New Honda NC700X Anyone ride one of these yet??? - Page 3

Pecha72 · 07-03-2012, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer54

Front end/wheels off a pukka offroad bike and a decent rear shock - then your done.

And by that time you´ve probably spent a few thousand extra pounds on it.

Is there something to suggest that the frame/chassis (that is similar also on the naked bike and the scooter versions, mind you), is really suitable for a DS bike? Scooters often have a low center of gravity, but can still be helpless off-road, so it takes more than that.

Don´t get me wrong: I am quite certain, that it can be a fine touring bike for road-use, and fuel consumption/range are probably excellent, and Honda has known how to make unbreakable bikes for so long. It´s the DS purpose, that I´m not so convinced of. For that purpose, I think it´s like a Multistrada, so it probably won´t break down at the sight of a gravel road, or even tiny bit of off-road, but in reality it is not made for such use at all. Tyres and wheel sizes make this quite obvious, too. Trying to convert a bike into something that it is not, can become complicated and costly.

Spencer54 · 07-03-2012, 03:35 AM

I disagree with the £1K's I think a used front off something doesn't have to cost a fortune.
And I can't think of another bike of similar size and grunt that will return that mpg.

Any add ons add up and whatever you do is £££ - be it a end can or whatever.
I think as a genesis for something special it has a lot going for it.

Pecha72 · 07-03-2012, 05:05 AM

Changing a bike's front end, wheels and rear damper is gonna cost you something, I can guarantee you that. Using high-quality spoked wheels for off-road use is even more expensive. And there's a bit of work to get them done as well. Sure anything is possible, and I will not be surprised to see such conversion done, but then it won't be such a budget bike any more.

Small fuel consumption is a very big plus no doubt. But it ain't the only one: for example the F650twin/800GS, or the newest DL650 will get very close to the consumption figures of this bike, the latter with a 20 liter tank (older version is not thirsty either, and its got 22 liters) so range with the stock tank isn't spectacular.

turbodieseli4i6 · 07-03-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrahamD

They were competing in the Pharaons Rally, with Marc Coma (you may have heard of him). They finished with their sense of humor intact. You can do lot's of things on lots of bikes.

All this BS about one bike not being able to do X or Y is just the marketing crap that has been internalized over the years.

I am not saying they were are fast or did it as easy as a KTM450 but they did it. 30 years ago Harleys did all kinds of stuff, before everyone was niche' marketed to death.

+1
Yep! http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US....html#photos/1
Impossible riding this bike off road huh?
It looks like that link changed so here is another http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...9QEwBA&dur=714

Just GO! · 07-29-2012, 12:32 PM

3.7 gallon of fuel......and you have to lift the rear seat section to fill 'er up. That would be a PIA if you're travelling and using a tail bag. On the other hand you can store a full-faced helmet in the forward compartment, it's probably pretty comfy on the long runs and if it gets their claimed mileage.........

We'll see.

bluesman · 07-29-2012, 12:44 PM

anything can be ridden anywhere. But to be specific key part of good all-surfaces heavy dualsport (beast) is good long-ish travel suspension and relative toughness in event of fall.
NC700X have awful (for this type of riding) suspension and tricky to protect fragile parts.
Rest can be lived with. Thou for example Iceland ride would require to carry shedloads of fuel with you.

Maytag Repairman · 07-30-2012, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWannaB

Hey all!

I've been researching the new Honda NC700X which is suppose to be available at dealers this summer. Has anyone ridden one of these yet? The price point is nice (KLR 650 nice) and the parallel twin looks promising. Just wanted to get some insight from someone who's actually ridden one or even just sat on one. My little PoDunk dealership probably won't see one in 5 years.

I had my name at several dealers to be called when one came in. The only one that called (so far) is my local PoDunk dealership which I bought it at last Thursday the same day it was put on the floor.

