New DCT - SF Bay Area, what a bike!

[MichaelJohn]

I posted in the welcome thread but I wanted to expand a little on my impressions of the bike. A little background, sorry if this goes long - I am a returning rider coming back to motorbikes after a 35 year hiatus. Rode in college but decided go give it up and took time for career and family thinking that it was a bit too dangerous. The itch never completely went away so at 63 (a very fit 63, I still race bicycles) I decided to go for it before I get really old. Just to get my feet wet again I bought a scooter about 6 months ago reasoning that it would be good to just ride, get used to 2 wheels again and not worry about shifting. I got a Piaggio BV 350 which is a really nice scooter and quite peppy but after about a month I started lusting after motorcycles. Well, it turns out that NOT shifting is very pleasing and I didn't miss it one bit. In fact, I am convinced that I am a better rider for it as there is one less thing to distract me from actually piloting the machine. So my quest began for a shiftless motorbike, however there ain't much out there. I found the NC 700 but heard that it was too slow and I wanted to step up a bunch from the scooter. Found the Aprilia Mana but that's got a CVT which says "scooter" to me even though it is well reviewed. There's the Ridley but that also has a CVT, looks like a Harley, is no longer made but is somehow available?! No thanks. Then I found what I was looking for, a Zero electric. The range on electric bikes has gotten a lot better recently, up to 180 miles depending on battery configuration and riding style. I test-rode a Zero SR, the top of the line hot rod, and was absolutely blown away. The acceleration was mind-boggling. It is very quick off the line (0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds) but the roll-on is like hitting warp drive. That might be because it produces 106 ft lbs of torque instantly and only weighs 414 lbs. I have timed mine accelerating from 30-70 in just over 3 seconds. I couldn't write the check fast enough. The Zero is a joy but, and there's always a but, the range limitation prevents me from taking it on long rides as higher speeds and the resulting wind drag just kill the battery. Freeway riding brings the range down to well under a hundred miles and that's just not enough. I decided to revisit the NC, mostly because of this forum, and I went back to the dealer where I bought the Zero to try the Honda. Since I had already dropped a large amount of cash on the Zero they were more than happy to let me ride any bike they had. Well, you all know the rest of the story. The NC felt IMMEDIATELY comfortable, just a pleasure to ride. 500 lbs? Really? The low COG is just magic - it feels lighter than my Zero. Slow? Nope. It felt quite spritely to me and I am used to a blazing fast machine. No problem at all with the power level. Comfort? Total, I even like the seat. DCT? What a treat! Real gears! Compression! I find sport mode shifts exactly where I would but I am constantly changing modes and also shifting on my own just because it's easy to do and fun. Ride quality? Wow, this thing is smooth. With its longer wheelbase and greater weight it feels much more planted on the freeway than the Zero - that is exactly what I was looking for. In some ways I am as blown away by the NC as I am by the Zero - it's really a complete package. My first tank of gas got me 60 mpg, no complaints there - that's just about as good as my scooter which is amazing. Well, it used to be my scooter because I traded it in for the NC. I even like the exhaust tone which, after a putt-putt scooter and a near-silent electric, sounds deep and sonorous to me. I know that sounds crazy but everything is relative and I have never liked loud bikes anyway. And the looks - I have already gotten compliments from strangers and I have only had it for 5 days and 150 miles. I think it's a great looking bike. My only small complaints so far - one, the lack of a high-beam flasher and two, the wonky fuel gauge which goes from two bars to nothing and makes you think you are about to run out. I gather that this is common. Oh well, that's what a trip meter is for. All in all I am extremely pleased and surprised by how good this motorcycle is. Sorry for the long tale, but I was inspired.

 

[DirtFlier]

In regards to the fuel gauge, the NC is the first bike I've owned with a 5-bar display. All my previous bikes had either an analog fuel gauge or none. On the NC, the number of bars showing can sometimes jump back-and-forth depending on the bike being leaned or going up-and-down a hill. And it takes a while for the gauge to normalize once the bike is straight and once more on flat ground. On a recent long ride, when it dropped to 1 bar I pulled into a gas station within 2-miles. The fuel gauge had been stable for a long time prior to that because we were on mostly flat and straight roads.

It took 2.7 gals so at a "fresh" 1 bar the tank still had 1 gallon remaining. It worked out to 73 MPG and our route had little or no stop-and-go traffic nor did we use any interstate highways. Your mileage may vary.

 

[ronsaw]

I nominate you to be our magazine article staff writer. Love your passion about our NC's. Enjoy!

 

[kpinvt]

I posted in the welcome thread but I wanted to expand a little on my impressions of the bike. A little background, sorry if this goes long - Snipped for brevity.

