Is the problem with the Honda NX500 ever going to end

Further follow up to the previous video published where we seem to have a possible fix to the ongoing problem with the Engine Management Emission Light, explaining what has subsequently happened and what we do next.
All videos on the NX500 can be seen here:
• Honda NX500
Videos about my previous bike, the Honda CB500X, can be found here:
• Honda CB500X
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The thoughts and actions outlined in the video are personal to me and everyone will need to view things from their own perspective.

[@MrKing1961]

The best fix is live the bike as it come, Honda make good bikes no mess with it !!!!!!!

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@MrKing1961 I like the smaller more compact nature of a good aftermarket exhaust but have now changed to the standard Honda one until Scorpion make one specifically available for the NX… some of us like to personalise our gear 😊

[@ismaeltudela7855]

I have a Honda NX 500 with the same problem 😵‍💫 It would be great to find a solution.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@ismaeltudela7855 did you also put aftermarket exhaust on yours, I’ll be making an update video soon but the latest is that I’ve taken scorpion off and put Honda OEM on.. it seems to have solved the problem but need to do a few hundred miles to be sure!

[@ismaeltudela7855]

@thecampingbiker791 I put one of the "Arrow" brand

[@ismaeltudela7855]

@thecampingbiker791 It is the same as yours with high flow

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@ismaeltudela7855 looks like the issue is Honda have made the bike very sensitive to ever increasing emissions legislation in Europe! I’m sure the exhaust manufacturers will catch up some time this year..

[@ismaeltudela7855]

​@@thecampingbiker791If I hope that! Because we already have the problem, thanks friend!

[@ighost2605]

Good idea ! Thanks for trying to get some clues !

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@ighost2605 I’m confident we will solve it in the end 😊

[@timhares3091]

Hi. I have had my Nx500 since March, I fitted a Mivv end can 3000 miles ago, and have no issues whatsoever. I have now completed 4000 happy miles , the Mivv is euro 3 compliant btw..

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@timhares3091 interesting, I’ll check mine out 👍🏻

[@KG-lb1rh]

🤩🤔I find that very interesting because I also wanted to install an MIVV for my NX500. I also have this on another motorcycle and am very happy with it. Since no model for the NX was released in the fall, I contacted MIVV directly to ask whether the CB500x could be installed here since the vehicles are very similar. This would be answered with an absolute no from MIVV, as the models are first tested before they are released for a vehicle. There is still no one for the NX on the MIVV homepage (just checked again a few days ago). I hope my English is understandable, greetings KG

[@GeordiLaForgery]

Thanks for the updates. I'm sure it'll eventually work its way up the chain to a legendary japanese honda engineer who, as we speak, is sitting under a cherry blossom tree with a bento box thinking of new ways to bypass europe's daft emission mandates.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@GeordiLaForgery or maybe it’s just Fred down the backstreet garage that contemplates life the universe and everything 😂 👍🏻

[@adamqurban8298]

Please keep us updated - I had the same issue on my 2024 cbr500. Stuck an end can on and a few days later got the light. I ended up putting the OEM exhaust back on just incase that sorted it but it didn’t go away so Honda replaced the O2 sensor as that was showing as the fault. Not really sure whether or not to put the slip on back on but that stock one is ugly and sounds horrible. I’m thinking about possibly getting the bike fuelling sorted out but seems kinda overkill for an end can so feel at a loss.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@adamqurban8298 I’ll be posting a follow up in the next month or so but after about 1600 miles the light was still on and so I’ve now had the oem exhaust fitted with a reset of the light and will run it for a few hundred miles to see if it stays off. I’m already missing the Scorpion sound but want to take the process step by step, which at the end of the day will help future owners, frustrating though it is! I’ve spoken with Scorpion and they’re working on it but I suspect it’ll be well into next year for anything new…that’s if it’s the aftermarket is the problem of course!! The final options for me is either a device that can be fitted to trick the engine management to think emissions are okay (this route is an unofficial recommendation from dealer) or wait and see if Scorpion redevelops exhaust specifically for the NX. Basically you’ve got the latest update but watch out for video anyhow as I might have further to say then 😂

[@funguseater40]

Just a thought. I had EML suddenly coming on on my Guzzi V7. Was still on a couple of weeks later. I turned off the bike using the Killswitch. Turned bike back on, and to my amazement it worked. May help, may not! 👍

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@funguseater40 interesting, I’ll definitely give that a try over the weekend.. 👍🏻

[@laius6047]

It erases the computer error logs. Hence the light is off untill you rev the bike to high RPMS and the same light will come on again probably

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@laius6047 thinking about it this time it came on a I was throttling up a bit!

