New member welcome thread..

[670cc]

Well, there's no shortage of bikes in my garage, I own an Africa Twin too, I've owned more than 50 bikes, raced seven different classes over the years, so there's a bit of experience here too.
The price of the NC 750 was not a selling feature to us.
I totally agree with you the bike would make a far better sport bike than it ever would a back road touring set up, as Honda advertised.
We ride the Western Canadian foothills, mountains and forestry trunk roads, with the bikes loaded for overnight stays, pretty much it's intended purpose.
The wife's NC 750x is a full load with every Honda accessory,
I'm just saying,,, we found it at the edge of it's performance envelope a few times already, unfortunately.
As for trading it in, we tired pretty much immediately when it only had 300 km and were offered 55% of it's purchase price, yet another NC disappointment.
But that's no big deal, right?

Many of us here that are sticking with the NC for the long term have made extensive modifications to accommodate our specific usage of the bike. From the dealer, I‘d consider it a “standard” motorcycle with, to use Honda’s words, “adventure styling”. If not kept fairly stock for use as a commuter bike, I think most people modify them towards the sport touring genre, with perhaps a hint of forest road capability. Due to the small wheel diameters and short suspension travel, it’s not feasible to make it into a true dual sport. It’s my opinion, and apparently the opinions of many others based on their purchase choices, that aftermarket accessories are often better suited to their jobs than the Honda accessories. The only official Honda accessory I would chose is their center stand.

It’s somewhat common to upgrade the front forks with RaceTech or Cogent components. Windshield and seat changes are almost a must. Luggage is added, but it comes in all different forms based on user preference. Brake performance is rarely brought up on this forum, as most people find them completely adequate. The small fuel tank can be an issue, so bringing along extra fuel is useful at times. The bike’s available horsepower should be no surprise, since there are plenty of dyno charts and power claims to be seen in magazines and on the Internet. I’m fully satisfied with the power output and power delivery character of the 670cc version, and I don’t even see a need for me to upgrade to the 745cc engine.

For the riding you described in Western Canada (and I was just there a month ago), I’d think the NC750X would be an excellent choice, assuming you’d be staying mainly on pavement or smooth hard packed gravel.

It’s a shame Honda groups the NCX in their same “Adventure” category as the Africa Twin and CRF450L, as those two bikes are worlds apart in design from the NCX. But, a quick look at the price, and at the specs for tire choice, wheel size, suspension travel, and maybe even the weight will tell you that the NC is just a low budget street bike, not an adventure bike. Nonetheless, I’m very happy that I bought one. NC, by the way, is Honda code for New Concept, and it was a concept long overdue in the motorcycle marketplace. The focus is on economy and real life usability for a world market, and not so much on pleasing horsepower junkie motojournalists. The NCX seems to appeal to intermediate level newby riders, and to older riders that are downsizing or returning to riding after a hiatus, or as in my case, riders with multi-bike fleets that appreciate the sensible uniqueness of the NC.

 

[Aeroburger]

Final comment

What were you mislead about? Given your extensive experience with motorcycles, I'd figure spending about 5 minutes looking over the NC's spec sheet and another 5 minutes staring at the bike in person, you should have a darn close idea of what to expect without even taking a test ride. I never even saw an NC in person when I made up my mind that I wanted one a few months ago. Found one used on Craigslist, drove 2.5 hours one way, test drove it around a parking lot with no helmet just to ensure the DCT changed gears correctly, loaded up and carried it home. I can't say that I was negatively surprised by any single thing about the bike. Mainly because I had realistic expectations going in. Actually was pleasantly surprised with the handling and brakes. The power was pretty much as I expected it to be.

I mean it shouldn't matter if Honda billed it as a super enduro champion bike.....the smaller 41 mm conventional forks, horsepower in the mid 50's, single front brake disc, 17" wheels, basic tube frame construction, etc all should have painted a good picture of what its intended use was. And if that wasn't enough, the slightest research on Honda Powersports website would reveal phrases like "great for cornering", "a good long distance and short hop street machine", etc.

After hearing that you have years of advanced experience with motorcycles, it's even more crazy to me that you feel mislead.

And I still would like to know what kind of riding is being done to make the brakes fade. I have rode the absolute crap out of mine in the canyon and other twisty roads and never experienced brake fade...and I am sure the brake fluid in it is what came in it when it was new in 2013.

