Is two up really that bad?

[tenny80]

No, those horror stories are written by liars.

I suggest you start your investigation as to the NC suitability for two-up riding on a forum dedicated to....NC enthusiasts. That should give you some unbiased opinions ;-)

You do know that everyone that had a NC, found it terrible for two-up riding has probably left this forum and can be found either the Versys 650 or FZ-09 forum telling grand stories of their two-up adventures, right?

What about a used Yamaha FZ-1 for about half the cost of a NC?

Remember this:

Search long enough on the Internet and you will eventually find answers you agree with. When you have that confirmation, simply buy the motorcycle you wanted to buy in the first place and try it out! If it doesn't work, just sell it.

If the mission included two-up touring and I was obsessed with fuel mileage I would buy a used NC (for peanuts) . That way, the financial sting will be much less when I sold it and bought a better suited motorcycle after a few trips.

The NC can tour two up...the question is.....why do it when there are dozens of motorcycle out there better suited? I just passed on a GL1800 w/ABS brakes for $6,800 USD (w/lots of miles on it) which would get my vote rather than the NC.

Good luck with your due-dilligence and remember: Comfirmational Bias can be tough to shake ;-)

I have looked at the Versys 650, the wheelbase is to short
FZ-09 is a bike i've considered, but again short wheel base and limited options for touring

Of course there are dozens of motorcycles better at touring two up.. I already own one. But it's not without it's issues. I put about 20k miles a year on a bike and probably 17k of them are without my wife. We go on 1 or 2 weekend trips a year, and like to go out in the evenings for a ride, dinner, etc.

I'm not obsessed with MPG, but the concours is more expensive to run then my Ford escape is when you factor in premium gas and 3 sets of tires a year. It's also a very heavy bike that sucks for my daily commute to work. Right now i've got a bike that is amazing for 3k of the miles I do in a year, the goal here is to get a bike that is amazing for 17k miles a year and passable for 3k miles a year with the wife/kids.

 

[Pianoman]

That's great news! Does this issue happen for all top boxes or just the honda?

Just the Honda, I believe, because of the fixed base plate that it uses and the specific passenger handles.
I also have the lower back rest that increases the problem (and also interferes with the passenger's seat opening). - problem also resolved.

 

[bamamate]

I have the Bestem topbox on SWMotech rack. The natural position for it to mount encroached into the passenger area so I drilled new holes in the mount to get it further back.

 

[Canuck]

I ride a stock NC750X 2016 and last sunday, the wife and I went riding for about 3 hours. I have no top box, original seat and you know what, my wife fell asleep while we rode. She never rode on another bike, so she can't compare, but she says it's a real comfy bike. Just to say, we take breaks every 150km or so. Oh, and I woke her up right away... Don't want the pillion to fall off don't we?

 

[SergeantChuck]

That's great news! Does this issue happen for all top boxes or just the honda?

I've never heard anyone else complain about the same closed gap produced by the OEM topbox. I'd also like to point out that you will have trouble titling the pillon seat high enough to fuel the bike if you purchase after market pillon seat and use it in combination with the OEM topbox. The topbox being further forward in combination with an increased seat height allows the seat to hit the topbox when the seat is only halfway open. That is my experience with my setup.

 

[happy]

My 2 cents.
It is really a personal decision about comfort.

Compared to a Goldwing, the NC sucks.
Compared to a Honda cup (70c), the NC is luxury.

If you and your wife are on the heavy side, then I recommend 2 bikes or a big fat goldwing type of tourer.

So you see, the answer really depends on YOU.


I am going to vote, keep to 1-rider when using the NC to derive max pleasure. You will probably need a bigger bike (bigger power and bigger rear seat) for a comfortable 2-up riding (long journey) experience.

If it is an occasional day trip, the NC is fully capable for 2-up.

 

[OneGun]

I'd also like to point out that you will have trouble titling the pillon seat high enough to fuel the bike if you purchase after market pillon seat and use it in combination with the OEM topbox. The topbox being further forward in combination with an increased seat height allows the seat to hit the topbox when the seat is only halfway open. That is my experience with my setup.

