New Honda NC700X Anyone ride one of these yet???

Hey all!

I've been researching the new Honda NC700X which is suppose to be available at dealers this summer. Has anyone ridden one of these yet? The price point is nice (KLR 650 nice) and the parallel twin looks promising. Just wanted to get some insight from someone who's actually ridden one or even just sat on one. My little PoDunk dealership probably won't see one in 5 years.

It gets talked about over here and some people in that thread have ridden it.

Cheers
Graham

Forum search is your friend.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=728895
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=740243

Might be worth considering a V-Strom 650 instead...

--mark

Plenty over here have.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=759020

Some people got uppity about it being in Beasts yet they are happy to have other road bikes here.

Given that it shares a platform with the Honda Integra, you could argue it belongs in Battle Scooters. An ADV bike it ain't

yeah..as soon as it sees dirt it falls to bits

It has survived seen the Strom - that would have hardened it to survive the dirt, too ...

It looks like an ADV bike to me. It has a beak! Plus an upright seating position, longer than average suspension travel (than a street bike) high clearance and a tall seat. Doesn't that make it just as worthy ADV bike as a strom or GS? Put some dual sport tires and paniers on it and I'd swear it was a F800GS (from a distance). The articles I've read said it had a lot of low end torque which would make it perfect for picking your way through a steep jeep trail. What I'm excited about is the 60+ MPG and low entry price. Seems like it would be ideal for long hauls on a budget. What do you all say? Is it a beast or not?

I'm sure it's a decent touring bike, and very reliable and economical, too. But where does the claim come from, that it's got plenty of ground clearance? Doesn't look that way to me, with the road-sized front, and especially if for 'ADV-use' one might want to fit some bashplate under the engine, otherwise you're almost guaranteed to break something expensive rather sooner than later. (..is a proper bashplate available from Honda, BTW??)

Also would be nice to know, what sort of abuse those wheels are willing to take without problems. Again they look very street-oriented.

(But I really don't know, if it can cut it or not, I'm just wondering..)

Will just watch and wait.

It looks like an ADV bike in the same way that a Honda CRV looks like a Range Rover. They might look roughly the same but that doesn't mean they are equally capable

It's just a normal standard with a bit more suspension to soak up some extra bumps for those well maintained roads (sarcasm) that councils are responsible for. It would be very usefull in Oz. which is why they are not bringing it here

I suppose that just leaves the S version and people would have to slow down a bit like they did in the old days

Graham, isn't the raised suspension fitted so that don't get holes in their sumps?

Won't help I'm afraid. 190mm isn't enough either, Bash plates don't help. 250mm is about the minimum I think.

yeah, because everyone needs a dakar race bike to tour the world on.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_0503_riding_argentina/photo_14.html

So why the pretense? Why make it look like an off-roader? It's the two wheeled equivalent of a Honda CRV, which is basically a Civic with some off road styling. I get that they are popular and people want to project the "rugged" image, but in the end you are driving/riding a styling exercise.

Exactly! Brings an old saying to mind about the poor carpenter who blames his tools.

I started this thread to hear from folks who have ridden or maybe have seen the NC700X in person but so far it seems that those individuals have not spoken up. Since I already have a very dirt capable DS bike and I don't have a lot of cash, I got excited when I saw this model from Honda as a possible replacement for my aging KLR 650 for making longish rides and for commuting back and forth to work. I would throw on some DS tires and fabricate some sort of bash plate but it would probably only see gravel roads and perhaps a jeep trail or two. It is 500lbs after all. From what I've read in reviews, I think it will fit the bill nicely for me but I was hoping to hear some first hand experiences from a trusted source. Thanks for your inputs so far.

In the right hands any bike is capable of just about anything, that doesn't mean it isn't easier to do what you set out to do if you choose the best bike for the job. I'm just saddened to see Motorcycles going down the Crossover route that cars have gone down, strong looking bikes built on weak foundations, all mouth and no trousers. I guess it's a concession to the fact that people want the image, but don't use the functionality so why waste the money giving it to them

other than the little beak, I don't see much "off-road" styling going on. I do think it's a good looking bike, and would make a great little tourer, probably on par with a versys. I think these style of bikes are the new "standards". naked bikes just don't sell that well anymore, so the manufacturers have to dress them up somehow yet still attract a large audience.
if I get a chance to ride one, I'd give it a shot. for the price, it's a hell of a bike, especially if it has the typical honda fit and finish, and I'd bet the farm that more than one person will buy one and ride it around the world, while lots of gs's and ktm's sport knobbies and the most dirt they see is from someone's driveway.