New member with LOTS of questions...

[gordonisbell]

Hi. I am not an owner yet but am very, very interested in the 700X as my first bike in over 40 years. I live in central California where the weather allows riding virtually all year round. Wife wants ride along so it has really impacted which way I need to go. We would like to do some weekend "touring" but it appears the two of us, along with saddlebags and top bag, will exceed the permitted total weight That is the only reason I would lose interest in this cycle. I would appreciate any ideas, suggestions et al, and, I look forward to participating and learning as much as possible. Best! Gordon

 

[670cc]

This is an extremely common question. Unfortunately, forum members' opinions vary widely as to what makes a good tow up tourer, or a barely acceptable one.

There are many threads here asking this same question. This one has a poll so you can see a sample of opinions: http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-general-discussion/8300-straw-poll-nc700-750-incapable-carrying-pillion-more-than-20-miles.html

It would be rather pointless for me to answer your two-up question here, since mine would be just one biased opinion, and we've had the discussions before. I would suggest you use Google and search something like "NC700-Forum two up". The forum search engine isn't always the best, and going outside to Google can get you more accurate results.

The short answer is that the machine is capable, but the question is would you and your pillion be comfortable?

 

[OldJeff]

I don't have good news to report concerning two-up riding on the NC700X. My wife hates this bike and will not get on it even for a ride to Red Lobster (her favorite place to eat) The back seat is too small and there is not enough room for her legs getting to the pegs with the panniers on. I have all Honda kit on my bike.

One other point, I truly suggest you avoid two-up riding until you get much more comfortable with handling a bike with just you on it. Precious cargo aboard!

 

[gordonisbell]

Thanks. I thought about that. Maybe just get the 700x for me alone, or get one for her too!

 

[Deckyon]

I personally think you would have a better time convincing her to ride if she had her own. Go take the MSF course together and see if she would even enjoy riding on her own bike. If nothing else, at least she would know how to ride. Just in case.

 

[the4Dman]

I personally think you would have a better time convincing her to ride if she had her own. Go take the MSF course together and see if she would even enjoy riding on her own bike. If nothing else, at least she would know how to ride. Just in case.

Wife and I took the MSF together, great date weekend and now I cant get her off the (her) bike!!! she actually bought a second bike this weekend, an FZ07, and I can't even get her to buy shoes!!!!
taking the course is possibly the best thing we have ever done in 25 years of marriage, together (well, except for making 3 great sons)

 

[bamamate]

2up on the NC, like on most bikes, all depends on the riders. Some like it and some don't. There is no universal answer.The important bit of information you had have in your question is you with passenger and luggage would be over the weight limit for the bike. That alone says the NC is not a good fit.

 

[gordonisbell]

Well, she's not interested in having her own, just wants to ride with me. Frustrating. I really wanted the bike to be able to do it all, even recognizing I need to ride alone for awhile before I even consider two up. Really wanted to stay with Honda and really wanted that particular power train. I want something a minimum of four years before I would upgrade to a bigger bike. Any suggestions on something even remotely similar that wouldn't cost over $10,000, be small enough for me to learn on and, eventually, allow at least 500 lbs of weight on the bike?

 

[Vnc]

Wee strom (650) and Versys 650 are next in line for your needs. Both are more comfortable for two.

 

[SergeantChuck]

Again, this is all opinion but if it were me and I was looking for a good two-up touring bike with luggage capabilitties and I was dead set on not getting a Gold Wing my choices would be narrowed down to two bikes.

1) ST1300
2) FJR1300

The ST's can still be found in some places brand new. My local dealer just sold a 2012 with 15 miles on the clock about 6 months ago. At a minimum you could pick one up with low miles. The FJR1300 is still being produced.

My wife had the same opinion as OldJeff's wife and my wife used to ride on the back of my CBR. I was surprised to hear her complain. The biggest complaint was actually the lack of leg room with the Honda panniers. The narrow rear seat didn't help either and I have an aftermarket seat.

Good luck finding a bike.

 

[anglachel]

My wife had the same opinion as OldJeff's wife and my wife used to ride on the back of my CBR. I was surprised to hear her complain. The biggest complaint was actually the lack of leg room with the Honda panniers. The narrow rear seat didn't help either and I have an aftermarket seat.

I've worked through a series off issues with my wife on the back of the bike.
1) She doesn't feel safe- like she is going to fall off the back or sides
Solved by putting on givi Trekkers on the back and sides, added a backrest to the top box for her too!
2) she doesn't have space for her feet when the panniers are on.
Solved by removing the panniers, kept the top box
3) she doesn't feel safe with out the panniers on, and wiggles a lot more on account of that, which makes the actually likelihood of me dropping the bike substantially higher.
Unresolved - infinite loop detected.

