| Author | Message | ||
     Lars1974 |
Hi all, last Wednesday I got my new Ride for the coming months and its a Honda NC700XA! Having done just over a 100mls commuting since than I decided today I would run her in properly. my starting mileage was:  and the tank was still more than half full. First I went around Berkshire towards West Berks and than headed to Basingstoke, Hampshire. The roads were pretty wet still and greasy, but the NC is very planted and with ABS on-board I can brake whenever, wherever...  soon I found myself on even smaller road, with no traffic and the little NC purred along nicely.  Hampshire is very pretty and picturesque and with some many old churches and house I stopped a view times to took photos...here is a nice one  I than tried a couple of "green" lanes or better mud lanes to see what the NC is like on the rougher stuff and it coped well. Tyres are an obvious limitation compare to the knobblies on my XR400 but I had trouble and the ABS and smooth power delivery made it easy to ride through. Bike got nice and filthy too.   I thank stopped for quick cuppa and also chatted to a fellow rider on his 12er BMW GSA - he could not believe that I took the 4 days old machine off-road for a bit! but well there is a first for everything....  i guess the bike looked pretty dirty at that stage  this was the only bit of blue sky I had all day, but I did not mind  I also tried a bit of the faster roads and the bike is also fully at home at higher speeds..  the fuel gauge started showing reserve at 176 miles and I push on as I wanted to get to 200+. luckely these bikes are so fuel efficient that I made the 200 mark with no problems at all  the Bike took 12.11 liters which give me 75mpg (UK) = 3.75l/100km = very good considering its been off-road, high speed etc.  there you have it - first Tank successfully emptied and replenished. I rode another 60mls before getting home after almost doing 170 miles - I took one last picture before heading home.  The bike ran perfect all day ( I did not expect anything else...). I was comfy, light, handled very well, sure footed and economical. I found myself cruising mainly in 5th or 6th gear on the lanes at speeds between 50-70mph. Overtakes are easy. my SLR camera together with my rucksack fitted nicely in the luggage space - very clever that! Anyway, that it for now. Thanks and Greetings to all from the UK Lars | ||
| Fb1 |
Lars, awesome ride report!  Cheers, Ferris | ||
| Geedee |
Thanks Lars, nice fall photos. I lived close to Purley near Reading, Berks. for a short while. Pretty place, good times, great pubs. | ||
| Sifo |
Nice to see a bike that has some focus on economy. Perhaps more than I really want, but I assume that it would be possible to perk that mill up a bit and still get pretty good MPG. I test rode the NC700 version with the built in bags when it came out. Found it just a little bit too tame for what I wanted in a sport touring bike. I won't knock it for suiting your needs though. I still haven't found a perfect bike. | ||
| Prior |
Great RR. I've read quite a bit about this bike, not really for me, but if my wife decided to ride for 1) fun, and 2) economics of it, I'd be all over this bike. So many bikes, so little time... | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Thanks for the review. I too have recently joined the ranks of lightweight touring with my Versys 650. They had these two side by side at the dealer and I couldn't have gone wrong with either, but being a Kawi lover at heart I went with the Versys. There is some truth to the old adage where it is more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow. Wishing you many happy miles. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Thanks for the review, great pictures, love the second pic and the photo with the church in the mirror! Looks good with mud on it.  I wondered how real world riders would like it. I think I might like to try one as a possible replacement for my SuperTT, I know it won't have the power, but I was interested in the fuel mileage and multifunction appeal of the bike. Are they all auto shift or can you choose that as an option? I've been curious about this bike since I saw a used model with only 600 miles on the clock at the dealership, I kinda think I want one, need to ride one first though... (Message edited by littlebuggles on November 18, 2012) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
a full tank and mud ??!?! a great way to spend an afternoon, nice looking ride Many happy miles ahead of ya. | ||
| Danger_dave |
