Considering the NC700x. Currently on a PC800

[Thedudeabidesman]

Hey guys.

I’ve been riding a ‘90 PC800 for years but the rubber parts (hoses etc) are starting to fail and they are discontinued by mother Honda....

I’ve been drooling over the NCX since they came out and now I’m seriously considering replacing the old PC with a late model NCX.

One of the things that always bothered me a little about the PC is the low redline.... I know the NCX also has a low redline so for that reason I’m thinking the DCT model would fit for me.

My riding consists of local after work and weekend mini rides in addition to 2-3 500-ish mile weekend trips per year. I take one solo week long trip to North Carolina (The Dragon, BRMC etc) every year (about 2,500 miles). I also make the exact same trip once a year with 2 up with my wife.

A normal year for me is 6k -10k miles.

In the past I have done a mixture of moto camping (hauling camping gear) and hotels / cabins.

Do you guys think the NC700X would be a good fit for me?

Thanks!


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[LM15]

Indeed the DCT model would be a great fit for you, I believe. I am very happy with mine, and I ride several 300+ RTE rides a month here in South Florida, as well riding in the TN, GA, NC mountains, once or twice a year.

 

[Hoosier Rider]

Wayne, is that you? By your description, I think I know you. I'm your Brothers' friend Doug and because of a a hip replacement, I'm thinking of replacing my F6B with a NC750x DCT.
Lake City Honda in Warsaw has a pre owned, low mileage NC700 on the floor. They're open until 3:00PM today(Saturday). Plenty of time to go up and take a look. It's not an X model, but it may fill your needs. Good luck!
Doug

 

[Thedudeabidesman]

Nope.... I’m not Wayne but I do love reasonably close to Warsaw.

I might have to check that out.

Thanks!


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[DirtFlier]

All the NCs for the US (either 700 or 750) are "X-models" so maybe the bike at the dealership is a NT700V? They made some NC S-models but they were not imported to the US.

 

[Jt105]

I had a 80’s vintage GL500. Similar power as the NC700x. I like the NC much better.

The PC800 has a lot of rider protection and more storage and shaft drive. Lots of advantages. The NC700X is more nimble and with some add-ons , could equal or better the PC other than the shaft drive.

JT

 

[Hoosier Rider]

All the NCs for the US (either 700 or 750) are "X-models" so maybe the bike at the dealership is a NT700V? They made some NC S-models but they were not imported to the US.

Now that I try to kick in my rememberer, I believe you are right about that one being an NT700V. It's a nice lookin' bike none the less.It's the model with the pass through bags if I recall correctly.

 

[Thedudeabidesman]

Here are a few pics of the PC800 for those not familiar with it.

It certainly is an odd duck....

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[drdubb]

Some of us NC owners will be heading to the NC mountains the weekend of May 17. some will go earlier. We camp at the Kickstand Motorcycle lodge in Stecoah. Join is.

Not the NC mountains

N. Georgia

 

[Thedudeabidesman]

Some of us NC owners will be heading to the NC mountains the weekend of May 17. some will go earlier. We camp at the Kickstand Motorcycle lodge in Stecoah. Join is.

Not the NC mountains

N. Georgia

Thanks for the invite! We shall see what my vacation opportunities look like this year.

Sounds like a blast!


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[ld_rider]

Do you guys think the NC700X would be a good fit for me?

Depends....

What is your inseam? How much do you weigh all geared up? The wife?

The NC has about the same wheel base as your PC does but will probably be more crowded. The PC800 might seem like a comfy Lazy Boy compared to the relatively cramped NC, especially if you end up with panniers (takes away passenger leg room) and a top box. My daughter is about 5'7" and 130lbs and with the panniers and top box on we are pretty tight...to the point of banging helmets once in awhile. The passenger seat is about the size of a dinner plate.

Seat height and comfort are a consideration to many. See the numerous threads on lowering the bike and improving the seat if either might be an issue.

Compared to the PC the NC will have zero in the way of wind management and of course other than the funk, there is no storage.

The fuel tank on the NC holds less than 4 gallons. Not an issue if you ride like grandma, but on a highway you can hit reserve in as little as 150 miles. That isn't an issue to a lot of riders, since well, NC riders aren't usually in a great hurry and if you baby it, 200 mile range is doable. This forum leads all other M/C forums on the planet with the number of Fuelly links in member's signatures. We are a frugal bunch ;-)

The chain/sprocket maintenance might be something that you grow to despise after coming off a shaft drive. Others find it a soothing way to bond with their machine. Or something.

A 670cc DCT weighs over 500 lbs wet and has about 45 hp or so....toss in a rider/passenger/ full tanks/panniers and well, you get the idea ;-) Since your PC isn't exactly a barn burner in the HP department either, that probably won't bother you too much, especially if most of your riding is solo.

These motorcycles are so inexpensive used, that if you are serious you could probably pick one up, try it for a summer or so and if it doesn't work for you, sell it for a few hundred less than you paid.

