Owners Chat (with pics!): Honda NC700X

Mounting my trusty Garmin 2730 on the NC700X. Ram ball on the handlebar riser.



View from the office.

Put on my Givi wind screen this afternoon. I was disappointed to discover that in a full left turn of the handle bars the brake reservoir is hitting it. Oh well. I am getting ready to pull the trigger and order some 2" Rox Risers any way. I have had the handlebar in 3 different positions and my middle-aged back still hasn't fully adapated to the new seating position.

BTW, from a CERTIFIED CLUTZ to any other CERTIFIED CLUTZES out there, you will drop at least one of the nylon (or mylar?) washers on the ground while taking off the original wind screen where you will never be able to find them again (especially on a gravel driveway where you have forgotten to put down a tarp) and will end up making a trip to the hardware store to find a substitute.

I don't really need the wind screen right now. I like the full wind the original puts on me wearing my Shoei Multitec but when the rainy season starts again I'm going to appreciate it.

I am slightly off the dimple by maybe 2-3 mm. Hardly enough to make a big difference. I loosened the handlebar clamps and dropped the handlebars several degrees until I cleared the windshield by a reasonable gap.

Here is my next project's obstacle. I bought the SW Motech engine guards. The instructions looked easy enough. First, remove a bolt on each side of the bike from the plastic cover(s) at the bottom front. Then on the right side of the bike remove a hose clamp. Next remove the bolt behind the hose. It looks like a hefty bugger. Took a 19mm socket to get on it if I remember correctly. There isn't much clearance between the wrench and the bike and it felt like it was on there pretty tight. I was afraid I might ding something on the side of the bike with the wrench if I had to really put my back into getting it off. It will have to wait until I pick up a socket extension for more clearance. Probably won't find the time to touch it again until Saturday.

The dimples represent the factory standard setting and they may or may not be right for you. They were correct for me. I mentioned it, because I imagine that was the baseline that the Givi engineers used in determining the shape of the windshield in order to get the best wind protection. It looked to me like they followed it closely. Windshield aside, in setting the bars and levers for individual fit, there is no "correct" setting that applies for everyone, but there are some ergonomic standard practices that usually work for best comfort. In setting the angle of the brake and clutch levers, try this...

In your normal sitting position on the motorcycle, place your palms on the handlegrips with your fingers extended in a straight line (parallel) with your forearm. Your fingers should be lightly touching the top of the levers. If the levers are below your fingers, it will require palmal wrist flexion to reach them. If the levers are high enough that they prevent you from extending your fingers in a straight line with your forearm, it will require dorsal wrist flexion to reach them. Either of these conditions places more strain on your wrists than the straight line position.

Since the forward and back rotation of the handlebar affects this setting, you should first set the handlebar angle to suit you and then rotate the levers to prevent wrist flexion. Setting the handlebar rotation correctly for an individual is more difficult to describe. Some amount of arm bend is needed. This will get a debate started, but a slight forward lean on the spine and forward tilt on the pelvis is the best posture for extended sitting. This also takes some shock off of your spine if you hit a harsh bump or pothole. The bars should not be so high and back that you sit with the pelvis tilted back and your spine arched. But, that is how most people seem to set them up. But I would not let the windshield determine it. I would set it up correctly for me and make a small notch to clear the controls if necessary, or just accept that full lock is somewhat more limited than before.

My BMW is set up to these principles and I have ridden as far as 1,385 miles in one day without ergonomic pain, even though I have arthritis. On that bike I also changed the foot-peg location, seat (needed here as well), and I changed the handlebar to correct ulnar deviation with the stock BMW bar. I just made a reasonably comfortable 13,200 mile trip to Alaska and northwest Canada from Georgia on the motorcycle that would have been unbearable for me in a car.

My point is that adjustment to personal taste is fine, but there are some principles of body mechanics that can help you get to a comfortable position without as much trial and error. Raising the handlebars may or may not be helpful. For sure, a two inch rise will place you at a questionable extension of the control cables unless there is a way to re-route them or replace them with extended cables.