The week before I had called the only powerhouse dealer within several counties of me but the salesman who answered the phone was annoyed that I was asking about the bike and insisted nobody in the area would be getting one before the middle of August and then hung up without offering to call me when one came in.

Ham · 07-30-2012, 04:31 PM

You guys with your suspension changes.....gees get over yourselves and by a dirt racing Dakar super special and go out and have fun.

Take this bike and put on a set of real tires, a real screen, find an extra fuel cell that fits in the trunk and you are off.

That would 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of us...we just aren't real men:)

Pecha72 · 07-31-2012, 01:07 AM

Read a test ride of it in a magazine.... They actually liked it, and said it´s a good tourer in many ways, and fuel economy is really excellent. The downsides were lack of power compared to its competitors (notably Versys and DL650), and bit of a cheap suspension, but that´s common in this price range. They also had not liked it at all outside the tarmac, said it is equally capable there as a CBF600.

JoeWannaB · 07-31-2012, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maytag Repairman

I had my name at several dealers to be called when one came in. The only one that called (so far) is my local PoDunk dealership which I bought it at last Thursday the same day it was put on the floor.

The week before I had called the only powerhouse dealer within several counties of me but the salesman who answered the phone was annoyed that I was asking about the bike and insisted nobody in the area would be getting one before the middle of August and then hung up without offering to call me when one came in.

Congrats on the new bike! Be sure to post up after you've had some time to get to know her. I was thinking this would make a good adventure touring bike in the lines of a V-strom or F800 GS. I'm a long time KLR 650 rider and still really enjoy my big thumper. I thought the NC700X would have better road manners than the KLR but wouldn't shy away from a gravel road. The tank under the seat seems like it could be a bit of a hassle with the bike loaded but I'm sure a clever fella would come up with a packing scheme that would work. For me, it looks like a good platform to start with to build on.The only real drawback I see is the really limited (for now) aftermarket parts supply like aluminum skidplates, nerf bars etc. So Maytag, I am really interested in hearing your "real world" experience with the bike from an actual owner. That's worth a lot more to me than 100 speculations based on manufacturer supplied tech specs. Enjoy!

bmac · 08-04-2012, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWannaB

Exactly! Brings an old saying to mind about the poor carpenter who blames his tools.

I started this thread to hear from folks who have ridden or maybe have seen the NC700X in person but so far it seems that those individuals have not spoken up. Since I already have a very dirt capable DS bike and I don't have a lot of cash, I got excited when I saw this model from Honda as a possible replacement for my aging KLR 650 for making longish rides and for commuting back and forth to work. I would throw on some DS tires and fabricate some sort of bash plate but it would probably only see gravel roads and perhaps a jeep trail or two. It is 500lbs after all. From what I've read in reviews, I think it will fit the bill nicely for me but I was hoping to hear some first hand experiences from a trusted source. Thanks for your inputs so far.

Depending on what is important to you this could be a bike worth looking at. It is a nice looking bike with a very good riding position. The main goal of this bike appears to be versatility, top notch fuel economy, and reasonable price point. The dealer I stopped in today just got one in after selling two last week. The bike seems very popular and may open the door to Honda bringing more adventure style/type bikes stateside.

It sounds like it could be a good match to your requirements. When sitting on it and tossing it side to side it feels pretty light.

ElkSlayer · 08-04-2012, 03:26 PM

Question: As for offroad capability, would this not be basically in the same class as the '93 TDM 850?

Jim

bluesman · 08-04-2012, 04:15 PM

it's way lighter to maneuver than TDM and WAY weaker on engine. I mean specifically old 850.
I don't think it is any worse offroad than Vstrom 650 but could be less tough. In fact I am sure it will be less tough.

