• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

The DCT continues to impress!

To a lot of magazine testers, if a bike can't do the standing start quarter mile in under 11 seconds, then something is wrong!
 
kpinvt said:
I don't understand these comments I hear from people that there is no engine braking. I see lots of engine braking while I'm riding, when I want to. I don't get why motorcycle magazines have people write articles on bikes that they seem predisposed to not like. Until just the past couple of years the motorcycle press would do a write up of a new scooter with the writer saying things like, "I don't really like scooters. I haven't spent much time on them and what time I did spend riding one I hated every moment of the experience."????????
Click to expand...

Not quite right in this case. He liked the motorcycle and has no issue with it overall. In fact he does not have any predispositions going into any tests, and this is one reason why the Mag use him. It is the DCT he didn't like. He is a modern young motorcyclist and a very competent rider. He is very much into technology, much more so than I am. I was actually surprised to hear him get so fussed about it.
 
DirtFlier said:
To a lot of magazine testers, if a bike can't do the standing start quarter mile in under 11 seconds, then something is wrong!
Click to expand...

Nothing to do with that DF. Just about the DCT only. I have no doubt that if he didn't like it on the NC, he might not like it on the Crosstourer either, or perhaps that system is different. He has ridden the manual change model and liked it for what it is. Perhaps from what I am reading here, DCT is not something one gets used to in one test ride ?
 
My point about the magazine testers was that they place too much importance on high performance and if a bike fails to satisfy them in that area, they start whining.

The DCT does provide engine braking on decel and I've ridden big scooters before so know how it feels to freewheel. And the DCT is not at all similar to a car with torque convertor in front of the automatic transmission so it does slow down when you let off the throttle.

I bought a DCT model because I wanted to try something different and it did take a bit of adjustment initially but I'm enjoying this relearning process. Hey, being forced to learn and get out of our comfort zones keeps us young. And I still have a NT700V with normal clutch & transmission. :)
 
Last edited:
Plus one DirtFlier. I'm with you as I wanted something different and even unusual. I love all types of motorcycles and am convinced that you can order one that comes equipped with a microwave oven now days, if that's what one wants. What I have learned is that most reviews compare the NC with light touring and dual sports bikes when doing formal testing. And to no surprise it's often rated the least impressive of whatever it (selectively) competes with. Then they state the obvious "if you're looking for a great commuter bike, this is perfect". It was really never designed to compete with anything in my opinion. It was designed to do exactly what it does and I won't repeat what it does ad nauseam .
Having said that, I get a slight smile on my face when I see a picture of a 350 pound guy loaded down with 100 pounds of equipment sitting on his bike in the outskirts of the Artic Circle in Alaska smiling ear to ear having just arrived from his home in Middleofnowhere Texas! Now that's special!
 
Griff said:
Nothing to do with that DF. Just about the DCT only. I have no doubt that if he didn't like it on the NC, he might not like it on the Crosstourer either, or perhaps that system is different. He has ridden the manual change model and liked it for what it is. Perhaps from what I am reading here, DCT is not something one gets used to in one test ride ?
Click to expand...

I can't really fault your friend, as I am thinking I most likely couldn't get used to a DCT on a single test ride either, it would be such an alien experience for me!

Has he ever ridden a two stroke before? Now that can be an eye opener, going from a heavy compression braking twin, to a low compression smoker, lol :D
 
I've ridden standard transmission bikes for over fifty years and it took me about three minutes to get used to the DCT. I now love it and have no desire to ever own a standard again. Spirited riding in the twisties is easy in either Sport or Manual mode, though I personally rarely use Manual. Full-lock slow turns dragging the rear brake and slipping the clutch are a no-brainer. DCT eliminates about 2/3 of the monkey-motion involved in riding in traffic, a boon to new riders. I also love the fact that I'll never again be in the wrong gear and stall the engine at a traffic light.

I can't imagine what the above-mentioned tester found that was so distasteful. I know that there are lots of folks who are predisposed to not like certain things (e.g., ABS). There are also a few who honestly don't like machines to automatically do things for them. It's a shame that DCT gets a bad rap from such folks, as it's an advance that ranks right up there with ABS, IMO.
 
What I want next. Shaft drive, and DCT. with MPG above 60.

I'm 28 and most likely won't own another manual shift motorcycle. I don't like engine braking, I brake with the disc brakes. The engine in the high RPM's still has strong (normal like) engine braking compared to the 250's and 1000 inline 4 I have ridden.
 
L.B.S. said:
I can't really fault your friend, as I am thinking I most likely couldn't get used to a DCT on a single test ride either, it would be such an alien experience for me!

Has he ever ridden a two stroke before? Now that can be an eye opener, going from a heavy compression braking twin, to a low compression smoker, lol :D
Click to expand...

I think he has had a couple of small capacity two stroke offroad KTMs.

He is not at all like he is being branded by some on here. He has just as much fun on his brothers Honda 250CRF as he does on his own BM. It is quite possible also that the bike he got could have a problem. Indeed I do remember someone on here having a moan about his DCT shifting up too early. Unfortunately I can't remember which thread it was mentioned on.
 
