Need advice..."what to watch out for on a second hand NC700"?

[SlowSteve]

I have a friend looking for a 2nd hand nc700, as far as I know he's thinking about the NC700S, and he's asked me if there are common faults and issues to be aware of.


I don't really know enough about the issues with these bikes to know how to answer. I've told him about the chain recall if he looks at an early bike, and that some guys on this forum have issues with vibration at 55 in 6th. Apart from that I just said about the usual stuff.. Make sure it's not stolen, check for signs of drops etc.

I've noticed that a number of X's and S's seem to get surface rust on the headers but I don't think that's anything alarming.

Does anyone have any other thoughts I can pass on?

 

[JamesD]

Miles and signs of basic maintenance would be first on my list.
Look for low miles for the year. No point in getting a bike with a lot of miles when you can find one with low miles with a little patience and little difference in cost.
I'd personally look for under 3000 miles per year and my last two used bike purchases were both under 5000 miles including my new NC which had under 550 miles.
That's not to say a bike with over 10000 miles would be a problem, it's more about why buy a high miles bike when you can get a low miles bike just by looking around a little longer.

If the person performed maintenance like lubing the chain and changing the oil I wouldn't expect any maintenance problems especially on a low miles bike.
If the oil filter isn't the factory Honda one or the oil looks like it doesn't have a lot of miles on it the oil has probably been changed at least once.
The chain shouldn't be too tight or too loose. If they can't get that right the owner didn't know how to maintain a bike.
Tires are another issue. A low miles bike shouldn't need any but you never want to spend money on a bike and immediately have to put new tires on it.
Controls should all work properly. Check both brakes and manual clutch. A DCT model should shift properly in D or S mode as well as with the button shifters. Check the parking brake on DCT models.
All lights should be in working order.
The electronics should all work. Speedo, gas gauge, trip meters, tach, gear indicator, etc...
Some of this is obvious and things like a parking brake that needs an adjustment don't seem like a big deal, but it's a good indicator of how the bike was maintained.
Someone that is meticulous about little adjustments isn't missing oil changes.

After that it's all about condition. I'd expect a one or two year old bike like the NC to look like new.
Was the bike stored outside under a tarp or in a garage?

 

[670cc]

Other than confirming that the chain recall was done, there are no special issues to look for on the NC700 series. Just check the usual things you would watch for on any used vehicle.

Greg

 

[sonofafinch]

Ask why they are selling it. If they are honest, it may tell you whether or not your friend will want this type of bike. If the seller says it wasn't comfortable, and he's about the same size/build as your friend, it may indicate your friend won't find it comfortable. If they say they got bored, and your friend is a speed-demon, then maybe it's not for them. You get the idea. Information you can't get from a dealer. Of course, if you have one then you can tell him all about that stuff.

 

[Bodysnatcher]

As already described around here a used Honda without high or hard mileage that was serviced properly and on schedule should be a safe buy. Look for clues like scuffing along the lower edges and handlebar ends for signs that the bike has been dropped. Look at the tires for cuts from rocks to indicate if it's been offroad recently. Otherwise, if there are any mods make sure they were done properly. Make sure if there's a K&N air filter that it's clean & oiled and fitted properly.
Beyond that maybe you can have the seller meet you at a dealer and have a mechanic give it a quick look over for a few bucks from you. The seller's response to just the suggestion of doing that might speak volumes about his own confidence in the bike!

 

[CMGuy]

There's a thread on this forum called "Where Da Bugs???" You might review that to pick up a few ideas. Other than that, others seem to have covered the topic pretty well.

 

[FlaNC700X]

Buy it!

 

[davidc83]

Miles and signs of basic maintenance would be first on my list.
Look for low miles for the year. No point in getting a bike with a lot of miles when you can find one with low miles with a little patience and little difference in cost.
I'd personally look for under 3000 miles per year and my last two used bike purchases were both under 5000 miles including my new NC which had under 550 miles.
That's not to say a bike with over 10000 miles would be a problem, it's more about why buy a high miles bike when you can get a low miles bike just by looking around a little longer.

If the person performed maintenance like lubing the chain and changing the oil I wouldn't expect any maintenance problems especially on a low miles bike.
If the oil filter isn't the factory Honda one or the oil looks like it doesn't have a lot of miles on it the oil has probably been changed at least once.
The chain shouldn't be too tight or too loose. If they can't get that right the owner didn't know how to maintain a bike.
Tires are another issue. A low miles bike shouldn't need any but you never want to spend money on a bike and immediately have to put new tires on it.
Controls should all work properly. Check both brakes and manual clutch. A DCT model should shift properly in D or S mode as well as with the button shifters. Check the parking brake on DCT models.
All lights should be in working order.
The electronics should all work. Speedo, gas gauge, trip meters, tach, gear indicator, etc...
Some of this is obvious and things like a parking brake that needs an adjustment don't seem like a big deal, but it's a good indicator of how the bike was maintained.
Someone that is meticulous about little adjustments isn't missing oil changes.

After that it's all about condition. I'd expect a one or two year old bike like the NC to look like new.
Was the bike stored outside under a tarp or in a garage?

To me, 3000 miles per year and I pass on the bike. Heck, I have had my nc700 for 3 months and have 5000 miles on it (and it is not my only bike or my commuter bike-I only ride it on the weekends). Low miles on a bike, especially very low miles on a bike, could be as harmful to the bike (sometimes more so) than a lot of miles. Anyone can be meticulous on maintenance on any vehicle and suddenly something may blow up. If he likes the bike, buy it, most things cant be easily hidden and looking the bike over can tell you if it has been abuses or maintained properly.

 

[Old Can Ride]

I agree with you. I would prefer a bike that is driven every day, than one that has just sat. Way to many things go wrong when just sitting.

 

[JamesD]

You'll notice that people took my comments out of context.
My very first sentence:

Miles and signs of basic maintenance would be first on my list.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[JoeZ]

Check under the Pegs....