New 2012 Honda NC700X 700cc Parallel Twin!

[oldenuf]

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

Percisely!

(What a shame your passion for "percision" doesn't extend to English usage).

So, I take that you bought one and just could not deal with this "lack of soul" and sold it?

Art

[oldenuf]

Since taking delivery of my NC700X, I just want to get out and ride it, and it is totally stock. It will cut and dice traffic, wear the tires to the edge and eat up miles. I could care less if you don't like how it looks and the HP numbers.

Art

[Mike Cash]

Originally Posted by oldenuf

So, I take that you bought one and just could not deal with this "lack of soul" and sold it?

Art

What makes you think that?

[oldenuf]

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

What makes you think that?

Just seemed, that to agree that the Honda NC700, has "no soul" and is just a mechanical piece of transportation should be based on personal experience. But you are certainly allowed to make that conclusion.

Art

[beemerphile]

Before you guys get crossways, I think Art's comment was in response to Skapegoat's diatribe.

[Kart22]

Regarding power, I have an NC with 2000 miles on the clock. It pulls harder than the G650X-moto I traded in for it.
The torque is just wonderful: it throws me back every time and is quite amazing for such an 'economical' bike.


Let's get one thing straight here... This isn't a bike to take to the track. It's not an annoying 4-cylinder turning 18000 rpm.

This is a bike that just makes sense. It fills the gaps where other bikes don't. As an engineer, I appreciate the thought process behind the design/manufacture of the NC.

• The amount of liquid in an engine's short coolant loop is nearly directly proportional to the warm-up time and amount of pre-expansion wear that an engine obtains. By running the water pump off the cam, you eliminate additional parasitic losses and inertial elements of a shaft to run the impeller and greatly shorten the coolant loop. Your engine heats up faster to its operating temperature at which it runs at a higher thermodynamic efficiency. Carrying less fluid attributes to a weight savings and less environmental impact with the reduction of propylene glycol.

• One of the highest maintenance costs of my BMW motorcycle was adjusting the valve lash of the Rotax single of a nearly vertical cylinder orientation. Removing the valve covers required the removal of the airbox, fairings, battery, and the rest of the top of the bike. Also, the valve actuation was of a shim-on-bucket kind and required specific shims to get my valve lash set properly. What was a design engineer thinking when that BMW was designed? Tools every engineer should utilize is DFMA (design for manufacturing and assembly) and serviceability. I understand the BMW market doesn't target customers that like to turn wrenches, but providing this hassle is just a poor design. Shim-on-bucket does typically hold tighter tolerances but is just a pain in the ass. Fortunately, Honda swept they cylinders forward on the NC so only the radiator has to be loosened to access the valve covers. Also, the valve clearance is adjustable so no shims are required..just basic hand tools.

• Some may complain about the NC's tank being located under the seat. It's not an inconvenience to turn the key and unlock the rear seat to remove the gas cap. In addition, the location of the tank promotes a low CG that contributes to a more stable motorcycle, especially in crosswinds where the aerodynamic center of pressure is offset by the low cg. Fuel economy is just fantastic: I am getting 70+ reliably.

We can go on and on about the NC. It has a lot of "smart" thoughts behind it that many overlook. If you want a crotchrocket, please leave this thread and go buy one. You won't see this bike on your local track too often, but you can bet your ass that it'll outlast most motorcycles on the road.

-Ryan

[Mike Cash]

Originally Posted by oldenuf

Just seemed, that to agree that the Honda NC700, has "no soul" and is just a mechanical piece of transportation should be based on personal experience. But you are certainly allowed to make that conclusion.

Art

You missed the fact that I was mocking the imprecision of a guy who seemed so fixated on "percision".

I am quite contented with my NC700X.

[oldenuf]

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

You missed the fact that I was mocking the imprecision of a guy who seemed so fixated on "percision".

I am quite contented with my NC700X.

Yes I read it wrong, thinking you were in agreement. I'm really not that reactive, but I guess I will argue when I should just "ignore".

Art

[Fidl2n]

Thanks, guys. I'm not into ass-kicking and even if I was, I'm a relatively new to the moto anyway

[GrahamD]

Well the way I see it Honda is trying for the mass of pretty sensible people out there that may just want a pretty fast vehicle that is easy to use and doesn't cost much to operate.

Seems that appeals to 90% of car owners over the age of 25. Maybe for the first time in a while a bike has fit the mold.

At least it wont scare the crap out of everyone who rides one.

For the other 10% there is the established tire smokin' wheelying, show off, loud bikes that have earned the biking world the reputation that puts people off.

The word may get around. Trouble is a lot of people won't notice because the news crews will go elsewhere..

[100mpg]

A motorcycle having "soul" really means "Cool". Motorcycles do not have souls, people do not have souls, it is just a silly romantic excuse for looking cooler then the other guys bike. It IS a mechanical piece of transportation... One that is a lot of fun. But soul? No.

[beemerphile]

Originally Posted by Kart22

[*]The amount of liquid in an engine's short coolant loop is nearly directly proportional to the warm-up time and amount of pre-expansion wear that an engine obtains. By running the water pump off the cam, you eliminate additional parasitic losses and inertial elements of a shaft to run the impeller and greatly shorten the coolant loop. Your engine heats up faster to its operating temperature at which it runs at a higher thermodynamic efficiency. Carrying less fluid attributes to a weight savings and less environmental impact with the reduction of propylene glycol.

-Ryan

Well said, Ryan. But one small correction... Happily Honda has not yet followed the drift towards "reduced toxicity" propylene glycol coolants. Honda Pro HP coolant is still ethylene glycol based. Propylene glycol only makes sense where the fluid may become intermixed with ingestible liquids. As an engine heat exchange fluid it has the undesirable characteristic of forming acids when heated, which have to be counteracted by inhibitors and buffers, and it is a medium that supports microbiological growth. For these reasons, the change interval is also shorter. We may all be forced to go there one day when the green weenies get the politicians all lined up to support it, but for now they seem to be happily occupied meddling into other areas that they know nothing about..

[beemerphile]

Originally Posted by 100mpg

... people do not have souls

I'm not sure what you thought that had to do with your point, but you'd need to be very sure about it. A better statement would be that you are so out-of-touch with your spiritual self that you deny its existence.

[Cortez]

So.. anyone compared a Transalp to the NC700X (both as a road bike)?

(Yeah, I've seen the youtube video..)

[JoeWannaB]

Originally Posted by awork13

This is my bosses bike, he hand made the skid plate and yes that is a winch on the back. He is working on an aux gas tank for it now. Steadily getting 68-70 mpg. We cut the tack weld out of the can insert on the Akro can, sounds really good in person and not loud at all with the cat still in place

That is a great skid plate! I would love to see more pics and hear more info on how it was made. IIRC, the header actually drops down below the frame. (At least it did on the one I was looking at my local dealer) How did you work around this? Again, great job!