How the NC stacks up against the Africa twin.

Well I'm assuming there are a fair amount if you very interested in the AT and some that don't give a crap but I'm going to attempt to make this comparison even though they are completely different. So here it goes. I have had my AT about 3 weeks now and it has about 800 miles on it now I have had alot of time to ride it over the NC while I wait for my water pump. First thing I want to say is if your on the fence about upgrading your NC to the AT I'm pretty sure most would be happy however the time I have spent on the bike so far I can tell you I am so happy I decided to keep my NC. Even though the AT freakin awesome and is very nimble it feels much heavier than the NC in all aspects. I think the NC is the better commuter period!!! When I ride the AT I miss the frunk bad even though I have all my racks installed on the AT when my boxes are on it's just so dang wide so I have them off most of the time. The motor on the AT feels good lots of punch down low the throttle is very light and feels alot like a dirt bike throttle when going back in forth the NC throttle feels tube feels way different almost like it's stiff and binding. I'm almost flat foot on the AT and I am solid flat foot on the NC. I'm 5'9" 32 inseam. Wind protection is slightly better on the AT with the stock windshield I have the touring shield on the NC. Suspension is a no brainer its miles ahead of the NC the NC feels like I'm riding on a hard tail in comparison. It's actually amazing it might be the best stock suspension I have ever ridden on any dirt bike. The egros are good on both but I needed to add risers to the NC to get the bars back so it was not such a reach the AT feels perfect stock. The other sore side of the NC is the knee bend man I don't know how you tall guys do it but my knees are bent way to much on the NC the highway pegs are a great addition to the NC for me. The AT feels much better in this regard so taller people are going to love the knee bend. There is alot more room on the AT I ride with my boy on the back alot on both machines and I really can't turn around at lights to talk to him on the NC it's too tight but the the AT I have no troubles at all he says he is more comfortable on the AT as well. The dash and controls are great on the AT I can see ambient temp I can also see how many miles tell the tank is empty and how much is left in the tank I can see my average fuel consumption as well. I am getting a respectable 57mpg on the AT. The NC is smoother at low speeds is way better than the AT. Going slow is very easy on the NC and that matters when your stuck in traffic. Imo compared to the NC the AT is a oven when it comes to heat the NC is a much cooler running bike. I find it difficult to keep the motor smooth at anything lower than 25 mph on the AT the fuel injection just is not as smooth as the NC. So I guess the long of the short if you have lots of miles on your NC I assume you are really happy with the bike for those guys thinking of dumping the NC for a AT you may miss your NC. Like I said earlier I am really glad I have decided to keep the NC. I bought the AT for it's offroad capability's the engine is smooth and the gear box is fantastic it's a awesome offroad machine I like them both for what they were designed for. If your not going to use the AT as intended you might miss the nc NC. So there you have it the NC is all patched up with a new water pump ready for duty. I can't get pictures to work sorry. For reference both my NC and AT are manual models.

Someday, I have hopes that Honda will deliver my AT. Like you, I kept my NC. Both bikes do have difference purposes in life. Is your AT a DCT or a manual? I am waiting on a Dakar DCT, that I do have a nonrefundable down payment on. This is my first DCT, so I do expect a learning curve. I do go on some long trips that include dirt riding. So, that is the purpose of the AT for me. I do go on long trips with no dirt roads, that is the purpose of the NC for me. Yes, I too will miss the frunk. On the AT I plan to use the Givi XS307 Tank Bag with Givi BF25 Tanklock and the rear rack DrySpec D38 Rigid Drybag to make up for the frunk. However, I will most likely use these accessories on both bikes. I will use my current Givi monolock bags on both bikes. I will also use my current Givi 80 liter bag to carry my camping equipment on the backseat for both bikes. I am trying to use accessories that I will be able to use on both bikes.

