2014 Honda CTX700 Threadfest

which equals cheaper to source and build and more profit for the product line. I test rode the NC700X and loved it and I'd like to ride this bagger CTX and will. I don't give a shit if it's an automatic or not I'd bet any amount of money it rides really nice.

I really hope the CTX bikes aren't USA only. The 700X has been a best-seller in Yurp, against journo expectation.

The Yamaha XTZ660 also sold well on launch, also against the magazine reviews.

But that's probably because journos don't have to pay for their own insurance, or gas .

Or bikes.

Making a WR450 illegal is strange but keeping sport bikes legal isn't.

There used to be a tradition of freedom and liberty in the US, but that's going away.

Now Beureaucrats and other nannys sit around and make rules telling us what bike to ride, among other things.

It's much worse here. In fact there was a Euro push for a Swedish plan called Project Zero, iirc. Essentially, that plan aimed for zero bikes on the road.

It was defeated, thanks not to major lobbying by corps, but by biker groups. The Euro Parliament also wanted laws passed that would prevent anyone modding a bike without approval (similar to the German TUV system).

In the end, the new A2 compliant bikes (35kW/47bhp) cannot be legally modded in the 'drive-train', eg. sprockets, end can. Higher bhp bikes are exempt.

If you are under 24, an A2 bike is all you can legally ride.

BUT, there have been two positive outcomes:

1) The new 47bhp bikes are actually quite cool

and,

2) the extended Theory Tests are to be welcomed. They aren't hard to pass, but you still need to study for them. And the manuals sneak in a lot of good info that is never formally tested.

Oh, and,

3) bikes like the Moto Guzzi V7, and some other cool retros, just sneak in on A2 law.

The suits and ties in Brussels, seeking a nut for their sledgehammer, have inadvertently created bikes for less than £5000, that are cheap to run, and are actually pretty nice.

And do 60-80mpg.

So bikers will be on the road for longer, for less.

How we laughed

Look you can go on about the liberty thing all you like, but along the way people began to "lawyer up" so suddenly "duty of care" became a big buz word. Suddenly I have to put up with reverse lockouts on the car, alarms when I open doors (non government) lawyer induced BS all because of idiots. Government also got a bit sick of this and decided they better join the duty of care brigade.

Until they make it illegal to sue someone (with money) for being an idiot liberty will be a fading proposition. So fine with the 250HP sports bikes and fine with the 40HP thumpers. I personally don't care as long as I'm not held responsible through increased taxes and premiums for someone elses idiocy

I actually like some of the government initiatives on the licensing side where I live where they actually expect people to be competent bike riders but in the car side where most votes are, the lobbyists convince them to let idiots out in cars that try to kill me. But I don't like people being maimed and dying including myself.

So it depends on which rules they introduce whether I like it or not.

As a previous poster alluded to, just as with racing rules, the rules governments introduce can lead to some interesting outcomes. good or bad.

30 years ago where I lived they introduced a blanket 250cc limit on bikes for "learners". Some of the 250cc bikes available then were fast.
The they changed that to power per ton. because of that you can now get some fairly useful bikes on a learners permit.

Believe it or not the NC700 has not been approved as a learner legal bike because it is ....wait for it...too large by 10cc
Just one large desert spoon over the maximum allowed capacity on Oz. Doesn't bother me personally but I suppose an upper limit was set and that was that.

Honda lobbyists to the red phone please.

Yup.

In the UK, you can pass a car licence at 17 years old and drive what you like.

Ever seen a Porsche smashed into a lamp-post? I have. Rich student, expensive private plate, no fucking clue.

It's a big debate here - amongst bikers - why car tests don't include more about awareness, harzard perception, and rules of the road.

And, just to balance this, I'd like to give a big thumbs-up to drivers of trucks, lorries, and heavy goods-vehicles. Those folks, by a wide margin, have the best road-sense of anyone out there

I think I may have found the reason why they are not allowed on the roads. Shame, too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ri76oo7leMs#!

no and I have no plans on ever buying one as I have no plans to begin a road racing career which is what these bikes are for. allowing them on the street is ludicrous.

machtflug, Did you view the video I posted? Watching Supercross on Speed....You?

