2021 Honda CMX500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Engine operation
1
100.0%
Fuel system concerns
1
100.0%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Engine
1
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Engine
1
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
Engine: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
2022
1
Complaints over time data
Category
Count
2022
1
2022: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11464444 · 2022-05-13 (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 ke…
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
21V382000 · Exterior Lighting
Reported: 2021-05-24 (May 24, 2021)
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."
Consequence: A dim rear reflector may reduce the visibility of the motorcycle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V500000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | Steering:Critical Fasteners
Reported: 2026-07-30 (July 30, 2026)
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.
Consequence: A detached screw may lodge between the frame and stem, interfering with steering and increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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 KU8. 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.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
0.0%Usable mileage0 / 1 records
100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
2017
2018
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Electrical System
2100.0%ODI 11151380 · 1,000 mi
THE HORN BUTTON IS IN A NON-STANDARD PLACE. EVERY BIKE I'VE RIDDEN FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS THE HORN BUTTON IS BOTTOM LEFT CONTROL, WHILE THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS ABOVE IT (MIDDLE POSITION). EVEN IN TRAINING CLASSES (MSF FOR SURE) THEY TEACH YOU WHERE EACH CONTROL IS LOCATED, AND THEY ARE STANDARDS FOR ALL BIKES SO YOU CAN ALWAYS KNOW WHERE TO REACH THEM WITHOUT LOOKING, AND KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. ON MY '17 HONDA REBEL, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO SWITCH CONTROL POSITIONS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I FEEL THIS REPRESENTS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZARD, AS…
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 ke…
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 ke…
Rear brake failure, motorcycle taken to Honda motorcycle dealership, they spent 10 hours working on the issue but could not resolve it. Got them to replace the rear caliper, brakes are now working. Honda USA refused to honor this as a warranty claim as the rear tire had been replaced when the issue was noticed. The tire was replaced by a non Honda dealership due to them being the only dealer in the area with that size tire. 7
The contact owns a 2023 Honda CMX500 Motorcycle. The contact stated that while riding at an undisclosed speed, the rear brake pedal was depressed, but the rear brakes failed to engage to stop the motorcycle. The contact regained control of the motorcycle and rode to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer replaced the ABS and calipers, but the failure recurred. The motorcycle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximatel…
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
No usable records for this analysis.
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2022: 1 complaints · 2023: 1 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2022
1
1
1
2023
0
1
1
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2022
1
0
0
2023
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Engine
Fuel/Propulsion System
Engine
—
1ODI 11464444
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 ke…
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 ke…
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
2 patterns with matching reports.
Stalling or loss of power
1 mentions · 100.0% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 11464444
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 ke…
Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b
Warning lights and dashboard alerts
1 mentions · 100.0% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 11464444
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 ke…