Senior Lady on brand new '21 NC750xd...my experience so far

[LiveInTheMoment]

I've not done this before...just telling a bit of my story...

After owning a '16 NC700xd for 6 yrs., and having to make an unexpected move from a very cool area of San Diego to the Phoenix grid about 9 months ago, I totally lost my mojo. In San Diego, I commuted to work on my bike every day, and rode on the weekends every chance I got. We lived in an area where you could get out on a back road right away, escape the traffic and just get away. 95% of the time I was solo. When we moved to the Phoenix area, my hb said he was "done riding", I totally lost my mojo, gave in to fear and became pretty much depressed about riding. I would go out to the garage, look at my bike, cry and go back inside. I did this for months, folks...please be gentle with me in your comments...I was scared of the insane amount of traffic, the huge grid of stop & go traffic lights and no knowledge of where to go on a bike to get away from it all. In spite of all that, I wasn't ready to stop riding. I'm about to turn 60 but I just didn't want to quit. And I do enjoy riding solo...not interested in group riding...but it would sometimes be nice to have someone to ride with who is into getting out there in the early morning hours.

I debated the whole thing for quite awhile, hiding away in our house, depressed and just lacking that desire to get out there, and I'm sorry to say, gave in to the fear of traffic, lack of confidence and thinking I should quit. Finally, I sold my bike - tearfully - and tried to feel ok about it. I never felt ok with selling my bike...instead, I got more depressed.

One day, I went in to a dealership and saw the new '21 NC750xd on the floor...calling to me. I knew I shouldn't but I stood in front of that bike looking it over, bending down to check out the details, lusting over it. I put all my stuff down on the floor, and swung my leg over that gorgeous bike. Immediately, I was surprised at how much lighter in was than my 2016 NC700! It was narrower! The windshield was taller! The seat was more comfortable! The dash was much more eye-catching. So, yes, a sales guy came over and started the conversation...you know the one...the one where he starts asking all "those type" of questions. Well, I knew pretty quickly that as little as I knew about bikes, I knew much more about this bike than he did...I talked his ear off and maybe he'll thank me later for making him go do a bit more research, but I couldn't take my eyes off the bike.

Long story short, I bought the bike. It is so gorgeous. I've been out only a few times. The most recent was when we had rain from our monsoon storms...which scared the bejeezus outta me. But this bike has traction control and that helped a lot!

Ok...I know this is a LONG post. I haven't been out much because of the insane heat (that we didn't have in SD). I have a stupid question, though. I will need to get a rear rack. How do you do this? How do you know which rack to get? Do you find a top case that you like first and then get the corresponding rack? I want one where you don't need to remove the grab rails that are already there. Right now I have a small Wolfman tail bag but if I ever get the opportunity to do longer trips, I might want a top case.

And I need to stop feeling so guilty about buying a new bike! I don't have buyer's remorse, but I do feel the guilt about buying brand new vs. used. I also need to find a way to stop having that fear every time I get out there! We have a lot of snowbirds here and the driving styles from that many people is insane! Ok...deep breaths...I can do this...

Thanks for reading if you made it through all this... I just needed to get it off my chest.

 

[Hondo53]

Thank you for sharing your story. That bike is slap dab gorgeous. But we need a pic with you on it. Arizona has some fantastic roads. Come fall and winter you will certainly enjoy them. It’s not hot forever.
You might want to look into GIVI for your topcase and mount. Think about saddle bags as well. You cant have too much room when traveling far and they make you more obvious to the following cagers.
BTW I am 69 and I workout almost every day so I can keep riding on down the road.
Keep us in the loop.

 

[Rabbit]

The important thing is you never gave up. Welcome back! Many happy miles and keep your keys to the breeze.

 

[670cc]

I enjoyed reading your story, and welcome back to motorcycling.

As for the rear rack/top case, the rack or hardware chosen will depend on what brand top case you might eventually want to put on it.

