There is one last point that I must mention with regard to the Honda CB500X. And that is time. We Indian motorcyclists have gotten accustomed to waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for the perfect bike.
The Adv 390 was our great big hope but it disappointed the large majority of motorcyclists who had waited for years. If KTM had got the ingredients closer to what its target market was expecting, the Adv 390 would have sold in plenty.
The Honda CB500X was the next big hope but Honda's pricing, as I stated, is ridiculous.
OK, we waited for 3 - 5 years for these two bikes, now we will wait for our next big hope - the twin cylindered KTM Adv 490, which should blast everything below and above it to smithereens. But, what if Bajaj / KTM only launches the Duke 490 and RC490 first? What if Bajaj / KTM doesnt pull the trigger on the Adv 490 for India, due to the low sales of the Adv 390? Maybe Bajaj will want to wait for the 490 platform to be established first, before launching the Adv 490 which will be at a much higher price point than it's platform mates.
That adds at least 12 - 30 months of waiting from now. And many riders have already waited for 3 - 5 years. Maybe there will never be a perfect motorcycle. The dream of the perfect next bike often overshadows our motorcycling choices and our happiness in the present day.
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Originally Posted by Axe77 This bike will need a customer base of riders who know exactly what they want and have been there done that, whether with smaller or larger capacity bikes. |
I completely agree with your post. I think you have summed it up brilliantly. This might be a small subsection of the market, but for them, there is a value proposition with the CB500X.
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Originally Posted by Axe77 Off topic but one of the reasons I feel the Triumph Trident will actually do really well. A perfect visual blend of the best of Street Twin / Street Triple with adequate power to make the most of our conditions. It is also refreshing to feel like you're pushing some of these bikes when they're at 100 / 120 instead of feeling on a litre class where you don't feel like the bike has even woken up and you're already at hairy speeds. |
Spot on. The Trident is already garnering a ton of bookings, even without the bike reaching India. I know of cases where the dealership is calling potential customers who showed interest in the Trident and is asking them to confirm their booking before they run out of bikes that will be allocated to them.
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Originally Posted by ManneAtWheelz 2 questions, 1. What is the purpose you purchased Street Triple? 2. Why did you return in KTM, is there a story I'm missing here? |
I came close to buying a Ducati 959 and then later, a Kawasaki ZX10R. I realized that a middleweight bike like the Street Triple 675 would be a better option for me to build my limited skills and get some track riding experience, before I went up the ladder.
I had to drop my Triumph in Trivandrum for a few days and hence, returned on the first gen Duke 390.
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Originally Posted by aargee Some of them look value in what they buy, some look quality, some look for style, some look for class, I'm a person who look for value & from that POV, I don't see CB500X offers absolutely no value at all. The only credit I can take is, all parts are Made in Japan & for that, yes, this price is awesome. Spares is something I'm not going to comment for now as it should be imported from Japan or worst case they should be made in India later & then I start asking myself, if the high initial cost is justified? |
I absolutely agree with you and everyone else, on the very limited VFM being offered by the CB500X. 3 years ago, I would have said that Honda will struggle to sell any CB500Xs at this price, but today, I see a small segment of riders to whom this appeals strongly. Riders like me.
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Originally Posted by ManasN95 Brilliantly put Sir, Honda should take note and using this passage of write up for their sales pitch, with due credits. |
Thank you for your very kind words. I wont mind if they dont give me any credit but instead give me a loaner bike for a few days to see if the bike is as good as everyone says it is!
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Originally Posted by camitesh Slight OT but what worries me is the price point at which Honda will launch the new 650R for which the last known ex-showroom price in 2019 was 7.7 lakhs (just 80+ k more than 500x). Going by US prices, the difference between CB500X and CBR650R is a whooping $2,700 so anything less than INR 9 lakhs will be a miracle for 650R IMO. Kawasaki Z900 and Street Tripple R territory |
I guess if Honda sees enough demand for the CB500X, they might consider a CKD run for the bike at more affordable prices. I too felt that Rs 5.5L ex showroom was the right price for the motorcycle, irrespective of how it reached the showrooms.
The 650 will likely be matched up on price with the Kawasaki Z900 and Triumph Street Triple R. They did the same when the original CBR650F was launched in 2015.
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Honda import the CBR 650F into India via the CKD route, assembled at Manesar. This should have seen affordable pricing, but at this price, leave aside direct rivals, you can bring home the capable Z800, Kawasaki’s in-line four cylinder machine that’s a clean segment up on any 650.
As a bike on its own, the CBR 650F makes a robust, well rounded performer. It’s got a fairing, quality, good equipment, strong performance and reasonably nice handling. Pit it against its nearest rivals, the in-line four Benelli’s, 600i and 600GT, and the CBR is more than able to hold its own. However, factor in its Rs 7.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) price and the CBR 650F runs into a brick wall. Honda’s priced the bike a segment higher, where the competition is way stiffer.
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Link to
Autocar India's review of the CBR650F.