[@markmbarrios]

could it be a prematurely fouled O2 sensor? have you tried cleaning it? my guess is the faster exhaust flow of the aftermarket muffler causes the O2 sensor to not get hot enough to self clean, just a wild guess.

[@Amos1965]

Brand new bike eh, one has to understand that manufacturers have listened to governments in relation to climate change and pollution from ICE engines. Modern bikes that leave manufacturing plants will not like having aftermarket anything attached to them, exhausts being more so, and it’s only gonna get worse. Anything new that leaves a manufacturing plant, leave well alone, or it’ll be headache after headache for the purchaser, and dealers should be obviously aware of this, no matter how much they plug a computer into the beating heart of anything. The days of modernising bikes and adding aftermarket market parts is well and truly coming to an end. Welcome to the modern world of absolute bull 💩.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@Amos1965 sadly I think you’re right and it can only get much worse!

[@johncummins3860]

Yea, my 1987 KLR 650 will even run without a battery - imagine that !!

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@johncummins3860 I’ve got my 1981 MZ to fall back on if all else falls apart in the world of motorcycles 😂

[@dominaror5344]

You should do an ECU reset, so that the motorcycle accepts the new exhaust. It's easy to do without special tools, I'm sure you'll find an explicit tutorial. I appreciate your videos. good luck...👍

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@dominaror5344 thanks for watching and appreciate the advice 👍🏻

[@robsonenduro3316]

this is NOT an emission light, it's a check engine light which may indicate many things, like low engine oil pressure etc

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@robsonenduro3316 it’s an engine emissions warning light according to the handbook and Honda workshop, don’t know where your getting your info from as there’s separate warning lights for oil pressure and other issues!

[@robsonenduro3316]

@@thecampingbiker791 wrong, change your dealer/mechanic

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@robsonenduro3316 should I change the Honda handbook as well

[@davecarrera]

Why not save waiting 2 or 3k miles and swap the exhaust back to original and see if the light goes off ?

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@davecarrera I’ve had feedback that others have had light go off eventually so thought worth a try first, my brain has switched off seeing the light now 😂 but exhaust is the next step 👍🏻

[@davecarrera]

@@thecampingbiker791 i would of thought popping the original exhaust back on for a short time, would resolve the question of "is it the exhaust and not another issue" on the bike nice a quickly. If it is not the exhaust swap then you fix the issue, what ever it is, or take the bike back. I wish you well and safe journeys oh and a fixed warning light 🙂

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@davecarrera to be honest I’m also interested to see if it does just switch off but if I get fed up of that plan then exhaust it is 😀

[@davecarrera]

@@thecampingbiker791 i genuinely wish you luck in your investigations. Lets all hope it switches off by itself or by swapping the exhaust back to the original.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@davecarrera cheers Dave, one way or the other the light will go off eventually 😊 👍🏻

[@stuarthaysom763]

I’ve be having a bit of a think and from what I can work out there are two sensors,one before the CAT,to see what’s coming out of the engine,and one after to see if the CAT is working,it’s the second one that comes up with the fault,so it’s not an engine emission problem as such it’s to do with the CAT. The way the car lads get around the same problem is to put a spacer on that second sensor which takes it out of the flow. I wonder if this would work for our problem? Also I dot know if all Lambda sensors are the same size/thread but you can get car sensor spacers off eBay for about £4.

[@thecampingbiker791]

Thanks for the info, bike is riding fine but even with stock exhaust light still coming on…right pain in the backside to be honest but like the idea of the spacer!

[@stuarthaysom763]

@ it should work,I have been reading that having a freer exhaust sends bigger exhaust pulses through that the sensor cannot read so just throws the light,it doesn’t know if something is wrong just that it cannot read properly to say all is right,spacing the sensor back out of the flow should sort the problem as it does with a car.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@stuarthaysom763 sounds like a good possible fix, bizarrely the light went off today after a bit of spirited throttle use 😵‍💫 😂

[@christianweller4288]

Wondering if it’s worth going to an MOT station to get the emissions checked, at least that will give you a baseline to work to. It could be an engine management fault, sensor problem, also Canbus readers are really helpful and easy to hook up. That might point out the problem more accurately.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@christianweller4288 thanks for the ideas, I’m probably going to stick to the wait and see plan for at least the next month or two, to be honest I’m quite relaxed about it now, however all ideas are helpful to form alternate plans 👍🏻

[@chrishart8548]

Motorcycles don't get emissions checked at the MOT

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@chrishart8548 yes, surprised me but found that out from dealership

[@christianweller4288]

@@chrishart8548 Not required at all for the Motorcycle MOT, but they could still give you a readout of CO2 and hydrocarbons etc to make sure things were in spec.

