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Scooter(s) to NC700X....A Review

J

JoshuaJohnson111089

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Hi there guys,

I've had the NC for about 4 weeks now so I think I can give a fair and hopefully not too subjective review on it. Well, less of a review but a comparison of someone who rode scooters before owning the NC.

Backstory - Got my first bike, a brand new PCX125 while living in Denver this past Winter/Spring. I live in Louisiana now. I just turned 23 a few days ago and have been riding less than a year overall.

2011 Honda PCX125 Owned from February 2012 to October 2012 (Trade for NC)

PCX.jpg

This thing was great to start out on. It was my only vehicle while I was leaving in Colorado and it started up with no problem even though it was 10 degrees outside sometimes. The power was okay for a 125cc scooter, great for the Denver suburbs anyways. Conclusion: Great scooter for a great price.

2005 Honda Big Ruckus

Big Ruckus.jpg

Got this scooter when I returned to Louisiana because I needed something a bit more powerful than my PCX. I found one traded at a dealership and picked it up because they are well known and rare in the scooter community. I didn't like it as much as some people do though. I'm not a fan of carburetors and it rode very...uhhhh...."boat-like".
Conclusion: Great to look at but wasn't much fun to drive. The lights are great though.....did not have one problem when driving at midnight down country roads.

2012 Honda NC700X

NC1.jpg

I was trying to decide on a used Piaggio MP3 500 scooter, a scooter I've been wanting for a LONG time....or take a gamble and buy the similarly priced NC700X, even though I never drove a motorcycle.

I'm not sure if I made the "right" choice, but after a few weeks getting comfortable with the clutch I can say that I'm really happy with the bike. The storage is unique and the upright seating position is great. A few gripes....Lights aren't bright at all, seat is sort of iffy, the clutch lever is really far away, why no gear display???

Overall though, I'm content :p
 
Glad you enjoy the NCX. It's quite a departure from scooters and it seems like you are getting used to the new bike.

The clutch lever and the clutch engage point might be a little far for people with smaller hand/fingers. It is not uncommon to replace both levers with after-market adjustable levers. It will allow you to adjust the reach of each lever so it'd be more comfortable to operate. As for the lack of gear indicator, that's pretty normal for motorcycles. If you really have to have one, there are after market options to be had. For people, once you are used to the bike and get a good feel for the engine, you can pretty much tell which gear you are in.
 
Welcome to the forum. I have a Yamaha Zuma 125 and the NC700, so maybe I can give you a little advice on your issues.
You can upgrade the headlight, but it requires a lot of customization since there really is no plug and play headlight upgrade. You can however install driving lights on the bike to improve the lighting. Personally, I've never noticed a problem with the brightness, but that's just me.
Coming from the scooter, I can see why you would call the small NC seat "iffy". Some people really hate the seat while others don't have a problem with it. It will break in somewhat over time, and at 23 you will probably get used to it (On the other hand, if you were 40 years older like me, you'd probably be shopping for a modified seat). It is definitely smaller than the scooter seats, so you may want to give it some time before you decide which camp you fall into.
The clutch lever is probably another of those things that you'll get used to, but if the reach is too far for you there are adjustable levers listed on EBay for this bike. If you search the mods section of this forum you'll find some threads discussing them.
Nobody knows why Honda didn't include a gear readout on the manual transmission bike's instrument panel. Most people have said that after a few thousand miles, they just look at their speed and compare that to the rpm readout on the tach to figure out what gear they are in.

Hope this helps,
Bob
 
Welcome to the forum,
It seems those who bought the dual clutch model are very pleased with them, The extra cost is there but you do get ABS also, and it seems to be one of the best options for an automatic transmission.
I hope you continue to learn the manual transmission. It seems that the engine makes such smooth power that a person can get by fine without having to shift in many situations.
I sure do like my NC.

Art
 
Welcome! Your story is eerily similar to mine. I'm 25, had a 2011 PCX 125 Bought in February 2012, Bought my NC700 in October 2012. Gave the PCX to the girlfriend though, The trade in they offered me was ridiculous. Guess they didn't sell well in my area.

I went with the DCT version though. I don't agree with the lights though. Maybe try adjusting the aim. As my NC came stock with the headlights pointing 20 feet in front of the bike. I find the Low Beam's adequate, and the high beam is simply the Best out of any bike I have ever rode. (not that many)
 
Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story. Happy Birthday, BTW (11/10/89?).

