Picking up NC750X manual

[salishmoto]

Hi Folks,
I go Saturday to pick up a NC750X manual for my wife. We've been researching and are excited for her to have this. I'm an MSF rider coach and have had many bikes, but this will only be her second. Her first was an R3. She is getting this for general riding and for some light dirt road practice. She is 5'6" and about 120 lbs so the suspension should be pretty good for her. She finds the low seat comfortable and the rider triangle. I'm a DIY person who does all my own work and I'm excited about this engine and bike. Will be fun. I'll be farkling the heck out of it to prepare for the inevitable drops and engine protection.

Hello!

Salishmoto

 

[670cc]

Welcome to the forum! I’m happy for your wife. I hope she likes the NC as much as I do my 700.

 

[salishmoto]

Thanks, I hope so too. She's a very conservative rider who will never care about top end speed or push the limits. I think the NC is a perfect bike for her with all the power she would ever want. I myself have had Connie's and FJR's and prefer a bit more juice, but I think she will find this a goldilocks bike.

 

[TNHoosier]

Welcome and congratulations to your wife on the new bike.

 

[salishmoto]

I'm doing a fly and ride and it's tricky to figure out what I can take with me on the plane or in checked bags to then ride for 8 hours home! Been wanting to do one of these for a while and am glad to do it.

 

[Alias]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[dduelin]

I'm doing a fly and ride and it's tricky to figure out what I can take with me on the plane or in checked bags to then ride for 8 hours home! Been wanting to do one of these for a while and am glad to do it.

A sheepskin for the seat. Dislike and discomfort seem to describe many owner reviews of the seat. It didn't bother me that much at first and perhaps it won't bother you but a sheepskin or some sort of extra padding shouldn't take up much luggage room and might save your tush after 2 or 3 hours.

Welcome aboard.

 

[salishmoto]

You're touching a nerve for me. I'm a long distance tourer by heart, and when I pick up a new bike like this it's painful to consider all the ways it hasn't yet been adapted to my needs. I'll never forget picking up my wife's first bike out in Eastern Washington, a Yamaha R3, and riding it back over the Cascades. That little thing faced 50mph cross winds, driving rain in the mountains, and I'm 6'2". No heated gear on it yet. It was a wild ride. Full throttle and the thing could barely go 60 up the mountain in the driving rain.

So for this fly and ride, I'm already bringing my heated jacket, and I'll need to bring the strap for my Helite Turtle airbag vest, and will sorely miss having heated grips since it is supposed to be 38-42 over most of my ride on the first day through the mountains. The seat advice is taken. I don't have a sheepskin in my inventory. I'm luckily pretty iron butted, but will be bringing ibuprofen to numb myself to the discomforts of a stock bike. No aux lights? Yikes. No radiator guard? Yikes. No bash plate protecting the oil filter? Yikes. It will be a miracle if I get it home without incident. And yet we know that people ride these things stock all over the world without incident!

 

[salishmoto]

Here's my fly and ride packing list for anyone interested. I think it's pretty bare minimum:
Wearing aboard the plane from bottom to top:
Riding boots
Thick wool socks
Long underwear
Fleece pants
Riding pants-wallet, phone
Thin long underwear top
Thick long underwear top
Heated jacket

In Helmet carried aboard:
Glasses
Ibuprofen
Reading book
Cleaning rags

In SWMotech Drybag 350:
Straps to attach drybag to bike
Two pairs riding gloves
Helite Vest and strap
Riding jacket-with ear plugs, neck gaiters
Tool kit
Pump
Li ion storage battery
Water bladder
Snack food

 

[salishmoto]

222 miles today from Boise to Pendleton in mostly 32 degree weather and sunny skies. Roads were clear, lots of snow in the mountains. This little NC is a sweet ride! Smooth and easy for sure. Solid. Cruised all day at 80mph and 4,200 RPM.

 

[salishmoto]

Hey there Folks. I'm home! Today was the longest and hardest. I stayed in my hotel in Pendleton until the temp rose to 28 but then had to leave as it was never going to get above 32. Leaving the hotel at 10am and headed West on I84 I rode in fog for hours. Not just fog, but freezing fog. My bike was heavily frosted by sitting outside overnight, and it didn't defrost until much later in the day. There is something especially frigid about riding in below freezing fog.

The bike was a gem, no problem. The lack of heated grips was a real bummer as my hands slowly cooled to whatever temperature is just above frostbite. You all know that feeling when they tingle and hurt and when you remove your gloves they are white and feel like rubber? Not dangerous, but not fun. My feet the same. I've developed new appreciation for the horrors of trench foot in WW1 and WW2. Your feet just stop getting much blood and slowly turn wooden.

I got sun by the time I reached Hood River, and temps rose above 32. First the bike melted, and then the water blew off. The Gorge is always beautiful. By the time I reached I5 I felt like I was home. The last hour took forever and was a bitter pill. I reflected on how many uncomfortable things I've done, so many, and yet there is a special suffering to long rides in below freezing temps. Yes, yes, I know I don't have heated insoles or heated gloves. I'm going to look into heated insoles. My bikes getting heated grips first thing.

A grand adventure. About 540 miles over two days, in winter. As John Steinbeck more or less says in Travels with Charley, we do these things for many reasons, including that we seek to live a life robust in purpose, hardship and challenge, and to not join the horrifying ranks of those many people who carefully package their lives in bubble wrap in hope of dying a few yards further down the field.

 

[salishmoto]

 

[salishmoto]

Here's a poem I wrote in my head to pass the time and distract from my frozen hands and feet. It's a play on a lovely Frost poem:

A rider's reflection on Robert Frost

I can think of little so physically frigid
As hours on a motorcycle in freezing digits

Holding the curve of one position
Suffering an Arctic inquisition

 

[dduelin]

Attitude has made many ordeals into memories of adventure.

 

[Sb5050]

A sheepskin for the seat. Dislike and discomfort seem to describe many owner reviews of the seat. It didn't bother me that much at first and perhaps it won't bother you but a sheepskin or some sort of extra padding shouldn't take up much luggage room and might save your tush after 2 or 3 hours.

Welcome aboard.

 

[Sb5050]

Thanks, for the recommendations and welcome.

 

[salishmoto]

Thanks, for the recommendations and welcome.

You may have posted this on the wrong thread, but you are indeed "Welcome!" here. My wife and I are thoroughly enjoying the NC750 and I've continued to appreciate what a practical and surprisingly fun little beast it is!