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MCN Review of the NC700X and NC700XD

Thanks for posting the link. I'd been waiting for the MCN review. I hope they do a full evaluation some day with dyno results, fuel economy, etc. Of course, we already know all the answers since we own it, but it's nice to see the testers agree with you on the good points, and also on the bad (seat).

Greg
 
great review from MCN, as usual. I share the same final thought on a more "adventure" version than just "adventure-styling".
 
Can't wait for a full test from MCN. They are late to this game with many other mags having done so already.
 
Naked_Duc said:
great review from MCN, as usual. I share the same final thought on a more "adventure" version than just "adventure-styling".
Click to expand...

I am curious where you want to go on it that you think it will not go. I'd have rather seen a 19" front, tubeless spoked wheels, and an extra 2" of suspension travel, but after I made Prudhoe Bay and Inuvik this summer on a fat pig with 17" street tires and cast wheels, all I came away wishing I had was a 200 lb. lighter bike that sipped regular gas rather than gulping premium. The NC gives me this. I can put 17" TKC's and Heidenaus on it and it will be better yet. I thought about adding the 2" extra suspension travel when I modded my forks and replaced the rear shock, but I decided against it. It could still be done. Custom wheels would be about a $2,000 proposition, so I figured I might as well see first how durable the cast wheels are. Maybe if I bust them, I will put back custom spokes.

If Honda had given me a choice, I would have rather had an "Adventure" version, but there are many unlikely bikes like Sportsters and GSXR's that have been ridden around the world. It is an even greater adventure to do an adventure ride on a non-adventure motorcycle. This one has a very stout frame and manageable weight. It can be rigged for luggage. A couple of 1 gallon RotoPax jugs will take you an additional 140 miles where the same gas would only get you an extra 80 miles on a KTM Adventure. Plus the NC likes cheap regular gas. I wouldn't ride it on very rough surfaces without the suspension and tire improvements, but I think you will see at least one of them in very unlikely places.
 
Cutter J. Duke said:
Sport Rider review. I've subscribed for years and thought they would revoke my subscription when they found out that I bought the NC but I guess they don't think its all that bad.

2012 Honda NC700X | First Ride - Sport Rider Magazine
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Sounds like they've got a really good, balanced assessment of the bike. I have to say I agree with the article almost 100%. I keep telling people who ask me about that it's just a different kind of bike. They want to compare it to a sport bike or a cruiser or a goldwing, but you really can't. I seems to be meant for a niche that's pretty new in the US--a motorist's economical alternative to a car. At least, that how I see it.
 
Beemer - The manual says 91 octane gas. I take it from your post that running 87 doesn't create any undesirable effects? I'll happily stop paying for premium if y'all have vetted 87 octane. Thanks!
 
Beemerphile said:
I am curious where you want to go on it that you think it will not go. I'd have rather seen a 19" front, tubeless spoked wheels, and an extra 2" of suspension travel, but after I made Prudhoe Bay and Inuvik this summer on a fat pig with 17" street tires and cast wheels, all I came away wishing I had was a 200 lb. lighter bike that sipped regular gas rather than gulping premium. The NC gives me this. I can put 17" TKC's and Heidenaus on it and it will be better yet. I thought about adding the 2" extra suspension travel when I modded my forks and replaced the rear shock, but I decided against it. It could still be done. Custom wheels would be about a $2,000 proposition, so I figured I might as well see first how durable the cast wheels are. Maybe if I bust them, I will put back custom spokes.

If Honda had given me a choice, I would have rather had an "Adventure" version, but there are many unlikely bikes like Sportsters and GSXR's that have been ridden around the world. It is an even greater adventure to do an adventure ride on a non-adventure motorcycle. This one has a very stout frame and manageable weight. It can be rigged for luggage. A couple of 1 gallon RotoPax jugs will take you an additional 140 miles where the same gas would only get you an extra 80 miles on a KTM Adventure. Plus the NC likes cheap regular gas. I wouldn't ride it on very rough surfaces without the suspension and tire improvements, but I think you will see at least one of them in very unlikely places.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with the way NCX, as is. the tires and suspension are great for getting me around town and commuting. It handles the pavement exceptionally well. Some felt that it's too softly sprung, but for me, being 150 LBs geared up, it's not bad at all. Plus, the vast majority of adventure riders out there will never take it off-road. Even if they do, it'd be compact gravel/dirt trails. Just like all the truck-based SUV drivers out there.

My thought about wanting an Adventure version of the NCX is more for Honda, where it lacks a counter punch in this segment. Consider how big the Adventure segment has grown, Honda doesn't really have anything to compete. NCX definitely is a step forward but having a true off-road capable version of the NCX would be a big plus. Sort of what Triumph has done to revamp it's Tiger line - introducing a 800 and a 800X, and then eventually the 1200 Adventure. I think that's what the MCN reviewer was thinking and I concur.
 
goodrick said:
Beemer - The manual says 91 octane gas. I take it from your post that running 87 doesn't create any undesirable effects? I'll happily stop paying for premium if y'all have vetted 87 octane. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You must be reading the .pdf manual that is floating around for Europe. The fuel spec is 91 RON which equates to 86 (R+M/2) as the US specs it. See page 43 of the US Manual. Anything over regular gas is wasted money.
 