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Wow!
Are you ever defending a lame duck.
In my opinion,
You are doing nothing but making excuses for Honda's misrepresentation of the bike.

To me, it's just another GL 650 Leadwing.
It looks great on the showroom floor, load it up take it out, and it can't really do what they said it was designed for.

I'm a 55 year Honda man, I would love to be just as impressed with the wife's new bike as you seem to be, but I call a spade a spade when I've bought one.

I'm sorry if I offended any other NC owners out there sharing our experience.

 

[TacomaJD]

Wow!
Are you ever defending a lame duck.
In my opinion,
You are doing nothing but making excuses for Honda's misrepresentation of the bike.

To me, it's just another GL 650 Leadwing.
It looks great on the showroom floor, load it up take it out, and it can't really do what they said it was designed for.

I'm a 55 year Honda man, I would love to be just as impressed with the wife's new bike as you seem to be, but I call a spade a spade when I've bought one.

I'm sorry if I offended any other NC owners out there sharing our experience.

I'm not defending the bike itself, as that is subjective. I couldn't care less if you like the bike or not. What I have a problem with is your claim of being mislead by Honda and you repetitively saying that the NC can't do what it was designed for. You may have been mislead by a salesman or just completely misinterpreted information you have received on the NC, but nowhere anywhere on the web is there anything written by Honda saying it is a true adventure bike that is capable offroad. You must have made that up in your head. I am not being a dick, just calling a spade a spade. You are making false claims by saying you were mislead by Honda and your idea of what the NC was designed for.

We now learn you have extensive motorcycle experience, which makes it even more obvious that you should have easily been able to catch all this before purchasing the bike. You literally just signed up here to whine about the bike, why? What does that accomplish?

You also complained about brake fade on both the front and rear, and after several requests you still have yet to elaborate on what's causing the brakes to fade....then we learn it's really your wife's bike, something you neglected to tell us in your initial complaining post. Is she riding the brakes the whole day on backroads? If not, she must be one badass lady to exceed the braking capabilities of the NC.

I feel like not even the most uninformed rider could have the complaints that you do toward the NC. At first I just assumed you did not do your homework before buying and kinda felt sorry for you. Now, I just think the majority of your claims are just silly.

One thing I won't do is try to speak for the NC's offroad ability, because that isn't really what it's designed for.....but there sure are an awful lot of folks here that put the NC through it's paces on mild trails and forest roads with no problems.

 

[Rapturee]

...and now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Hey Aeroburger...welcome to the site from north IDAHO! I recently rode up your way. I split off from the International Selkirk Loop a couple of times and once visited Nakusp, then back down to Cranbrook and over to Crows Nest Summit. Although i only saw a small portion of it, Alberta sure is some beautiful country with some friendly/helpful folks when i needed directions. :{)

 

[TacomaJD]

It looks great on the showroom floor, load it up take it out, and it can't really do what they said it was designed for.

I'm sure you will continue to dodge the brake question, so do me one favor and tell us exactly what "they" told you it was designed for?

 

[670cc]

Wow!
Are you ever defending a lame duck.
In my opinion,
You are doing nothing but making excuses for Honda's misrepresentation of the bike.

To me, it's just another GL 650 Leadwing.
It looks great on the showroom floor, load it up take it out, and it can't really do what they said it was designed for.

I'm a 55 year Honda man, I would love to be just as impressed with the wife's new bike as you seem to be, but I call a spade a spade when I've bought one.

I'm sorry if I offended any other NC owners out there sharing our experience.

Your reply was not directed at my post, but I'm not sure Honda misrepresents this bike.

I'm not offended at all and I have nothing to defend. The NC is a low power, mild mannered, inexpensive street bike. I happen to like it.

Honda, or perhaps more specifically American Honda, seems to be very careful about not representing the NC750X as a motorcycle meant for trails or unimproved roads, or what some customers might expect from an "adventure" motorcycle. I'm not sure "adventure" even has a clear definition. Their Web site overview of the NC750X, shown below, is not specific, but does not really lead one to expect it to perform on trails or single track, more so it implies just streets and backroads.

