Honda CB500: What We Know So Far – Price, Launch Date, Specs

The Honda CB500 made its global debut at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India’s showcase of the brand’s upcoming products in India on July 24, 2026. The CB500 is Honda’s attempt to capture the premium modern classic segment and will also fill a gap in the market left by Royal Enfield’s 500 cc range. It will sit above the Honda CB350 in HMSI’s India line-up and will be manufactured in India.

The new CB500 combines classic styling with modern technology and features. Prices of the Honda CB500 will be announced later this year, and here’s what we know about this new modern classic single-cylinder thumper from Honda.

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Honda CB500: Design & Features

The Honda CB500 has a design and silhouette which takes inspiration from the iconic 1969 Honda CB750, the bike that is generally regarded as the first “superbike.” The new CB500 has a design with the stance and proportions which make it look more substantial than the Honda CB350.

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The overall design is definitely modern classic, with a retro silhouette underscored by modern elements like the round LED headlight, a single-pod analogue speedometer console with a small LCD screen.

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The finish on the engine block, crank cases are premium as is the single, slightly upswept exhaust, finished in brushed aluminium. The bike runs on tubeless tyres – with the choice of modern alloy wheels, or authentic wire-spoke tubeless wheels.

In terms of tech, the CB500 features the Honda RoadSync smartphone connectivity system, traction control (Honda Selectable Torque Control), and disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS.

Honda CB500: Engine & Performance

The CB500 is powered by an all-new 501 cc, single-cylinder, air and oil-cooled engine with an output of 27.76 bhp and 43.3 Nm. The engine is paired with a 5-speed gearbox, and gets a slip and assist clutch which is expected to offer a light lever feel, as well as smoother shifts, preventing wheel hop and skip, even under aggressive downshifting. Although the 27.76 bhp output feels modest, the 43.3 Nm of meaty torque from the long stroke motor is expected to offer strong pull, particularly in the low- and mid-range of the engine.

Honda CB500: Chassis & Cycle Parts

Honda has not revealed the CB500’s full specifications but we do know that the motorcycle will have a single downtube, dual-cradle frame, which is essentially a single main tube extending down from the neck of the motorcycle and splitting into two parallel frame tubes below the engine area.

The wheel sizes appear to be 19-inch front and 17-inch rear and with choices of both alloy wheels (with tubeless tyres) as well as wire-spoke tubeless wheels. The suspension set-up consists of a conventional telescopic front fork (with gaiters) and twin rear shocks. Braking is handled by disc set-ups at both ends, with standard dual-channel ABS.

Honda CB500: Prices & Variants

Prices for the Honda CB500 are expected to begin around Rs. 3 lakh (Ex-showroom) for the base alloy wheel variant, going up to approximately Rs. 3.35 lakh (Ex-showroom) for the top-spec variant with wire-spoke tubeless wheels and graphics on the fuel tank. Each variant will also be offered on both gloss and matte finish colour options which include gloss black, matte silver, gloss silver, maroon and gloss black with yellow pinstripes.

At those prices, the CB500 will offer not just an alternative to the Harley-Davidson X440T (Rs. 2.84 lakh) but also take on other modern classic rivals in the 650 cc segment, like the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (Rs. 3.37-3.69 lakh) and the BSA Gold Star 650 (Rs. 3.34 – 3.59 lakh).

Honda CB500: Launch Date & Availability

The Honda CB500 is expected to be launched very soon, sometime in the upcoming festive season. We expect Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India to launch the new CB500 by September 2026, with deliveries expected to begin by October 2026.

Honda CB500: First Look Video - Details, Colour Options, Engine & Variants

Honda CB500: Image Gallery