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Unsure about buying the NC750X, need advice.

cyman73

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Hi everyone,

I currently own a CRL250L Rally and an ST1300.

I am looking into purchasing a new or used motorcycle particularly NC750X/NC700X or 2012 Africa Twin to ride in the summer because the ST is terrible in Arizona heat. The ST engine gets quite hot for comfort, even during a 25 mile commute. I'm considering a new NC750X or a 2012 NC700X, both manual, to be my daily driver during the summer. The used 700 bike is 1/2 the cost of the 750 OTD.

I'm hesitant to buy the NC mainly due to the lack of power. I just don't want to buy something I can't test ride and feel miserable about it afterwards. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

If I buy the NC I would most likely keep the ST for cold weather riding (winter in Arizona). If I buy the Africa Twin I would plan to get rid of the ST.

Thank you.
 
I cannot imagine ever giving up a bike like the ST1300. They just don't make bikes like that anymore. Practically everything comes with a chain drive these days.

The AT will suit your needs more if you want to go off road, while the NC technically can, but doesn't really go off pavement.

The NC700 is primarily a commute bike in it's design philosophy. The redline is low, the demeanor easy-going, and the practicality is the forefront of the experience. The weight is down low and that makes a lot of the experience far less dramatic than other bikes.

I can't speak to the brawny 750 and it's low-50s HP rating, but the 700 with its 'ænemic' 48hp have gotten me in and out of trouble plenty of times. It can do the ton two-up, not that you should ever do that. Not that I would, either.

I've only put 48k miles on mine so I don't know if there's something I'm missing about the Honda. It's not a great pillion bike, it's not great in the dirt, it's not great for long tours (unless you don't mind OTR chain maintenance) but it will do all of that and keep going just as easily and faithfully as ever.

It's great in low-speed traffic and it's stable at open country speeds. Gas mileage is that of a scooter, but it has the fun of a full motorcycle. The frunk will get folks to walk past Ducs, Triumphs, litre bikes, custom choppers, and just about anything else to ask just where did they put the gas tank??

The NC isn't the fastest bike out there. But that wasn't the point. It's easy going, low CoG, easy to maintain (other than a few plastic tabs) and generally fun.

The gear ratios are fairly short, so you'll shift more for the same speed as someone on a Triumph Speed Triple, but you'll catch up some seconds later. I might suggest just long enough to not get pulled over by that hidden cop. Ask me how I know.

Anyways, as a daily driver the NC700 (or 750) is likely incomparable to any other full-sized bike with standard ergos. You'd have to go to a maxi-scoot for the same level of performance and convenience. I commuted through the Seattle and Tacoma metro areas on my NC. No complaints about the bike. Just the drivers
 
The 750 has 7 horsepower more, if you are already doubting, go for the 750.. I just upgraded from 700 to the 750 ;-P

I passed the @ because of cost, bad milage and being a compromise bike (I had 3 old twins before) .

Lack of power is mostly noticeable above 100. Torque makes up a lot. Steering is great, no more chicken strips.
 
Thank you for the responses.

Does the NC750 motor get hot during hot weather riding, can you feel the heat? I used to have an R1200R which did not cook my legs during summer weather, I should have never sold that bike.
Is the motor smooth? Perhaps not like the ST, but smoother than a V twin or BMW twin?

Thank you.
 
I feel zero heat off my NC700X engine.

My other rides, beside dirt and scooter, are GL1800 and CRF250L Rally. The NC fits very nicely between the large touring bike and the dual sport.

While Honda may put both the Africa Twin and The NCX series in the adventure bike category, they are worlds apart in purpose and function. In my opinion, the AT is an ultra heavy dual sport, and the NC is a street commuter bike.

I am totally satisfied with the 700 engine, but if you feel you need a few more HP, get the 750. I’ve ridden both and thought the difference was negligible.
 
Does the NC750 motor get hot during hot weather riding, can you feel the heat? I used to have an R1200R which did not cook my legs during summer weather, I should have never sold that bike.
Is the motor smooth? Perhaps not like the ST, but smoother than a V twin or BMW twin?
I think the engine is very smooth.

We own both a 2016 NC700x and an '18 NC750x. Virtually identical but the 750 does accelerate a bit quicker, has bit more power. Neither gets noticeably hot while riding. We don't use ours for slow speed commuting in the city, maybe in low speeds and high temperatures you might feel engine heat??? Nothing like the heat the comes off a HD engine, 2 years ago I spent 3 days in hot weather on a HD and it was miserable.
 
No heat here. The motor has a pleasant throb to it. Not harsh or buzzy.
Agree with Lee.
I enhanced its pleasant throb with a Delkevic can. Just slightly louder than stock and neighborhood friendly. Love it.

I had an ST1300 and kept it when I bought the 2015 NC750X last year. After 1 month of NC use, I sold the ST and never looked back. I had the ST for 10 years and really enjoyed it. But at the end, it became way too heavy (with a high center of gravity) for my light frame. Weight is the single reason why I sold the ST.
 
Does the NC750 motor get hot during hot weather riding, can you feel the heat? I used to have an R1200R which did not cook my legs during summer weather, I should have never sold that bike.
Is the motor smooth? Perhaps not like the ST, but smoother than a V twin or BMW twin?

Thank you.

I've commuted into and out of Phoenix on my NCX since 2012. I gave up every-single-day commuting on any bike a couple years ago. 75 miles a day in mid-summer heat was getting to me.

