RoadVitals

2021 Honda CMX500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest May 13, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jul 30, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2021 Honda CMX500, most frequently naming the engine and fuel system categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine150.0%
  • Fuel system150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
26V500000

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR; STEERING:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Jul 30, 2026
43,913 units potentially affected
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2023, 2025 CMX500, 2017-2023, 2025-2026 CMX300, and 2025 Honda SCL500 motorcycles. The handlebar lock screw may loosen and detach.
The risk: A detached screw may lodge between the frame and stem, interfering with steering and increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the lock screw and apply thread lock, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed September 21, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in Winter 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KUO. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V146. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 4, 2026.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)Manufacturer number KUOView on NHTSA.gov
21V382000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

May 24, 2021
28,528 units potentially affected
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Super Cub C125, CB500X, CB650R, CBR300R, CBR500R, CBR650R, Rebel 300, Rebel 500, Monkey, 2020 CRF250L, GROM, 2021 CRF300L, and CB500F motorcycles. The rear reflector lens may not reflect brightly enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: A dim rear reflector may reduce the visibility of the motorcycle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the rear reflector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KM3.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)Manufacturer number KM3View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

EngineFuel system
Filed May 13, 2022

My 2021 Rebel CMX500A started stalling while I try to maintain a steady speed at around 1.2k miles. Despite me holding the throttle steady the bike erratically speeds and slows when I reach 2nd gear before eventually stalling out. All electronics keep working and no warning lights on the dashboard came on until the engine would stall at which point the oil light comes on because the engine is no longer running. Once the bike stalls out it will sputter but not turn over if I try to turn it on. I can only turn it on by revving but then it will keep stalling even if with the clutch pulled in unless I consistently keep revving which is very dangerous in traffic. After about 5 minutes of constant revving while riding the problem goes away and won’t happen again until the bike sits for approx. over 12 hours. I tried taking the bike to the dealer when it first happened but they had a 2 month waiting list and as my only vehicle at the time I couldn’t afford to bring it in. After finding many others online with a very similar problem who said shops weren’t able to find a problem when they took their bikes in they recommended I use seafoam. I used just a capful in a full tank of gas and the problem stopped for that full gas tank and one full gas tank after without seafoam. But by the second gas tank I filled without seafoam the problem started again. Afterwards I started putting one capful of seafoam every other gas tank and the problem went away for the time being. Once I finished the bottle of seafoam at around 2.5k miles I tried running the bike without it and it was working until around 4k miles when again the problem came back. At this point I took it to the dealership despite the waiting list since I now have another car but they’re warning me that, since the bike is currently running because of the seafoam, even though they believe it is the throttle body, if they cannot find a problem or Honda refuses to cover the work under warranty I will be stuck with the bill.

NHTSA ID
11464444
Incident
Aug 5, 2021

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Honda CMX500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2025020—
2024010—
2023120—
2022110—
2021Viewing120—
2020020—
2019010—
2018010—
2017210—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.