HTH

EDIT: You might want to check out the NT700V instead. It is the modern version of your PC800. Built in panniers, shaft drive, nice size fuel tank that carries over 5 gallons, ABS, 65hp, they have a lot going for them. Including 565 lbs of road-hugging weight ;-)

 

[Eric]

I went from a 1990 PC800 to a 2012 NC700X and have enjoyed the change. The NC is about 100 lbs lighter than the PC, so its easier to push in and out of parking places and the PC was needing a new clutch when I traded it in. I also wanted a bike that I could take on unpaved roads and still ride on the Interstate if need be. (My favorite roads these days are old country two lane roads with a 45 or 50 mph speed limit.)
I do miss the PC’s shaft drive, but the plastic body panels that cover the NC do remind me of the old PC...
You may be able to find a used NC700 bike with a bunch of accessories for a decent price. But if you find a “Base” model there are “Loads” of accessories you can add to suit your own tastes. (It’s easy to spend 3 or 4 thousand $, to get your machine set. And it’s a fun project too.)
The NC700 is a different bike than the PC800, but it’s a fun ride and because it’s a Honda, so you know it will hold up.
Would I go back to a PC800? Don’t think so, but I did enjoy the 10 years of ownership.
Good luck.
-Eric

 

[Red Rider]

If the NC doesn’t look like it will suit you, you might take a look at a CTX700 instead. Same exact motor and trans in a different configuration. The ergos and pillion possibilities might be a little more like the PC you’re leaving. Just a thought.

 

[Afan]

Same sign, other side...



I'm 55, 5'11" / 250 lbs when starving...
Commuting on my 2013 NC700X DCT 120 miles a day.
Two years ago made 4200 miles, 12 days trip west to Zion, then north to Yellowstone, and then back home.
Last year rode about 2500 miles in 6-7 days, from Iowa to Tail of the Dragon, Blue Ridge, etc. (LINK)
I really like the bike and already planing the route for this year trip to east coast.
I'm pretty sure you'll like NC, and you'll like DCT.

 

[SilverRocket]

Lots of PC800 riders (IIRC we called the bike "Pacific Coast" out here) were very dedicated to that bike.
I think the NC700 or 750 might serve you well but yes, if you can find one, I think the NT700V might be a more similar bike.

I considered one but it was just too heavy for my parking situation, where I have to back the bike out from between cars and a wall, hop a curb and make a tight right turn, etc. Apartment living really limits my choice of bike.

 

[DirtFlier]

The NT700V (called "Deauville" in UK) was sort of the next evolution from the PC800 although designed on a completely fresh piece of paper. It would be more accurate to think of it as a smaller sized ST1300. It has great weather protection with adjustable windshield and integral luggage plus they have deeper lids available that almost double the luggage capacity. The lid locking mechanism was/is the only weak point but most people have figured a way around that problem. Gas mileage is a little bit better than on the PC + it has a good size tank at 5.2 gals. It was overpriced here so was never popular and only brought here in 2010-11.

I have a 2010 NT I bought in Dec 2009 so one of the first ones available. It now has 68k miles and has been across the country many times, plus to Nova Scotia, etc.

I also have a 2013 NC700X and it's a huge change from the NT. What I like best about the NC is the lighter weight, low CG, and great mileage but that is somewhat offset by the tiny fuel tank. Wind protection is lousy and at least to me, it's similar to riding a dirt bike, plus it is chain drive so that's an additional chore required. My NC has DCT and it was the only reason I bought that bike and it has proven to be fun plus convenient. I had to add hard luggage for trips

ps. my '97 PC800 was bought new and it had 102k miles on the odometer when I sold it to a friend who continued to ride it daily to work (80-mile round trip) for another 2-years!

 

[New Commuter700]

The passenger seat is about the size of a dinner plate.

I like a little more for dinner, iow - I would describe it as the size of a Reader's Digest. But I will probably never have a passenger on mine.

 

[New Commuter700]

Hey guys.

I’ve been riding a ‘90 PC800 for years but the rubber parts (hoses etc) are starting to fail and they are discontinued by mother Honda....

I’ve been drooling over the NCX since they came out and now I’m seriously considering replacing the old PC with a late model NCX.

One of the things that always bothered me a little about the PC is the low redline.... I know the NCX also has a low redline so for that reason I’m thinking the DCT model would fit for me.

My riding consists of local after work and weekend mini rides in addition to 2-3 500-ish mile weekend trips per year. I take one solo week long trip to North Carolina (The Dragon, BRMC etc) every year (about 2,500 miles). I also make the exact same trip once a year with 2 up with my wife.

A normal year for me is 6k -10k miles.

In the past I have done a mixture of moto camping (hauling camping gear) and hotels / cabins.

Do you guys think the NC700X would be a good fit for me?

Thanks!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I can't say enough good things about this bike. I can say that as far as the low redline goes, that is a plus not a minus. This bike has a lot of low end torque for it's weight despite the dismal-sounding peak horsepower. I have the manual and I get my best mileage when I 'short shift', that is I go into the next gear at a relatively low rpm. Since it pulls good from the start shifting into the next gear at less than 3000 rpms allows me to still take off faster than most cars. That doesn't mean that I race the Camaro that pulls up next to me, I just let them go with the knowledge that they just wasted enough fuel to power my bike for 30 miles.

 

[Convict1997]

Personally, I think the NC700x would do well for all of your listed scenarios EXCEPT that two up trip with the wife. 5e previous poster’s recommendation of the CTX700 would be even worse in that regard. I had one before my NC and, as much as I wanted to like it, I just didn’t. The cruiser style ergonomics were not ideal for me. Also, the relatively like weight of the bike and small passenger seat would make for a tiring trip for you and the wife after that many miles. For solo rides, both would do well. Two up, I’d look at another bike.

 

[Red Rider]

Gonna be hard to replace the Pacific Coast. They were ahead of their time.