My new Honda NC700X

[Danie]

My son recently told me about the Honda NC700's - a new concept motorcycle by Honda.

I took one for a test ride, fell in love with it, and decided to buy one:



These bikes have been designed mainly for commuting purposes, and fuel consumption is extremely good.

My R65 is now sitting inside my garage, waiting for some serious restoration.

[nhmaf]

Nice looking bike Danie!
They definitely been making some styling changes to their 700 V twin platform that make them seem like direct competitors to some of the vertical BMW twins - both this model and the CTX700 touring one.

Are you planning to fit it up with panniers & rack, too?

[Barry]

This is the long stoke parallel twin in a relatively low state of tune but with bags of torque low down.  Which will be where the economy comes from. I believe the basic engine fundamentals are based on one of Honda's car engines. Similar power to an R65, more torque and better economy. Doesn't it have some clever storage space too.

I thought it a brave concept on Honda's part given the modern focus is usually on power at high revs which many times never get used on a daily basis.  This bike has the power at revs that really are used every day. It seems a logical response on Honda's part to the escalating fuel costs. I hope it is very successful.

[montmil]

There is space for a full-face helmet within the faux fuel tank's glove box lid. As with several other new design motorcycles, fuel is carried down low and slightly aft.

[nhmaf]

Ah, it is a parallel twin! - I was thinking this was using the powerplant from the Honda NT700 touring bike  - I figured they'd re-use that powerplant instead of coming up with a new parallel twin of similar displacement, but in any case - this makes it even more comparable to a BMW GS twin.

[Danie]

Nice looking bike Danie!

Are you planning to fit it up with panniers & rack, too?

Thanks, I would really like to mount panniers as well as a top box, but at this stage of my life I already started shrinking - within a year or two I might start struggling to swing a leg over the saddle, should I mount those accessories. The seat height is definately higher than the R65's seat, and unfortunateky my legs are a bit short.

The helmet /glove box is very handy, but for safety reasons I think it will be way better  to get off the seat for a fuel refill. (In South Africa we don't refill a tank ourselves like in the US - it gets done by  operators at the fuel stations):






A  good riding impression can be found here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq04CTVZVIA

[Air4Life]

Thats a sharp looking bike.  Many miles of good fortune on it.

Thought the image below was another interesting look at it.  

http://0.tqn.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/u/c/0/-/Honda-NC700X-skeleton.jpg

[Luca]

(In South Africa we don't refill a tank ourselves like in the US - it gets done by  operators at the fuel stations)

Perhaps South Africa's one congruency with New Jersey  

And I agree with the others, that's a sharp motorcycle.  Stick some roundels on it and I think you could fool a few people!

[k_enn]

(In South Africa we don't refill a tank ourselves like in the US - it gets done by  operators at the fuel stations)

Perhaps South Africa's one congruency with New Jersey  
<snip>

Well, sort of.  In New Jersey it is supposed to done by the "petroleum transfer engineer."  They do fill the cars, but every time I have come in on the bike they just hand the nozzle to me.  Here in New Jersey, bikers do not take too kindly to having gas spilled on their paint jobs.   [smiley=furious3.gif]

k_enn

[Danie]

Well, since my R65's tank got a bad scratch on the tank (caused by an operator) a couple of years ago, I started guiding the gas nozzle into the tank myself.

But since I bought the NC 700 I just jump off the bike as fast as I can -  because I am too damn scared that my butt will get soaked with gas ...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Good for you, Danie.

The engine (I have heard) is 1/2 of the 4 cylinder engine in the Honda Fit automobile.
https://www.google.com/search?q=nc700+engine+honda+fit&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I sat on one last August when I was buying my CBR250R.  Like you, Danie, it is getting more & more difficult for me to swing my leg over the seat.  In street clothes, no problem, but with my riding pants on (Motoport "old school" Kevlar mesh - stiff!) suddenly I am ten years older, 50 pounds heavier, and lost 2 inches of inseam!
There was no way I could live with the NC 700 daily.  
Besides price, seat height was one of my main reasons for choosing the CBR250R.

[Danie]

Well, for the time being I really enjoy the NCX, and swinging the leg higher than usual hopefully helps to prevent old age kicking in too soon...

During the previous weekend I visited the "Africa Bike Show"  about 90 miles down the coast - an event which has been organized by the local Harley chaps. I've spotted a couple of BMW bobbers down there, and maybe my R65 might also be converted to a bobber in future - once the NCX is not suitable for the leg any longer:




















http://www.africabikeweek.co.za/content/africa-bike-week-2013