"The Honda NC750X is designed for the way people really ride. On weekdays, it’s an awesome commuter. On weekends, it’s ready to explore canyons and the countryside thanks to the 745cc engine. You can even choose the available Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC)** which allows the parallel-twin design to deliver power in an intuitive and easy-to-use way. The NC750X also has class-leading innovations, like integrated storage and our available Automatic Dual-Clutch Transmission. It seems like everyone is looking for a bike that does it all. The NC750X delivers without compromise."

In other descriptions, I've seen Honda carefully use the term "adventure styled", rather than calling it an adventure bike. On the Canada site they even refer to the tires as having "off-road style tread pattern." Throughout the Canada site NC750X descriptions, all they refer to is road, city, highway, and cottage road, but never trail or off pavement situations. Granted, they do show it in their Adventure category, which might lead a customer to some assumptions. Now then, what a dealer might tell a customer about the bike in order to make a sale is possibly a whole different story.

In any event, an inspection of the bike, a review of the specifications, and a test ride would tell you if the bike is up to the task you intend it for.

 

[670cc]

It looks great on the showroom floor, load it up take it out, and it can't really do what they said it was designed for.

If "they" is the dealer, then I wouldn't be surprised if you were possibly lied to. If "they" is Honda corporate or American Honda, I'd be interested in what literature was presented to you that set your expectations and made the bike fail to meet your expectations.

 

[Karl84]

Well firstly, welcome @Aeroburger. Secondly, it seems I'm only going to be speaking for myself here, but when I get on the odd dirt road, I thoroughly enjoy myself! Especially with the road tyres I'm able to slide the tail out at about 40kph!

Of course I'm no expert, but I've ridden the odd off road track with my KTM 250exc...

I think the market Honda have aimed at (all-rounder commuter that can go slightly off road when necessary) has definitely hit the target.

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[spads25]

Can’t be disappointed that a Toyota Camry can’t go the same places or do the same things as a Jeep...


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[Aeroburger]

I'm sure you will continue to dodge the brake question, so do me one favor and tell us exactly what "they" told you it was designed for?

Sorry if I didn't come across well, they tell me I'm a salty old dog.

Coming down the Cadomin road did in brakes with my wife on it, loaded and plastered with mud.
A 41 km multi surface mountain road with double digit grades.
If I could get a picture to load I would gladly send you a picture of the gun blue brake rotor.
I could pound around my home town for less than three minutes when the bike was first undressed and the brakes would fade away, bin' there done that.

A little more field testing on Honda's part would have been greatly beneficial to us before dropping it into this category.
Tire size, underbelly protection, seat, windshield, handlebars, optimum size luggage manufacturer, instrument glare, etc, are all basic things I feel I should have been looked at long before it became a 750.

I just don't feel I should have to modify and correct so many issues on an claimed adventure sports bike to make it comfortable on a long haul secondary road excursion.

But still,
it is my fault, for not test riding a fully dressed, loaded at touring weight, NC 750x, on a mountainous gravel road before making this purchase.

Silly me.

 

[TacomaJD]

Sorry if I didn't come across well, they tell me I'm a salty old dog.

Coming down the Cadomin road did in brakes with my wife on it, loaded and plastered with mud.
A 41 km multi surface mountain road with double digit grades.
If I could get a picture to load I would gladly send you a picture of the gun blue brake rotor.
I could pound around my home town for less than three minutes when the bike was first undressed and the brakes would fade away, bin' there done that.

A little more field testing on Honda's part would have been greatly beneficial to us before dropping it into this category.
Tire size, underbelly protection, seat, windshield, handlebars, optimum size luggage manufacturer, instrument glare, etc, are all basic things I feel I should have been looked at long before it became a 750.

I just don't feel I should have to modify and correct so many issues on an claimed adventure sports bike to make it comfortable on a long haul secondary road excursion.

But still,
it is my fault, for not test riding a fully dressed, loaded at touring weight, NC 750x, on a mountainous gravel road before making this purchase.

Silly me.

Basically, back to my original assessment of your foul-up, you wanted Africa Twin performance for the $8k price tag for your wife. There's really no other explanation, especially since you say you already own an Africa Twin so you are familiar with its capabilities. Otherwise you'd have just bought her an AT to start with instead of an NC.