Mine is the rally red manual version it's one hell of a bike your going to love it. The NC feels and looks like a midget bike next to it and sitting on it but that's why it's so good at commuting that and the low speed characteristics of the motor make it unmatched Imo and seems to be much better than the AT although the AT gets smoother everyday so who knows. When I first got it it was pretty vibey going down the highway as of today vibes have improved a great deal and feels really smooth at 75. One thing to consider is the engine rpm is quite a bit higher at the same speed as the NC. 65 mph on the NC is about 3200 rpm on the AT its about 4000. Not bad really but it is noticeable. The bike flat rips off road and with the traction control it actually does a fantastic job on gravel roads with the stock tires. The bike is so good off road if I had knobbys on it I would consider taking it over my 450x for a poker run I am doing tomorrow morning lol.

Thanks for the write up. the AT is very tempting for me.

great write up!

for now, am keeping the nc.

bamamate said:

Thanks for the write up. the AT is very tempting for me.

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As much as you ride off road, I figured you to be one of the first to have the AT.

Hard to give up the frunk and lighter weight of the NC. Plus it has gotten me through everything I've wanted. I'm still hoping to fit a 19" front and I think it will be perfect for me.

I read on a rideapart review of the Africa Twin that there are talks of making a road biased AT. If that happens I'll definitely be interested but at the moment I don't have the opportunities to play in the dirt so I feel I would just be misusing the AT.

I thought I'd miss the frunk more than I do. I never think about it anymore and I like pulling up to the gas pump and not having to get off the bike.

I REALLY like the AT but have to wait because of $ And I like the Tenere!

bamamate said:

Thanks for the write up. the AT is very tempting for me.

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Me too..........it just takes $10K or $11k and the NC in trade ?? And get on the wait list ???

Better an AT than a GS. Being old I limit myself to the likes of my beautiful NCX, FZ 09, FZ1 as none weigh over 510 wet nor have a seat height above 32. The AT is a work of art good for all who obtain one, thank you Honda.

I agree with most of what Mtbmike says in his report. In short after nearly 2500kms I think the AT is a gem. However over almost 4 years I also thought the NC was a gem with regard to what it was designed for. The problem for me was that I was using it in a manner which the designers did not have in mind.

I disagree with Mike with regard to weight. I find the AT almost as easy to manhandle as the NC was. That aspect coincides with the fact that my model only weighs 10kg more. However because it is taller, for me the pillion grabrail and handlebars are at a more manageable height. Accordingly I haul it in and out of my small shed (with a step) just as easily as I did with my NC. I fully agree though that the NC was physically much more compact.

My other standout disagreement is that in my case the AT is considerably smoother than my NC was, throughout its rev range. That of course could mean that my NC was more vibey than his or his AT is more vibey. I actually believe that my AT is smoother at motorway cruising speed around 75/80mph, than my Triumph triple. I found that surprising.

Like Mike I also found the AT throttle a little more difficult to modulate at low revs. On tight turning situations uphill, that was a problem for me at first. To rectify I tightened up the throttle cable slack and that helped. However I have also now become accustomed to the AT's slightly more abrupt throttle response. It has a much shorter stroke motor and probably less flywheel than the NC, and that would partly account for the slightly better low end throttle response of the NC. However I am ok with the AT's fuelling at lower speeds. No doubt this can differ with different bikes in different locations or climates.

Today I got caught out in a heavy shower on my AT. I was on a backroad in the hills and my riding trousers were not waterproof. I expected a soaking but it didn't happen. I was able to keep up speeds of between 80-100 kph, and it would appear at those speeds that the bodywork and screen and handguards did a good job.

I am getting similar fuel consumption to Mike.

I have the same foot to ground relationship as Mike. I am 5'8" but I also have a 32 inch inseam.

I like the saddle and I totally concur with Mike in relation to the knee bend on the NC versus the AT. When I had my knee replaced a couple of years ago I had the most difficulty getting back on the NC now that I think about it, as one loses a bit of the bend with such surgery. There is plenty of space on the AT and the ergonomics overall are good for me too.

With my NC having better suspension before I parted with it, it had been transformed into a very nimble bike on twisty backroads from a handling point of view. Transitions on twisty switchbacks were easy and somewhat easier than the AT, but that is understandable because of the much taller suspension of the AT. As such there is more bar input required on the AT to attain good speeds on very twisty roads. Which bike would be quicker in such conditions ? Probably the NC. The NC also had more rubber on the road but if those roads were rough and bumpy then the AT would be able to handle the conditions better.

