Design Filings May Offer Clues to the Honda NX500
Africa Twin-inspired styling may be for an NX200 model
Last week, we wrote about trademark filings that suggest Honda was working on a CL500 scrambler and an NX500 dual sport/adventure bike. We’ve now uncovered design filings that may offer a hint at what the NX500 may look like.
However, the design itself isn’t for the NX500, which we expect to be powered by the same liquid-cooled 471cc Parallel-Twin used on multiple other models in Honda’s lineup. Instead, the design appears to be for a dual sport with a smaller, air-cooled Single. The design was filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 17, 2021.
Looking across Honda’s international product lineup, we find a model offered in India with a similar-looking engine called the CB200X.
Further research uncovered some related trademark filings, including “NX150” in Indonesia and “Honda NX200” in India, all filed in 2021. This leads us to conclude that the design filing may be for the NX200.
If this is the case, we can make some assumptions about the NX500 and where it fits in Honda’s lineup. The design shows a model with a beakless front and bodywork that draws some inspiration from the Africa Twin. The tires in the design are smooth, but they are likely placeholders, as the taller wire-spoke front wheel suggests the finished product will be equipped with off-road capable rubber.
The bash plate and handguards further hint at its off-road intentions while the wire-spoke wheels and undertail exhaust suggest it will be more capable on dirt trails than the CB200X.
We can therefore expect the NX500 to offer similar styling, and fit into Honda’s lineup as a more off-road worthy option to the CB500X.
None of these intellectual property filings offer a clear timeline on when we may see any of these NX models as a full production model, but we suspect they may be ready for the 2023 model year.
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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Looks a bit Versyish at the front as well.
They say a good quiet pipe is pleasurable after a spot of sleuthing...
The design looks exactly the same as the (Chinese only) CRF190L that was released last year. European patent means that this is probably also coming to Europe. I would guess as a 125cc, as the EU has a special license for motorcycles under 125cc.