Ride apart ADV bike of the year.

[theloop]

Honda was #1, and the runner up.

RideApart Motorcycle Of The Year Awards | Page 3 of 3 | RideApart

 

[Lord la la]

Dang it...now I'm gonna have to sell my NC700x (which is in transit, I haven't even received it yet) and buy me a CB500x

Seriously though.... Good on Honda!

(But...) I wonder if Honda had any input re the selections (?)

 

[mdouglas71]

It's nice that the NC700 still s iin the runner up though! Damn... I really want to try and test ride a CB500X now to find all the hype and see what it's all about. Who woulda thunk that they'd give an electric bike the award too .

 

[SergeantChuck]

Someone on this forum has both at his house. Can't remember who but he has commented before on the differences. Maybe he'll speak up.

 

[Lou Wambsganss]

I test rode the CB500X and the NC700X and ended up buying the NC (obviously, since I'm on this forum). I will say that both bikes felt pretty similar. The 500 might be a little lighter, but the 700 carries its weight so low, that they handle the same. The 500 engine requires more RPMs to achieve the same acceleration as the 700. I believe both are rated at similar MPGs, due to the 700s lower RPM requirements. The 700 has an ace up its sleeve, which the 500 cannot match: The Frunk. The CB500 is basically built like a normal motorcycle with a gas tank on top.

 

[Old Can Ride]

Lighter is better, if it does what you need it to do. If it meets your needs go lighter, but your needs come first.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

I test rode the CB500X and the NC700X and ended up buying the NC (obviously, since I'm on this forum). I will say that both bikes felt pretty similar. The 500 might be a little lighter, but the 700 carries its weight so low, that they handle the same. The 500 engine requires more RPMs to achieve the same acceleration as the 700. I believe both are rated at similar MPGs, due to the 700s lower RPM requirements. The 700 has an ace up its sleeve, which the 500 cannot match: The Frunk. The CB500 is basically built like a normal motorcycle with a gas tank on top.

I would say the ace would be valve adjustments. The cubby is real nice too. I can't believe they didn't lower the head on the 500 and give it screw and locknut adjustment like the 700.

 

[Mr_Krabs]

The valve adjustment thing for the NC700X would probably be never. Generally if the valves are stable after the first check they're likely to not recede on an engine like this for the rest of the engine's life. Think about it. This revs about the same as the Honda Fit, the European and Asian versions with the smaller 1.4 liter engine, they consistently rev about 4000 rpms and last easily 100,000 miles. How many people have ever adjusted the valves on their Honda cars?

So for me I like the fact that after the first valve check the valves likely will never need to be touched again. On a smaller high revving engine like on the CBR600 it's common for people to not even need to adjust valves til 30,000 miles.

 

[Lou Wambsganss]

The valve adjustment thing for the NC700X would probably be never. Generally if the valves are stable after the first check they're likely to not recede on an engine like this for the rest of the engine's life. Think about it. This revs about the same as the Honda Fit, the European and Asian versions with the smaller 1.4 liter engine, they consistently rev about 4000 rpms and last easily 100,000 miles. How many people have ever adjusted the valves on their Honda cars?

So for me I like the fact that after the first valve check the valves likely will never need to be touched again. On a smaller high revving engine like on the CBR600 it's common for people to not even need to adjust valves til 30,000 miles.

There is a difference in the valvetrains. Most, if not all, modern automotive engines (and many motorcycles) use engine oil inflated hydraulic adjusters to continually compensate for valve gap. Our NC700, while sharing some engine geometry and parts, does not use hydraulic adjusters. We have the tried-and-true Honda screw-and-nut mechanical adjusters.

That being said, you are probably right. Once the initial bedding-in is done, there will likely be little to no change over thousands of miles, thanks to the low-RPM, low-valve spring tension, and general Honda engineering.

 

[Lou Wambsganss]

I would say the ace would be valve adjustments. The cubby is real nice too. I can't believe they didn't lower the head on the 500 and give it screw and locknut adjustment like the 700.

Shims are most common on DOHC engines, like the CB. Our NC700X is a SOHC, so it needs rockers to actuate the valves, at which point you might as well put a nut on the end and call it good. Those few extra milligrams of mass at the end of the rockers don't matter when you only spin up to 6,500 RPM. For an engine that runs to 14,000 RPM, that's a different story and the extra mass could cause problems with cam wear or valve float.

FYI, if anyone's interested, you can get Titanium rocker nuts!! Honda cb750 Valve Train