I'm not sure what he was looking for, but from a fairly new rider (1 year) this is my third bike. I started on a Ninja 300, but it scared the crap out of me on the highway getting blown around like a rag doll especially in that seating position. After 1 month of ownership I traded it on 2014 Harley XL883L which could handled the highway better and I enjoyed. I felt a little nervous at first with the size of the NC and height when I was making the purchase, but I needed a better commuter (150 miles a day). I took a chance on the NC knowing if I didn't like it, I could sell it to my brother in-law. So the time came and they handed me the keys, I was nervous. I cracked the throttle and by the time I got one block away...I was feeling better the auto was so smooth. By the third block I was lane splitting and riding it like I had owned it for years. I gother home and called my brother in-law and asked him if wanted to buy a Harley lol, I'm never going back to manual. The DCT is that good :)
 
I think people need to understand what Honda built this bike for, instead of comparing it to their past experiences.
There's no comparison between the engine braking on the NC and my old Suzuki GS1100E or even my old Goldwing. But I can feel the engine braking on the NC, just not as much as my previous bikes.
I may be totally off base in my thinking on this, but for fuel mileage to increase, heavy engine braking would hurt the fuel mileage.
Since this bike was made for fuel economy and how most people actually ride in the real world. A bike that anyone could learn on up to experienced riders. inexpensive maintenance. Not racing at 11,000 rpm or carving up the corners.
I think that's why a lot of riders don't like the bike. They don't understood what makes this bike so special.
They may in time. I would not have liked this bike 25 years ago, but I wouldn't want to be without it now.
 
Mark me down as another one who doesn't understand the complaint about lack of compression braking. The only difference between this transmission and that of a standard motorcycle is the automatic clutch. The gears function in the same way - direct connection to the engine. the NC 700's engine does have a little less compression then some of the high-end bikes but still there is compression braking... I know, because I use it all the time!
 
Well, a few days ago before all the rain EVERY day I went for a ride with the younger son. It was great. I now have about 1000 miles on the bike and have to say I really like the transmission. I don't have to fiddle with shifting and just get to ride. When I pass it downshifts once or twice plenty fast enough for me. I mean the bike only goes like 80 something in this humid heat! When a few turns are on the agenda putting it into S mode works wonders. The thing seems to know just when the turn is beginning and downshifts then leaving the whole of the turn in one gear lower ready for the exit. I know I am rusty after a 20 year hiatus but it is so nice to not have to do it all myself.

Yea, I know that in D mode slowing to a stop, it is jerky and grabby going down to second and first and then it doesn't want to leave first for neutral till it "bumps" once or twice. Oh well. My ride on a BMW R1000R last week showed me I can be a bit jerky myself too - heh.

And in S mode I can certainly tell it is using engine braking (or breaking as some call it wink.gif) as I can feel the rear wheel "skid" a little. I used to do a lot of downshifting and engine braking when I was young and stu.....errr COOL. This only makes one feel more in command and also skids the tire rubber off so one can practice changing tires more often (a good skill to have) while lamenting the rate at which the (inferior?) rubber disappears. Ah, yes.

My only lament is that though it is infrequent now days, one cannot pass from 65mph or so to 90 or so with any kind of ease. I was used to a 140mph bike and 65-90 was just a few seconds and then it was over with. Not now. Oh well. <edit> Maybe I should just switch it to Km.

But the trade from 40mpg to 60 mpg is pretty sweet.

So, can you tell I think it is a really sweet ride? (once I fixed the seateek.gif)
 
Last edited:
Therapy said:
My only lament is that though it is infrequent now days, one cannot pass from 65mph or so to 90 or so with any kind of ease. I was used to a 140mph bike and 65-90 was just a few seconds and then it was over with. Not now.View attachment 25506)
Click to expand...

Very true. Coming from an FJR, I've been surprised a few times to find myself sitting in the wrong lane facing oncoming traffic a lot longer than expected. That's probably the hardest--and most dangerous--adaptation I've had to make on the NC.
 
Go to the 15t front sprocket. It will pull 6th gear, it's not rocket ship fast but you can break 100. Without it I could maybe creep to 90. Oh and keep it in sport mode....drive mode passes are umm....casual :p
 
Last edited:
I have had my DCT for a week. In sport mode it will downshift quickly, at about the same as I would do manually. I have owned a cvt scooter (Kymco 500) and the DCT is entirely different.You can feel the gears changing and can always change with a touch of the shift paddles.The manual override is what makes it special.
 
I'm sure the DCT is a great feature and works great for the NC. I've been riding bike for over 40 years and part of riding a motorcycle, for me, is shifting the transmission. Most DCT owners seem to be new or I inexperienced motorcycles rides and the DCT just makes it easier for them to ride. For me, I want absolute control over when the bike shift. I want to pull a clutch lever with my left hand and make a shift with my left foot and I thank Honda for making a traditional version.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
New-to-Me NC
Replies
5
Views
268
007
007
N
manual to dct?
Replies
4
Views
539
davidc83
davidc83
R
Lowering an NC750x - DCT
Replies
5
Views
215
Rydinon
R
R
Difference between NC700x and NC750X - New to this Forum
Replies
5
Views
221
Rabbit
R
U
2015 NC700X for $6500
Replies
10
Views
257
user_ds
U
Back
Top