The Honda branded rack will surely fit, of course, but will lock you into using only a Honda top case, and you may have very limited (1 or 2) sizes of top cases to chose from. It will probably be your most expensive choice. I do not recommend using the Honda hardware and luggage due to cost and lack of versatility.

There are aftermarket brand racks like SW-Motech that might have adapters to fit many brands of cases, or even just flat rack options for a duffel bag, etc. You install this standard rack, then chose an adapter for the type and brand case you want to install. This option is the most versatile but also can be a bit expensive.

A more modestly priced route will be to buy GIVI brand hardware which will allow mounting only GIVI top cases, but they have many styles and sizes to choose from. Cases are easily removed from the hardware if you want to ride without the case. The downside is that without a case mounted, the GIVI rack itself is not usually a very useful luggage rack.

Good luck!

 

[LiveInTheMoment]

Thank you for sharing your story. That bike is slap dab gorgeous. But we need a pic with you on it. Arizona has some fantastic roads. Come fall and winter you will certainly enjoy them. It’s not hot forever.
You might want to look into GIVI for your topcase and mount. Think about saddle bags as well. You cant have too much room when traveling far and they make you more obvious to the following cagers.
BTW I am 69 and I workout almost every day so I can keep riding on down the road.
Keep us in the loop.

Very inspiring to hear you are 69 and still going strong. I need to work on my core / upper body more, I think. My arms get tired easily. Thanks!!!

I enjoyed reading you story, and welcome back to motorcycling.

As for the rear rack/top case, the rack or hardware chosen will depend on what brand top case you might eventually want to put on it.

The Honda branded rack will surely fit, of course, but will lock you into using only a Honda top case, and you may have very limited (1 or 2) sizes of top cases to chose from. It will probably be your most expensive choice. I do not recommend using the Honda hardware and luggage due to cost and lack of versatility.

There are aftermarket brand racks like SW-Motech that might have adapters to fit many brands of cases, or even just flat rack options for a duffel bag, etc. You install this standard rack, then chose an adapter for the type and brand case you want to install. This option is the most versatile but also can be a bit expensive.

A more modestly priced route will be to buy GIVI brand hardware which will allow mounting only GIVI top cases, but they have many styles and sizes to choose from. Cases are easily removed from the hardware if you want to ride without the case. The downside is that without a case mounted, the GIVI rack itself is not usually a very useful luggage rack.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info on the cases. I'll be doing my research!

The important thing is you never gave up. Welcome back! Many happy miles and keep your keys to the breeze.

Thank you! Yeah, it is one gorgeous bike!

 

[the Ferret]

Howdy and welcome to the forum. Great backstory. If riding is really in your blood, there isnt a whole lot that can keep you from doing it.
The sign behind your bike is perfect.

Have fun, Ride safe

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Well done on your purchase. I don't get the "guilty" thing about new bikes. Have been doing it for Years .

You are not the first to find the new 21 a much better bike than previous versions. An 80 year old friend with bad knees has had two NC's, the last of which was a 17 on which he had huge mileage. He struggled with its height and weight eventually and purchased a CB500 instead. Recently he tried a 21 demo NC and was amazed with the difference, so he is back on a NC again.

Good that You are back on two wheels again. Absolutely no reason why not.

 

[NWGABikeGuy]

A wonderful story! You underestimate your courage and zest for life. Your mojo is making a great comeback, and soon you will enjoy riding more than ever, since you know how badly you missed it.
I have a Givi rack for my top box (also Givi and really a great piece with super easy on and off). My saddle bag/pannier racks are Givi as well, but I mount two really rugged, and waterproof, but comparatively light Rigg Gear bags that hold a bunch of stuff.
I made a come-back to riding at age 68, and I had to gradually work my way back into it, much the same as you. I can tell you that the one thing that helped me the most was practice sessions before every ride at a local empty parking lot. Lots of websites offer drills and tutorials for emergency stops, uphill clutching, u-turns and figure eights, weaving and avoidance maneuvers, getting used to counter steering again, etc. There is simply no substitute for focused practice in a non-threatening environment. You will build skills and confidence rapidly, and enjoy your rides so much more each time. I still practice regularly, especially when switching back to a bike I haven't ridden recently.
Congrats! Welcome Back!