I saw some Piaggio MP3s at Deals Gap a year or two ago. Always wanted to try one. They are kind of heavy and pricey, though, and the brand doesn't have a perfect reliability record, from what I understand.

I'll bet you'll like the NC more and more as you get some miles on it.

Greg
 
670cc said:
Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story. Happy Birthday, BTW (11/10/89?).

I saw some Piaggio MP3s at Deals Gap a year or two ago. Always wanted to try one. They are kind of heavy and pricey, though, and the brand doesn't have a perfect reliability record, from what I understand.

I'll bet you'll like the NC more and more as you get some miles on it.

Greg
Click to expand...

Welcome JoshuaJohnson111089

111089 / 11/10/89 ?

My email address ends in 71959 7/19/59.

Captain Samuel Nicholas formed two battalions of Continental Marines on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as naval infantry.

237 Years

USMC_logo.svg.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi Joshua, Some similarities here! I've had my NC for 4 weeks, it's my first bike and I rode a 125 scooter, (Yamaha XMAX 125) for a couple of years beforehand.
I have a question....What kind of license you have to have in the US to ride a bike versus a scooter. It was your comments about getting used to the clutch, which made assume you'd not had to take any tests before stolling in to the Honda dealership and taking off in to the LA sunset.
Here in Europe, you can ride a 125cc on a car license, but then you have to do a theory test and two practical exams before you can ride a motorcycle, but even then only up to 35KW/48 BHP. Two years has to pass and points points earned before you can be let lose on any bike without restrictions of limitations.
I ask the question, because the next time I visit the States, I'd like to hire a motorcycle and it would be good to know the rules, (if in fact there are any!).
Regards from Andy the Brit in Barcelona.
 
Depends on what state you want to ride or drive in. Mostly for anything 2 wheels with 50cc and up you need to take a riding test, and an "education" test. Guess you could call it a theory test. It's so simple if you already have a drivers license.(car). Once passed, you can ride anything. Most states perform the riding test on the cheapest 250cc bike they can find. I performed the test on a 90s era tu250
 
Hi there, It differs from state to state. But for the most part you have to have a motorcycle endorsement for any bike over 50cc, scooter or motorcycle, doesn't matter. To get your liscense all you need to do is take a wriiten test and a driving test, which also differs in difficulty depending on what state/city you do it at.
 
nc700xbarcelona said:
Hi Joshua, Some similarities here! I've had my NC for 4 weeks, it's my first bike and I rode a 125 scooter, (Yamaha XMAX 125) for a couple of years beforehand.
I have a question....What kind of license you have to have in the US to ride a bike versus a scooter. It was your comments about getting used to the clutch, which made assume you'd not had to take any tests before stolling in to the Honda dealership and taking off in to the LA sunset.
Here in Europe, you can ride a 125cc on a car license, but then you have to do a theory test and two practical exams before you can ride a motorcycle, but even then only up to 35KW/48 BHP. Two years has to pass and points points earned before you can be let lose on any bike without restrictions of limitations.
I ask the question, because the next time I visit the States, I'd like to hire a motorcycle and it would be good to know the rules, (if in fact there are any!).
Regards from Andy the Brit in Barcelona.
Click to expand...

I would suggest you look into getting an International Drivers license. I don't know the Spanish rules, but that was what I had to do years back to drive in Europe (over here all it took was to go to the closest American Automobile Association office and show them my regular drivers license). If you have a motorcycle endorsement on your current license, they may be able to issue you an International one with the endorsement.

Bob
 
Like somebody said, it depends on what state your in. A lot of scooters are 49cc because anything 50cc and over you'll need a license for. Here in Nebraska we've got an antiquated law that says anything that has pedals on it doesn't need a tag or motorcycle permit. I think they stopped making mopeds w/ pedals back in the early eighties. I tried to find one at one point simply due to the licensing loophole, but I couldn't find a good one for sale. There are a few people in town here who do ride them; one guy with a chrome helmet and cowboy boots.

I also looked into getting a Piaggio MP3 at one point as well. Decided maintenance and repairs could be a real nightmare though. I did trade in my Honda Reflex 250 on my DCT. The dealership gave me a very good price for it in my opinion. I ended up riding the thing for 4 years for a total of $500 plus a battery and set of tires. Not bad! I loved the scooter. Extremely practical for commuting in Omaha. When the NC700x came out though I had to have it. I'm going to say it's among the best purchases I've ever made. I've just got a bunch of cold weather gear, cause I ain't getting off of it until there's snow or ice.
 
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