To answer earlier replica from Ham - here is example... in my previous long ride.. it was not Dakar at all. Just turned to contain quite a f...d up sections in what started as usual asphalt touring in Morocco - I went in with supermoto wheels and tyres... this bike would have left those lace-like cast wheels in first section in shapes of potholes and it's suspension and pieces of hardware on third corner. Vstrom of my friend was bottoming out like nothing else and was saved by fact, that I converted it to spoke wheels for him. He had to slow down to half our speed and struggled badly.
My bike (215 kg kurb) and GSA1200 and KTM (690 Suprermoto on spoke wheels) all with 220-250 mm suspension travel and beefy DIY or stock components were able to ride full trottle and avoid flipping over front wheel on those sections and felt pretty good. Long well damped suspension travel compensates for impact on wheels etc.

Thou why do it to 6000 Euro bike meant for something else is beyond my understanding. It will quickly lose all this fuel efficiency if used that hard offroad and short-shifting will be annoying. It's good at what it meant to do, why mess it up? Because it has X in name?

GrahamD · 08-04-2012, 05:25 PM

The rev range goes from 0 - 180km/h on the Honda. Why would you run out of rev range? Isn't this just another one of those ride it like a Harley and it will work things. It has a spread of about 3:1 very useable rev range.

Secondly if it doesn't have 3.5 Giga Watts of power maybe it won't run as fast as the others and therefore the suspension travel will be less of an issue.

Why would it be less tough than a V-Strom 650? Any insights on that one?

ANutt · 08-04-2012, 08:16 PM

Saw one at each of the local powerhouse dealers over the past week. In person, the ground clearance looks to be much less than the pictures would seem to indicate. Also, there's an angular part of the crankcase or sump protruding down under the bike in the middle that appears to be very exposed, and the lowest point of the bike (except the tires).
The front wheel seems smaller in person, and the large front rotor (relative to wheel size) would preclude much in the way of soft-surface riding.
Very well put together, though, and feels very balanced. Very much like the helment-swallowing main storage compartment and potential for economy. If I were looking for a commuter or tourer, I'd be looking very closely at this one.

07-29-2012, 12:32 PM	#35
Just GO! Countersteer it. Joined: Sep 2007 Location: SE Ohio Oddometer: 2,847	3.7 gallon of fuel......and you have to lift the rear seat section to fill 'er up. That would be a PIA if you're travelling and using a tail bag. On the other hand you can store a full-faced helmet in the forward compartment, it's probably pretty comfy on the long runs and if it gets their claimed mileage......... We'll see. __________________ Don't know why I'm lost all the time... Everyone is always telling me where to go.

08-04-2012, 05:25 PM	#44
GrahamD Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2009 Location: Blue Mnts Ozstralia Oddometer: 3,814	The rev range goes from 0 - 180km/h on the Honda. Why would you run out of rev range? Isn't this just another one of those ride it like a Harley and it will work things. It has a spread of about 3:1 very useable rev range. Secondly if it doesn't have 3.5 Giga Watts of power maybe it won't run as fast as the others and therefore the suspension travel will be less of an issue. Why would it be less tough than a V-Strom 650? Any insights on that one? __________________ "It's better to ride a boring bike than push an interesting one" ... Canuman The 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere is a hungry bike. Touring? Eats it up. Twisties? Eats it up. Back country camping with a heavy load. Eats it up." - Tumu Rock AMA. GrahamD screwed with this post 08-04-2012 at 05:35 PM

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07-03-2012, 03:35 AM	#32
Spencer54 Adventurer Joined: Apr 2012 Oddometer: 40	I disagree with the £1K's I think a used front off something doesn't have to cost a fortune. And I can't think of another bike of similar size and grunt that will return that mpg. Any add ons add up and whatever you do is £££ - be it a end can or whatever. I think as a genesis for something special it has a lot going for it.