[@paulkimber1287]

Be careful, the EML might be disguising a new problem, its not an emissions light it’s a engine management light it could be a new problem altogether.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@paulkimber1287 from the handbook and dealership if the light is on it is a problem with the engine emissions control.. but I’ll be chatting with them again next week 👍🏻

[@davidhenguely8723]

a bit of humidity on the sensor. Or not. anyhow the light will go off. problem appear to be the same in some Yam

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@davidhenguely8723 I’ve had reports of similar on Triumph 400 as well

[@porter5877]

Can't you bypass it with an o2 sensor blank? I've used this a few times with different bikes and no problems.....

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@porter5877 yes, discussed that unofficially with dealership and could go that route eventually.. thing is, now I’ve given feedback on the issue I feel the need to take things one step at a time so we can see how it’s finally fixed and what various steps were taken.. life as a KZbinr 😂

[@2e0txe]

Battery voltage can be an issue, with all the electronics the ECU might be getting a weak signal or error from a low voltage.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@2e0txe could be but Honda still showed faulty 02 sensor on their readout last time without any other diagnostic issues.. painful isn’t it!

[@findingneutral]

That stinks 😕. You called it though. I know it's just a sensor, but it still would bug me and I know my eyes would be drawn to it. Plus the notion bikes are getting so restricted emissions wise you can't even put a simple slip on on? That's depressing. Your reinstallation of the oem exhaust will surely be an interesting follow up episode. Kind of making me consider just keeping my retro 2021 CB500X complete with it's luxurious Leo Vince slip on no fault code option 😅.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@findingneutral yep, I feel obliged now to try show every step taken to get and end result for potential buyers to have the info.. boy did I start something 😂

[@findingneutral]

​@thecampingbiker791 Yeah you did! 😁

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@findingneutral even had someone re think buying the NX which wasn’t my intention 😬 and Mr Honda might not be to happy with me 😂

[@findingneutral]

@thecampingbiker791 I don't think Mr. Honda would be upset 😅. You've stuck with Honda after all. I think your getting a new audience gathering for the epic finale though. 😯🫳🍿 🥸 🧐

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@findingneutral ha, yep I probably need to schedule the final one as a Premier release 😂

[@andresfelipeardila5110]

I have the same bike. And I also put an aftermarket exhaust once I take it out from the store and kms later the same light appears in my bike. I went to the dealership 3 times and scanning the bike showed a failure of the o2 sensor. They reset me and eliminated the error and the light disappeared but after a few kilometers it reappeared. (3 times they did that reset) the last time the mechanic adjusted the sensor nuts and readjusted the entire system and since then, I have been 400 kilometers without turning on again. I'm in Colombia and Honda Colombia already knows my case and they authorized if in the future the engine light appears again in changing the o2 sensor.

[@andresfelipeardila5110]

By the way, they told me that the exhaust had nothing to do with that mistake because it is just and slip on and the sensor tus located in the header .. and I keep it on the bike 🙌🏻

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@andresfelipeardila5110 sounds exactly the same, interesting to hear how you get on after a few more kms, I’ll report further when light either goes out or it’s back in the dealership.. thank you for the information 👍🏻

[@andresfelipeardila5110]

After 400 kms or so since the last ECU reset and with the light off, today it turns on again 🥴 I’m sure that Honda will change my O2 sensor as a solution but reading your story it isn’t the real solution 😅😢

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@andresfelipeardila5110 yes, my dealership think the same so hopefully we’ll get it all sorted in the end

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@andresfelipeardila5110 oh no, this is the same as mine.. it’s just going to take time to resolve I think.. but the bike is still awesome 😎 👍🏻

[@johnguest7541]

I had a car doing the same, i got fed up of taking the car back, so i just used it with the engine light on for around 7 years, no problem and around 140,000 miles on the clock

[@jonm7272]

In the UK it will fail it's annual MOT test and not be allowed in the road. A bike with warning lights on is worthless.

[@thecampingbiker791]

Yes, that might be the end result for me too 😂

[@Trottsatclevedon]

Strongest suspect is your Scorpion end can as ‘free’er’ flowing….my inclination would have been to replace OEM and see when how Long it takes for light to go out… but strange you’re having this issue. Must be many NX owners who changed end can..are you alone…..

[@thecampingbiker791]

Agree, particularly after 02 change, but I’ve had feedback elsewhere that light eventually just goes out without further interaction, so I’m interested to see if that happens first, but then exhaust swop would be next step. Had feedback from several others of same issue and also on other newer bikes, the Triumph 400 being one, all with aftermarket exhausts, apart from one person who reported light on with OEM on the NX!

[@thelonewolf666]

it will be a backpressure thing for original exhaust

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@thelonewolf666 I’ve spoken to Scorpion and they’re getting hold of a NX to develop a new exhaust.. not their fault as it’s not marketed for the NX, I bought this one for my 500X but didn’t fit it so assumed it would fit… it’ll get sorted in the end but as said I’m just ignoring it for now.

