NC700X More than a Commuter?

[Rocker66]

My NC is seeing duty as a day riding bike for local rides to 250 miles or so and also as my light duty touring bike. So far it has been on two 4 day trips to the mountains logging about 1800 miles each trip - 1000 miles round trip to get there and 800 miles on mountain roads. This weekend I was in NC and TN riding with a bunch of friends on ST1300s. I had no trouble running in the fast pack although passing on those roads takes more planning and patience. My motorcycles are for recreation and not commuting.

Thats great but when like me you don't have a car licence then one has to be a practical means of transport which is how I use my NC. The Crossrunner is for recreation

 

[bulpup]

That alone should get you some brownie points! Some of the worst traffic in the ?civilized? world!

Hehe, thanks. Manhattan traffic is not terrible. Cross town is generally very slow and even when there is just one usable car lane on the street there are motorcycle width colums on each side for filtering.
Although there are thousands of intersections there, very few have you crossing incoming traffic.

Quite frankly, the worst thing are the pedestrian tourists. They will follow the natives across the street without the street sense that allows them to get across against the light with a good old "no harm no foul."
I will not ride through times square either. Too many tourists thinking the whole thing is a super safe Disney ride.

But the one thing that I have problems with about the bike as a commuter in the city is that I can't get my feet flat on the ground without a little butt twist. This make the filtering a little harder. I filter very slowly because of the pedestrian traffic. It is so much easier when you can gently walk it forward. It isn't terrible but I feel I don't look as cool as I want to

 

[Bamo]

ROCKER66, I think there are a few Americans who ruin it for everyone else. By this I mean, we poke fun of you across the pond for drinking tea and having bad teeth, (clearly stereotyping) but when you call us fat or make fun of us for guns "some" of us get offended and mad. This really upsets me because my absolute favorite show is Top Gear UK. The only reason I can see for them to not broadcast it over here in the US is because they occasionally make fun of us. I can take a joke and I enjoy it, so no hard feelings here, so bring it on. P.S I am not fat, I work out regularly and I did actually go shooting today. Just saying.

 

[Seabee Bob]

ROCKER66, I think there are a few Americans who ruin it for everyone else. By this I mean, we poke fun of you across the pond for drinking tea and having bad teeth, (clearly stereotyping) but when you call us fat or make fun of us for guns "some" of us get offended and mad. This really upsets me because my absolute favorite show is Top Gear UK. The only reason I can see for them to not broadcast it over here in the US is because they occasionally make fun of us. I can take a joke and I enjoy it, so no hard feelings here, so bring it on. P.S I am not fat, I work out regularly and I did actually go shooting today. Just saying.

Click on the YouTube link to view.

Fat Man with a Gun - YouTube

 

[Dominican]

Hehe, thanks. Manhattan traffic is not terrible. Cross town is generally very slow and even when there is just one usable car lane on the street there are motorcycle width colums on each side for filtering.
Although there are thousands of intersections there, very few have you crossing incoming traffic.

Quite frankly, the worst thing are the pedestrian tourists. They will follow the natives across the street without the street sense that allows them to get across against the light with a good old "no harm no foul."
I will not ride through times square either. Too many tourists thinking the whole thing is a super safe Disney ride.

But the one thing that I have problems with about the bike as a commuter in the city is that I can't get my feet flat on the ground without a little butt twist. This make the filtering a little harder. I filter very slowly because of the pedestrian traffic. It is so much easier when you can gently walk it forward. It isn't terrible but I feel I don't look as cool as I want to

I also commute into NYC, and filtering is definitely the way to go. Also, the parking situation is much better on bikes. any trouble so far with the police when it comes to filtering?

Also, as to what the Op was asking, I am also interested in what people have to say on the off road capabilities and perhaps some track duty.

 

[Cutter J. Duke]

In my younger days I dragged a knee on a few of the wonderful tracks around the U.S. (no I don't wear full leathers on the street, my old suit wouldn't fit my middle now). The NC really isn't a track day bike, you would need some extensive suspension work and a very and I mean very tight track to run against about anything other than another NC. However it can be fun in your local twisties and in the hands of someone experienced, can but the noobs to shame. I would try to find a race school that can get you up to speed and then show the locals you skills...but be careful out there, I never promote stunting play or racing on public streets.