 

[DirtFlier]

Nice story! Personally I prefer the Givi side boxes vs a top box although the latter can be more convenient. I reason I steer away from the top box on my NC is that it requires much more of an effort to get my leg over and onto the seat.

 

[NWGABikeGuy]

Nice story! Personally I prefer the Givi side boxes vs a top box although the latter can be more convenient. I reason I steer away from the top box on my NC is that it requires much more of an effort to get my leg over and onto the seat.

I hear ya! I can't even get my leg over the top box, so (after some careful stretching) I kinda step-through with my right leg and ease onto the seat. Have to be careful not to yank on the left handlebar grip or the bike starts to fall. Sometimes , depending on the stability of the parking place, I can keep the bike on the center stand and mount using the foot pegs. This works best when the bike is loaded for a trip or camping and is heavier. It is easier to overcome the stand spring tension that way., and everything is closer to the ground.

 

[LiveInTheMoment]

A wonderful story! You underestimate your courage and zest for life. Your mojo is making a great comeback, and soon you will enjoy riding more than ever, since you know how badly you missed it.
I have a Givi rack for my top box (also Givi and really a great piece with super easy on and off). My saddle bag/pannier racks are Givi as well, but I mount two really rugged, and waterproof, but comparatively light Rigg Gear bags that hold a bunch of stuff.
I made a come-back to riding at age 68, and I had to gradually work my way back into it, much the same as you. I can tell you that the one thing that helped me the most was practice sessions before every ride at a local empty parking lot. Lots of websites offer drills and tutorials for emergency stops, uphill clutching, u-turns and figure eights, weaving and avoidance maneuvers, getting used to counter steering again, etc. There is simply no substitute for focused practice in a non-threatening environment. You will build skills and confidence rapidly, and enjoy your rides so much more each time. I still practice regularly, especially when switching back to a bike I haven't ridden recently.
Congrats! Welcome Back!

Thank you! This really helps to know that I am not alone when it comes to aging, staying in shape and also doing parking lot practice. I got out of that habit awhile back and it's been in the back of my mind for some time. There are so many great big parking lots around here so that will definitely be the thing to start again.

 

[mudtrack]

I've not done this before...just telling a bit of my story...

After owning a '16 NC700xd for 6 yrs., and having to make an unexpected move from a very cool area of San Diego to the Phoenix grid about 9 months ago, I totally lost my mojo. In San Diego, I commuted to work on my bike every day, and rode on the weekends every chance I got. We lived in an area where you could get out on a back road right away, escape the traffic and just get away. 95% of the time I was solo. When we moved to the Phoenix area, my hb said he was "done riding", I totally lost my mojo, gave in to fear and became pretty much depressed about riding. I would go out to the garage, look at my bike, cry and go back inside. I did this for months, folks...please be gentle with me in your comments...I was scared of the insane amount of traffic, the huge grid of stop & go traffic lights and no knowledge of where to go on a bike to get away from it all. In spite of all that, I wasn't ready to stop riding. I'm about to turn 60 but I just didn't want to quit. And I do enjoy riding solo...not interested in group riding...but it would sometimes be nice to have someone to ride with who is into getting out there in the early morning hours.

I debated the whole thing for quite awhile, hiding away in our house, depressed and just lacking that desire to get out there, and I'm sorry to say, gave in to the fear of traffic, lack of confidence and thinking I should quit. Finally, I sold my bike - tearfully - and tried to feel ok about it. I never felt ok with selling my bike...instead, I got more depressed.

