KATHMANDU: Honda has finally launched the CB500 in India, one of the most awaited models from the lineup it showcased back in July. The bike brings something long missing from the market, a big air-cooled single-cylinder engine, and is now on sale starting at 275,000 Indian rupees.
The CB500 comes with an all-new 501cc air and oil-cooled single-cylinder engine that produces 28 hp and 43.3 Nm of torque. This makes it Honda’s largest air-cooled single-cylinder motorcycle in the Indian market.
The bike is available in three variants. The base alloy variant is priced at 275,000 Indian rupees while the mid variant with cross-spoke tubeless rims costs 300,000 Indian rupees. The top variant, featuring exclusive colors and graphics, is priced at 302,000 Indian rupees.
All three variants come with Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), a slipper clutch, an analogue-digital instrument console, and Honda RoadSync connectivity.
The CB500 is manufactured locally in India, which has helped Honda keep the pricing competitive, even with the 40 percent GST applicable on motorcycles above 350cc.
With this launch, the CB500 fills a gap that has existed in the market since Royal Enfield discontinued its 500cc UCE range back in 2020. It sits just below the Royal Enfield 650 twins, which start at 339,000 Indian rupees (ex-showroom, Chennai).
