From a BIG HP bike to a NC750X?

[Ruggybuggy]

Has anyone gone from a 100hp plus bike to a NC700/750X? How was the transition? I'm coming of a 150hp FZ1 to the NC but haven't taken delivery of the NC yet. We're just coming out of winter in my area and bike season started over 3 weeks ago but I don't want to ride the FZ1. I don't want to disappoint myself when I go to the NC. The reasons I decided to sell the FZ1 were:

1) poor fuel economy 25-35MP(US)G,
2) short range 200kms
3) just thought 150hp and 289kph bike was unusable, rode it for a year and "did that done that" so time to move on. Don't get me wrong, it's a blast to ride and you couldn't beat the grin off my face when accelerating but it gets old after time.
4) insurance costs
5) fuel costs are $1.39/litre here and expected to hit $1.50 this summer.

The reason I picked the NC750X over other bikes:

1) fuel economy
2) forward trunk storage
3) styling, I really like the look of the NC's
4) low end torque
5 the bike fit me, I feel very comfortable on it. The pegs and handlebars are all in the right place.
6) low end torque. I waited for the 750 because this was important to me
7) The physical size of the bike is a little larger than most. My FZ1 is smaller in size than the NC. I use to have Vstroms before and everytime I went in to the dealership to look at new bikes I was always amazed at how small the sport bikes are, and still am. I never got over wanting a larger bike and the NC's fit this bill perfect, not to big, not to small but just right.
8) low center of gravity

 

[670cc]

Acceleration got old for me a long, long time ago. I ride a two wheel machine for the gracefulness of cornering and balance. I have just as much, if not more fun, on a 50cc scooter as on a 100 hp bike. As the saying goes, it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

Only you can decide if giving up the power matters. But if you try to make the NC700/750 do something it cant do, you'll be disappointed. If you ride it within it's abilities, you'll be totally satisfied.

 

[agia]

I came from a 1000 and a 1300 -- bikes I rode for the past 14 years. I got tired of hefting the weight around, the lower gas mileage, and expensive maintenance costs on the 1300 (this was just my bad luck). While I miss certain aspects of the bigger bikes, in the long run I feel that I made the right decision to downsize. I was between a DL650 and the NC700X. A friend gave me an offer on his NC700X that I couldn't refuse. I'm happy with it!

 

[Enforcer]

I've owned a GSXR 1000, R1, CBR 1000 and a Busa. While I certainly like the huge horsepower at the appropriate time, in reality those times are few and far between, if I had to choose only one bike to ride everyday, I would take the NCX hands down over any of those bikes.

 

[Mi_ka]

...expensive maintenance costs on the 1300 (this was just my bad luck).

FJR with the valve guide slack?

 

[Deleted member 1183]

But if you try to make the NC700/750 do something it cant do, you'll be disappointed. If you ride it within it's abilities, you'll be totally satisfied.

I totally agree with this statement. The NC is not in the same league as the FZ1. However it is economical. I am fortunate enough to have a small collection of bikes. Three of them are considerably more powerful than my NC, but I ride the NC more than the others from a practical point of view. I do still enjoy the superior acceleration and suspension of the others though, and would miss them if they were not around. If I had to, I would cope with the NC as my sole motorcycle

 

[L.B.S.]

What the others have said.

I've had quite a few bikes over the years, and each one had it's own likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. I tried to never compare one bike against another, because to me, each bike I was riding, I was riding because I wanted whatever the attributes of *that* bike were, that made me want it in the first place.

One of my all time favourite bikes, is my CBR125R. It has about 13 horsepower, tops out at 120 kph, and has tires the width of a bicycle. I love it to death, and the fun I have bombing around on that little thing is difficult to convey.

I love my NCX just the same when I'm riding it, doing the things I want to do with it. It would just feel too bizarre to try and criticize the WeeBR, comparing it to the 700, and being "disappointed" with the little guy.

 

[agia]

FJR with the valve guide slack?

2007 ST1300A with two water pump failures at 16K and 20K. Rare, but just my luck. Beyond my ability to repair, thus it was expensive.

