2014 Honda CTX700 Threadfest

I thought the shape was a little reminiscent of this...



At least in the front.

Everything old is new again... Like companies are running out of new design concepts. Rehashing old ones to new generations. Harley does it most successfully with Softails, springer front ends, and most recently, the Switchback.

They should become part of the Acura motorcycle line.

Ash's comparison of petrol vs turbo diesel I think is spot on. This is going to be a bike that you have to go into with a certain type of mentality or you are just going to walk away shaking your head thinking Honda has lost it.

Most motorcyclists think it is more about the journey than the destination, and I am certainly one of those. But I think this is a good appliance to get you from A to B, comfortably, with as little fuss as possible. It will be a good bike for someone that is thinking about what to cook for dinner on their ride home vs. someone that wonders if the front end would track just a little bit better after a pothole with a little more rebound damping.

Jimmy, you sure you don't work for Honda? Sounds like you understand where they are coming from and where they want to go with this line...That's exactly what I got from their Introduction piece posted here earlier.

This makes me laugh.

My first vehicle being a Jeep Wrangler, The first time I got on my 250 Ninja I could not believe how fast the thing was for such a small bike. I had topped 100mph on the speedo and could pull away from a red light at least 3x faster than my Jeep could.

Then I brought home a Bandit 1200 and relived that experience again

-Jake

If I had the cash, I'd look into one. I love boring and reliable. I mostly commute to the university on my shadow. The university where I study accounting. Lol.

Dual sports are boring if you don't want one.
Cruisers are dull if you don't want one.
Sport bikes are dull if you don't want one.
Dirt bikes are dull if you don't want one.
Scooters are dull if you don't want one.
And,People who complain about bikes they don't want anyway are really really really dull!!!
Motorcyclists are people who ride what they want and enjoy. I prefer to ride with the motorcyclists, they are much more fun.

Btw, computerized vehicles dull? The other day while pondering guitar amps that can sound like multiple cool old amps from the sixties and seventies, I realized we could do that with cars and bikes!! With computer controled; engines, transmissions, and suspension, you will be able to select an old exciting car or bike from the touch screen menu and wow! you can have your car or bike handling like an "exciting" vehicle!! Want to experience a 59 Chevy Impala on your trip around Road America race track, just select it. Get the body roll and thrill of an almost roll over. Ever wondered about a MG Midget, what were they like? Just select that option and get it's go kart handling! Want your Ducati to run like an old Sportster? Yep make that menu selection and hook up the optional virtual kickstart lever with USB connection and you will have to jump on the lever at least fifty times before your Ducati starts, just like a wonderful exciting Sportster with magneto ignition, and the lever will be programed to randomly toss you in the air or brake your leg. I can't wait!!

Perfect.

+1

I find it odd that Honda asked on their FB for people's opinions of their latest offerings, and now done have their knickers in a twist when everyone doesn't agree that this the second coming of the bike of the century... I love Hondas, just not this Honda.

+2. Why 20 some pages of complaints about this bike? If you don't like it, you don't have to buy it. I'm just assuming there are plenty of other bikes out there that you do like. Buy one of those. But like I said, do it right away before they are gone.

I'm not really crazy about any new bike except Harleys, they have what I want in a motorcycle. But alas, I cannot afford one. I may very well get a used pre FI Sportster to have fun on. You can get them cheap on Craigslist. Sport bikes, or anything with a sport bike riding position I want no part of. I recently sold one, an '09 Ninja 500. Nothing wrong with it, I bought it new. But I could not ride it without a lot of pain. So that type of bike is out for me.

This new CTX is NOT going to be fun just to ride on short trips. What it is going to be is a comfortable reliable way to TRAVEL on 2 wheels, and that is exactly what I'm looking for. A mini Goldwing. A cruiser that doesn't look like a cruiser. My plan is to get one of these, the naked model with a manual transmission and no ABS, sell the Goldwing, go ahead and wear the Vulcan 750 out (77,000 miles already) and get rid of it, and this will be my only road bike. I still have a custom built (lots of goodies) XT225 for off road use, and will ride that as long as I can. A brand new Honda, ridden conservatively and properly maintained, should last me the rest of my riding life. And yes, at my age and in my condition, I ride conservatively. I will also have the Sportster and my old cars to tinker with and work on, and enjoy riding/driving around locally. One of my hobbies is VINTAGE cars and bikes. No, that is not for everybody, but it IS for me.


If you do not like this bike, go find a thread for a bike you do like.

I love mid pegs, but given the seat height, they maybe too low to work on this motorcycle. The mid pegs would probably scrap on any kind of a sharp curve.

I think you have to take the info on cycle-ergo a guideline, not as fact. I have a 28" inseam and it says the CTX won't work for me. I checked various bikes and found a Honda Shadow Sabre was close to the peg position on the CTX. It says the Sabre won't work for me. A local dealer has a used one and I tried it out Saturday. It was fine at 159 degrees. Being that the CTX on cycle-ergo shows the CTX has having 152 degree bend, it should work for me.

I have had everything from a 100cc enduro, V-strom, Burgman, HD EG Classic and a Goldwing 1800. Two of my favorites were the Burgman and Goldwing and this bike combines a little of each. I like it.

Mike6282
Liberty Lake, WA

The seat height on my Dyna Custom is under 28" and it has mids, that haven't scraped yet, not for lack of trying. Riding a Dyna with forwards kills my lower back, but the mids are great. The best seating ergos I've had in a long time was an 09 KLR650. Felt like dirt bikes of the early 70s, that allowed for the rider to move around on the seat and pegs freely.

