Perhaps in response to the new crop of entry-level adventure tourers, Honda has just updated its CB400X. The model, exclusive to Japan, gets some aesthetic improvements with a new livery and blacked out parts.
As the name suggests, the CB400X is powered by a 399cc parallel twin PGM-Fi engine. It produces 46 PS at 9,000 rpm and 38 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. It’s paired to a six-speed transmission with a slipper clutch.
To handle the rough stuff, it has a telescopic front fork and Prolink rear swingarm. It rides on 19 inch alloy wheels in front and 17 inch wheels in the rear. This gives it a ground clearance of 150 mm, while still returning an 800 mm seat height. It’s brought to a stop with discs on both ends governed by ABS and traction control.
It is offered in two colors: Matte Ballistic Black Metallic and Pearl Glare White.
Pinoy riders may be more familiar with the model offered here, the CB500X. It’s essentially the same model but with a larger 471cc engine. With most of the changes being purely aesthetic, we may expect to see these improvements carried over soon.
The CB400X / 500X used to be one of only a few offerings in this segment. However, the Royal Enfield Himalayan, and the arrival of the Benelli TRK 502 have made it a much more crowded segment lately. There's also a KTM 390 Adventure coming soon. Honda will have to offer something a little more than just a new livery to keep it competitive.