And if you can pound around town for 3 minutes and already have the brakes fading, you have brake problems. Or you're just full of it. Nobody is gonna overheat the brakes on an NC in 3 minutes, that's a ridiculous claim. I'll be doing a trackday in September on my NC, if the brakes fade in 3 minutes, I won't make it out of the 3rd lap before crashing. Will report how it goes.

Continuing this back and forth is pointless. Sell the NC, buy an Africa Twin, tell people on Africa Twin forum how much kewler it is than that dumb ole NC that Honda lied about.

 

[670cc]

A little more field testing on Honda's part would have been greatly beneficial to us before dropping it into this category.
Tire size, underbelly protection, seat, windshield, handlebars, optimum size luggage manufacturer, instrument glare, etc, are all basic things I feel I should have been looked at long before it became a 750.

Are not these features of the motorcycle (tire size, underbelly protection, seat, windshield, handlebars, optimum size luggage manufacturer, instrument glare, etc.) plainly visible to the potential buyer while the bike is sitting on the showroom floor, or observable during a test ride?

Honda did not misrepresent the NC750X, or at least you haven’t yet shown us any evidence that they did. I think you read something in the marketing materials that wasn't actually there, and failed to fully inspect this motorcycle before you purchased it. If you have buyer's remorse, you can't blame this one on Honda.

 

[ld_rider]

it is my fault, for not test riding a fully dressed, loaded at touring weight, NC 750x, on a mountainous gravel road before making this purchase.
Silly me.

Well, hopefully you won't make THAT mistake again! Never, NEVER make a vehicle purchase based on a glossy brochure or marketing hype. Also, do the arithmetic before buying! Take the gross vehicle loaded weight w/rider/passenger/luggage/fuel and divide that big number by the 48 rwhp or so of the NC and you will see how underpowered (for a modern motorcycle) the NC is.

Everything you complained about is basically true. No argument from me. but all those issues (windscreen, instrument panel, small wheels, abysmal resale value, etc) have been known for about half a decade now so there is no excuse to being "surprised", especially a seasoned rider with half century of motorcycle experience.

Remember: Do Your Own Due Diligence! and ignore the glossy brochures! Just because an inexpensive commuter bike built for fuel efficiency has a beak on it doesn't make it an Adventure Bike ;-)

Anyway, life is way too short to ride a motorcycle you don't like. Might be time to bite the bullet, admit the mistake and move on to the GSA ;-) I think if I had $25K usd burning a hole in my pocket I would get one too!

 

[Karl84]

Well, hopefully you won't make THAT mistake again! Never, NEVER make a vehicle purchase based on a glossy brochure or marketing hype. Also, do the arithmetic before buying! Take the gross vehicle loaded weight w/rider/passenger/luggage/fuel and divide that big number by the 48 rwhp or so of the NC and you will see how underpowered (for a modern motorcycle) the NC is.

Everything you complained about is basically true. No argument from me. but all those issues (windscreen, instrument panel, small wheels, abysmal resale value, etc) have been known for about half a decade now so there is no excuse to being "surprised", especially a seasoned rider with half century of motorcycle experience.

Remember: Do Your Own Due Diligence! and ignore the glossy brochures! Just because an inexpensive commuter bike built for fuel efficiency has a beak on it doesn't make it an Adventure Bike ;-)

Anyway, life is way too short to ride a motorcycle you don't like. Might be time to bite the bullet, admit the mistake and move on to the GSA ;-) I think if I had $25K usd burning a hole in my pocket I would get one too!

I'm from South Africa and it's fascinating to see you guys talk about the poor resale value of this bike. Around here, the guys who have them are very reluctant to sell, so they tend to keep their prices very well. The 2012 model I have, could possibly go for the same price as when I bought it 2 years ago, according to our version of Craigslist.

