First impressions of the Honda NX500 after a short test ride

I only got to ride the bike for ~400mts - maybe because it was the first day of test rides and there were 4-5 people in the queue.

BHPian night_eagle recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

NX500 is now available for test rides in the Lavelle Road, Bengaluru Bigwing branch. Apparently they received 8 units (4 Black + 4 Red) in the first lot and 7 of them have been allotted to people who were first to book the bike. One red unit is being used for test drives.

Coming to the test ride, I only got to ride the bike for ~400mts - maybe because it was the first day of test rides and there were 4-5 people in the queue. Now, forming a firm opinion based on such a short ride is a challenge, so I will share my preliminary views. For reference, I currently ride a CB350 H'ness

• I am 6'1 and I was able to flat-foot the bike easily. The bike did not feel heavy to take off the sidestand.

• For my height, the riding stance was a bit aggressive. Handlebar risers should be able to resolve this issue.
• The seat felt comfortable with enough space for the rider to move around. Can't comment on the pillion comfort but the seat looked flat-ish and spacious.

• Did not feel any vibrations and the clutch was butter-smooth. The fit and finish was great. Nothing new here. Typical Honda!
• The foot pegs were rear-set as compared to H'ness. Inadvertently, I did place my left foot on the gear lever while in 1st gear and had to look down to understand why I was not able to shift to 2nd gear.
• The windshield offered ample protection. Pls, keep in mind I was not able to go beyond 45kmph.
• The instrument console was readable in bright sunlight.
• Moving from the toe+heel gear shifter on the H'ness to toe only shifter on NX500 will take some adjustment.
• I liked the red colour unit more than the black one. Thankfully, I have also booked the red colour.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.