 

[Rocker66]

ROCKER66, I think there are a few Americans who ruin it for everyone else. By this I mean, we poke fun of you across the pond for drinking tea and having bad teeth, (clearly stereotyping) but when you call us fat or make fun of us for guns "some" of us get offended and mad. This really upsets me because my absolute favorite show is Top Gear UK. The only reason I can see for them to not broadcast it over here in the US is because they occasionally make fun of us. I can take a joke and I enjoy it, so no hard feelings here, so bring it on. P.S I am not fat, I work out regularly and I did actually go shooting today. Just saying.

Bamo As I have mentioned before my new daughter in law is American and has recently come out of the army where she was a sargent.We have some good UK V US banter mainly about her not being able to speak English as in calling it gas not petrol and funnier things like fag meaning ciggarette here and not what it means in there. The funniest one is "fanny pack" as the first word means something much ruder here. Anyway I'm just trying to say that my comments are meant in a light hearted way so I'm glad that you have no hard feelings and I hope that your fellow Americans feel the same. You will notice that I don't ever use the term "Yanks" or "Yankee" that is often used to describe Americans here as I understand that can still cause offense to some from the Southern states.

 

[Naked_Duc]

Also, as to what the Op was asking, I am also interested in what people have to say on the off road capabilities and perhaps some track duty.

with the ergo and performance number, I don't think it will be lighting the world on fire. And as far as off-roading goes, what I am hearing so far in this thread is that the NC700x is definitely not a Jeep Wrangler. But is it more than a CR-V?

 

[bulpup]

I also commute into NYC, and filtering is definitely the way to go. Also, the parking situation is much better on bikes. any trouble so far with the police when it comes to filtering?

.

No. Only once this female cop in a parked cruiser on the opposite side of the street said over the P.A. "Stop splitting lanes," in a very tired sounding voice. It is illegal, so do it knowing full well there is no excuse.

 

[bulpup]

Double post

 

[bulpup]

. You will notice that I don't ever use the term "Yanks" or "Yankee" that is often used to describe Americans here as I understand that can still cause offense to some from the Southern states.

Aw screw 'em.

 

[Rocker66]

I really can't imagine the frustration it must cause nor being allowed to filter. To me filtering is one of the big advantages of riding a bike

 

[TC3]

I really can't imagine the frustration it must cause nor being allowed to filter. To me filtering is one of the big advantages of riding a bike

This is something I just can not get used to seeing each year when we go visit my wifeys family in USA. Worst thing is we are moving out there in a few years and the no filter rule will apply to me too if we end up living where her family are located....

 

[Beemerphile]

You will notice that I don't ever use the term "Yanks" or "Yankee" that is often used to describe Americans here as I understand that can still cause offense to some from the Southern states.

Being a Southerner in the US is like being a fan of a consistently losing football team. You either accommodate it or you become small and bitter. My great great grandfather James Shelton Dickinson was a Confederate congressman and he outfitted a company of Alabama troops with his own money. They were called the Dickinson Guards

http://www.archives.alabama.gov/referenc/flags/046.html

After the war when Confederate money was worthless, he still accepted it as payment from people who had bought land from him. We had a steamer chest full of it. Should have saved it as a Confederate bill sells pretty well on ebay these days.

I consider myself to be an unreconstructed Southerner living in Yankee-occupied Georgia. The flag in my garage (and one on my BMW) is the Bonnie Blue. However, I also helped to build a church for a rural black congregation near me. They are my best friends in this world and I love them. It is complicated but I am sure that Europeans understand as well as anyone that it is possible to love your heritage without taking ownership and personal guilt for the mistakes that they may have made. I believe in many tenets of the Confederacy - particularly states rights over the federal government as it was declared even in the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution which states that the federal government has only those enumerated powers given to it by the states and by the people. Most of what the yankee government does these days is illegal by their own founding document. Had they stayed true to their own founding documents, secession would not have been necessary.

But hey, joke away. I tell pretty good redneck jokes myself and heck, I are one!

 

[bulpup]

I really can't imagine the frustration it must cause nor being allowed to filter. To me filtering is one of the big advantages of riding a bike

It is legal in California and that is it.

But as far as new york city goes, NOT filtering will likely get you run over because of the automobile driver's frustration. So much is the expectation of those in the 4 wheelers. As much as I know there is the chance of a ticket for doing it, I can't imagine standing up in the center of a cross street - with plenty of room in front for emergency movement like we are taught to do when stopped - without some "cager" wanting to beat me with a tire iron.

