Owners Chat (with pics!): Honda NC700X

[dduelin]

Originally Posted by Cortez

I wouldn't overtake in 6th regardless of speed - it's rather slow in 6th
since it's overdrive. 5th gear is a LOT more peppy.

How many miles did you say you have on your NC700X?

If you have the time and distance overtakes in 6th are easily done at highway speeds despite 6th being an overdrive ratio. It's simply a roll on and go. I may have taken your comments wrong but you make it sound like there is nothing there in 6th at highway speeds. I think Bike found 40 to 100 mph in top gear in about 24 seconds. Not supersport territory but pleasant and peppy enough. If you need to hurry that, then row the box.

[Tiago]

Originally Posted by rowdymoose

I thought I was going over the handlebars yesterday when a car in front of me hit the brakes coming up to a green light! Again...as a disclaimer, my previous bike was a SYM HD200 scooter...so to me this front brake is AWESOME (non ABS version)

I actually did just that when test riding it. I was going straight at about 50 km/h, pulled the brake lever smoothly and as per usual, with a bit of rear brake as well, it slowed down to 30 km/h and proceeded to lock up the front wheel, tossing me on the floor and the bike on top of my left leg. Ouch.

I found it WAY non-progressive in function, the hard way.

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by dduelin

How many miles did you say you have on your NC700X?

I didn't.

Originally Posted by dduelin

If you have the time and distance overtakes in 6th are easily done at highway speeds despite 6th being an overdrive ratio. It's simply a roll on and go. I may have taken your comments wrong but you make it sound like there is nothing there in 6th at highway speeds.

There's less then some might expect from a 700cc bike, and we were talking
about 120km/h and up (75mph), and I still consider it to be a much safer
thing to do in 5th, since 5th has a lot more power in such situations.

It's not that you can't do it in 6th, but that second or two less might save
someone's life.

Originally Posted by dduelin

I think Bike found 40 to 100 mph in top gear in about 24 seconds.

That's interesting.. 650R did it in about 11 seconds in 5th, I wish I recorded the same in 6th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdFMR1P-FYI

[beemerphile]

Originally Posted by Tiago

I actually did just that when test riding it. I was going straight at about 50 km/h, pulled the brake lever smoothly and as per usual, with a bit of rear brake as well, it slowed down to 30 km/h and proceeded to lock up the front wheel, tossing me on the floor and the bike on top of my left leg. Ouch.

I found it WAY non-progressive in function, the hard way.

In brake testing mine, I found that I could do a stoppie. Also I could lock the front brake for about a second before it started to turn in. Plenty of reaction time to back off. I think the brakes are fine, but that wouldn't stop me from installing a three piston caliper from an ABS bike on my non-ABS model and plumbing both circuits to the front master cylinder. These are not touchy brakes. I am not sure on a test ride whether you had enough familiarity with the bike to be testing it at the limits. I had about 500 miles on mine before I did the extreme braking practice..

[Tiago]

Originally Posted by beemerphile

In brake testing mine, I found that I could do a stoppie. Also I could lock the front brake for about a second before it started to turn in. Plenty of reaction time to back off. I think the brakes are fine, but that wouldn't stop me from installing a three piston caliper from an ABS bike on my non-ABS model and plumbing both circuits to the front master cylinder. These are not touchy brakes. I am not sure on a test ride whether you had enough familiarity with the bike to be testing it at the limits. I had about 500 miles on mine before I did the extreme braking practice..

Well, I wasn't intending to test it at its limits at all - I was just going about my business on my lane, on a 50 km/h area, about 10 meters or more behind the car in front of me. I braked and got spit out of the bike. As I limped back to the dealer, there was another guy there that had the exact same thing happen to him a couple of days earlier. The difference was he fell off his own bike, and I fell off a demo one.

One good thing to say about my experience is that the way the bike is designed, damage was pretty minimum. Scraped bar end, broken turnsignal, bent shift lever and a very mild scraping on the black part of the plastic fairing.

In the previous 4 days I had taken for a spin an XR600 (trip down memory lane), a friend's Dyna, and just before the NC700X, the lovely CRF250L, which I flogged HARD. I just meant to say that I did not expect it to do an unsolicited stoppie. I didn't even expect such a heavy bike to be able to do it, even if I wasn't trying to.