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[davidc83]

Mother Honda doesnt have an 'adventure sport' classification....They have classifications of adventure and sport, along with touring, cruiser, standard, etc.... The Honda NC700/750 has never been classified as any kind of 'sport' bike...It is in the adventure category, not the dual-sport category, and it sold at a price point...which doesnt include bash plates, larger windshields, touch screen instrument panels, off road wheels....heck even the pictures on mother honda's website shows the NC700/750 exactly what it is...and there is no true definition of an 'adventure' bike...'adventure' does not necessary being out in the middle of nowhere, on mountain goat paths...heck, my adventure is traveling 6 hours on the superslab and doing all the great roads (asphalt) in the smokey mountains....3 years ago, my adventure was riding the superslab for 3 hours to get to Nashville TN and riding the Natchez Trace (total ride time of 12 hours from Scottsburg Indiana to Natchez Mississippi)....I hate riding on gravel/sand roads....I know how to ride gravel/sand roads,,,just dont like riding them (controlled chaos)...the last get together at MOs this past May, Robbie and myself burned up some roads (Robbie on his sv650 and me on the NC) and I had no issues with the brakes (last year, different scenario but that was my fault in not changing the brake pads before heading to the Smokies...)....this past weekend, I spent hours testing riding all the Indian bikes, even the new FTR1200-which is classified as an 'adventure' bike and there is no way I would even consider riding that on my gravel driveway 150' (demo truck was in local town) and after I was done and riding the NC home, I was content on how good of a bike the NC really is... All bikes have a weight carrying classification---what most riders forget to consider is their own weight is part of that weight carrying capability...the weigh carrying capability of the Honda NC750 is approx 461 Lbs (209Kg), including the weight of the rider(s)...over loading or being near the max weight for long periods of time will cause issues with brakes...riding/driving down mountain roads with brakes on will cause brake fade and damage brake pads on any vehicle-the key is to go down mountain roads in lower gear(s) and allow the engine to keep the speed down... the NC700/750 are street bikes with 'adventure' styling and if it didnt have the beak, it would be just a 'standard' type bike...

 

[Dellaster]

Hi everyone. I’m currently in the research phase for my next bike and the NC-X is on my short list. Moto background: first ride was a 50cc moped as a tween, young adulthood brought a Suzuki 500 2-stroke then a BMW R90/6 full fairing bike. After a 30-something year gap I bought a Kawasaki KLX250S which I still ride seven years and 21k miles later. Fully retired now at 62, looking to do some lengthy adventure touring (USA & Canada) while I still can.

As mentioned, the Honda NC700X/750X is on my short list. There are a lot of things I like, going by reviews and specs. I have yet to see one in person. One thing that may knock it out of contention is that in the US you need to get the DCT if you want ABS. I really want ABS on my next bike. The DCT? Not so much, not after reading of shift pins coming loose and Honda not owning up to the problem, among other things (I hate, HATE complicated vehicle systems deciding to stall me or go into limp mode if everything isn’t 100%, even if it’s just a dirty mass air sensor).

Due to that, a good used BMW F700GS has moved into my top pick slot, for now. But I do like this forum. And things might change by the time I’m ready to get serious about a purchase (not before November since I’m a volunteer at the Grand Canyon NP till late October). So I’ll likely be checking in here for a while.

 

[TacomaJD]

Hi everyone. I’m currently in the research phase for my next bike and the NC-X is on my short list. Moto background: first ride was a 50cc moped as a tween, young adulthood brought a Suzuki 500 2-stroke then a BMW R90/6 full fairing bike. After a 30-something year gap I bought a Kawasaki KLX250S which I still ride seven years and 21k miles later. Fully retired now at 62, looking to do some lengthy adventure touring (USA & Canada) while I still can.

As mentioned, the Honda NC700X/750X is on my short list. There are a lot of things I like, going by reviews and specs. I have yet to see one in person. One thing that may knock it out of contention is that in the US you need to get the DCT if you want ABS. I really want ABS on my next bike. The DCT? Not so much, not after reading of shift pins coming loose and Honda not owning up to the problem, among other things (I hate, HATE complicated vehicle systems deciding to stall me or go into limp mode if everything isn’t 100%, even if it’s just a dirty mass air sensor).

Due to that, a good used BMW F700GS has moved into my top pick slot, for now. But I do like this forum. And things might change by the time I’m ready to get serious about a purchase (not before November since I’m a volunteer at the Grand Canyon NP till late October). So I’ll likely be checking in here for a while.

Very cool! And welcome!

The NC might be a good choice for you, but you will have to deck it out to be comfortable for lengthy touring. Once you have an upgraded seat, windshield, more storage, possibly even highway pegs to stretch legs every now and then, it would be a fantastic lengthy touring machine.

