Question Offroad mods

[Nemanja]

I wanted a unicorn motorcycle. One that's nimble trough the city traffic, can handle highway and manage itself on some light offroad.
I couldn't decide should I get Africa or NC, and decided to get the NC and just upgrade it a bit for the offroad.
Just a tiny bit so it's not completely out of it's element off the pavement. Africa was too much for the city, and more than I need offroad.

So far, I figured two things would make the most difference.
Suspension and tyres. Tyres are easy, plenty options in 80/20 or 70/30.

For the suspension I can either go halfway with YSS fork upgrade kit (or any other).
Or as I saw on some aussie yt, replace forks and wheels completely.
He used older Africa (750) as a donor.

Did anybody here had some experience with modifying the suspension in any way?

Also, any other suggestions are more than welcome, tell me if I'm wrong, give some other options etc.

 

[670cc]

I once had bought a second NC that I wanted to use somewhat as a dual sport. I probably was looking for more “off-road“ than you are. As you say, tires for the purpose are easy to come by. The suspension was a bigger challenge. It seems most all commercial suspension mods are aimed more toward racetrack handling. I struggled to find suspension tuning that was more supple and could use most of the NC’s suspension travel for rock strewn dirt trails. Then the one issue that is hard to fix is the NC’s relatively tiny front wheel diameter; it’s not very good for off-road.

Jumping ahead to the end of the story, I gave up on the project as it was not successful, sold the second NC, and bought a CRF250L Rally dual sport. It’s a case of having the right tool for the job. My original NC is for highway, pavement, and some gravel roads. The dual sport plays well on paved backroads, dirt/gravel forest roads, water crossings, and some single track trails.

 

[Nemanja]

That's a great story, thanks for sharing!

I know the ideal number of motorcycles is n+1, where n is your current count.

However, I can't carry 2nd motorcycle with me.
I want to have a motorcycle that I can take traveling (highway) and when I get somewhere, I'm not limited to pavement (dirtroads mostly, no forrests and trails), and I don't have to leave it and walk/bus everywhere bc it's too big and heavy for the city.

 

[Rabbit]

That's a great story, thanks for sharing!

I know the ideal number of motorcycles is n+1, where n is your current count.

However, I can't carry 2nd motorcycle with me.
I want to have a motorcycle that I can take traveling (highway) and when I get somewhere, I'm not limited to pavement (dirtroads mostly, no forrests and trails), and I don't have to leave it and walk/bus everywhere bc it's too big and heavy for the city.

Sounds like you might look towards the cb500x instead. I don’t have one but I believe it’s generally considered more off road capable.

 

[the Ferret]

Sounds like you might look towards the cb500x instead. I don’t have one but I believe it’s generally considered more off road capable.

They make an off road adventure kit for the CB 500X

New Off-Road Kit Makes the Honda CB500X More Dirt Capable - ADV Pulse

The Honda CB500X's parallel-twin and 6-speed transmission give it a smooth highway ride. Now you can make it dirt capable with a Rally Raid off-road upgrade kit.

www.advpulse.com

 

[670cc]

Sounds like you might look towards the cb500x instead. I don’t have one but I believe it’s generally considered more off road capable.

I agree that the CB500X would be a good starting point. I didn’t check whether the CB500X is sold in Serbia. The 500X is lighter weight than the NC, later versions have a 19 inch front wheel, and if we’re talking ’21-‘23 model years, has more suspension travel than the NC750X.

Back on the Africa Twin mentioned in post 1, it is really a beast of a machine that I wouldn’t describe as nimble.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I tried my former NC700X offroad and regretted it when I nearly wrecked the underslung exhaust. Before any other offroad modifications You should protect the underside of the bike.

 

[Nemanja]

I dismissed 500 due to lack of power for the highway, they aren't made in Japan like the NC, it's a problem for import (4-6m waiting) and the frunk.

Let me clarify what kind of offroad I'm talking about

Just some basic dirt, dry ground, occasional potholes. Nothing special.

 

[Rabbit]

I dismissed 500 due to lack of power for the highway, they aren't made in Japan like the NC, it's a problem for import (4-6m waiting) and the frunk.

Let me clarify what kind of offroad I'm talking about

Just some basic dirt, dry ground, occasional potholes. Nothing special.

The nc750 would do fine for that but the 500 would also be fine for the freeway too.

 

[MartiJ]

This might be of interest to you, this guy built a NC700 into a multi-purpose bike.
The whole playlist is here ...

 

[Nemanja]

Thanks, I mentioned him in my 1st post

 

[FranksWay]

Hey all...yepp i built that unicorn motorcycle,and LOVE it.
whatsapp +27717802213

 

[FranksWay]

This might be of interest to you, this guy built a NC700 into a multi-purpose bike.
The whole playlist is here ...