I don't remember if it was a 17mm or 19mm (ETA 08-13-12: the bolts are 17mm) but you will definitely need a short extension to get the correct leverage on it. They are extra-fine threads into aluminum, so apply steady slow pressure with enough leverage (read: a long enough bar) to break them loose. They do not have any thread-locker on them. The crankcase vent hose will be in the way, but you can push it up sufficiently to clear the socket. Did SW-Motech provide longer bolts for the guards to make up for the mounting plate thickness? If not, you may want to read my post on the Givi guards. It seems they mount in the same places, except I think that the Givi guard has a clamp to the frame tubing that the SW Motech does not have.

Oh, and be very careful reinstalling the two bolts that hold the clutch cable lower bracket and the crankcase vent hose. They do not require very much torque and you can easily strip the aluminum threads in the engine block. I have a factory service manual ordered for the bike but I have not received it yet. It would contain the torque values for the case bolts. Without knowing what the spec torque is, I would just barely snug them. They are not going to cause a leak and they are not going to fall out. The Givi instructions (which were horrible) did not supply the torque spec for either the case bolts or the engine mounting bolts. If you go too loose on either, you can always go back and correct it. If you go too high, there is often only regret.

From the instructions, SW did provide replacement bolts but I haven't unwrapped them yet.

I had already put everything back so I can ride to work tomorrow. The hose clamp bolts were very easy to get off so I tried to go easy on them putting them back on.

Strangely, on my first read of the instructions I saw nothing about putting the hose clamp back on when the installation is finished.

At this point I'm considering deferring the project to my mechanic. Wrenching was always a mediocre skill for me and with a 3-hour daily commute sometimes spending the money is better on my sanity.

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At the end of the day I often find myself wanting to sit more upright with the bars an inch or two closer to my arms. I've tried rotating the handle bars in several positions but it seems to just move where I ache at the end of the day. I was hoping my body would either adjust or I would try pivoting risers to bring them closer to me. I generally have a mechanic put risers on for me to deal with the cables.

I've tried to take your advice as best as I can and set the handle bar and controls for tomorrow's ride. It fairly easy for me to understand the hand controls but the handlebars are taking more re-reading to soak in. I think I should find somebody to help me out in person.

Sounds like you need a set of these, only in 7/8" which he also offers. He doesn't have a picture of them on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-U...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cb86f5eb7

Moderator,

Can we start a new thread "Building a $13,000 motorcycle out of $7,000 motorcycle"?

Chuckle on. When there is nothing out there that fits your specs, I say build your own. I was prepared to spend $13,000 for what I wanted but it did not exist. This is a good platform to start with and that is all it is to me - a starting point. My $6,800 used BMW R1150R ended up close to $13,000 when finished, but it had comfort and features that neither the R1150GS or R1150RT or any competing bike could provide, plus it fit me specifically and I have enjoyed it now for 8 years and expect many more.

Why just settle for what they offer you. My dog can do that.

Cool stuff going on. How can we consolidate all of these product links in one place?

I seem to remember another bike with a bunch of stuff decked out from the other thread, but I couldn't find it again.

I drove my Tundra to work today for the first time since I bought my bike 2 weeks ago. I love my Tundra, but man, I miss my bike. Haha

Having a three legged, one eyed dog named Lucky is one thing and owning a Red Tibetan Mastiff named Hong Dong is another, but ultimately you are right. Make it unique and make it yours. Someone has to get this consumer economy going again.

I agree with both of you. It's at once funny and super cool that you like this platform and want to make it yours.

you only go around this ride once. Wy knot?

Well, I am retired. My kids are nearing 40. Everything is paid for and I have a bit of money and a bit of life left. So, this is how I choose to blow the both of them until one or the other runs out.

I like the way you think!

After all that hoopla, I decided to wait until later to do the Race Tech suspension, so I am putting it all back together tonight. I forgot that I had planned a visit to the Finger Lakes in New York and my beemer won't be back together by then. So, I'll just do the Givi engine guards (bolts shipped today), first oil & filter, chain maintenance, GoCruise, front fender extender, and grip puppies. The rest will have to wait.

There is probably some rule against making so much sense.




But I would have a beer with you.

I was able to try one on for size today, felt real good.
It's obvious to see where Honda was able to keep the price down on this bike. Not that this is a bad thing, makes for a nice commuter. I like it.

What are you guys paying for insurance and were.I was quoted 595 per year from progressive for $ 500 deductible. sounds like a lot to me. All info will help.
Thanks