07-03-2012, 05:05 AM	#33
Pecha72 Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Helsinki, Finland Oddometer: 1,314	Changing a bike's front end, wheels and rear damper is gonna cost you something, I can guarantee you that. Using high-quality spoked wheels for off-road use is even more expensive. And there's a bit of work to get them done as well. Sure anything is possible, and I will not be surprised to see such conversion done, but then it won't be such a budget bike any more. Small fuel consumption is a very big plus no doubt. But it ain't the only one: for example the F650twin/800GS, or the newest DL650 will get very close to the consumption figures of this bike, the latter with a 20 liter tank (older version is not thirsty either, and its got 22 liters) so range with the stock tank isn't spectacular.

07-29-2012, 12:44 PM	#36
bluesman Beastly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Hoegaarden, Belgium Oddometer: 2,993	anything can be ridden anywhere. But to be specific key part of good all-surfaces heavy dualsport (beast) is good long-ish travel suspension and relative toughness in event of fall. NC700X have awful (for this type of riding) suspension and tricky to protect fragile parts. Rest can be lived with. Thou for example Iceland ride would require to carry shedloads of fuel with you.

07-30-2012, 04:31 PM	#38
Ham Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2004 Oddometer: 209	You guys with your suspension changes.....gees get over yourselves and by a dirt racing Dakar super special and go out and have fun. Take this bike and put on a set of real tires, a real screen, find an extra fuel cell that fits in the trunk and you are off. That would 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of us...we just aren't real men:)

07-31-2012, 01:07 AM	#39
Pecha72 Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Helsinki, Finland Oddometer: 1,314	Read a test ride of it in a magazine.... They actually liked it, and said it´s a good tourer in many ways, and fuel economy is really excellent. The downsides were lack of power compared to its competitors (notably Versys and DL650), and bit of a cheap suspension, but that´s common in this price range. They also had not liked it at all outside the tarmac, said it is equally capable there as a CBF600.

08-04-2012, 03:26 PM	#42
ElkSlayer Adventurer Joined: Oct 2009 Location: Moscow, ID Oddometer: 51	Question: As for offroad capability, would this not be basically in the same class as the '93 TDM 850? Jim

08-04-2012, 04:15 PM	#43
bluesman Beastly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Hoegaarden, Belgium Oddometer: 2,993	it's way lighter to maneuver than TDM and WAY weaker on engine. I mean specifically old 850. I don't think it is any worse offroad than Vstrom 650 but could be less tough. In fact I am sure it will be less tough. To answer earlier replica from Ham - here is example... in my previous long ride.. it was not Dakar at all. Just turned to contain quite a f...d up sections in what started as usual asphalt touring in Morocco - I went in with supermoto wheels and tyres... this bike would have left those lace-like cast wheels in first section in shapes of potholes and it's suspension and pieces of hardware on third corner. Vstrom of my friend was bottoming out like nothing else and was saved by fact, that I converted it to spoke wheels for him. He had to slow down to half our speed and struggled badly. My bike (215 kg kurb) and GSA1200 and KTM (690 Suprermoto on spoke wheels) all with 220-250 mm suspension travel and beefy DIY or stock components were able to ride full trottle and avoid flipping over front wheel on those sections and felt pretty good. Long well damped suspension travel compensates for impact on wheels etc. Thou why do it to 6000 Euro bike meant for something else is beyond my understanding. It will quickly lose all this fuel efficiency if used that hard offroad and short-shifting will be annoying. It's good at what it meant to do, why mess it up? Because it has X in name?

08-04-2012, 08:16 PM	#45
ANutt Keyboard Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Canton, GA Oddometer: 346	Saw one at each of the local powerhouse dealers over the past week. In person, the ground clearance looks to be much less than the pictures would seem to indicate. Also, there's an angular part of the crankcase or sump protruding down under the bike in the middle that appears to be very exposed, and the lowest point of the bike (except the tires). The front wheel seems smaller in person, and the large front rotor (relative to wheel size) would preclude much in the way of soft-surface riding. Very well put together, though, and feels very balanced. Very much like the helment-swallowing main storage compartment and potential for economy. If I were looking for a commuter or tourer, I'd be looking very closely at this one.