They are very fun bikes and I wouldn't be so quick to knock the DCT trans, although I can fully understand where you are coming from. I probably wouldn't have opted for it either, but I lost my left leg in a bike wreck years ago and the DCT is pretty much a necessity for me to ride the NC. Now that I have a DCT bike, my outlook on it has changed greatly. If I had 2 good legs and knowing what I know now, I would probably opt for the DCT again! It is such a cool feature, and I think it is likely less problematic than you think. There's stories online about shift forks bending and other odd and end things grenading in other manual trans bikes. The point is more bad stories make it to the internet than good, because people rarely start a thread and say - Went for a 300 mile ride today, transmission shifted flawlessly all day - so thankful. Lol.

I've only seen a couple stories of dct malfunctioning on here and it's been something simple. If the dct was made by Harley, I'd be afraid of it! But it's made by Honda and that should provide some confidence.

And if you just wanna grab the clutch and bang gears, nothing wrong with that either! Cool thing about manual trans bikes is that you can alter sprockets to change gearing. Can't do that on a dct bike becuase it confuses the computer when it's trying to read wheel speed.

Good luck, go to a local honda shop. At the very least roll it out and sit on it, walk around it a few times. They are very cool bikes for the money. I don't know much about the BMW offerings, but go check them out too! Look them both down really good, do plenty research, and make an educated decision.


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[rippin209]

Hi everyone. I’m currently in the research phase for my next bike and the NC-X is on my short list. Moto background: first ride was a 50cc moped as a tween, young adulthood brought a Suzuki 500 2-stroke then a BMW R90/6 full fairing bike. After a 30-something year gap I bought a Kawasaki KLX250S which I still ride seven years and 21k miles later. Fully retired now at 62, looking to do some lengthy adventure touring (USA & Canada) while I still can.

As mentioned, the Honda NC700X/750X is on my short list. There are a lot of things I like, going by reviews and specs. I have yet to see one in person. One thing that may knock it out of contention is that in the US you need to get the DCT if you want ABS. I really want ABS on my next bike. The DCT? Not so much, not after reading of shift pins coming loose and Honda not owning up to the problem, among other things (I hate, HATE complicated vehicle systems deciding to stall me or go into limp mode if everything isn’t 100%, even if it’s just a dirty mass air sensor).

Due to that, a good used BMW F700GS has moved into my top pick slot, for now. But I do like this forum. And things might change by the time I’m ready to get serious about a purchase (not before November since I’m a volunteer at the Grand Canyon NP till late October). So I’ll likely be checking in here for a while.

I bought my NC700X 4 years ago so the 750 wasn't even an option in the US and the DCT was new enough I was skeptical but both have a proven track record now that I would recommend at least trying the DCT (most that try it end up buying one) and if I was in the market for an NC I would personally prefer the newer 750, it has an improvement or two over the 700 but nothing radical enough to take away the very reliable characteristics.

 

[670cc]

Hi everyone. I’m currently in the research phase for my next bike and the NC-X is on my short list. Moto background: first ride was a 50cc moped as a tween, young adulthood brought a Suzuki 500 2-stroke then a BMW R90/6 full fairing bike. After a 30-something year gap I bought a Kawasaki KLX250S which I still ride seven years and 21k miles later. Fully retired now at 62, looking to do some lengthy adventure touring (USA & Canada) while I still can.

As mentioned, the Honda NC700X/750X is on my short list. There are a lot of things I like, going by reviews and specs. I have yet to see one in person. One thing that may knock it out of contention is that in the US you need to get the DCT if you want ABS. I really want ABS on my next bike. The DCT? Not so much, not after reading of shift pins coming loose and Honda not owning up to the problem, among other things (I hate, HATE complicated vehicle systems deciding to stall me or go into limp mode if everything isn’t 100%, even if it’s just a dirty mass air sensor).

Due to that, a good used BMW F700GS has moved into my top pick slot, for now. But I do like this forum. And things might change by the time I’m ready to get serious about a purchase (not before November since I’m a volunteer at the Grand Canyon NP till late October). So I’ll likely be checking in here for a while.