One day, I went in to a dealership and saw the new '21 NC750xd on the floor...calling to me. I knew I shouldn't but I stood in front of that bike looking it over, bending down to check out the details, lusting over it. I put all my stuff down on the floor, and swung my leg over that gorgeous bike. Immediately, I was surprised at how much lighter in was than my 2016 NC700! It was narrower! The windshield was taller! The seat was more comfortable! The dash was much more eye-catching. So, yes, a sales guy came over and started the conversation...you know the one...the one where he starts asking all "those type" of questions. Well, I knew pretty quickly that as little as I knew about bikes, I knew much more about this bike than he did...I talked his ear off and maybe he'll thank me later for making him go do a bit more research, but I couldn't take my eyes off the bike.

Long story short, I bought the bike. It is so gorgeous. I've been out only a few times. The most recent was when we had rain from our monsoon storms...which scared the bejeezus outta me. But this bike has traction control and that helped a lot!

Ok...I know this is a LONG post. I haven't been out much because of the insane heat (that we didn't have in SD). I have a stupid question, though. I will need to get a rear rack. How do you do this? How do you know which rack to get? Do you find a top case that you like first and then get the corresponding rack? I want one where you don't need to remove the grab rails that are already there. Right now I have a small Wolfman tail bag but if I ever get the opportunity to do longer trips, I might want a top case.

And I need to stop feeling so guilty about buying a new bike! I don't have buyer's remorse, but I do feel the guilt about buying brand new vs. used. I also need to find a way to stop having that fear every time I get out there! We have a lot of snowbirds here and the driving styles from that many people is insane! Ok...deep breaths...I can do this...

Thanks for reading if you made it through all this... I just needed to get it off my chest.
View attachment 45934

You go, Girl!
My wife is 65 and recovering from cancer and she will soon pick up her new 2021 NC750X. Mojo is a great thing, and you've got it!
As to top boxes, we have some Givi Monokey boxes that my wife has used on her maxi scooter and will use them on her NC750. We ordered the
Luggage Rack GIVI 1192FZ from ebay that will install under the grab rail and will enable her to use her Givi Monokey boxes. The grab rail is re installed after the luggage rack is attached.
This 2021 rack is available at Motostorm in Italy on line at https://www.motostorm.it/en/accesso...192fz-rear-attachment-honda-nc750x-2021-.html
Other U.S members on this Forum have ordered from Motostorm at https://www.motostorm.it/en/ successfully if the North American suppliers do not have recent accessories for their newly released bikes.
There is a Givi Luggage rack, the 1146FZ, intended for the 2020 and earlier bikes, but I am not sure if they fit on the 2021.

 

[ON TWO WHEELS]

Congratulations on your new beautifull bike !
You did well not to give up riding!

You can find the codes for the rear rack here : GIVI - NC 2020-2021

I wish you many and safe rides!
Greetings from Greece.

 

[jackthebiker]

NICE BIKE! I hit and killed my second deer a few weeks ago. (the first one was in 1993) The NC750X had $4000 in damage but is now all fixed. I ride a little slower than I use to, especially in wooded areas. I also was hit head on in 1972 destroying my 1972 Suzuki GT750 and laying me up for a few months. I was hit from behind a year later busting up my 1972 Norton 750 Commando. My point is I have owned and ridden lots of motorcycles since 1968, and it is a dangerous sport, just be careful. I always tell people I am 69 and would rather die on a motorcycle than from too many cheeseburgers.

 

[Rapturee]

Hello LITM, so glad to have you here and back on a bike. I too am glad you shared your story, thank you. There is a vast wealth of knowledge and experience here for you to avail yourself of.

I use the GIVI mono-key boxes. I have/use a large top box and i have two large side boxes all from GIVI as well as a nice older Frunk(tank) bag. There are times i simply use the frunk bag and the rear/top box. Then if i'm headed out for a couple of days or just to the store, i'll toss on the two side boxes.