And i love what i biilt

 

[Bskicrash1]

I didn’t make any drastic changes to the stock NC. Added preload spacers to the forks and adjusted the oil height. Skid plate and tires are my first choices for any type of off road use past forestry roads. I could have skipped the crash bars. Every time I’ve dropped the NC…the foot pegs, rear brake lever and handlebars hit the ground. I recently installed aluminum hand guards. As much as I’ve thought about doing more, the Nc checks many boxes on my list for an adventure, do it most (not all) bike. I can ride the NC on any roadway, almost any four wheeler trail, and on some Single track. I do have to get creative with line choice. There are adventure motorcycle sites where guys ride much less than the NC on much more than I do.

 

[Sir Denis Eton-Hogg]

So I built an NC700x "adventure' bike. Briefly, the mode were SW Motech bash place (not very good, got ripped to pieces pretty quick), Givi crash bars, TKC 80 tires (very recommended), radiator guard, hand guards, rear fender eliminator, race tech fork springs and gold valves and various other odds and ends.

Was always considering buying a rear shock but have concluded it doesn't need it.

Just fitted a 1 tooth lower front sprocket.

Overall the bike performs well, in no way a single track back but you could definitely do all the BDRs on it. I've taken it up Rollins pass, Bunce School road to the place wreck, Old Flowers road and all across the dirt roads around Red Feathers, Pingree park, Buckhorn, Cherokee River Road and Long Draw. Northern Colorado folk should be familiar with those roads. Plus the Dinosaur run in North West Colorado run by Norm, off of ADVrider.

Two drawbacks:-

• Ground clearance, that's why the bash plate has been ripped to shreds.
• Soft rims - I have bowed out both the front and rear rims and they leak so I have fitted tubes.

Subsequently I have procured another set of wheels for road use, and since the video. I have also fitted a high screen.

Like I said, not a single track bike but easily capable of dirt road touring. Including purchasing the bike, I'm into it for about $5,500.

Better options out there - definitely - but I love the lazy power delivery and the ease of riding dirt roads too.

Oh yeah, fitted a boosterplug as well which in my experience worked very well in terms of crisping up the throttle response at low revs (Note I was so happy with it I fitted on the my BlackBlird which made no discernible difference whatsoever).

 

[Bskicrash1]

So I built an NC700x "adventure' bike. Briefly, the mode were SW Motech bash place (not very good, got ripped to pieces pretty quick), Givi crash bars, TKC 80 tires (very recommended), radiator guard, hand guards, rear fender eliminator, race tech fork springs and gold valves and various other odds and ends.

Was always considering buying a rear shock but have concluded it doesn't need it.

Just fitted a 1 tooth lower front sprocket.

Overall the bike performs well, in no way a single track back but you could definitely do all the BDRs on it. I've taken it up Rollins pass, Bunce School road to the place wreck, Old Flowers road and all across the dirt roads around Red Feathers, Pingree park, Buckhorn, Cherokee River Road and Long Draw. Northern Colorado folk should be familiar with those roads. Plus the Dinosaur run in North West Colorado run by Norm, off of ADVrider.

Two drawbacks:-

• Ground clearance, that's why the bash plate has been ripped to shreds.
• Soft rims - I have bowed out both the front and rear rims and they leak so I have fitted tubes.

Subsequently I have procured another set of wheels for road use, and since the video. I have also fitted a high screen.

Like I said, not a single track bike but easily capable of dirt road touring. Including purchasing the bike, I'm into it for about $5,500.

Better options out there - definitely - but I love the lazy power delivery and the ease of riding dirt roads too.

Oh yeah, fitted a boosterplug as well which in my experience worked very well in terms of crisping up the throttle response at low revs (Note I was so happy with it I fitted on the my BlackBlird which made no discernible difference whatsoever).

I am very curious of this boosterplug you speak of. And nice mod choice. I have bent the lip on my front rim, but that was from the front deflecting into a waterbar. I have dreams of someday traveling to complete some of the BDR in your area.

 

[670cc]

I am very curious of this boosterplug you speak of. And nice mod choice. I have bent the lip on my front rim, but that was from the front deflecting into a waterbar. I have dreams of someday traveling to complete some of the BDR in your area.

The boosterplug was discussed in the past here: https://nc700-forum.com/threads/boosterplug-anyone.10790/

 

[Bskicrash1]

Thank you!

 

[TNtim]

I got a 2012 NC with 118k on it and find myself riding more non paved roads. In some situations like slow rough trails I feel I lack low end power and bounce around the idea of dropping a tooth in the front. Have you done anything to the gearing from stock?

 

[Sir Denis Eton-Hogg]

I got a 2012 NC with 118k on it and find myself riding more non paved roads. In some situations like slow rough trails I feel I lack low end power and bounce around the idea of dropping a tooth in the front. Have you done anything to the gearing from stock?

I dropped the gearing one tooth on the front and I like it, 6th gear on these is very much like an overdrive,