Congrats on the sale! New bike should treat you well. Good to hear it’s lighter!

 

Congrats on the new bike! I don't know a lot about the NX500, but it sounds like it's treating you well so far.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum and just picked up my first Strom (k9 1000). Lovin it so far

 

The lighter bikes are fun to ride.
Sure you need to keep the revs up, but a great idea if big loads and long trips are no longer on your menu.

 

Awesome, good deal ! Enjoy it, my little 900 is getting a lot more mileage than my Vstrom. Stick around and let us know what you think of it after a couple thousand miles. Congrats, beautiful bike.

 

I devolved to a scooter 3 years ago, still have my Vee as a project, but for every day riding, I like my AK550, 462 lbs., 53 hp, Brembo brakes.

 

Nice Ride Honda has been doing a great job with that model.

 

Love it! Congrats on a great bike. I too sold my Wee in the spring and have been looking at both the NX and the new KTM 390Adv models. In the mean time i have been having a blast riding my daughters baby Duke. Something about smaller bike. 😉😀

 

The NX500 is a well liked bike. Its light and "mild" and easy to ride. I can see where so many love them. I spent 17 years on Vstroms and loved every minute on them but will be the first to say there are MANY great bikes out there so find the one that fits you and your needs best!
Enjoy the new bike, it looks like fun.

 

Spec, I see you're selling your DR. If I was near you I'd come check it out.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I need something lighter and more off-road worthy, and the DR is on my list. I keep getting my glee into places she shouldn't go, and the hard work of riding her in those scenarios is a bit much. Plus, as I'm aging (55), I realize I don't enjoy heaving the old gal upright after unscheduled dismounts in the rocks...

Can you speak to your experience with the DR and compare to the DL?

 

...
Can you speak to your experience with the DR and compare to the DL?

@Brockie has it right.

A few things I'll mention:

Because the bike has been unchanged for about 30 years aftermarket parts are numerous. More so than any other bike I can think of including a KLR.

Maintenance is easy. Tappet adjust valves (no shims). Oil cooled, no water pump. Carb no fuel injector. No ECU, no electronic aids.

It's a simple under stressed bike. Mine starts right up and runs all day long. It will do highway speeds but that's not it's happy place.

I grew up riding dirt bikes and the DR isn't a dirt bike. It loves dirt roads and two track type stuff. That's it's sweet spot IMO. It's fun on twisty rural type pavement too and that's why I bought it really.

 

I have owned both.
Compared to an enduro bike, the DR is heavier and not as quick steering.
However, to a DL the DR is like a bicycle.
The DR is nowhere near as comfortable for long trips, but they are still achievable.
The DL feels SO much heavier and needs careful attention on soft surfaces to stay upright.

If you want to ride 100kms by road and then take on some trails or 4WD tracks, the DR650.
If you want to travel interstate, including formed dirt roads, the V-Strom.

For long distance travel the DR's fuel tank is a limiting factor.

 

Vince Strang in Inverell will sort you out... they are DR specialists

 

All I know is I have never ever had a garage that was that clean.

 

After what a couple of years trying to sell my 1000 I traded it in on this:

View attachment 342666

2025 Honda NX500

It's a surprisingly nice bike. About 100 pounds lighter than the Strom. About half the horsepower but the motor spins up nicely. Very planted even at highway speeds. Honda goes on about the venting on the front of the bike supposedly to provide stability, seems to to me anyway.

Much nicer moving it around in the garage! Need to address a few things about it, mostly the windshield and the pegs location. There's a lot of aftermarket stuff of course.

Going to sell my DR 650 too and be a one bike guy, much to my wife's relief.

I'll check into the forum once and awhile so you aren't rid of me altogether!

Nice bike, I've only heard good things

 

After what a couple of years trying to sell my 1000 I traded it in on this:

View attachment 342666

2025 Honda NX500

It's a surprisingly nice bike. About 100 pounds lighter than the Strom. About half the horsepower but the motor spins up nicely. Very planted even at highway speeds. Honda goes on about the venting on the front of the bike supposedly to provide stability, seems to to me anyway.

Much nicer moving it around in the garage! Need to address a few things about it, mostly the windshield and the pegs location. There's a lot of aftermarket stuff of course.

Going to sell my DR 650 too and be a one bike guy, much to my wife's relief.

I'll check into the forum once and awhile so you aren't rid of me altogether!

 

After what a couple of years trying to sell my 1000 I traded it in on this:

View attachment 342666

2025 Honda NX500

It's a surprisingly nice bike. About 100 pounds lighter than the Strom. About half the horsepower but the motor spins up nicely. Very planted even at highway speeds. Honda goes on about the venting on the front of the bike supposedly to provide stability, seems to to me anyway.

Much nicer moving it around in the garage! Need to address a few things about it, mostly the windshield and the pegs location. There's a lot of aftermarket stuff of course.

Going to sell my DR 650 too and be a one bike guy, much to my wife's relief.

I'll check into the forum once and awhile so you aren't rid of me altogether!

 

I'm all in favor of lighter bikes as I'm under 70 kg. That's why I don't want to get anything heavier than my 2019 DL650. Enjoy your new bike, Im sure yoh will have just as much fun on it.

 

Yeah. At 65 YO, though I’m a big guy, I’m finding DL 650s a handful, to move around. Fine, when riding, of course.

 

My son used to ride the DR, but has recently upgraded to the Honda Transalp 750. It is very nice and about 50lb lighter than my DL1000. Doesn't sound like much but it is a very noticeable difference just pushing it around the garage.

He is loving it... I might have to look into getting one myself.

 

Thanks for all the responses folks. There's a ton of good information in here.

I've had my glee since 2014, it's a '12 model. I bought it with the idea of adventure riding, and I've definitely done that on her. She's all kitted out with the massively heavy endurogaurdian bash plate, crash bars, soft luggage racks on the rear, which also double as additional protection.

The bike has been great, and I continue to have a blast on her. In the process, though, I've biased more and more off-road, and the limitations are really showing. Even with proper tires and the full Cogent suspension, there's only so much you can do before you really run up against the limits.

Add in the weight, and it's seems pretty clear I need something else.

My mind is going two directions at once. On the one hand, the simplicity of something like the DR, or the Honda Xr650 is super appealing. Lightweight, easy to work on, gobs of aftermarket support, etc. One the other hand, things like the Husky 701 are really appealing as they have the light weight I want, but also the kind of horsepower I'm used to from the glee. But that comes with a hefty price tag, and lots of complexity.

For me, it really is a dilemma. Lots to contemplate while sitting inside watch it rain all winter....