This is good to know. I've been toying with the idea of buying a second bike (bigger/more comfortable) for 2-up touring, but then the responses in this thread got me thinking about giving it an honest try on my NC firsts. However, doing that would definitely require I upgrade my pillion seat. I have the SC seat for the driver, but the pillion is still the OEM torture device. So I priced out a Russell Day-Long pillion seat... it's $395 plus shipping for just the pillion. But that's much cheaper than a new bike, so I was thinking of giving that a try.

But I'm definitely going to call and talk to them about my concerns before I make the order. It'd be really nice if all I needed was a nicer seat and not a whole new bike to the tune of $15k.

 

[ld_rider]

the goal here is to get a bike that is amazing for 17k miles a year and passable for 3k miles a year with the wife/kids.

For daily communting and accasional dinner/evening two-up rides the NC will be fine. That is exactly the design goal of the machine. Factor in a few hundred dollars for a seat and several more $$ for a decent screen, some highway pegs, a few $$$ for panniers and you can make it exactly what you want.

Or, buy a used BMW RT and keep your fingers crossed it doesn't blow up ;-)

 

[showkey]

There is a HUGE difference in capable and comfortable.

NC With a passenger.........30-60 minutes tops, anything after that is torture for all involved.
The road better be smooth.........with two up rough road, 30 minutes equals two hours.

As far as the NC being that same or close to the ST1300 for two up ................my experience says no way.......... We are able to do 500 days on the ST and can still smile ( and walk).

 

[Bandit]

Not big miles b
ut I can do 250 to 400 mile in a day. with little pain in the a..

 

[Chestnut]

Aside from what everyone else has said, her height (specifically the leg length) is going to make a big difference. I've ridden on the back of mine for short distances and I couldn't do a full day even with a new pillion seat. It's too cramped. I'm 5'10" though. Someone a little less leggy might feel differently. I vote find one, ride it, and both of you sit on it for a while.

 

[RinconVTR]

My wife rides with me comfortably for the very same distances and reasons those with cruisers do.

Meaning, we are not putting down 500 miles days. Nor are we on the interstate at all laying down mega miles for any length of time.

We're two up to cruise around town for various reasons. I would say 50 miles from home would be a maximum ride and more typical is 10-30.

And that said, my wife would do no more even on my FJR. We would need a dedicated touring bike for greater time and distance for her to go more miles, and I'm simply not ready for that yet.

 

[Catbear]

My partner has ridden with me on several ~200km day trips, maybe 4 hours on the bike in a day. Would do it again.

I was miserable with the stock seat (I am always miserable with the stock seat, it is being replaced).

Passenger comfort is reportedly pretty good aside from some awkward vibration/pressure depending on engine speed. Changing posture can help, as can support garments.

Bike handling is more or less unchanged, though it sits about an inch lower on the rear suspension. Smooth asphalt is great, dirt and rough asphalt is fine, gravel is bad, but then the NC basically hates gravel roads anyway.

I am 6'4/210 and my partner about 5'9/160 and we fit together well on the stock pegs -- with no luggage.

Sight-lines for the pillion are pretty terrible, mostly the back of my head. Not great for sight-seeing. (Though I am tall, if driver/pax are same height it may be different.)

We would not tour on it, but for destination day trips where we're going somewhere and there are breaks in riding, it's fine.

One interesting issue we've noted is that with the DCT the pillion gets no physical cues (e.g. switching gears with left foot) that the bike is about to accelerate from a stop/slow, and this can be quite startling for them if they also can't see visual cues due to my big fat helmet. I accelerate gently but still it's kind of not great to have the bike suddenly move with no warning. I'm working on giving verbal or physical cues prior to making way and it helps. Just a thing we noticed.

 

[Old Can Ride]

My partner has ridden with me on several ~200km day trips, maybe 4 hours on the bike in a day. Would do it again.

I was miserable with the stock seat (I am always miserable with the stock seat, it is being replaced).

Passenger comfort is reportedly pretty good aside from some awkward vibration/pressure depending on engine speed. Changing posture can help, as can support garments.

Bike handling is more or less unchanged, though it sits about an inch lower on the rear suspension. Smooth asphalt is great, dirt and rough asphalt is fine, gravel is bad, but then the NC basically hates gravel roads anyway.

