and the passenger will also find a decent amount of space along with reasonable handles. Compared to an Africa Twin, everything here is a bit smaller, narrower, lower, lighter - and of course easier to maneuver. In terms of ergonomics, hardly anything has changed compared to its predecessor, the Honda CB 500 X - except for the slightly higher seat.

Sitzprobe Honda NX 500

That's what it's like to sit on the Honda NX 500.

360 degree tour of the Honda NX 500

Technology

Honda has made the biggest update to the cockpit and controls. You now look at a TFT color display and have an illuminated directional pad on the left for operation. There are no riding modes, but at least traction control that can be turned on/off with a separate button.

The mobile phone pairing is really great. This is what the Roadsync app is for, which can be set up easily - no, that's not a matter of course! If the smartphone is paired, you can answer phone calls and control the music and, above all, place arrow navigation on the display really conveniently. We already know this from the CB 650 R, which is also new, and works perfectly on both sides and at no extra charge.

There is also (almost) nothing to complain about when it comes to the light: full LED including turn signals, ESS emergency brake indicator system and hazard warning lights - all on board. Unfortunately not an automatic turn signal reset, but there is always something...

Well-known: 500cc in-line twin with neat manners.

This is how it drives

The sound of the Honda NX 500 is very tame. At idle speed, the engine can hardly be heard, but even when accelerating, your ears don't exactly fly around your ears (?!). Well, the NX 500 is not a bully bike anyway, so the restrained sound fits the overall impression of the machine.

Then we drive off and are happy about extremely accessible handling. The NX is not only light, it also falls playfully and predictably into corners. It drives agile and predictable and, for example, turning on a road is child's play. With this motorcycle, even the most inexperienced beginner will not be overwhelmed and old hands will be happy about so much good manners. The manageable 48 hp of the NX 500 also fits in with this - you won't exactly be thrown off the bike when accelerating, but it is fast enough as is typical for the A2.

We were a bit surprised about the braking performance. The NX has double discs at the front, but it doesn't necessarily brake better than its competitors. Please don't misunderstand: It brakes okay, but you still need some lever pressure to create a strong deceleration. The suspension is very comfortable despite the not even expansive suspension travel, without appearing spongy. It's probably too soft for the Nordschleife, but that's not where it belongs. The suspension is not adjustable except for the spring preload at the rear, but the Showa SFF-BP USG fork in particular really does an impeccable job. By the way, SFF stands for "Separate Fork Function", which refers to the separate work of the coil spring and damping in the two fork tubes.

Double discs on an A2 bike are rare. The NX 500 has it, but unfortunately it doesn't bring any advantages.

So nothing at all, as nothing at all on the Honda NX 500 looks cheaply made - except for the non-adjustable and somewhat loveless clutch lever. However, since the necessary clutch force with the fluffy 6-speed gearbox is close to zero anyway, we can live with it. Even the box swingarm made of aluminum is not only light, it also doesn't look cheap. By the way, the cast aluminum wheels are also light, which means that the unsprung masses of the NX 500 are about 3 kilos lower than those of the CB 500X - and you can actually notice that.

At least Tanja had some problems with the wind protection, as she had to struggle with turbulence on her helmet from 100 km/h. Since the windshield is not adjustable, you should check this out during a test drive - and if necessary, use another blade. In Dietmar's case, by the way, these problems were not so pronounced, so it's a very individual matter.

So what kind of motorcycle is the Honda NX 500? Strictly speaking, it is an adventure bike, because cross-over bikes have 17-inch front wheels, the Honda has a 19-inch wheel. It comes with Dunlop Trailmax - mixed tires that should actually also work off-road. However, the suspension travel is quite narrow at only 135 mm. So we'll stick to it: It's an adventure bike, but you can easily ride it on unpaved slopes.

As always, Honda gives a two-year warranty, the service is due once a year or every 12,000 kilometers. Competitors are adventure bikes with a maximum of 48 hp, e.g. the KTM 390 Adventure, Benelli TRK 502 or BMW G 310 GS. It's amazing that there are so few motorcycles of this type in the A2 class. Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Triumph - nothing to be seen far and wide...

>>> Comparison Honda NX 500 vs. A2 Adventure Bikes <<<

Result

The Honda NX 500 is a simple but well-made A2 adventure bike. It convinces with impeccable and mega-easy handling and is therefore a perfect all-rounder for A2 riders and bikers who no longer feel like 250 kg + bullets. With 48 hp, you shouldn't expect any performance explosions, but that wouldn't fit the extremely good-natured overall impression of the NX 500 at all.

The test machine was kindly provided to us by motofun, a large Honda dealer in Kaltenkirchen (30 minutes north of Hamburg). There, the NX 500 will be available as a demonstrator for a test drive, along with many, many other Honda models. By the way, motofun also has a large number of used machines, so it's always worth a visit.

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