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new bike. +1 on all of the above, the bike is a hell of a lot of fun to ride. You didn't say what year NCXD you have or what color.

 

[kpinvt]

In regards to the fuel gauge, the NC is the first bike I've owned with a 5-bar display. All my previous bikes had either an analog fuel gauge or none. On the NC, the number of bars showing can sometimes jump back-and-forth depending on the bike being leaned or going up-and-down a hill. And it takes a while for the gauge to normalize once the bike is straight and once more on flat ground. On a recent long ride, when it dropped to 1 bar I pulled into a gas station within 2-miles. The fuel gauge had been stable for a long time prior to that because we were on mostly flat and straight roads.

It took 2.7 gals so at a "fresh" 1 bar the tank still had 1 gallon remaining. It worked out to 73 MPG and our route had little or no stop-and-go traffic nor did we use any interstate highways. Your mileage may vary.

Same here. When I think I'm pushing the mileage on the tank with the bars flashing and stop to refuel, the bike usually will only take 2.7 or 2.8 US gallons. I just checked on Fuelly and in the 16 fuel-ups, all of them since I bought the bike, I've recorded there the bike has never taken more than 2.85 gallons.

 

[Deckyon]

Going around town or on short trips, I have never worried about fuel. Before I head home at the end of a day or ride, even if it is at 3 bars, I will go ahead and fill the tank (gas station is .3 miles from my house) and then head home. I am finding that I am getting better mileage outside the city on the country roads. I recently went on a weekend ride with some people from another forum (ADVRider) and they were all riding some big machines, except one, who rides a Shadow. The max distance we could run was based on his tank, so 120 miles we would gas up. The other guys were riding BMW GS or Yamaha Super Teneres. Big bikes, big gas tanks. After the first 120 miles, we stopped for gas. I had been on 4 bars for a while, but filled up anyway (never pass up a gas stop) and it took just over a gallon. For the total trip, I put in just over of 4.5 gallons for 337 miles.

On the camping trips, I take my stove and all, which is an MSR Whisperlight International. It uses basically any fuel you want to put in it, so I got 2 30oz MSR tanks and fill them with unleaded gasoline. That way, I have nearly a 1/2 gallon reserve. Plenty to get to another station.

 

[MichaelJohn]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new bike. +1 on all of the above, the bike is a hell of a lot of fun to ride. You didn't say what year NCXD you have or what color.

I got a 2015. The dealer, Contra Costa Powersports in Concord, gave me a good deal on the bike and they offered me more than I was expecting for my scooter so I couldn't resist. For 2015 the color choices are black or red and black and since my Zero is red and black I went for the black one for some variety. The black is actually a mixture of matte and gloss black with some gray around the engine. I like the way the chrome exhaust pipe looks on the black bike.

 

[jtkirk]

Congrats on the bike and welcome. Glad you're happy with the bike. Congrats on racing the bicycles. I'm ten years younger and doubt if I could pedal a bike to the end of my driveway.

 

[670cc]

Welcome!

You're preaching to the choir here, but I think most would agree with your thinking, and you said it all so well!

It's funny too, that there are NC folks on here that want to buy a Zero. I guess the Zero and NC cater to similar crowds.

 

[itlives]

Welcome from Louisiana. My story is similar to yours in that I had a 32 year hiatus and started out with a scooter - Suzuki Burgman 400 - then came to the NC after spending a weekend on this forum.

I put almost 13,000 in less than a year on my NC. Loving it!

 

[mwcogburn]

Welcome again

 

[kjang]

welcome.
Also I came back to riding again.
Also I am in san Francisco and I got the RED DCT

I was also thinking about getting the ZERO but it had limitations that I was not able to accept.
then it was the vstrom, gs, versys. Settled on the NC because of the dct.

Regards,
Ken

 

[MichaelJohn]

Here are my two favorite big boy toys. The NC is a good deal bigger than the Zero, that is certainly why it handles the highway so much better. Note that the Zero also has a little frunk! (2nd try at this post - photo issues?)
Thanks to all for the welcome. 200 miles down, 100 more to go for break-in. It already feels a little quicker than when I got it. Who said this bike was slow? The DCT allows you to just jump off the line. The NC was going to be my long-range bike but it's so much fun to ride thar I am having trouble choosing a bike every time I go into the garage.

 

[MichaelJohn]

So, I just went back and edited my post that had a photo in it and it disappeared from this thread. My edit was to say thank you all for the welcome and that I am having a great time with the NC. My method for attaching photos (using Photobucket) is apparently triggering a moderator review. I have a feeling that the post will reappear. I'm going to have to figure out how this forum works!

