"The sound of Quiet Desperation"???

[sandman20]

Wow........reading Cycle World usually inspires me but that quote from Mark Hoyer really raised more than a few hairs on the back of my neck. The short article was about the FZ09 which is certainly a brilliant motorcycle for the money by anyone's standards but the quote in the title is his thoughts after going from the FZ09 back to the NC700x. He admittedly stated that he realizes they are 2 different things but competing for the same entry level dollars. This is where a take some exception, is a 107 hp motorcycle really an entry level machine no matter how cheap it is? Big horsepower + inexperience usually = disaster. When I decided to trade in my longtime companion, an 02 R6 for something more friendly to my aging body, I considered the FZ09 but wound up with the NC700x and could not be happier with my decision. The NC has a very nice torque curve in the real world street riding zone and it is extremely comfortable to me. I've been riding since the late 60's and am far from an entry level shopper. It just seemed to me that the magazines are a bit out of touch with a lot of real world buyers and riders. Different strokes for different folks I guess but I don't think the NC, a well conceived and built motorcycle IMHO, deserves disparaging remarks from an MC mag writer.

 

[670cc]

Wow........reading Cycle World usually inspires me but that quote from Mark Hoyer really raised more than a few hairs on the back of my neck. The short article was about the FZ09 which is certainly a brilliant motorcycle for the money by anyone's standards but the quote in the title is his thoughts after going from the FZ09 back to the NC700x. He admittedly stated that he realizes they are 2 different things but competing for the same entry level dollars. This is where a take some exception, is a 107 hp motorcycle really an entry level machine no matter how cheap it is? Big horsepower + inexperience usually = disaster. When I decided to trade in my longtime companion, an 02 R6 for something more friendly to my aging body, I considered the FZ09 but wound up with the NC700x and could not be happier with my decision. The NC has a very nice torque curve in the real world street riding zone and it is extremely comfortable to me. I've been riding since the late 60's and am far from an entry level shopper. It just seemed to me that the magazines are a bit out of touch with a lot of real world buyers and riders. Different strokes for different folks I guess but I don't think the NC, a well conceived and built motorcycle IMHO, deserves disparaging remarks from an MC mag writer.

Excellent commentary on your part. Forward that to Cycle World.

 

[itlives]

Americans love big HP. Especially when you're young. Apples to oranges. Unfortunately, many buyers will not even consider the NC after an article like that. Too bad for them...

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Cycle World were one of the first to laud the NC when it was first introduced. Two of my bikes are more than double the HP of the NC. Yet, the NC is the most ridden for many reasons, economy and convenience being two of the most relevant. I did not buy it for HP as I already have something that fits that bill. The new Yamaha is a good product. It is all things to all men. However I doubt it would be as economical as the NC under the same usage. Also it does not have a Frunk. There are lots of motorcycles that are considered entry level, but they also have big performance. Sometimes "entry level" refers simply to not having to outlay large sums of money to get an affordable bike. In that sense both motorcycles could be considered entry level. I think in this instance the Yam will appeal to younger riders while the NC will appeal to more practically minded folks in an older age bracket, on the most part.

 

[L.B.S.]

With a few notable exceptions, (say Kevin Cameron and the late Kevin Ash, for example) most of these "journalists" are hopelessly stuck in the immature little hamster wheel of trying to puff up their egos, and convince themselves and others they are really roadracing stars, but chose to write instead. They are Pulitzer Prize winning writers, but chose to let their passion for two wheels govern their life's work instead.

Talk about quiet desperation, lol.



Win at all cost! Be lighter at all cost! Be faster at all cost! Have more horsepower at all cost! If you can't stay in 6th gear and blast past that line of three semi trucks already doing 80mph in the blink of an eye, your bike completely sucks! You have to buy the new XYZ RRRRR model or you are a loser! Your bike gets 80mpg, but it's under 50 hp? *pffft* who cares. Scooter girl newbie bike, no thanks. Go drive a Prius.

When I had my fun turbocharged bike, or my fun liter+ bikes, or my fun hardcore RR bikes, or my fun flip you on your *** and stomp you 2 stroke bikes, I still enjoyed all of my others, which could be fun and small, or fun and low hp, or fun and quiet, or fun and slow, or fun and comfortable. I didn't pass some bizarre judgement against them with stupid non sequitur comparisons to the others.

Meh. I have a blast on my 13 hp CBR125R everyday. *shrug* I love it.

 

[670cc]

The Megaphone column in this month's Motorcyclist
mag follows a similar theme. The author is ragging on Honda for going off making all kinds of offbeat models like the NM4 and the CTXs and such. He's seriously like WTF Honda , where's the new rr600rr r. I felt like writing in to tell them that We get it, Honda gets it, it's you that don't get it.

Anyway I will post a link to that article when it shows up on their Web site.

 

[Maconi]

I think another problem is with the obsession with buying new bikes. Don't like Honda's current offerings? Buy one of their bikes from a couple generations ago. How much was the VFR1200R when it was first released? 16k? It can be had for 8k now. Many other nice bikes are the same.

You also have to keep in mind that a lot of these sites have to pander to their largest audience and will go where the money goes. Right now that isn't the NC/CTX line (in the US at least).

 

[Joe A.]

I LOVE my NC 700x.
Next bike will prolly be Honda CBR300R.
Just a little guy with little dreeams and little bikes!

BTW, 1000 mile review of my NC is coming soon. Will probably be long winded

 

[Blackrider]

The Megaphone column in this month's Motorcyclist
mag follows a similar theme. The author is ragging on Honda for going off making all kinds of offbeat models like the NM4 and the CTXs and such. He's seriously like WTF Honda , where's the new rr600rr r. I felt like writing in to tell them that We get it, Honda gets it, it's you that don't get it.