[@michaelc3416]

Is this light JUST for an emissions fault, or is it a normal engine fault light that could indicate many different things? If the latter, do you know for sure that you don't simply have an intermittent fault with any number of other things on the bike, and that it's not related to the exhaust at all? If the former, I'd just "fix" it with a little piece of black tape and call it a day. I still cannot see how a muffler downstream of the O2 sensor could have any effect of the sensor's readings. Either the exhaust coming from the cat meets spec or it doesn't and the downstream muffler should have any effect on this whatsoever. Whatever the case, it makes me glad I bought a '23 instead, TFT or not...

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@michaelc3416 yes, it’s just an emission warning light.. I’ll just ignore it for a while and see what happens! The black tape is ready for a final final fix 😂

[@roy9816]

Honda spent a fortune on the OEM exhaust, why change it ?

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@roy9816 because it’s as big as a battleship 😂 well, I actually had it prior to buying the bike so seemed a good idea to put a much slimmer more attractive and lighter one on with already having it sat there.

[@Kestrel-FG]

Buy an OBD scan tool, see what fault code that shows. Or cut out a circle of black tape and put over the light😁

[@p.istaker8862]

It does not have an EOBD port. It runs PGMFI and is self diagnostic with a bridging plug

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@Kestrel-FG black tape it could be 😂

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@p.istaker8862 what kind of magic is this 😂

[@Kestrel-FG]

@@p.istaker8862 There is a 4 pin to OBD adaptor. OBD2 Australia has them for some Hondas. Is there no way of diagnosing this bike . . . how does Honda do it? Does the NX500 have a 4 pin Data Link Connector?

[@p.istaker8862]

Has a diagnostic plug under the seat. By bridging two wires, PGMFI is put into diagnostic mode. The ECU light will then give a numeric sequence of flashes, indicating the fault. Honda cars back in the nineteen eighties had an LED on the ECU that performed the same function.

[@markwhitney19]

If its underwarranty Go to a honda dealer and get them to read the fault , should tell you the problem this should piont you in the right direction its not r Just get honda dealer to read jus

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@markwhitney19 have done twice, second time they changed the 02 sensor but light back on again so unlikely that was the problem. Don’t think they know to be honest!

[@andynotdave]

Must admit I'm less likely to support my Son buying the NX500 now. He's 19 and wants to move on from his 125cc. He wants to complete DAS and get his first big bike. Maybe triumph 400 or the Enfield Guerrilla. Mutt have a new 400

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@andynotdave it’s a shame that as I think majority of NX owners don’t have a problem and I really love the bike, it’s just I’d be careful if putting aftermarket exhaust on! I’ve also had some reports back of similar issue on the triumph 400 with aftermarket exhaust so probably worth a bit of research 👍🏻

[@johnguest7541]

I have a benelli TRK502, bought it from new 2019, not one fault

[@ekimandersom4478]

There are no problems, just put the stock exhaust as it is ment to be.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@ekimandersom4478 there certainly was a problem 😂 but now seems sorted… stock exhaust installed 👍🏻

[@ekimandersom4478]

@@thecampingbiker791 I asked you under another video, but would you know if a CB500X exhaust fit the NX500 ?

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@ekimandersom4478not sure about stock however the aftermarket Scorpion 500x version fits but doesn’t seems to work and be the cause of the issues.. I believe the NX has been tweaked on the engine management! The stock exhaust looks identical but can’t tell if any internal changes.

[@ekimandersom4478]

@@thecampingbiker791 Well yes i ment the aftermarket ones, so if i order an aftermarket slip on for the CB500X it will fit my NX500. I will just give it a shot, worst case i will ride with the engine light on.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@ yes it fits perfectly and sounds great but just has the issue with light.. spoke with Scorpion and they’re doing some R&D on a new version for the NX.. but I think we could be several months away from this!!

[@p.istaker8862]

Buy a CB500x for improved reliability.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@p.istaker8862 did cross my mind at one point 😂

[@TurkerYuceer]

So you say you changed your exhaust and the emission light is on. Shouldn't the light be on anyway? The problem is not Honda but ignorant people. read euro5+norms

[@andyninja949]

Get a kawasaki ninja1000sx best bike on the planet bud 😂I 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@thecampingbiker791]

Ha, I’d kill myself on that 😜 👍🏻

[@leeinwis]

No camping ? What a rip off, this is false advertising.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@leeinwis 😂

[@stejones695]

honda cb 500x was a better bike.

[@thecampingbiker791]

@@stejones695 in truth the NX is a CB500x, even registered and insured as such, but having some modifications which I think are well worth it.. Despite the faulty light is an excellent machine and very familiar, like an old pair of slippers 😂