Worst would be to be the second to last to cross an intersection that has the paint that indicates you will get a ticket if you are in it when light changes and the car behind me is in the paint. In that case either I get the ticket for filtering or they get the ticket for "blocking the box." You best believe that guy stuck in the "no gridlock" ticket zone will try to roll over you to get out of it.

But as I said, in NYC it is not enforced much,if at all.

 

[duk2n]

It is complicated but I am sure that Europeans understand as well as anyone that it is possible to love your heritage without taking ownership and personal guilt for the mistakes that they may have made

Go figure!

 

[wozza]

Being a Southerner in the US is like being a fan of a consistently losing football team. You either accommodate it or you become small and bitter. My great great grandfather James Shelton Dickinson was a Confederate congressman and he outfitted a company of Alabama troops with his own money. They were called the Dickinson Guards

http://www.archives.alabama.gov/referenc/flags/046.html

After the war when Confederate money was worthless, he still accepted it as payment from people who had bought land from him. We had a steamer chest full of it. Should have saved it as a Confederate bill sells pretty well on ebay these days.

I consider myself to be an unreconstructed Southerner living in Yankee-occupied Georgia. The flag in my garage (and one on my BMW) is the Bonnie Blue. However, I also helped to build a church for a rural black congregation near me. They are my best friends in this world and I love them. It is complicated but I am sure that Europeans understand as well as anyone that it is possible to love your heritage without taking ownership and personal guilt for the mistakes that they may have made. I believe in many tenets of the Confederacy - particularly states rights over the federal government as it was declared even in the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution which states that the federal government has only those enumerated powers given to it by the states and by the people. Most of what the yankee government does these days is illegal by their own founding document. Had they stayed true to their own founding documents, secession would not have been necessary.

But hey, joke away. I tell pretty good redneck jokes myself and heck, I are one!

Great piece of history there Beemerphile... You must and should be be proud.
Family history is a fantastically interesting subject and a real eye opener.

 

[Loomis]

I have to admit that whilst I find the NC an excellent bike for the purpose I bought it I really wouldn't want it for my only bike. I'm not worried about top speed these days but I do still get a kick out of acceleration and my Crossrunner gives me that. Also I find the CR more comfortable on longer trips

So maybe you mentioned it before and I overlooked it, but what is the advantage of the NC.. just fuel mileage? Everything else must be fairly close?

That alone should get you some brownie points! Some of the worst traffic in the ?civilized? world!

I've driven in a lot of places.. Southern California obviously, Mexico, Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, oh and cabs rides in the UK... (Germany is the best BTW) but a couple weeks back I flew into NYC for the first time and had to drive out of town in a rental. Quite the experience!! Seemed like every 5th car had an aftermaret rubber bumper hanging out of the trunk! Thats pretty bad!! lol

Civilized world/ I thought Manhattan was in America
Sorry I will get my jacket

Har har! good stuff.

Hehe, thanks. Manhattan traffic is not terrible. Cross town is generally very slow and even when there is just one usable car lane on the street there are motorcycle width colums on each side for filtering.
Although there are thousands of intersections there, very few have you crossing incoming traffic.

Quite frankly, the worst thing are the pedestrian tourists. They will follow the natives across the street without the street sense that allows them to get across against the light with a good old "no harm no foul."
I will not ride through times square either. Too many tourists thinking the whole thing is a super safe Disney ride.

But the one thing that I have problems with about the bike as a commuter in the city is that I can't get my feet flat on the ground without a little butt twist. This make the filtering a little harder. I filter very slowly because of the pedestrian traffic. It is so much easier when you can gently walk it forward. It isn't terrible but I feel I don't look as cool as I want to

Learned something new today. Filtering = Lane splitting. I did not know it was only legal here in Cali. (unless you are on a military base... they don't like it very much when you are leaving airshow traffic, and you lane split on your XR600 because it doesn't like to sit and idle for 30 mins. haha)

 

[Cutter J. Duke]

As an ex-Cali. guy I can tell you lane splitting is NOT legal, there is just no specific law against it. The lane sharing law was never meant to allow lane splitting and a cop having a bad day could hammer you with a serious ticket. Most never would as long as your doing it safely, some police don't even realize its illegal because they grew up in Cali. and have always seen it happen.

 

[jakeisbill]

You guys are cracking me up.