Anyway I will post a link to that article when it shows up on their Web site.

We have like one Honda dealership within 100 mile radius. Bikes have been selling like
crazy this year. From CTX's to 1000cc sport bikes. CBR250's are selling too. Just depends
on what bike a person likes. I like them all.

My NC gets 65+ mpg and I can put my gear in the frunk. That makes me very happy.

 

[Blackrider]

I LOVE my NC 700x.
Next bike will prolly be Honda CBR300R.
Just a little guy with little dreeams and little bikes!

BTW, 1000 mile review of my NC is coming soon. Will probably be long winded

I was thinking of getting the 300 too! They don't have it out yet though.

 

[CaptDL]

I actually had a quote for a Fz-09. Too many minuses compared to the NC.

 

[sandman20]

Thank you all for your thoughtful comments to my original post. I'm glad to see great minds thinking alike. I did not mention in my OP that I suffer from a serious case of Multiple Bike Disorder which is seriously enabled by my lovely (2nd) bride. I've actually been changing up the fleet over the last couple of years. Last year I traded in my 01 1200 Bandit for a brand new 300 Ninja and could not be happier. It is no where near as powerful but it is very light and flikable and still rather peppy. A true blast to ride. I've also have a TTR225 which has basically 0 hp and that is also a great time exploring back roads and old dirt carriage roads. I could go on and on but the NC 700x is my current favorite bike. It seems to do everything well, letting me comfortably enjoy the ride while being fairly light feeling and I can flat foot it easily at stop lights. It also offers very user friendly power and ergo's. I only wish it had adjustable (distance from bars) clutch and brake levers. Other than that, I think its perfect (For me anyways)

 

[jtkirk]

Read the same article in Cycle World. Had the same reaction. I, like several on the board, came from what is in my mind the spiritual predecessor of the FZ09, the FZ6. Not exactly the same but both were aimed at attracting new entry level riders. The six took the first gen R6 motor and detuned it and gave it a different frame and riding position. I bought mine new in '06 after the TPS issues were fixed and rode the fire out of it for going on seven years until I got the X. Aside from the steering head bearings, which were crap, the six was dead solid reliable. It inspired a truly devoted following and for several years the most active sub-forum on sportbikes.net was the FZ6 forum. Like the X it could be transformed into almost anything. I know several former owners who equipped it as a sport tourer and made five digit mileage trips over multiple weeks and never had an issue. Ridden sanely it would get 50 mpg easily.

That was my problem. While I did most of the time that lovely I4 power was just waiting to be let go. I had a tendency to do that too much. I had a choice to either spend $ to upgrade mine to sport tourer level or spend $$ for something that would already be equipped that way and get me close to 50% better mileage AND slow me down.

Went with the X and have been very happy. I miss the power but the x at 60 can make a curvy road feel like the same one at 70 or 80 on the FZ. The riding position is better and the mileage is a definite plus. This is a round about way of getting to the OP's point. In mid to late 2012 the X was on the cover of Cycle World and Rider. It was lauded for it's outstanding mileage, punchy twin cylinder motor, and factory options. A real bike for the REAL WORLD. Now it suddenly sucks?!!.

I have never written a letter to any mag before but I feel one exposing the hypocrisy of Cycle World coming on.

 

[kebrider]

I passed two FZ-09s in the mountains two weeks ago on my NC. They looked like comfortable bikes and appeared to have plenty of performance as they were hauling *** when I passed them.

The one unrelenting and omnipresent aspect of any motorcycle is the rider. Don't ride what others say you should but ride what you enjoy. The NC compares favorably for me, a guy nearing retirement age, who sees the NC as a fun and economically sustainable form of entertainment. I can carry all the speed I need to have fun and when I do stop I can point to the outstanding fuel mileage and lower-than-normal tire wear as "green" features that demonstrate my responsible side.

Just tooling along the breathtakingly beautiful back roads within a few miles of my home is worth the price of admission, but the fact the bike handles and goes well enough to hang around my friends on sport bikes is a real bonus. The gas money savings pays for the tires and the tire money savings just puts beer in the frunk.

Accolades be damned, I enjoy the NC.

KEB

 

[skeedaddle]

Case in point. Big horsepower vs. new rider...does not turn out well. The FZ-09 is NOT a entry level bike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHIVgaceHAU

 

[Blackrider]

I've been back and forth with someone on that FZ-07 vs Honda NC video.
He said the NC700x has "no balls".

He traded his in after two months for an FZ-07 I suppose.

 

[The_Drifter]

The FZ-09 is a different type of motorcycle then the NC700. It's like trying to compare a sports car to a sedan, and then criticizing the cars because of features, or specifications that one has over the other. It just doesn't make sense trying to compare them as they were designed for different purposes. The real elephant in the room is the Suzuki 650 V-Strom.

 

[wozza]

I was thinking of getting the 300 too! They don't have it out yet though.

Apparently Honda are going to do a naked version as well though I don't know if it's USA bound.

PS. Just checked and it looks like the CB300F is USA bound as it's been registered with the California Air Board (or something like that).

 

[ziggie]

Yes I read about the cb300 also.passed test for California, not sure about release date.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Old Can Ride]

Cycle World is like any other magazine. High performance riders testing cruisers are not happy campers. So, ride preference makes a difference in who wrote the article. Money matters also. A big ad company will usually get favorable reviews, as the magazines need their ad monies to say alive.