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Beemerphile said:
You must be reading the .pdf manual that is floating around for Europe. The fuel spec is 91 RON which equates to 86 (R+M/2) as the US specs it. See page 43 of the US Manual. Anything over regular gas is wasted money.
Click to expand...


Don't completely agree. I can feel the difference between running the 91 RON and 93 RON. Moreover, my Honda dealer suggests to use 93 RON and more specifically, to avoid the Ethanol + regular fuel mixture that we have in Europe
 
sdouble said:
Don't completely agree. I can feel the difference between running the 91 RON and 93 RON. Moreover, my Honda dealer suggests to use 93 RON and more specifically, to avoid the Ethanol + regular fuel mixture that we have in Europe
Click to expand...

Good that you have a dealer who is smarter than the factory. Most people aren't so lucky and have to rely on the manual. Ethanol is a different matter and separate of the octane discussion. Unless the engine ECU is adjusting the timing based on a knock sensor, which the NC700 engine does not have, you are not going to feel a difference between two octane levels if they both meet the requirements of the engine. It is called the placebo effect.
 
you're probably right, but I'm not the only one to feel the difference here. I mean, most of the people here, use the 93 RON fuel in motorcycles. I did some tests, in the past and never felt in difference in term of power. However, I always felt that my bike were running smother at low RPM, when filled with the 93 RON. Can be a placebo effect epidemic, that's true. To be honnest, I haven't done a proper comparison for years. This is an almost 10 year old statement.
P.S. My mistake, the labeling in europe is different. We have 95 and 98 RON here. We mostly use 98 RON (88 MON) in motorcycles and 95 RON (85 MON) in cars
 
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sdouble said:
Don't completely agree. I can feel the difference between running the 91 RON and 93 RON. Moreover, my Honda dealer suggests to use 93 RON and more specifically, to avoid the Ethanol + regular fuel mixture that we have in Europe
Click to expand...

No offense, but when I hear those words: "My Honda Dealer says..." (or Kawasaki, or Yamaha, whomever) I immediately go all cynical.

Dealers are most assuredly not Gods of all knowledge and good advice, despite what they want you to believe. I cannot count the times I've been given, and have heard others being given, the most daft information imaginable by a dealer and taken as gospel, just because. Poppycock.

It would be extremely hard to try and always source fuel without any ethanol in it. Not to mention expensive, as I'd have to limit my purchases to the one or two stations I know of locally that have non-ethanol fuel available, and it's only the 94 octane grade. On any kind of trip, you are at the mercy of whatever's available anyway.

The NC700X was designed for regular unleaded fuel. Period. If I could banish ethanol being added to fuel with a wave of my hand, sure, I would do so. Since it's not going away anytime soon though, and has been in use for many many years now, I would get rid of the motorcycle unable to function on it, and give that manufacturer a wide berth.

87 (R+M)/2) approx. 90-91 RON meets the specifications Honda has alloted for this engine's minimum requirments. Anything above that in octane or chemical/detergent packages/what have you, is up to the individual user to believe or not, and claim any benefits. I would happily entertain a change of mind if empirical evidence was pointed out to me.

I have noticed a mild drop in economy from fuel with lots of ethanol versus none, but the price difference of the fuel itself, nullifies any remote argument there. (for me)
 
sdouble said:
you're probably right, but I'm not the only one to feel the difference here. I mean, most of the people here, use the 93 RON fuel in motorcycles. I did some tests, in the past and never felt in difference in term of power. However, I always felt that my bike were running smother at low RPM, when filled with the 93 RON. Can be a placebo effect epidemic, that's true. To be honnest, I haven't done a proper comparison for years. This is an almost 10 year old statement.
Click to expand...

A widespread placebo effect is not out of the question. Most people think they are doing the bike a favor with "better" gasoline than it requires. It just isn't so. Also, it could well be that a portion of those are riding bikes (like BMW R1200's) equipped with a knock sensor and the motorcycle is running differently on the different fuels. Another portion (like KTM 990's) may be rated for and require high octane fuel. The KTM does not have a knock sensor, but you can jumper in a different ignition timing map for lower octane fuel. The NC700x is in the minority in being rated to run on regular fuel. That is one of the attractions for me because in the out-of-the-way places I like to visit, that is often all there is.
 
L.B.S. said:
No offense, but when I hear those words: "My Honda Dealer says..." (or Kawasaki, or Yamaha, whomever) I immediately go all cynical.

Dealers are most assuredly not Gods of all knowledge and good advice, despite what they want you to believe. I cannot count the times I've been given, and have heard others being given, the most daft information imaginable by a dealer and taken as gospel, just because. Poppycock.
Click to expand...
This was just an info, not the absolute truth. I like to quote my source, matter of habit
L.B.S. said:
It would be extremely hard to try and always source fuel without any ethanol in it. Not to mention expensive, as I'd have to limit my purchases to the one or two stations I know of locally that have non-ethanol fuel available, and it's only the 94 octane grade. On any kind of trip, you are at the mercy of whatever's available anyway.
Click to expand...
Another info, Here in Europa, you can choose between ethanol/petrol mixture (maximum 10% ethanol content) and "pure" petrol. The petrol pumps are individually labelled
 
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