Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has launched the CB500X, an adventure tourer inspired by the Africa Twin priced at INR 6.87 Lakh (ex-showroom).   The CB500X also becomes Honda’s first venture into the middleweight adventure touring segment.

Although motorcycle enthusiasts in India were waiting for Honda to launch its 500cc, the CB500X is relatively priced much higher than its rivals – Kawasaki Versys 650, Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT, and Benelli TRK 502.  The high pricing can particularly be attributed to the fact that the bike will be sold as a completely knocked down (CKD) machine in India.

The motorcycle takes design cues from the Honda Africa Twin fitted with a high windscreen expected to provide adequate wind cover, full LED lighting, a negative LCD instrument cluster displaying information such as gear direction, engine temperature, and other essential information.

The CB500X is powered by a 471cc, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, parallel twin-cylinder engine that produces 47 bhp at 8.500rpm and 43.2Nm at 6.500rpm. These figures are very close to those of the made-in-India KTM 390 Adventure, which costs a lot less. Given its twin-cylinder configuration, we should expect the ADV to be a competent tourer in the segment. That said, with its extra cubic capacity and two cylinders, there’s still a benefit. This results in a much calmer engine – particularly at cruising speeds – and, in addition, improved engine refinement.

The CB500X is also equipped with an assist and slipper clutch mechanism that eases upshifting and manages rear-wheel lock-ups on quick downshifts while decelerating.  The bike sits on a diamond-shaped steel-tube mainframe and gets a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheel. The CB500X runs on a regular 41mm telescopic front fork with a travel of 150mm and a nine-position rear adjustable mono-shock with a travel of 135mm for different terrains. Ground clearance stands at 181mm, while the seat height is 830mm.

Braking is handled by a 310mm disc on the front and a 240mm disc on the back. Both disks are drilled petal-type units along with a standard dual-channel anti-lock braking system. The CB500X also features the Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) feature that senses abrupt braking and automatically triggers the front and rear hazard lights that flash to warn surrounding vehicles.

President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Honda has been delivering upon its promise to expand the fun culture in India. Today, we are happy to introduce the most awaited motorcycle in our premium line-up – the CB500X. Be it rough city roads, open highways or country track, CB500X is always ready to accompany you for an unforgettable journey.”