I'm thinking highway pegs would help with her foot room by moving my feet out of the way, but only for when I don't need to have access to the foot controls (shifting and rear brake). Guy at the motorcycle shop has a nice pair of highway pegs on his NC, haven't made it back to see how he likes them yet, he put them on over the winter and had not gotten it out of the shop when I stopped in early spring time.
There is also the unresolved issue of communication... I have Sena bluetooth headsets in the helmets, but she has a lot of wind noise coming through her mic, (part of that is the 3/4 helmet instead of a full face helmet) and even with out the wind noise in the mic, isn't always easy to hear over the wind noise in my helmet. bigger windscreen might help create some dead air space to improve that situation...

I'm thinking at some point I should sit her on the back of my dads goldwing and take her for a ride... but I fear she'll never want to ride on the back of my bike again after being spoiled with her own cup holder and armrests... And I doubt I'll ever own a goldwing (unless I inherit my fathers, and that bike is already high mileage.)

 

[davidc83]

I've worked through a series off issues with my wife on the back of the bike.
1) She doesn't feel safe- like she is going to fall off the back or sides
Solved by putting on givi Trekkers on the back and sides, added a backrest to the top box for her too!
2) she doesn't have space for her feet when the panniers are on.
Solved by removing the panniers, kept the top box
3) she doesn't feel safe with out the panniers on, and wiggles a lot more on account of that, which makes the actually likelihood of me dropping the bike substantially higher.
Unresolved - infinite loop detected.

I'm thinking highway pegs would help with her foot room by moving my feet out of the way, but only for when I don't need to have access to the foot controls (shifting and rear brake). Guy at the motorcycle shop has a nice pair of highway pegs on his NC, haven't made it back to see how he likes them yet, he put them on over the winter and had not gotten it out of the shop when I stopped in early spring time.
There is also the unresolved issue of communication... I have Sena bluetooth headsets in the helmets, but she has a lot of wind noise coming through her mic, (part of that is the 3/4 helmet instead of a full face helmet) and even with out the wind noise in the mic, isn't always easy to hear over the wind noise in my helmet. bigger windscreen might help create some dead air space to improve that situation...

I'm thinking at some point I should sit her on the back of my dads goldwing and take her for a ride... but I fear she'll never want to ride on the back of my bike again after being spoiled with her own cup holder and armrests... And I doubt I'll ever own a goldwing (unless I inherit my fathers, and that bike is already high mileage.)

anglachel: you could replace the pinion foot pegs with pinion floorboards. When I had my little Suzuki gz250, I took the pinion floorboards from a HD and replaced the main footpegs with the HD pinion floorboards and they worked. My feet had more room, more stable, and I got the HD pinion floorboards cheap off of fleabay.

 

[anglachel]

anglachel: you could replace the pinion foot pegs with pinion floorboards. When I had my little Suzuki gz250, I took the pinion floorboards from a HD and replaced the main footpegs with the HD pinion floorboards and they worked. My feet had more room, more stable, and I got the HD pinion floorboards cheap off of fleabay.

Thanks for the idea, it's something worth looking into, I'd be worried they wouldn't fit between my size 13 boots and the panniers... Might giver her space to put her feet, but take up some of the space my ankle occupies normally.

 

[davidc83]

Thanks for the idea, it's something worth looking into, I'd be worried they wouldn't fit between my size 13 boots and the panniers... Might giver her space to put her feet, but take up some of the space my ankle occupies normally.

Then you just lift your heel and scoot it back and place on the toe of the floorboard . Sometimes when I ride, I shift my boots back enough so my boot toe is on my foot peg and my heel is on the pinion footpeg-gives me another built-in leg/butt position

 

[gordonisbell]

You know...I've researched out my ears, sat on the bikes others have recommended and yet I still come back to only wanting the NC700X. How long should I commit to riding solo before adding a passenger, regardless of what bike I get? Is there a smaller, entry level bike you would recommend for my wife that would be able to do highways and freeways? Sorry to vent here. I WANT that Bike!

 

[OldJeff]

Don't get me wrong, I don't want any bike except my NCX. But even with a Corbin seat front and rear (which is twice as big as the stock rear), my wife's fine Latina butt just doesn't fit... Back me up Bamamate!

So if your wife has less "junk in the trunk" maybe she will fit and not want to hurt you

I recommend that you ride till you stop having to think about what you have to do to ride, when it's second nature, then get your wife on the back in a parking lot and understand the differences in stopping and turning.

 

[gordonisbell]

Thanks OldJeff. I think you make a good point....riding it till it becomes second nature and then taking her on a short ride. Heck, she may not enjoy it regardless of the bike. I just asked her again if should would like to take the MSF with me and she declined. I like you're thinking!!