Cheers - nice report. >>Are they all auto shift << And FWIW re transmissions - All those haters (On ADV) that implied I was sniffing glue when I said the 'DN-01 was an important harbinger of transmissions to come' can kiss my you-know-what. :-) (Message edited by danger_dave on November 18, 2012) | ||
| Lars1974 |
Thanks guys for all the comment. Not all NC's are DCT version as mine is a normal 6 speed manual. I would have liked a DCT but they not available for me yet.... I will love the fuel savings on my daily 40mile commute and I still have a CB1000R and the Uly for fun! With the low reving long stroke engine and a max rpm at 6.5k its actually very similar to the Buells, not as strong of course....but i like the power low down and predictable especially in Winter times... I can only recommend to try one and if you can try the DCT auto too as for this engine characteristic is works brilliant! | ||
| Bpt |
Nice report, great pictures. My son just bought a NC as his daily rider. Been averaging 60mpg. Sends me texts every time he fills up just to rub it in. Congrats, should be a great bike. | ||
| Teeps |
Lars, Did you use miles, so us in the US wouldn't have to convert? Nice photos, really like the Church in the mirror, shot. Cheers. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
No Teeps, they use miles in the UK like we do. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Just remember that a UK gallon is about 1.2 US gallon, but a US mile is the same. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
What about the nautical mile? And a country mile? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Nautical miles, well I rarely ride on the water these days, it raises too many difficult questions like "Is this the second coming?" to which I generally reply "No, it's the cut of these trousers." Country mile has a variable coefficient depending whether you're starting from here or not, & if I were you, I wouldn't have started from here. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
Nice write up on your new bike. I liked the NC700 they had here in the states but was liking the ST1300 more. I always find it interesting when people call these small bikes because when I was a kid growing up, I owned. 500cc Kawasaki which at that time was the second fastest production drag bike made. Now I feel they make these motorcycles to big. I have wished many times that my Uly had a XB9 motor in it. I never use it's full power potential. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I think the NC700 is a brilliant bike... perfect commuter and play bike. | ||
| Lars1974 |
Hi all, Here are a few photos taken tonight of the luggage compartment! Its brilliant. Fits my HJC full face lid Size M easily, also gym stuff and i had a weekly shop in it already...   Here with the helmet in....  And here another picture from a different angle...  Hope this helps. Thanks Lars | ||
| Elsinore74 |
Lars, Thanks for the report and detail pics. The NC700X would be a good fit for my riding style were I in the market for something new. Its low-revving power characteristics are a nice change from other middleweight offerings, for sure. Thanks also for the location pics. Stationed at RAF Greenham Common in the late 1980s, it brought back memories. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Look! It's The Stig being born!  | ||
| Britchri10 |
@ Elsinore: My father worked @ ROF Burghfield in the '80's right next door to Greenham Common. Small world. Were you dealing w/ nuclear cruise missiles when you were there? Chris C | ||
| Lars1974 |
This week on monday i filled the second empty tank and again i cover 189 miles and refuelled 11.53 liters which is about 74mpg....for the last 2 days i have been using the car though as its too cold... | ||
| Buellish |
"for the last 2 days i have been using the car though as its too cold..." Heated gear for Christmas! That's great mileage! | ||
| Akbuell |
Mmmm, kind of off topic, but was that tank somewhere in the area of US$2.20 a quart? If so, we here sometimes forget what good things we do have. Hopefully the Grump will give me the straight answer .... | ||
| Hootowl |
"Look! It's The Stig being born!" Now we know. Jeremy won't be happy the Stig's mother is a motorcycle. That tank trunk might be the neatest thing I've ever seen on a bike. Bravo! Edited to insert missing word. I'm slipping. (Message edited by hootowl on December 13, 2012) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Some say... his mother was a motorcycle. All we know.... | ||
| 86129squids |
Dang... gotta find me another PC800 in the new year... | ||
| Pwnzor |
Am I missing something? Where is the fuel tank? Under the seat? | ||
| Buellish |
The fuel tank is under the passenger seat. |