Honda’s packaging of an automatic transmission option in order to get anti-lock brakes on the NC-X in the US has been a sore spot with me and perhaps many other buyers. I definitely don’t want the automatic, but I would like ABS. If I were a new buyer today, one way I might handle this situation is to buy a CB500X instead. The 500X, for me, offers a little better ergonomics and comfort than the NC, has nearly the same horsepower, and is available with a manual transmission and ABS. The only thing missing is the frunk storage compartment, but fuel capacity is increased as a result. While I do like my NC700X very much, if Honda had introduced the CB500X prior to rolling out the NC, I might have gotten the 500 instead.

View attachment 38664

 

[Dellaster]

Very cool! And welcome!

The NC might be a good choice for you, but you will have to deck it out to be comfortable for lengthy touring. Once you have an upgraded seat, windshield, more storage, possibly even highway pegs to stretch legs every now and then, it would be a fantastic lengthy touring machine.

They are very fun bikes and I wouldn't be so quick to knock the DCT trans, although I can fully understand where you are coming from. I probably wouldn't have opted for it either, but I lost my left leg in a bike wreck years ago and the DCT is pretty much a necessity for me to ride the NC. Now that I have a DCT bike, my outlook on it has changed greatly. If I had 2 good legs and knowing what I know now, I would probably opt for the DCT again! It is such a cool feature, and I think it is likely less problematic than you think. There's stories online about shift forks bending and other odd and end things grenading in other manual trans bikes. The point is more bad stories make it to the internet than good, because people rarely start a thread and say - Went for a 300 mile ride today, transmission shifted flawlessly all day - so thankful. Lol.

I've only seen a couple stories of dct malfunctioning on here and it's been something simple. If the dct was made by Harley, I'd be afraid of it! But it's made by Honda and that should provide some confidence.

And if you just wanna grab the clutch and bang gears, nothing wrong with that either! Cool thing about manual trans bikes is that you can alter sprockets to change gearing. Can't do that on a dct bike becuase it confuses the computer when it's trying to read wheel speed.

Good luck, go to a local honda shop. At the very least roll it out and sit on it, walk around it a few times. They are very cool bikes for the money. I don't know much about the BMW offerings, but go check them out too! Look them both down really good, do plenty research, and make an educated decision.


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Sorry to hear of your loss, TacomaJD. I can see that the DCT would be a godsend for you. I’m not totally against it, but it’s enough of an uncertainty to push the NC-X out of the top slot on my short list. Thank you for your response.

I bought my NC700X 4 years ago so the 750 wasn't even an option in the US and the DCT was new enough I was skeptical but both have a proven track record now that I would recommend at least trying the DCT (most that try it end up buying one) and if I was in the market for an NC I would personally prefer the newer 750, it has an improvement or two over the 700 but nothing radical enough to take away the very reliable characteristics.

Yes, I would go for the 750 by preference unless the 700 was a deal hard to pass up, and the logistics involved in obtaining it weren’t difficult (too often the case in the US—big country!).

Honda’s packaging of an automatic transmission option in order to get anti-lock brakes on the NC-X in the US has been a sore spot with me and perhaps many other buyers. I definitely don’t want the automatic, but I would like ABS. If I were a new buyer today, one way I might handle this situation is to buy a CB500X instead. The 500X, for me, offers a little better ergonomics and comfort than the NC, has nearly the same horsepower, and is available with a manual transmission and ABS. The only thing missing is the frunk storage compartment, but fuel capacity is increased as a result. While I do like my NC700X very much, if Honda had introduced the CB500X prior to rolling out the NC, I might have gotten the 500 instead.

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Exactly my feelings. The newly improved 2019 CB500X is also on my short list. Yamaha Tenere 700, too, if I decide to wait more than a year and go new, not used. I’d need the extra time to save up my pennies, anyway. Possibly a Suzuki V-Strom 650. I would have to try one.

Eliminated from my list so far: Triumph Tiger 800 (weird annoying engine noise), Kawasaki Versys (I don’t like high-RPM power). No KTM ever made it on my list.

It’s still early in my research phase, however, so things could change. Probably I’ll bounce back and forth in my leanings as time goes by. I find that learning and anticipating are some of the most enjoyable parts of buying. No hurry; I might just do some lighter-weight adventuring on my KLX next year and decide after I gain that experience.

P.S.- One thing I need to check out is seat height on the CB500X. 35” on my KLX250S is perfect for me, flat footed after the suspension compresses with my weight. The CB500X might be too small.