How the NC stacks up against the Africa twin.

[dduelin]

I appreciate the comparison comments in this thread and encourage you guys to continue the discussion with additional time and miles.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

This is a silly comparison because one bike is a fairly low-buck, pseudo Adv bike tuned for fuel economy, while the other bike was designed as an Adv bike from the start with long travel suspension, among other things.

Indeed I suppose it could be deemed a silly comparison, yet it is being made. I suppose that is because some folks on here seem to be considering the AT as a replacement for their NC's. That was the case with me. I had my NC for economy and reasonable weight, for use on a daily basis. It did everything that I asked of it except for its suspension. I still needed an economical bike but with more comfort. If Honda had made a better suspended version of the NC I would have looked at it seriously as I did with the Rally Raid modded CB500X.

The At was produced and some of the figures added up for me. The suspension looked right. They were talking about economy. It is only slightly heavier than my NC. It has a torquey parallel twin on board with a 270 crank just like the NC. I had to look more closely and after a test I knew I had the bike to replace my NC. It is now in daily use and does everything except pillion work, but that was also the case with the NC. Economy wise it is doing very well. When running in I got 58mpg (Imperial) on the first tank. Truth be known there is little difference between my running in use and my normal use, other than I was revving the bike more freely in the gears when running in. Now I am short shifting just like I did with the NC and the latest tank produced 59.63 mpg Imperial. Most of that was on back roads and very little Motorway. Speeds would have ranged between 80 and 120kph and I do not pay deliberate attention to fuel economy.

I suppose then, the comparison is not quite as silly as it looks on paper, and furthermore the AT is also currently somewhat low buck by comparison with some of the other big trail bikes on sale. How long that lasts remains to be seen.

 

[davidc83]

If any of you guys are interested in the manual AT and your local dealers don't have one, M & E Honda in Bedford Indiana had one on the showroom floor last weekend. You could do a fly and ride (Bloomington has a regional airport-30 miles north of Bedford).

 

[dduelin]

I think the comparisons are apt not because the two bikes are that similar but because the AT has captured the attention of many riders including myself and the more information the better when it comes to making a decision if the AT is a bike I'd like to have.

 

[fundtim]

I'm not sure at this point I need to take it on a long ride and compare I know for a fact I can ride the NC for over 1000 miles in one stint and feel just fine everywhere. I do have a ride I'm going to plan to Idaho I am trying to decided which one to take I might take the AT. If I do I will report back with how it went in comparison to the NC. The lack of hp is really a non issue I think the NC has plenty to get the job done and I don't exceed 80 on my road trips most of the time and never over 90 and the NC is happy to do those speeds. . The NC with the highway pegs is very comfortable for me. The nice thing about the NC is I can adjust the seat with the seat mod so I can go all day without issue with bike shorts under my jeans and a gel pad I think I might have a issue with the AT seat after a while in the saddle plus I am used to the NC seat. By comparison the seat on the AT has a lot more cushion to it and is a fair bit softer. Softer however is not always better it's more about a combination of seat shape along with cushion so I just don't now yet with the AT. I would lean towards the NC at this point to answer your question though.

Offtopic, but are you coming through eastern Idaho? We've got great roads up here. Let me know if you feel like meeting up. Would love to see an AT up close. None available here yet.
Tim

 

[Hondafan]

Thank you for the excellent comparison on those 2 bikes. Very informative.

 

[L.B.S.]

Another guy here who appreciates the time and bother spent to detail the different things between what we all have and know, against the new and unfamiliar.

I don't look at it as some kind of off the wall, meaningless Pistachio versus Rocky Road head to head competition comparison; but just what it is- a wonderful celebration of another flavor to sample, and how it relates. Or doesn't, or might.

 

[frog13]

AT has shimmed valves , correct ?.

 

[dduelin]

AT has shimmed valves , correct ?.

The AT's Unicam head has both shim under bucket and screw and lock nut adjusters. IIRC the four exhaust valves are shimmed, the 4 intakes are tappets.

 

[JDE]

Like others have stated thank you for the comparison. I hope to add to the discussion soon as another data source as my dealer just informed me that mine should be here in a matter of days as opposed to the end of August.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Old Can Ride]

Like others have stated thank you for the comparison. I hope to add to the discussion soon as another data source as my dealer just informed me that mine should be here in a matter of days as opposed to the end of August.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Which Africa Twin are you getting and what color?

 

[JDE]

Which Africa Twin are you getting and what color?