Anyway: No, the NCX engine does NOT put heat onto your legs nor any other part of you.

The engine is not as smooth as a 4-cylinder (I've had a CBR600F4 and a VF750 Magna in recent years to compare to), but it's also not buzzy like an inline-4. It's a pleasant engine.

The NCX is an excellent commuter bike. It's also very fun in the twisties. It's in the quarter mile that it shows its weakness. ...and in the dirt. It's not a dirt bike.
 
The NC has a fairly unique 270 degree crankshaft that has a pulsing type of low frequency vibration compared to the buzz or tingling of an inline 4 cylinder. The ST's V4 has virtually no vibration by comparison. The NC's low frequency vibration or pulsing through the seat and footpegs was never intrusive to me personally and the mirrors remain sharp and clear. I thought the feeling was pleasant and reminded me of an older 1981 BMW R100 I owned. So much that I was fond of calling the NC the modern airhead.

I bring up the NC's vibration because you mentioned "is it different from a BNW twin?" No, it's not significantly different that a BMW boxer twin even though the BMW has a 360 degree crankshaft. In the past there have been plenty of threads about the NC engine's pulsing vibration through the footpegs. Some owners believe something is wrong with their NC and really dislike the throbbing. It's just part of the character of the NC. The vibration is most noticeable in the 2200 to 2500 rpm range in 5th or 6th when there is a load on the engine. If you have a manual transmission or place the DCT in Manual and spin the engine faster it smooths out much like a boxer twin.

That said the 750 added a second balance shaft to smooth out this pulsing vibration. I've never ridden a 750 so I cannot comment on any vibration difference to the 700. I put about 70,000 miles on two NCs, I liked them a lot. 180,000 miles on an ST, liked it a lot too. Wear solid textile riding pants and above-ankle boots..... what ST1300 heat?
 
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I purchased a used 2012 NC700X manual after test riding it today. I was pleasantly surprised with the engine power. I didn't feel like I needed more. I rode the bike home, over 70 miles on the highway, and easily reached speeds of 80 mph.
No heat, no vibration, enough power... Thank you.

I'm going to enjoy this bike as my daily driver, while I get to keep the ST :) for longer/colder weather rides.
 
A used 700 is a great bike for someone not sure about ownership. Around $3-4K, many (like mine that I have up for sale on the marketplace thread) have tons of miles left in their lifespan.


I recently test rode a 2018 750XDCT and detected the same vibration. Only it starts at 73 mph, instead of 71 mph. But the extra power is noticeable. Not sure if it's worth twice the price of a used bike, but There are some good deals out now.
 
I purchased a used 2012 NC700X manual after test riding it today. I was pleasantly surprised with the engine power. I didn't feel like I needed more. I rode the bike home, over 70 miles on the highway, and easily reached speeds of 80 mph.
No heat, no vibration, enough power... Thank you.

I'm going to enjoy this bike as my daily driver, while I get to keep the ST :) for longer/colder weather rides.

I'm having a bit of seller's remorse... but only a just a little bit. I hope you enjoy this amazing bike. Mo
 
I purchased a used 2012 NC700X manual after test riding it today. I was pleasantly surprised with the engine power. I didn't feel like I needed more. I rode the bike home, over 70 miles on the highway, and easily reached speeds of 80 mph.
No heat, no vibration, enough power... Thank you.

I'm going to enjoy this bike as my daily driver, while I get to keep the ST :) for longer/colder weather rides.

I had concerns about HP when I bought this bike last fall too.


Rode to Vegas from L.A. a couple weeks ago and I was cruising 75mph up 7% grades and I was still able to easily pass trucks and pull away. I'm 240lbs and I had 80 lbs of luggage and gear on the bike with big side cases and a 55 liter top-box. It was over 100 degrees and the bike added no heat to me that I could feel.

It's hard to describe just how much torque this bike puts out at low RPMs. All that "low power" is down low. It's not exciting for an experienced rider, but then, it won't rip your tits off if you're groggy in the morning or tired after a long day.
 
I had a base model 2010 Bonneville, I believe the first year that they put a fuel injector on it. I rode that all over the states, taking annual trips from North of Chicago around Lake Superior, down to New Orleans, out to South Dakota, to the Tail of the Dragon twice, along the Mississippi, out to West Virginia. That bike had more spunk than my new NC70X that I just bought. With that being said, I am happy with the performance of the NC. It does have good low-end torque, but you aren't going to blow anyone away with speed, maybe a minivan. But it is a very comfortable bike and very nimble. I have no problems pulling out and quickly getting up-to-speed.

In 10 days I take my first road trip on the NC, from Fort Worth, out to Baton Rouge, up to Chattanooga, then back down. I'll post again on this thread with my thoughts as I have only put 600 miles on the bike so far.
 
About 5 seconds 0 to 60, that's a pretty quick minivan, sedan, sports sedan, coupe, or sports car. Enjoy your new bike on the trip.
 
About 5 seconds 0 to 60, that's a pretty quick minivan, sedan, sports sedan, coupe, or sports car. Enjoy your new bike on the trip.
Thanks, looking forward to it. I guess the point I was trying to make is that don't be surprised if the power is not overwhelming. It might be better to wait a year to see what the new 850 offering will be. Will it be an NC-looking bike with the excellent gas mileage and frunk, or will it be the mini-Africa Twin that they are rumored to be building to compete with the 850-ish sized bikes from BMW, Triumph and others.
 
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