As the owner of 15 plus Hondas from the late 70s on I can safely say Hondas build quality is rubbish compared. My 99 vfr800fi is blemish free zero rot. I had one of these 21 plate dct. The suspension is awful. The swing arm is like mild box steel. Te,e the adjusters off and look inside. I had mine 3 months hated tthe ride but suspension mods would have cured that but rusty swingarm at a year old. Sold it. Sorry Honda but you are losing it
I had a 2014 NC700X. It didn’t have the DCT. Rode it for 10 years and traded it for the 2024 Honda Transalp. The NC700 was a great bike. I never had a single issue with it. I really miss that storage compartment. I never found it boring at all.
@ I really like the TA. Have not had any issues so far. I have right around 3,000 miles on it. It came stock with the quick shifter on it and I absolutely love it. Still missing that storage compartment on the NC700. I do like the TA better due to the fact that I can do more off pavement riding.
@@chunkybullmoto isnt it more fun in general?i mean ,the 90hp dont make a differense on road?i m thinking for the 2025 transalp,over tenere and vstrom.
@ the TA is a really fun bike to ride. On road and off road it is a blast to ride. I haven’t ridden the tenera or vstrom, so I would recommend test riding all of them and pick the one you like best.
Last year I bought a Kawasaki ZZR1400 and a Honda NC750X. By the end of the year I realised the Honda was my 'go-to' machine. Indeed I used the big Kawasaki so little I sold it. There isn't another bike out there I would rather have.
Great real owner review! As the owner of a 2017 DCT, I immediately paid attention when you highlighted the harshness of the suspension, as you are the ONLY review I've read that has ever mentioned it, something I noticed from the first day I bought the bike. Of course the 2017 has less rider modes, but it has equally needless/useless selectable colors/gears/rpm buried in a seriously complicated menu. I figured out the trip meters, but all the other crap I NEVER use. Other than those things, this bike has been the easiest to ride, efficient, reliable, and versatile bike out of close to 100 I've owned. I'm also a big fan of thd DCT, and typically ride using the paddle shifters for downshifts in the eco mode. When people realize they should ride bikes that impress themselves and not others, it stands out. And judging by the growing group of owners, many are. And the day I got 24 beer and a Costco chicken in the storage bin, it became my friend for life! Boring? Not a chance!
I bought a 2020 in August of 2021 and have put 40,000 miles on it in just over 3 years. I absolutely love mine. It is taller than yours, is manual and I put risers on it. I live in Texas where everything is bigger lol
As a lot have people already said, “great review” couldn’t disagree with any of it. Bought my DCT in January 24 and have just clocked up 4000 miles, was a little unsure about the bike at first but it ultimately it has won me over. Completely useable in the real world on real roads but I have upgraded the front and rear suspension with Hyperpro front springs and a YSS rear shock, that has made a big improvement for a total of £800. It’s definitely not an Adventure bike, and it does have its flaws but for me it does everything I want from for a fairly reasonable outlay and the economy is great. Hope to see your follow on vids, just subscribed, I wish all TH-camrs could follow your lead. By the way you can get rid of annoying gear/rev light on dash completely if you want. Instructions in handbook, and you can also see how many miles you have travelled once the bike goes onto reserve fuel. Can be set through menu settings. All the best Martyn
Cheers, yes the hyperpro springs sound like a worthwhile upgrade. The rev-light was turned off immediately. I found the setting for the miles travelled since going onto reserve, but what I really want is the estimated range left! First world problems, eh? 😁
I’ve had it NC 750 X with DCT since May 2023. I’ve now done nearly 6000 miles and I’m still on the original tires (they are still legal). I had the same problem with the diameter of the grips and my big hands, so I fitted some grip puppies that only cost about £17. I also found that little light in the top right hand corner of the dash annoying, so learnt how to turn it off. I totally agree with your comments about it not really being an adventure bike. I’ve been riding for just over 50 years, for my style of riding I think this is the best bike I’ve ever owned. I have three other bikes and prefer riding this. Thanks for your video.
Hi, thanks for your comment, glad you're enjoying the bike. I'm curious to know what tyres your bike came with. It seems to be luck whether you got Dunlop Trailmax D609 (crap) or Metzeler Tourance Next (good) . I also just got some grip puppies and fitted them - they definitely seem to be an improvement. Cheers!
I own a 2024 NC750x DCT and like many others I love mine. It's a all around workhorse for everyday commuting and longer trips. For me I just ride my own ride.
Thank you for this honest, no nonsense review. the NC 750 may not be the most exciting bike on the market, far from it. However, I would not go as far as label it 'boring'. In my unprofessional opinion, It is a reliable, solid, dependable, frugal, low maintenance with a 5 year warranty bike. That works for me.
