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can NC750X go offroad?

K

kc2ine

Hi Guys,
I chosen this bike over yamaha tenere and wondering if I still can do any offroading on it,
like e.g. Morocco trip etc. Noting serious though.
thanks
 
I've gone offroading with the NC700X... there's some serious limitations. There's very little ground clearance, the tires are too small and too wide, the engine is VERY exposed, the cast wheels are not ideal. It's way heavy. The engine is actually pretty sweet, since it has so much torque. Folks get something like Continental TKC80s and that makes a huge difference, and you just have to be gentle when going offroad. Light offroading it is more than capable of doing, rocky terrain is out of the question.





 
I have to somewhat disagree with myorangecrayon. I take my NC off-road frequently. Depending on your definition of rocky, I've gone through rocky places with fist to basketball size rocks.




You might want to look at Doctor_Zed's trip last year in Colorado. He went every where the S10, KTMs, and other big bikes did.
CannonTrek.CO - Bashing Big Bikes in the Backcountry of Colorado - ADVrider

As for the engine being exposed, I wouldn't take any bike off-road on anything more than a gravel road without a skid/bash plate.
The bike is heavy....pretty much all of the big adventure bikes are heavy. They aren't dual sport or dirt bikes. The S10 is heavier than the NC. Ride with a guy on an S10. After we both dumped in deep sand I stood the NC up easily. I helped him stand the S10 up and with 2 of us it still felt like lifting the NC solo.
The cast wheels have so far proven to be strong. Doctor_Zed did manage to dent his front but it gave him no problems. That is the only damaged wheel that I have heard of.

A 19 or even better a 21 inch front wheel would be nice. The taller the front wheel the easier it rolls over large objects. Plus there is a better off-road tire selection.
A 110 width front tire is better than the NC's 130 in soft stuff like deep sand and mud. The 130 pushes more mud/sand than the thinner tire. On the other hand the wider tire is better on the street. On hard pack dirt and rocks I don't see an advantage with the thinner tire.

On any bike you take off-road much you will want to switch from street tire to a more off-road tire. I went with the Shinko705 which basically an all-terrain tire or you can go more aggressive with a Big block or K60 rear and the TCk80 up front.

I'll end with off-road means different things to different people and different bikes are more or less suitable to different terrain.
 
I have to somewhat disagree with myorangecrayon. I take my NC off-road frequently. Depending on your definition of rocky, I've gone through rocky places with fist to basketball size rocks.




You might want to look at Doctor_Zed's trip last year in Colorado. He went every where the S10, KTMs, and other big bikes did.
CannonTrek.CO - Bashing Big Bikes in the Backcountry of Colorado - ADVrider

That trip looks awesome! I suppose I'm captive to perception. I agree though, a bash plate would make all the difference. The bike is way more capable than we think, but the limitations are pretty clear. So yes, you can definitely take it offroad... within reason.
 
A few of my NC700 friends from this forum and I did Palo Duro Canyon, Texas and Mormon Lake, Arizona this week. Guess what, to my knowledge none of us went down. Not even in the Raw Hide training courses and trails. Did see a few BMW's on their side. It is the rider not the ride that keeps the bike upright. A little luck helps also.

Canyon 001.jpg

Canyon 003.jpg

Canyon 005.jpg
 
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I've gone offroading with the NC700X... there's some serious limitations. There's very little ground clearance, the tires are too small and too wide, the engine is VERY exposed, the cast wheels are not ideal. It's way heavy. The engine is actually pretty sweet, since it has so much torque. Folks get something like Continental TKC80s and that makes a huge difference, and you just have to be gentle when going offroad. Light offroading it is more than capable of doing, rocky terrain is out of the question.






I totally agree with all of this statement which is borne out with pics. At the end of the day the NCX is a road bike. Many road bikes can be taken offroad in a limited way. I even took my GL1800 offroad in France, but I had to be very careful where I took it. Shortly after purchase I took my NC offroad. I got on to a rocky lane and eventually managed to whack the underside of the bike off a rock. At first I thought it was the crankcase. It was actually the header pipe where it exits under the crankcase at the right side. I managed to get the flattened bend repaired but if I had not, the cost of the new pipe would have been 675 Euro. That cured me of taking the NC on anything other than graded forest trails, and now I stick with my KTM 690 for proper offroading as before. In short, take it offroad by all means but chose such offroad very carefully.
 
"In short, take it offroad by all means but chose such offroad very carefully."

A bash plate solves the underside problem. Not too many roads made worst than those in the Overland Expo. Lots of rocks, holes, woops, and a few I don't know what to call in the Overland Expo runs.

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This guy wrote a review about a very similar trip - OFFROAD:

AltRider Taste of Dakar Rally 2013 - Honda NC700X Off-Roading - Road & Track

IMG_1176_zps3f188ea6.jpg
 
thanks guys, very nice shots and it's reassuring.
I wish that bike come with some more universal tyres
not just strictly street ones. Can you change tyres by yourself on bike?
or it's like with car, need a proper tools.
 
A good set of tire spoons is all you need. Knowing how to use them helps, but youtube is pretty handy for that sort of stuff. I just changed my front tire last weekend, compared to dirt bike tires it was a piece of cake. I used dyna beads to balance the tire after, and so far no complaints.
 
I watched a few videos on youtube and spooned the PR3s and the Shinkos. Shinkos were a bit tough but doable. I use Ride-on for balancing and it is a puncture sealant. There are several threads out here around tires and changing your tires. Some have invested in a tire changer that Harbor Freight sells. Some like me use spoons. Some remove the wheel and take it to a local shop. Others take the bike to a dealer/shop.
 
is original skid plate available or only aftermarket third party? I mean are there any screws meant for this?
 
Only aftermarket which isn't unusual. Honda doesn't have a factory plate for the CRF250L or the 650L. Hondabikepro, a member and vendor on the forum makes skid plates for manual and DCT. If I remember correctly he can also make the skid plate tie in with the SWMotech crash bars. Hepco Becker also makes one but I think it is only for the manual.
 
can I switch ABS off on this bike? if not, is it possible to disable easily?
 
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