I think overall that for me, the AT was a good progression from the NC. That is not to say I would not have an NC again. I certainly would if the situation called for one. I do miss mine but I could not afford to keep it alongside the new bike so it was a sacrifice I had to make.

Like I said I agree with most of what Mike says.

For sure my AT has smoothed out quite a bit it is definitely close if not on par with my NC at higher speeds like no gloves required smooth but the lower speeds I can manage as low as 8 mph with no hiccup from the fuel injection on the NC in this regard the NC along with the significantly smaller more compact size to me makes it a better commuter it does move very good for a big bike and handles great on the road and although the AT is not a very hot bike compared to some it is a lot warmer than the NC when your in stop and go traffic and it's 90 plus. The weight to me seams very apparent just because my NC sat for 2 weeks while I waited for my water pump and I never moved it once and I was moving around my AT after I fixed my NC moving it around the garage and in to a parking spot is just easier to deal with the the NC I put the center stand down and I about launched the NC about 3 feet behind because I was so used to muscling up the AT on it's center stand it felt like I was throwing the NC across the garage I do love the Sharpe turning radius of the AT.

If you were going to do multiple, 250-300 mile days would you prefer the NC with hwy pegs or the AT ?

Thanks

Griff said:

I agree with most of what Mtbmike says in his report. In short after nearly 2500kms I think the AT is a gem.
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I think overall that for me, the AT was a good progression from the NC.

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And how do they both compare to the great old '89 Dominator?
Are these new twins of that same Honda mentality (albeit quite a bit fatter) like the NX-TA-XRV triplet of yesterdecades?
History repeating minus the single cylinder model?

This is a silly comparison because one bike is a fairly low-buck, pseudo Adv bike tuned for fuel economy, while the other bike was designed as an Adv bike from the start with long travel suspension, among other things.

Gbjbany said:

If you were going to do multiple, 250-300 mile days would you prefer the NC with hwy pegs or the AT ?

Thanks

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For me the jury is still out on that. I once did 800kms in a day on the NC and was none the worse for it. I have done nothing like that on the AT in one journey as yet.

Mi_ka said:

And how do they both compare to the great old '89 Dominator?
Are these new twins of that same Honda mentality (albeit quite a bit fatter) like the NX-TA-XRV triplet of yesterdecades?
History repeating minus the single cylinder model?

Click to expand...

The Dominator is a nice bike for short trips and that is all I use it for, especially classic events. I suspect that it would need a seat and different handlebars at least to make it a long distance bike. I once heard it suggested that the NC had similar power to the Dominator. Not true. The NC motor is considerably stronger and much more refined. The Dominators ergonomics are not in the same league as either of the twins being discussed. The only other Honda Twins that I have owned were the Firestorm and the Varadero. The Varadero was a heavy lump by comparison with the AT but nonetheless a cushy bike on long distances. Engine power wise there would be little between the Varadero and the AT. The Varadero was a good bike and still is for some.

I'm not sure at this point I need to take it on a long ride and compare I know for a fact I can ride the NC for over 1000 miles in one stint and feel just fine everywhere. I do have a ride I'm going to plan to Idaho I am trying to decided which one to take I might take the AT. If I do I will report back with how it went in comparison to the NC. The lack of hp is really a non issue I think the NC has plenty to get the job done and I don't exceed 80 on my road trips most of the time and never over 90 and the NC is happy to do those speeds. . The NC with the highway pegs is very comfortable for me. The nice thing about the NC is I can adjust the seat with the seat mod so I can go all day without issue with bike shorts under my jeans and a gel pad I think I might have a issue with the AT seat after a while in the saddle plus I am used to the NC seat. By comparison the seat on the AT has a lot more cushion to it and is a fair bit softer. Softer however is not always better it's more about a combination of seat shape along with cushion so I just don't now yet with the AT. I would lean towards the NC at this point to answer your question though.

Nice comparison, thanks for that!
It's very useful to me - for now, I'm happy with NC and will keep it for few more years sure, but some day I want to change to something a little bigger, a little more touristic, capable of long-distance travel. Like the Crosstourer, me thinks.
Anyway, your notes on your height and how you fit both are handy, thank you