'18 manual owner here. Riding 50 years. You need to ride it for what it is, not what u want. Jeez!, people hitting the red line. You ride it in the torque zone, not power band. Its a long stroke, keep it in the "meat". With road based tyres it can certainly hustle along. Great production mate. Cheers from New Zealand
Yep my Ducati would've shaken itself to bits if I tried to use the same revs as the Honda. Well, to be fair it shook itself to bits regardless, but anyway 🤣
I picked up the same model this year in June as a daily. Brilliant bike. Problems had - the handbrake calliper bolts came loose and I actually lost a bolt. I never use it so didn’t realise immediately. Extras that came with the bike - Honda heated grips and a Givi carrier. Extras I added - Givi hand guards, SW motech engine guards, usb port, Givi auxiliary lamps, oh, and a Leo Vince pipe just because that engine note was crying out to be released. And don’t give up on Dunlop!! I added Dunlop Mutants which are honestly some of the best tyres I’ve ever run on any bike. Give them a go!
Well done review with a dry sense of humour. I loved it. I drive a very practical 2006 Honda Silverwing 600 (scooter on steroids) and love it. The NC is on the top of my list to replace my Silverwing in 2 years when it turns 20. Other riders used to joke me about my bike until they could not keep up to me in twisties. Keep up the great work and who cares what others think in the long run. Dave from Nova Scotia, Canada
Silverwing! I remember when they were basically a CX500 with a load of Tupperware glued to it 😂 Bikes & scooters have come a long way in the last 30 years (and when I remember some of the sh!t heaps I used to ride that's a really good thing ;-)
Love your style MV and so grateful that you don’t regale us with your legendary poetry 😉 Having owned a 2015 model NC750X I wholeheartedly agree with your summary. It’s not the bike for charging around like a loon scaring the locals but as a travel bike, i.e. somewhere to sit and enjoy the scenery with minimal fuss, it’s exemplary. Mine was a manual ,so none of the dct shenanigans, but fast A road overtakes were terrifying because I kept hitting the rev limiter at the worst possible moment. Presumably the dct fixes that. I’m currently on a Transalp which is great for faster rides but when the roads get slow and narrow I find myself wishing I was back on the NC. Hope you enjoy the bike.
Cheers. Yes I definitely think overtakes are where the DCT shines on this bike - although it does take away the fun of 'rev-limiter-roulette' 😲 Interesting, I thought the Transalp would be good on the narrow roads - I assume it has wider bars and a more upright riding position?
@@MultiVogon The Transalp does indeed have slightly wider bars and a marginally more upright riding position but where it fails is in the power delivery. It really doesn't like plodding around at low revs and there's a flat spot between 3000-4000 rpm. Not a deal breaker but every other mid capacity twin I have ridden (NC750, Vstrom, MT07, CB500X, etc.) does it better IMHO.
Brilliant review that for once sounds like it is done by somebody who thinks for themselves and knows the actual bike. Best real world review I think I have ever come across for any bike. Keep it up.
Great review. I bought a 2014 demonstrator with 212 miles. I put 73,000 miles on it before I moved to spain. Used it for work, camping and rides out with my son an friends. It's now a works hack for a repair shop. When I got to spain I bought a Yamaha, MT07 But I was always thinking of the NC. So, 3 days ago I pxed it for a 2024 NC. Yeagggghhhh.
I have a 2015 Model/ 2016 Reg DCT that I bought end of 2019 with only 1600 Km, went to look at a manual but the DCT was like new and a great price so I took it home. I have done lots of commuting, weekend riding and tours all over Europe. 82000 Kms now. Only issues were a wheel bearing and fork seal. Always reliable and cheap to run and maintain, never found it boring. Did the Route des Grande Alps last September. The bike is great for touring in the mountains and small back roads, still rolls well enough 150-160 Kmh on the Autobahn if needed. Yeah you see a lot of people out there with fancier bikes but are they really having that much more fun. I have other expensive sports and hobbies and this bike keeps the motorbike budget reasonable while still lots of fun.
I was feeling a strong pull towards the V85tt but videos like this keep fueling my doubts. Honda Transalp 750 coming right up! I will wait until the 2025 model becomes available in a few months. Enjoy your bike and forget about the dull bit. If its a pleasure to ride, then its a good bike.
If the new 2025 model finds its way to Australia I would definitely consider it.i have a 2019 model year purchased in 2020 cb500x Dunlop trail max done 14000 kms and still has 4mm tread left on both tyres low powered commuter and decent solo ride tourer.your review of this nc750 is very comprehensive well done sir.