I did. typical new age rider, good at wheelies but a total squid in the corners, on a SM no less. good at wheelies on a 450 on the street - go figure.

been waiting all week. great track with those tight turns and those 2 jumps where they basically have to stop because the face is so steep.

I am the last person on earth who would support government intervention in anything. But insurance companies are privately owned. High powered sport bikes present a tremendous risk to them, and those who ride them already pay a fortune in insurance. I can see no reason why any sane person would even want to ride such bikes on the road, unless they intend to ride illegally and irresponsibly. Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFvRegBt-4U
You don't see cruiser or touring bike riders riding like this. Sport bike riders are bringing it on themselves. I sure wouldn't mind seeing insurance rates on these things go way up, so the (already low) insurance rates on my cruiser, dual sport bike, and 3 scooters could go down even more.

Not a Stewart fan, but he is riding really fast tonight. Watch, he'll crash as he does way too often. Want to see Reed win, but as I own a KTM, gotta pull for Dungey, too. Not enough dirt put down. they're riding on plywood in places...Board track racing? tp OH CTX700 is a great motorcycle, or so I think it will be...tp

JerryH, I agree on the insurance on the supersports, but many insurance companies are rating by cc's instead of intent. Had a Tiger 1050, that had ridiculous rates because it was a 1050cc bike. My little Duke 690 is called an enduro by progressive and it rated high, since enduros are raced or ridden off road, raising crash potential. I do neither with it but pay much more than I did for a KLR650... Insurance companies are in the business to make a profit, but some of the ways they go about it is criminal, to me...tp

Insurance companies stop just short of criminal, their lawyers make sure they get as close as possible. Not all insurance companies charge by cc. My former Vulcan 1500 and Goldwing 1500 had rates half of what my EX500 Ninja did. Even though a Ninja 500 is slow compared to real sport bikes, it is in a category that is far more likely to be ridden recklessly than a Goldwing or a cruiser. I really don't see the point in these bikes. My EX500 got me 2 speeding tickets (fortunately no points) There is nowhere in the U.S. you can legally ride more than 75 mph (other than maybe Montana) and the Ninja would easily top 100 mph. They could sell these bikes, but for track use only, the way MX bikes are sold.

And yes I know there are some ridiculously fast cars out there (and their owners also pay ridiculous insurance rates) but I almost never see them driven in a reckless manner, certainly no more than any other car. A couple of weeks ago I was driving to a town about 200 miles away, and it includes over 100 miles of nearly straight road. Speed limit is 75, but I was early, had time to waste, road was almost deserted, so I was going 65 in the right lane. A couple of nearly new Porsche Turbos passed me in the left lane, maybe doing 75-80 as they carefully passed with plenty of room. It could be that someone who is wealthy enough to own such a car is also smart enough to know what they have to lose if they were to cause an accident by reckless driving.

As for the insurance on your Duke, maybe try another company. Not all of them rate bikes the same.

The biggest problem on the Duke is it retailed for almost $11k new, a huge price for a 650.. That is taken into consideration, too. Replacement part prices are out of sight for this little bike, but if you've never ridden one, you owe it to yourself to take a ride. Yhey are a hoot....tp

yummy...

Yep At $7799 and 65+ mpg Honda is going to sell a boatload of these!

I love these bikes as well, and if my current bike was not running so good, and still completely reliable, one of these would be at the top of the list as a replacement, though it would be the standard unfaired model with a manual transmission. I checked on the price of the bags, and it is insane. Honda is selling all the little bits and pieces separately, at a ridiculous cost. I would get the backrest and rack, and make do with soft luggage. Hopefully this bike makes it, and I will buy one when my current bike finally dies, or becomes to unreliable to trust.

If you end up buying one, try negotiating a BIG discount on accessories along with the bikes purchase. I always threaten to walk without at least 25% and have gotten it every time.

The only thing that worries me sales wise for the faired model would be the forward controls. I think Honda would have been better off going with mid's standard, and making the forwards an accessory.