The biggest problem with forwards and a low cupped seat arrangement is a single seating position, with no room to stretch out or change positions, taking the weight off the butt for a while. Been there, done that, and not ready to go back... tp.

Thank you.

I started this thread because:

1) My lifelong love of Hondas (hence my screen name)
2) An excitement of new affordable product in the marketplace
3) Hoping to enjoy some rousing and possible insightful conversation about the possibility's these bikes hold

But instead, almost all that's been shared here is hate of something that very few have even sat on and no one has ridden.

Now, I've been doing forums long enough to understand differences of opinion will always show up (hell, that's half the fun), but this level of bashing is a shocker. Do the haters here also walk into car dealerships and tell total strangers how stupid they were for buying this particular brand? Or maybe hang out in Best Buys on the weekend and scream at customers in the television department? I bet some here love cruising the Android forums and posting in all caps "APPLE RULES!!!"

And for what...forward controls? Pulled back handlebars? Really?!?!?! Honda should immediately shut down their entire worldwide motorcycle manufacturing because "they've completely lost it!" All due to the decision(s) made on this one line of bikes? Sounds pretty ignorant to me.

I personally welcome anything that may bring new people into this hobby I love so much. I see dealerships closing their doors around me left and right. The American market is nothing but shrinkage for most (large) manufacturers. We've become such a small slice of the pie, that we rarely get any of the cool new models.

Maybe these new bikes will attract some new blood, or maybe they won't. But at least Honda is trying. It's taken almost 3 yrs to get the CB1100, but at least Honda is giving us a shot.

All I'm saying is maybe don't be so close minded. Instead of bashing a bike that wasn't necessarily built with only your likes/needs in mind, look at it as a possibility for more $$$ in the coffers for R&D on something that is built for your tastes.

HondaFanatic, everything you say makes sense, and yet, there is something about this CTX700 that really raises my hackles. It is irrational, I know, but it's comforting to know that it's not just me. Somehow, this bike succeeds in threatening many of us who dislike it intensely.

For the record, I was okay with the NC700X, the NT700V, the old Pacific Coast, the VFR1200, and even the DN-01 (it honestly admitted that it was a glorified scooter). I like experimentation! But this bike, this CTX700, I am sorry, but it comes off as a poser of a bike, like it doesn't know what it is, like it's dressed as a woman, but it's actually a man, or something like that. Words fail me.

If I were a police officer, I would arrest the CTX700 for being an imposter. An imposter of what? Of its very own self! Man or machine, you have to proudly be what you are, and that may be where the CTX700 is coming up short for me.

My negative feelings for this abomination of a bike might be primarily due to its visual effect, which somehow succeeds in bringing all the various things that disgust me into one bike, with that exhaust being the absolute worst I've ever seen. Surely, some Honda engineers are sitting around drinking beer and smoking cigarettes and laughing: "Ha. Ha. Our marketing department sucks. We were trying to play a practical joke on them by designing the most offensive-looking bike we could imagine--but the crazy bastards actually liked it!!!"

Disclaimer: I like the 700-series engine. I like the fuel economy. I think this engine represents a good, bold idea.

I very much like the NC700X. Great motorcycle for everything onroad riding including lots of riding fun. Much underestimated and lots of weirdo posts about it, that would tell more about the originator than about this bike.
The NC is a perfect sample where new technologies combined would optimize on riding fun, which is not obvious
just looking at the data sheets. But it works out. I would not argue about soul or a strange need for outdated technology. It is perfect how they did it. One could not do any better.

But those new cuisers are a step back with respect to technology. Honda obviously tries to get out money from the new mid class engines without bringing anything new. But: more weight, less features, yesterdays styling.

I am not saying this is a bad motorcycle for those who like that bold oldstyle stuff. Probably a lot of people, do not know. The image above with the red harley on top of the red Honda makes it clear: I would certainly prefer the Honda by far, not only due to the great NC700 engine, should I _ever_ spend a single thought on riding that kind of bike. Which is unlikely. But who knows.

But I refuse to bring this in line with the current NC700 series, although utilizing same engine technology. Maybe the NC series and the CTX series need to be discussed strictly separate. It may be my fault that I mix them up under the impression, people here see it as one kind of bike.

I also regret Honda did not go on with the great idea of bringing an engine like the NC700 and the DCT system to
an even more fun level. I realize the NC700X with its 228kg of weight (DCT version, 218kg without) is the top end of it,
obviously and everything else coming will be even heavier, bulkier, retro style, whatever. This was my first disappointment about the CTX series. Mistaken expectations.
However, those who like that heavy cruiser style for whatever reason will for sure get a very good bike. That is no question to me.

Probably.

THIS!!!!



And the only people "duller" than people who express their opinions about a motorcycle are the people who harp on people expressing their opinions.

I hope Honda has identified a niche to bring new riders into the fold, I really do, but I just don't get this bike and I don't think "new" riders will either.

Time to back slowly away from the computer and go outside when you're threatened by a consumer product.

I'd never wear a short sleeve collared shirt, but I recognize that some other people like them. I don't get bent out of shape when my regular retailer sells some - my long sleeve shirts are still there. Retailer has to make money to keep the doors open and the website up.


More bikes with the 700cc engine means more parts for the 700cc engine.

And people who harp about people harping about people whining are even worse, and then the people who harp on them are worse yet, and then the next group sucks pretty bad, and then those next guys are just terrible.

Take a glance through the first few pages of Road Warriors. The 3 new Honda offering are getting a lot of traffic comparatively speaking. Honda has people talking about their bikes and though there is some polarization, people are excited that Honda is bringing in these new offerings! Count me among them.