Not to start a debate about mounting a bike..... If the top box starts to interfere with you mounting/dismounting the NC try placing your left foot up on the riding peg and then step up and put your right leg up and over onto the other peg as you square up and sit the NC. Others have mentioned that really works for them. Ride often to areas that you can enjoy. I lived in Marana/Tucson in the 80's and rode a 650cc Nighthawk back then to every area i could get to. I found riding super early in the mornings best, like just before sunup through the morning and returning when others were already at work haha. It was must less congested and easier to ride more relaxed. Old Tucson is a great ride, Flagstaff is nice too, and of course the south rim of the Grand Canyon goes without saying. Plus, you are so close to the four corners and the monument you just have to make it there once. If you can get away for a few days, treat yourself to the 3-Step Hideaway in LaSal UT. The owners there ride and cater to riders, plus they are totally off grid but yet have full facilities. I enjoyed a week there a couple of years ago and would love to return!

Get your maps/computer out, plan some rides, use a GPS if you'd like and go ride your own backyard first lol!! :{)


Here is my 2015 NC700DCT with Parabellum touring windscreen, highway pegs, and GIVI monokey top box shown. Yu can only see a small portion of the mMoto rear rack i have, I know i have more pics of it, the top box and the side boxes somewhere. I'll post them later when i locate them so you can see them on the bike.

 

[melensdad]

Glad to hear you are back on a bike and happy!

My wife and I are both 60. She has a '16 NC700x and I have an '18NC750x.

We are leaving in a couple weeks, possibly heading to Nova Scotia? Or maybe just touring New England? Much of that depends upon the border, the expected Canadian border guard strike, regulations on the Canadian side after we cross, etc etc etc. Maybe it is the wrong year to cross the border as tourists? But Nova Scotia sounds so alluring. Honestly not sure where we will end up, maybe Michigan? Who knows. But we are going to get out of here for a couple weeks, maybe three.

We got back into riding several years ago after decades of scooter riding. You'll get back into it soon enough. FWIW, my wife has Givi V35 side cases, but no top box. Her HJC helmet fits in her Frunk, but also fits into the V35 clamshell opening side cases. so she has options. I have Hepco & Becker Gobi side/top cases. The Givi stuff is pretty nice but the H&B is built to take a beating.

 

[mzflorida]

I've not done this before...just telling a bit of my story...

After owning a '16 NC700xd for 6 yrs., and having to make an unexpected move from a very cool area of San Diego to the Phoenix grid about 9 months ago, I totally lost my mojo. In San Diego, I commuted to work on my bike every day, and rode on the weekends every chance I got. We lived in an area where you could get out on a back road right away, escape the traffic and just get away. 95% of the time I was solo. When we moved to the Phoenix area, my hb said he was "done riding", I totally lost my mojo, gave in to fear and became pretty much depressed about riding. I would go out to the garage, look at my bike, cry and go back inside. I did this for months, folks...please be gentle with me in your comments...I was scared of the insane amount of traffic, the huge grid of stop & go traffic lights and no knowledge of where to go on a bike to get away from it all. In spite of all that, I wasn't ready to stop riding. I'm about to turn 60 but I just didn't want to quit. And I do enjoy riding solo...not interested in group riding...but it would sometimes be nice to have someone to ride with who is into getting out there in the early morning hours.

I debated the whole thing for quite awhile, hiding away in our house, depressed and just lacking that desire to get out there, and I'm sorry to say, gave in to the fear of traffic, lack of confidence and thinking I should quit. Finally, I sold my bike - tearfully - and tried to feel ok about it. I never felt ok with selling my bike...instead, I got more depressed.

One day, I went in to a dealership and saw the new '21 NC750xd on the floor...calling to me. I knew I shouldn't but I stood in front of that bike looking it over, bending down to check out the details, lusting over it. I put all my stuff down on the floor, and swung my leg over that gorgeous bike. Immediately, I was surprised at how much lighter in was than my 2016 NC700! It was narrower! The windshield was taller! The seat was more comfortable! The dash was much more eye-catching. So, yes, a sales guy came over and started the conversation...you know the one...the one where he starts asking all "those type" of questions. Well, I knew pretty quickly that as little as I knew about bikes, I knew much more about this bike than he did...I talked his ear off and maybe he'll thank me later for making him go do a bit more research, but I couldn't take my eyes off the bike.

