Image: Honda CB500 — official image
Honda has unveiled an all-new CB500 for the Indian market, a modern 500cc single-cylinder machine positioned above the existing CB350 family. For Nepali riders, this matters because most larger Hondas here come via India, and a locally built 500cc CB could turn a mid-capacity Honda into a more attainable option.
Engine and performance
Honda’s CB500 runs a 501cc single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine delivering 27hp and 43.3Nm, as revealed at the Indian debut. This tune leans towards easygoing classic touring rather than sharp sport performance, sitting between today’s 350cc retro bikes and the pricier twin-cylinder 650s.
- Engine: 501cc, single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled
- Power/torque: 27hp, 43.3Nm
- Intended role: relaxed highway cruising and everyday riding, not high-rev performance
For Nepali buyers familiar with Royal Enfield 350s and 411s, the CB500’s torque-focused single should feel in the same zone, but with Honda refinement and extra electronics in the mix.
Design and features
The CB500 sticks to the retro flavour of the CB350 range, with classic proportions and current hardware:
- Round LED headlamp, ribbed single-piece seat, teardrop fuel tank
- Digi-analogue instrument console with Honda RoadSync smartphone connectivity
- Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) traction aid and a slipper clutch
- Conventional telescopic front fork, twin rear shocks, and disc brakes at both ends
Honda will sell it in three variants:
- Standard alloy wheel version
- Cross-spoke wheels with tubeless tyres
- Top cross-spoke tubeless variant with exclusive graphics
For Nepal’s mix of broken tarmac and rural stretches, the cross-spoke tubeless setup is a strong fit. Spoked rims with tubeless tyres bring the toughness riders want, while still keeping puncture repair straightforward.
Price expectations and Nepal angle
Honda India has confirmed local manufacturing for the CB500, but official prices are still under wraps. With Indian production and a single-cylinder engine, the CB500 is expected to sit below the bigger twin-cylinder imports on price.
If the Indian ex-showroom figure comes in around the equivalent of Rs 4–5 lakh Indian, a rough Nepal estimate after duties and taxes would be in the Rs 12–15 lakh range. That would place it above the CB350 lineup but under many imported 650cc twins. This remains an estimate, not an official quote, meant only to indicate where it could land in Nepali showrooms.
Honda’s large-capacity lineup in Nepal is small and on the higher side of the price spectrum. A locally produced 500cc CB gives Syakar Honda a realistic chance to offer a mid-capacity, touring-friendly classic to riders stepping up from 150–250cc machines. If Honda decides to ship it here, the CB500 is set to square up against Royal Enfield’s upcoming bigger singles and give a more refined option alongside Chinese 500–650cc offerings.
Official word on a Nepal launch has not yet come. But based on Honda’s habit of bringing India-made models to our market, Nepali riders have good reason to track the CB500 once Indian pricing is declared.
Written and analysed by Ajit Narayan Singh, Editor at Nepal AutoMart, from ongoing tracking of the Nepal automotive market.