 

[BttrThnWrk]

I went from a Buell Ulysses (about 100+ HP claimed) to the NCX, but it wasn't a trade in type of deal. The Buell and I went our separate ways one day north of Coolidge, AZ, and it took almost 6 months for me to be able to climb back on a bike. While I was recovering, I had been reading up on the Tiger 800 and the Wee Strom, but the low CG, the frunk and the fuel economy sold me on the NCX. And the bike's price point, of course. Like most bikes, it's got more than enough oomph to get me in trouble if I put my mind to it. That said, once Erik Buell Racing comes out later this year or early next year with their still unannounced adventure bike, I will be back shopping again. While I'm looking over those, I can look over the new V-Strom 1000's and the latest BMW boxers (but it'll take something really eye opening to wean me away from a new bike from EBR - I really liked that Ulysses!). By then I should have upwards of 40k miles on my NCX, so I'll probably be ready for a new ride. I'll almost certainly be ready for the extra oomph, again, too.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

Nice bike! Is that V twin air cooled? Cool front brake.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I bought my first CBR900RR sometime in the early 90s. I never did own a 929 but did buy the 954 the year it came out. Next was the 1000RR. I loved them all and I miss the power. I miss it when trying to enter the interstate on an uphill entrance to a 70mph speed limit. I miss it when I want to power through a tight spot between two cars closing in on each other and I want to split the gap.

BUT

The NC is perfect for commuting. It's great for getting around down town Little Rock. I love the storage. I would not complain if it had a little more power. It is what it is so I deal with it and enjoy what it does offer. It does making commuting to work much more practical.

Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[BttrThnWrk]

Nice bike! Is that V twin air cooled? Cool front brake...

Buell was obligated to use Harley 1200cc air-cooled v-twins at the time {edit: or the 900+ cc air cooled v-twins from Harley, for their smaller bikes}. The Buell folks tweaked them to top out around 140 mph or so, but they started life as Harley engines. Mine was blue, had just turned 3 years old, and had just under 60k miles. Sigh.

 

[ronsaw]

Had a ZX9R and a GPZ1100. Rarely miss the power - was rarely really able to use all of that anyway. NCX has plenty of power, great handling, storage, Honda reliability and economical - and looks good doing it. I haven't looked back and wanted the HP back.

 

[Mike Cash]

Once you have enough horsepower to get you killed or get your license revoked, isn't anything above that just window dressing?

 

[SergeantChuck]

Maybe I'm an adrenaline junkie. I like to ski, scuba dive, skydive, and rock climb. It’s not surprising I like the power of a liter bike. To me the stock CBR1000RR didn't have too much power off the showroom floor. It was just right. There is something about having to hang on to the handlebars when you accelerate. I don’t mean hang on I mean HANG ON. To me it is more about having the power at your disposal. I didn’t drive around half cocked like an idiot all the time. But if I needed a little more juice and a bit of confidence to maneuver through something I had it.

I’m not dissing the NCX. I like it. It just really doesn’t have much power and that is OK. It’s great for what I use it for and I won’t be getting rid of it. Will I buy another bike? Probably. Will it be up around 1000cc? Most definitely.

Several people on this forum have multiple bikes of which are more powerful than the NC. They’ve not given them up for a reason.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

I would love to keep my FZ1. It's just raw power that's intoxicating. But to use that power really means it's has to be riden on a track. It is so easy to break the law on the FZ1 and in Ontario if your 40 kph over the limit it's automatic "give your bike to the government" day. I just decided that if I ride my FZ1 99% of the time legally what's the point. Better to have more MPG, storage and the ease of riding the NC offers.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I would love to keep my FZ1. It's just raw power that's intoxicating. But to use that power really means it's has to be riden on a track. It is so easy to break the law on the FZ1 and in Ontario if your 40 kph over the limit it's automatic "give your bike to the government" day. I just decided that if I ride my FZ1 99% of the time legally what's the point. Better to have more MPG, storage and the ease of riding the NC offers.

Makes sense but it is not how fast you can go it is how fast you can get there (the speed limit). It's also not about speed. There are times when power is very handy. Especially on a somewhat crowded interstate. Since you own a FZ1 I know you know what I mean. I don't think you'll regret your decision but you will miss the power.

 

[BttrThnWrk]

Once you have enough horsepower to get you killed or get your license revoked, isn't anything above that just window dressing?

Hey! We deserve good looking windows, too.

 

[Old Can Ride]

I have ridden just about most the bikes I ever wanted to. From the crotch rocket to the couch rocket. I have and still do for that matter own and ride them all. All of them had a time and place in my life where they just fit. This moment in my life the NC7 just fits. The probability theory for this moment should not be analyzed, just ridden. So RIDE!

 

[Mi_ka]

The probability theory for this moment should not be analyzed, just ridden. So RIDE!

I could not agree more!
Due to empty pocket reasons I have not covered a single mile on my bike during the past six months. I really go the itch!