I guess that's one argument to get the ABS version...

[dduelin]

Originally Posted by Cortez

It's not that you can't do it in 6th, but that second or two less might save
someone's life.



That's interesting.. 650R did it in about 11 seconds in 5th, I wish I recorded the same in 6th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdFMR1P-FYI

It is a frightening thought that having to tell someone what gear is necessary for an overtake might save their life.

There is no doubt that many bikes and most if not all contemporary 650's are faster in acceleration than the NC700X but that has not been the point has it?

[nc700x]

my ride report about nc700x
http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...2#post19261572

Gone to worst roads 4000 kms off ass pain

[kevNC700X]

Originally Posted by rowdymoose

Yeah...but it was/still is sooooo new...I'm enjoying riding it too much vs wanting to drop it off for a day or two!

I need to pickup my new Givi screen...maybe I can guilt them into installing that while it's getting this sensor looked at...

I had exactly the same issue with my speed sensor. Less than 300 miles on my NC700X and I've had the check engine light turn on twice with the speedometer going completely blank. According to the shop it's the sensor.

Are there other people having this issue? Other than this it's been a great bike but I just wonder since its the first year for this model if this has become a common occurrence? ?

[L.B.S.]

Originally Posted by nc700x

my ride report about nc700x
http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...2#post19261572

Gone to worst roads 4000 kms off ass pain

Great report! Loved the pics, and your sense of humour is the best, great guy!

[Crilly]

speed sensor: If the whole screen goes blank, I would say it is a connector problem. The screen and the speed sensor are on the same circuit. Make sure the fuse is plugged in correctly.

[beemerphile]

Originally Posted by Crilly

speed sensor: If the whole screen goes blank, I would say it is a connector problem. The screen and the speed sensor are on the same circuit. Make sure the fuse is plugged in correctly.

Not if he has the Check Engine light. It is most likely the speed sensor. Check the MIL code. If it is code "11" it is the VS sensor. To check the MIL code when the Check Engine light is "on", stop in neutral with the engine idling and lower the sidestand. Read the code as a flash pattern on the MIl. One long equals 10 short flashes. So, a long and a short would be eleven.

[treybrad]

I tried to post this on the NC specific forum, but for some reason it didn't show up. Something about admin approval, it might sound like I'm trying to sell something but I'm not, promise -- no affiliation.

I contacted Andrew Cox from http://www.coxracingroup.com/ about making a radiator guard for our bikes. He needs a test bike around the Portland, OR area. He said anywhere from Portland to Salem, they would pick up (and return) the bike in an enclosed trailer, and they'd need to keep the bike for 3-5 days to develop it. In return, the owner gets a free radiator guard. FREE!

Had one of his guards on my old Bandit 1250 and it kept my radiator dent free for 60k miles -- it's a really well made product, and he's great to deal with.

Anywho -- just passing the info along. Portland is a little far for me to run up to for the weekend -- and there aren't many (any?) USA made guards that I've found, you have to order all the ones I've run across from the UK.

trey

[flatboarder]

[rowdymoose]

Originally Posted by beemerphile

Not if he has the Check Engine light. It is most likely the speed sensor. Check the MIL code. If it is code "11" it is the VS sensor. To check the MIL code when the Check Engine light is "on", stop in neutral with the engine idling and lower the sidestand. Read the code as a flash pattern on the MIl. One long equals 10 short flashes. So, a long and a short would be eleven.

I called the local dealer, and they said that since it could be one of a few issues, not just the VS sensor, so they can't order any parts until I take it in and have it verified...again. Mine is showing code 11 when it comes on. Just got back from vacation, and will be back to riding tomorrow so will see if it'll come on again. Was hoping to get it taken care of when I take it in for the chain replacement...but looks like no luck yet.

[beemerphile]

Originally Posted by rowdymoose

..but looks like no luck yet.

Even if they are unwilling to order the part (which is reasonable) they should still be able to run the diagnostic to see if the part is needed. It could be a plug connection at the VS sensor or the combination meter. It is a bit of work to get to. They may want to leave it apart while they order the part if they determine it is needed. There are some simple tests to confirm whether it is bad.

I hope your dealer can get parts better than mine. I can order them from Cycle Parts Nation or even Web!ike in Japan and get them faster than my local Honda dealer can.