I am 6'4/210 and my partner about 5'9/160 and we fit together well on the stock pegs -- with no luggage.

Sight-lines for the pillion are pretty terrible, mostly the back of my head. Not great for sight-seeing. (Though I am tall, if driver/pax are same height it may be different.)

We would not tour on it, but for destination day trips where we're going somewhere and there are breaks in riding, it's fine.

One interesting issue we've noted is that with the DCT the pillion gets no physical cues (e.g. switching gears with left foot) that the bike is about to accelerate from a stop/slow, and this can be quite startling for them if they also can't see visual cues due to my big fat helmet. I accelerate gently but still it's kind of not great to have the bike suddenly move with no warning. I'm working on giving verbal or physical cues prior to making way and it helps. Just a thing we noticed.

You might try getting bluetooth communication for both helmets, then you could just talk. However, when riding with wife on back I have many times turned off the commucation device without her knowing, but you must keep shaking your head "yes honey".

 

[SlimDude]

Well, week before last the significant other and I rode round trip to Ottawa and back, back roads half the way, 1121.2 kms with full gear and she loved it. We're not heavyweights by any stretch but she is 5'9" tall. But I do have a Wilbers 640 shock w/preload and Corbin seat on my 2012 NCX. So I do recommend that. The bike is still cheaper than buying a Bimmer.

 

[rmezei]

Well, week before last the significant other and I rode round trip to Ottawa and back, back roads half the way, 1121.2 kms with full gear and she loved it. We're not heavyweights by any stretch but she is 5'9" tall. But I do have a Wilbers 640 shock w/preload and Corbin seat on my 2012 NCX. So I do recommend that. The bike is still cheaper than buying a Bimmer.

we are 6'1, 190 lbs and she's like 5'7 and 130 lbs, I'm hoping the bike will handle fine... Im coming from a burgman400 maxi scooter, it was a little light on the front, too much weight on back so it was getting blown around in the wind and cross winds

 

[rippin209]

we are 6'1, 190 lbs and she's like 5'7 and 130 lbs, I'm hoping the bike will handle fine... Im coming from a burgman400 maxi scooter, it was a little light on the front, too much weight on back so it was getting blown around in the wind and cross winds

I'm 5'11, 210 lbs and my wife is 5'3, 130 lbs and hadn't been on the back of a bike sense she was a kid on the back of her uncle's. We started out at an hour or so by the second or third time or she said she could go farther. My wife is good for 3 or 4 hours on the back with the stock seat and suspension and we only do that 5 or 6 times a year so it's not that she's conditioned to it. I think you'll be fine especially if your used to a smaller bike with limited power, I think it would be a major upgrade from your 400. I would recommend some handle bar risers and a upgraded wind screen at least for your comfort

 

[potter0o]

we are 6'1, 190 lbs and she's like 5'7 and 130 lbs, I'm hoping the bike will handle fine... Im coming from a burgman400 maxi scooter, it was a little light on the front, too much weight on back so it was getting blown around in the wind and cross winds

I'm 175 and spouse 120. She finds the seat uncomfortable after about an hour. Over the Winter picked up a top case with a back rest. Will probably test it more after we come back from holidays in April

 

[rmezei]

I'm 5'11, 210 lbs and my wife is 5'3, 130 lbs and hadn't been on the back of a bike sense she was a kid on the back of her uncle's. We started out at an hour or so by the second or third time or she said she could go farther. My wife is good for 3 or 4 hours on the back with the stock seat and suspension and we only do that 5 or 6 times a year so it's not that she's conditioned to it. I think you'll be fine especially if your used to a smaller bike with limited power, I think it would be a major upgrade from your 400. I would recommend some handle bar risers and a upgraded wind screen at least for your comfort

yes, I would like to look into this 'risers' option for the handlebar because I wouldnt mind have the bars a 'tad' closer to me in the 'upright' position, will this do that? where can I find those risers and the dealer can put them I guess?

thanks!

 

[rippin209]

I'm not sure I bought 1.25"risers online for around $30 and installed them myself, it was really easy just four bolts holding on the handle bars.