Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has decided to fill an existing gap in the Indian market by officially introducing its new 500cc Honda CB500 motorcycle. This bike is equipped with a powerful engine and attractive design, and it is available in three different variants, starting from a base price of 2.75 lakh rupees (excluding taxes).
The launch of the CB500 is particularly significant because the segment of 500cc single-cylinder motorcycles has been absent from the Indian market for a long time. Royal Enfield discontinued its 500cc models in 2020, after which no major players have appeared in this category. The new CB500 model is intended to occupy this vacated niche. Official pre-orders for this motorcycle are already open on the company's official website.
Honda presented the CB500 in three versions. The basic Alloy version costs 2.75 lakh rupees. The next model, Spoke, features tubular wheels with cross spokes and is priced at 3 lakh rupees. The most expensive option, with spoked wheels, special colors, and graphics, is valued at 3.02 lakh rupees.
A key feature of the Honda CB500 is its new 501cc air and oil-cooled single-cylinder engine. This engine is capable of generating 28 hp and 43.3 Nm of torque. Because of this, the CB500 has become the largest air-cooled single-cylinder motorcycle from Honda in India. The model is designed for buyers who prefer light motorcycles with a heavy single-cylinder engine.
Honda has included several important features in the standard equipment of all three CB500 variants. Among them is the Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system, which helps control the rear wheel slip during riding. The motorcycle also integrates a clutch-slip mechanism, an analog-digital instrument cluster, and the Honda Road Sync connectivity feature.
It is worth noting that Honda manufactures this powerful motorcycle directly in India. Local production helps reduce the final cost, especially considering the 40% GST applied to motorcycles with engines over 350cc. In terms of price, the CB500 is cheaper than the Royal Enfield 650 Twins, whose starting price is 3.39 lakh rupees (excluding taxes).