Long story short, I bought the bike. It is so gorgeous. I've been out only a few times. The most recent was when we had rain from our monsoon storms...which scared the bejeezus outta me. But this bike has traction control and that helped a lot!

Ok...I know this is a LONG post. I haven't been out much because of the insane heat (that we didn't have in SD). I have a stupid question, though. I will need to get a rear rack. How do you do this? How do you know which rack to get? Do you find a top case that you like first and then get the corresponding rack? I want one where you don't need to remove the grab rails that are already there. Right now I have a small Wolfman tail bag but if I ever get the opportunity to do longer trips, I might want a top case.

And I need to stop feeling so guilty about buying a new bike! I don't have buyer's remorse, but I do feel the guilt about buying brand new vs. used. I also need to find a way to stop having that fear every time I get out there! We have a lot of snowbirds here and the driving styles from that many people is insane! Ok...deep breaths...I can do this...

Thanks for reading if you made it through all this... I just needed to get it off my chest.
View attachment 45934

Brava!

 

[LiveInTheMoment]

Glad to hear you are back on a bike and happy!

My wife and I are both 60. She has a '16 NC700x and I have an '18NC750x.

We are leaving in a couple weeks, possibly heading to Nova Scotia? Or maybe just touring New England? Much of that depends upon the border, the expected Canadian border guard strike, regulations on the Canadian side after we cross, etc etc etc. Maybe it is the wrong year to cross the border as tourists? But Nova Scotia sounds so alluring. Honestly not sure where we will end up, maybe Michigan? Who knows. But we are going to get out of here for a couple weeks, maybe three.

We got back into riding several years ago after decades of scooter riding. You'll get back into it soon enough. FWIW, my wife has Givi V35 side cases, but no top box. Her HJC helmet fits in her Frunk, but also fits into the V35 clamshell opening side cases. so she has options. I have Hepco & Becker Gobi side/top cases. The Givi stuff is pretty nice but the H&B is built to take a beating.

View attachment 45982

Really like your matching red H&B cases...nice!!!! Especially like that the side cases are top-loading. Where do you get those?

 

[melensdad]

Really like your matching red H&B cases...nice!!!! Especially like that the side cases are top-loading. Where do you get those?

The boxes come in silver or black plastic. Mine were silver. I taped the details and stripes with painters tape and spray painted them Red is color matched spray paint that I ordered from Duplicolor. They can match any auto/moto factory color. Very simple project and if you can use tape and spray paint then you can custom color match your cases

Hepco & Becker cases/racks are sold by Motomachines in the US. But you can save $$$ by buying from eBay or one of the various EU websites. Spainish moto websites seem to have some of the consistently lowest prices. Shop around for best prices.

The boxes are built like an igloo cooler, air cavity between inner/outer layer. I’ve hit trees and even a brick pillar with mine. They don’t dent or crack. They just bounce back! I love the top load for grocery store trips! Each case holds almost a case of wine or Chinese carry-out dinner for 6.

 

[CapeMan]

The boxes come in silver or black plastic. Mine were silver. I taped the details and stripes with painters tape and spray painted them Red is color matched spray paint that I ordered from Duplicolor. They can match any auto/moto factory color. Very simple project and if you can use tape and spray paint then you can custom color match your cases

Hepco & Becker cases/racks are sold by Motomachines in the US. But you can save $$$ by buying from eBay or one of the various EU websites. Spainish moto websites seem to have some of the consistently lowest prices. Shop around for best prices.

The boxes are built like an igloo cooler, air cavity between inner/outer layer. I’ve hit trees and even a brick pillar with mine. They don’t dent or crack. They just bounce back! I love the top load for grocery store trips! Each case holds almost a case of wine or Chinese carry-out dinner for 6.

and if you get the optional taps, you can carry water in the hollow walls of the H&B panniers - not sure I'd wanna drink it but it'd suffice for clean up.