Persoanl experience NC700 vs. BMW 650 singles

[ross]

Just to clarify for the non-beemer types out there. The F650GS was a de-tuned 800cc twin (similar to the F700GS). The G650GS is a thumper. I think the thumper version has about the same power as the NC. The twin should be noticeably faster.

The NC did not have the acceleration of even my '98 single cylinder carbuerated model. That was the disappointment for me. The NC was smoother and handled well-it just felt sluggish to me. BMW really made the model nomenclature confusing on these.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I think my NC has BETTER acceleration than the G650GS and the Dakar variation I rode. But maybe some people don't get the smooth power delivery. Just an opinion, it's all subjective unless someone does a referenced test
; }

 

[drdubb]

Butt dynos are very subjective.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I think where most folks get the wrong impression with the NC is when they come off a bike with an 8/9000 rpm redline. Most normal motorcycles of a similar cc have a softish bottom end and then pick up in the midrange all the way to the red line. The NC is the total opposite. It pulls hard immediately off the bottom end and signs off early. As such another bike can feel quicker but may not always be so because a flat torque curve can give a false impression . When keeping company with much larger and more powerful bikes on backroads on my NC I rarely revved over 4500, and as such rode the torque. I never got left behind unless we moved on to Motorways. Even then it would only be for a short while.

 

[dduelin]

The NC did not have the acceleration of even my '98 single cylinder carbuerated model. That was the disappointment for me. The NC was smoother and handled well-it just felt sluggish to me. BMW really made the model nomenclature confusing on these.

That's odd, the late 90s-early 2000s F650 motor was rated at 50 hp and 44 ft/lbs of torque which is very close to the NC700X and even the power curve peak outputs are similar. Although the BMW single had a redline of 7500 it signed off about 500 rpm before that so it doesn't even rev much more than the NC does however the little single weighs a lot less than the NC though and that counts for something.

 

[davidc83]

I traded a 2009 BMW G650gs in for the Honda NC700X-reason-got tired of listening to the noisy thumper-especially at start up. The BMW does have a 7500rpm redline but it runs 1000+ rpms faster at 3rd-4th-and 5th gear than the Honda, so it was a wash; and the BMW does not have a 6th gear.
70 mph on the Honda is approx. 4000 rpm. 70 mph on the BMW was 5200 rpm.. and it has more vibration than then Honda.
BMW 2009 G650Gs rated approx. 48hp; Dry weight on BMW was approx. 380 lbs, close to 400 lbs wet, top heavy due to Oil reserve tank on top where Honda frunk is now.
Top end speed approx. the same for both. Quickness off the line almost identical for both with me riding. However, to me the Honda is quicker from 70 to 80 or 70 to 90 than the G650gs.

 

[Doc True]

Butt dynos are very subjective.

Mine's calibrated.

 

[Mi_ka]

Try the F700GS or F800GS - The also possess superior horsepower, torque, and suspension compared to the NC. If money is not an issue I think you would be very pleased with either of those bikes.

I had a few city-highway blasts on a F800GS - really good bike overall, very well suspended and general quality feel BUT after the 2nd-3rd ride it eventually feels like riding a fantastic ... home appliance. That soulless buzz and microvibrations of the otherwise excellent engine when you squeeze the horses out of it is the biggest let down for me. Also, at 180cm high/80 kg weight I was feeling "just big enough" to command it the way it begs to be commanded (smack my b*** up etc etc) . And it is not a Honda as far as total reliability usually goes from what I read around. The good friend that donated me his old DR650 to get the F800GS years ago never really loved his F800GS (still has it and rides mostly two-up like he did on the DR and has tweaked the Beemer's suspension as well). He assigned the "Gaidara" name to it and feels it fits it like a glove as far as living-with-it charm goes: "Gaidara" in our native greek is the female donkey. "Gaidara" as a characterization implies lack of any charm at all...

 

[mtbmike]

I like to say that the NC is the 'Honda Civic' of motorcycles.

Cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, great gas mileage. You won't win races with it, but it won't screw your wallet or send you to the ground either.

It's perfect for someone who wants to commute or enjoys cruising at less than freeway speeds.

The DCT and frunk are great and there's so many things you can bolt to it.

Cruising at less than freeway speeds??? The NC is more than capable at cursing freeway speeds plus all day long certainly just as capable as the bmw in this case. Mine will do 80 plus all day long I know I have done it many times even sustained long stints of 90 mph through Texas without a problem here i am in Corpus Christi made it there from Colorado in less than a day and a half.