Silver DCT from what I'm told. I'd take it in red too if that's what shows up. LOL When I first approached the dealer about one he said the first MT version was spoken for, but the next was a DCT and available (just not in yet). After reading all of the good things people had to say about the DCT on this forum and the reviews I've seen/read, figured I'd give it a try.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[happy]

Silver DCT from what I'm told. I'd take it in red too if that's what shows up. LOL When I first approached the dealer about one he said the first MT version was spoken for, but the next was a DCT and available (just not in yet). After reading all of the good things people had to say about the DCT on this forum and the reviews I've seen/read, figured I'd give it a try.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I tried the DCT and I was "too aggressive" with the bike, causing it to be "stuck" in 2nd gear for a long time (unusual).
When I rode it "normally" (docile), the DCT was shifting quite "shakily" and not as smooth as the DCT in my VW Sharan (I know they are not at the same level of development but I had expected more from a Dual Clutch).

Besides the DCT, I think the AT is a winner. I may still give the DCT another try if I do not get the new LC R1200GS.
Aren't we all suckers for new bikes?


Good luck to the rest of the people trying out the AT or other new bikes.

 

[ld_rider]

How are you shorter inseam guys handling the AT? Stopped by my dealer this afternoon and they had a red/white manual on the floor. I have a 32 inch inseam and couldn't get close to flat footing it. Was able to get the balls of my feet on the ground but that was it. It also seemed kinda top heavy, maybe I'm just used to the lower NC ?

A very nice looking motorcycle..if they had a DCT in stock I <might> have been temped but not really interested in going back to a manual.

 

[happy]

How are you shorter inseam guys handling the AT? Stopped by my dealer this afternoon and they had a red/white manual on the floor. I have a 32 inch inseam and couldn't get close to flat footing it. Was able to get the balls of my feet on the ground but that was it. It also seemed kinda top heavy, maybe I'm just used to the lower NC ?

A very nice looking motorcycle..if they had a DCT in stock I <might> have been temped but not really interested in going back to a manual.

I never let that "flat footing" GUIDELINE stop me from buying any bike.
I tip toe and I seldom stop.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[L.B.S.]

I believe the only bike I've ever been able to put both feet flat on the ground was my XR75 from 40 years ago lol, so it's never been any kind of priority or even second thought, to owning a bike, really. It just is what it is...

Here I've always thought that the poor tall gangly buggers that were on bikes with their feet flat and their knees still bent, suffered from feeling all cramped and folded up like storks, so it's not something I'd trade, I don't think...

 

[bamamate]

You are describing me. Both of my bikes are lower seat height bikes NC and CRF250L. Went on a trail ride today on the CRF, my first ride this year, and was working on my riding position with sliding up on the tank in the turns. Feel like I'm a pretzel at times. When I raised the NC, while my knees are still bent, it felt so much better at a stop having them straighter.

 

[ld_rider]

How do you back up a loaded motorcycle if your feet don't reach the ground? I have visions of feet spinning furiously and kicking up dust clouds but the motorcycle not moving anywhere.

I'm thinking at some place like Top of the World Highway, the Dempster or some other out of the way gravel road it could be a problem, no?

 

[Old Can Ride]

I have ridden the Top of the World Highway, and the Dempster on an NC700X. I only have a 28 inch inseam. By having the soles of my boots built up I have no problem even on a Africa Twin DCT touching the ground with my feet.



To pickup a fully loaded adventure bike, one of these jewels is required!

[video=youtube;Tzecbg5-KEY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzecbg5-KEY[/video]

 

[L.B.S.]

How do you back up a loaded motorcycle if your feet don't reach the ground? I have visions of feet spinning furiously and kicking up dust clouds but the motorcycle not moving anywhere.

I'm thinking at some place like Top of the World Highway, the Dempster or some other out of the way gravel road it could be a problem, no?

For me, I do what I can only describe as a "momentum bounce".

I always have my right foot on the peg anyway, so it's all about a firm planting of the left foot. I pull the front brake lever, and push forward/down to compress the forks. Just at the point of as much compression possible before rebounding back, I let go of the lever, and pull back on the bars, and push back with my left leg. The spring back of the rebounding forks helps add momentum.

This may sound more complicated and difficult than it really is, but you quickly get the knack of it with practice, and you can get several good bounce backs along with turning the handlebars incrementally as you do it, in the direction you want to be backing up.

Other than that, if it is too sketchy a surface, or there's an uphill slope that is simply impossible to overcome, then I bite the bullet and pop the sidestand down. Stand on the pegs, swing the right leg over, hop to the ground, and wrestle the bike backwards far enough as needed.