The Honda NX history in the United States was a short one. The two-bike line—the NX650 and NX250—were short-lived replacements for the discontinued XL-series dual-sport bikes. This was before “adventure bike” was part of the moto-vocabulary, and the street-slanted, marginally off-road capable NXes lasted just a couple of years—1988 and 1989—in the US, though they had a longer life span overseas. Eventually, the XR650L and XR250L replaced them, and the XRs were far superior off-road motorcycles. Well, the NX designation is back in the form of the 2024 Honda NX500, the European replacement for the CB500X adventure bike.
- The 2024 Honda NX500 owes quite a bit to the CB500X, as the platform is basically identical. Still, there are changes, so let’s go over them.
- The NX500 is seven pounds lighter than the CB500X at the curb.
- New wheels are responsible for most of the weight loss. The NX500’s wheels are a five-spoke cast aluminum design and over six pounds lighter than the CB500X wheels. Further, unsprung weight that is also rotating mass is weight well lost.
- Lighter wheels mean revised suspension settings. The Showa SFF-BP fork survives the transition with new damping settings and spring rate.
- The fuel mapping is updated. According to a Honda insider, the result is “sharper acceleration.” Also, traction control is now part of the package.
- A new five-inch TFT dash supersedes the CB500X’s aging LCD display. Integrated into the dash connectivity to your smartphone. That requires the Honda RoadSync app and Bluetooth.
- We’re sure you noticed the new styling. All the plastic is new, giving the NX500 a more purposeful look. Note that the location photos are of an accessorized NX, including crash bars and auxiliary lighting.
- American Honda hasn’t announced a 2024 CB500X in the United States, so we’re crossing our fingers that the 2024 Honda NX500 will make it to our shores. In the meantime, we can tell you that it’s available in three colorways in the United Kingdom, with a list price of £6799. The exchange rate at the time of publication puts that at $8310 in US currency. We would expect a less-expensive US price, as the ’23 CB500X has an MSRP of $7299.
2024 Honda NX500 Specs
ENGINE
Type: Parallel twin
Displacement: 471cc
Bore x stroke: 67.0 x 66.8mm
Maximum power: 47 horsepower @ 8600 rpm
Maximum torque: 32 ft-lbs @ 6500 rpm
Compression ratio: 10.7:1
Valvetrain: DOHC; 4 vpc
Fueling: EFI w/ 34mm throttle bodies
Transmission: 6-speed
Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ assist and slipper functions
Final drive: Chain
CHASSIS
Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable Showa SFF-BP 41mm inverted fork; 5.2 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted spring-preload adjustable shock; 5.3 inches
Wheels: Cast aluminum
Front wheel: 19 x 2.5
Rear wheel: 17 x 4.5
Tires: Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour
Front tire: 110/80 x 19
Rear tire: 160/60 x 17
Front brake: 296mm discs w/ 4-piston Nissin calipers
Rear brake: 240mm disc w/ 2-piston caliper
ABS: 2-channel standard
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
Wheelbase: 56.9 inches
Rake: 27.5 degrees
Trail: 4.3 inches
Seat height: 32.7 inches
Ground clearance: 7.1 inches
Fuel capacity: 4.7 gallons
Curb Weight: 432 pounds
COLORS
Grand Prix Red
Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic
Pearl Horizon White
2024 Honda NX500 Price: £6799 MSRP