 

[mwcogburn]

So, I just went back and edited my post that had a photo in it and it disappeared from this thread. My edit was to say thank you all for the welcome and that I am having a great time with the NC. My method for attaching photos (using Photobucket) is apparently triggering a moderator review. I have a feeling that the post will reappear. I'm going to have to figure out how this forum works!

It is because you are new with not enough posts yet. At some point you no longer will have to have moderator approval. It happens pretty quickly.

 

[MichaelJohn]

It is because you are new with not enough posts yet. At some point you no longer will have to have moderator approval. It happens pretty quickly.

Thanks for letting me know. Apparently it also happens to an edited post with a photo even though it has passed muster once.

 

[ftrrdr]

Interesting coincidence. I also bought a silver 2013 NC700XD last November at the same dealership. I had skipped about 40 years since owning a dirt bike in high school for a summer. I was looking at the BV350, Suzuki DL650, and CB500x. The DCT and the frunk were the deciding factor over the vstrom, even though the vstrom has reportedly better power, brakes, and suspension. The BV350 would have been a closer choice if it had abs in the US model and a stronger dealer presence/network.

I have been very pleased with how easy the NC is to ride. I had been periodically commuting 8 miles each way to work on my bicycle so the reflexes and awareness are very similar. This motorcycle seems extremely stable (steer with your knees) and has decent power in sport mode. The DCT has been really convenient in heavy traffic and I don't miss using a clutch. The frunk has saved me having a top box and I have been averaging about 60 mpg. I have tried some of the local roads (Redwood, Palomares, Calaveras, Morgan Territory ...) and am having a blast. The main area in improvement would be the rear shock. You can get a good jolt up your spine over a pothole at speed unless you stand up slightly. I have not test ridden the BV350 but it was one of the few non-maxi scooters that was not cramped for my 6'1" frame.

Just curious, what was it about the BV350 that caused you to change over to the Zero?

 

[MichaelJohn]

Interesting coincidence. I also bought a silver 2013 NC700XD last November at the same dealership. I had skipped about 40 years since owning a dirt bike in high school for a summer. I was looking at the BV350, Suzuki DL650, and CB500x. The DCT and the frunk were the deciding factor over the vstrom, even though the vstrom has reportedly better power, brakes, and suspension. The BV350 would have been a closer choice if it had abs in the US model and a stronger dealer presence/network.

I have been very pleased with how easy the NC is to ride. I had been periodically commuting 8 miles each way to work on my bicycle so the reflexes and awareness are very similar. This motorcycle seems extremely stable (steer with your knees) and has decent power in sport mode. The DCT has been really convenient in heavy traffic and I don't miss using a clutch. The frunk has saved me having a top box and I have been averaging about 60 mpg. I have tried some of the local roads (Redwood, Palomares, Calaveras, Morgan Territory ...) and am having a blast. The main area in improvement would be the rear shock. You can get a good jolt up your spine over a pothole at speed unless you stand up slightly. I have not test ridden the BV350 but it was one of the few non-maxi scooters that was not cramped for my 6'1" frame.

Just curious, what was it about the BV350 that caused you to change over to the Zero?

I know the roads well that you mentioned and would add Crow Canyon (I'm sure you know that one), Norris Canyon (off Crow Canyon, great road surface), and Niles Canyon which I enjoy because Niles is such a cool destination. I am barely 6' tall (and shrinking, unfortunately!) and only 150 lbs so the NC's suspension is just fine for me. The BV was a great scooter but even at 6' I couldn't flat foot it and that was annoying. I had to constantly remind myself to prepare when coming to a stop on any kind of sloped or crowned surface. I dropped it once on a steep driveway - just misjudged the downside slope but fortunately I somewhat caught it and let it down slowly so there was no damage. Aside from the seat height there was really nothing I didn't like about the BV. It had good power, very good brakes, carved corners quite well, got great mileage, was really not bad at all on the freeway (the NC is way better) and it had all kinds of storage. However, like you said, it did not have ABS and that was a big factor for me. I must also admit that I am an acceleration junkie and I had been intrigued by the Zero ever since I saw the Gizmag YouTube video where one of the reviewers was so impressed he could barely speak after riding the SR. I had the same experience on my test ride. The salesman told me to keep it in Eco Mode until I got used to it. Of course as soon as I got it on the road I put it in Sport Mode and pinned it and the bike nearly went out from under me. No wheelie, just the feeling of being shot out of a cannon. I have never felt acceleration like that in my life. I don't think there is any other motorcycle out there with a comparable torque to weight ratio and all you have to do is twist the throttle, hang on, and all that torque is there instantly at any speed. From that moment on I was a goner, totally hooked. So it really wasn't that I didn't like the BV, it was that the Zero was irresistible.

 

[ftrrdr]

Thanks for the info about the BV. That answered some of my questions since I didn't take a test ride.