Already 23k miles on my NC750 2019. Runs perfectly. Couple modifications for comfort definitely recomend. This bike is road/commuting. Nothing about extremely rides. But i keep my Honda in garage for more long time.
Sold my GS 1200 a year ago and bought this very same bike even same colour and I love it. Thought it was slow but it is not. Did have the same issue with it lurching forwards when you man handle it so I always select N before pushing it. All in all a great bike.
Anything with two wheels and an engine is good in my book! I had an NC750 loan bike from my insurance for most of a summer, and over time fell in love with the thing. Fast enough for twisty Scottish roads, amazing fuel economy, and that storage box is one of the best things in biking. Yes the suspension could do with a bit of work, and the OE Dunlops are rubbish, especially in the wet (several brown trouser moments as normal speeds), but give the bike time and you can appreciate it for what it is.
Watched a lot of reviews on the NC750X the last few weeks and I think this review solidified my thinking and I'm now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 2025 NC750X, subject to some long test rides. I'm a new, older rider and this would pair nicely w my Yamaha 250XT for longer rides on pavement to the twisties. Life is good, and I don't want mine to end mine in a MC wreck so "boring" is good!
I'll certainly be trying to have a go on a 2025 version next year so I can see if it's worth the upgrade. On paper it doesn't really look it, but if I was buying new right now, I'd probably wait too!
Entertaining and useful review. You get this bike. I'm finding it hard to decide what would come next after the shine of mine has worn off. It's soooo useful. The 2025 model doesn't move things on enough to tempt me to change but it's good to see Honda are adding small improvements. I'm waiting for the belt drive/ larger frontal bodywork version to arrive in my ideal future.
Thanks! Well this is the third 'I'm going to keep this forever now' bike I've had in a row. Not sure if that says more about the bikes or about me :-D I'll definitely be keeping it for the duration of the warranty at the very least. (don't quote me on that though!)
Defo not dull, loved mine and did loads of miles on it. I sold it because the DCT started playing up, turned out to be the ‘shifter motor’ but took my local main dealer over a month to diagnose. Went from the NC back to a GS but now on an X-ADV 750, which is a brilliant bike. The brakes and suspension are noticeably better than the NC. looking forward to seeing more videos from you about this great bike 😎👍🏻🎉 oh and Veridian sell a (proper) bolt on Crusie Control for the RBW NC’s 🔧
Yeah I'd read about the shift motor issue on forums somewhere I think - a cheap part to replace when you know what it is apparently. I'm surprised the dealers weren't all over that - car or bike, they just LOVE to replace parts instead of diagnosing problems 🙄 I've seen the CC option too - not sure I want to go that far just yet, we'll see!
If you’re not intending to go off road , which many NC750 x owners won’t be, Michelin road 6’s are a fantastic option that transforms the ride to a much better experience…great vid..any bike is as dull as you want it to be..🏍️💨💨
I had an early one the 7OO and it became the MOST ENJOYABLE BIKE TO RIDE. I would add its not the best bike ever for me but I did keep the bike longer than most of my other bikes. It did teach me to ride slower and relaxed. So maybe its a bike for older more experienced riders who need a change. I did fit an after market exhaust which gave it a more retro feel. I would consider another in the future. Thanks for the video, well done.
Cheers, yes more relaxed is definitely the way I feel about it at the moment. Still picks its skirts up and runs on the open road too though if desired. A friend has had a 700S from new, with about 50K miles on it and she loves it & has had no real issues with it other than the usual consumables. I always intend to keep bikes long term, so it will be interesting to see if this one hangs around or if after a year or two I decide that I want a change again. I will be reporting back on my experiences with Honda vs Moto Guzzi dealers anyway :-D
Bought one in 2018 and loved it. Very relaxing bike indeed. I ended up trading it for a Transalp, but I do miss it in a few ways. That frunk is extremely useful, and the bike is easy, reliable, comfortable and it can be ridden on dirt roads with ease with good clearance.
I think I'd be tempted by a transalp too, though I've not test ridden one. The engine would be good for off-roading I think, but probably not with a DCT.
I have the 2017 model I call it my dementia bike as its the dct model. Your right about the suspension but you soon get use to the ride. I love the idea your never in the wrong gear, no faffing at traffic lights and alway able to scratch your nose with either hand whilst staying in 1st gear ready for when the lights change. The 2017 model has different drive modes to the later models it has Drive then sport 1,2 & 3. I find sport 2 the ideal choice for town and twisty roads as its not going up and down the box all the time and it feels like riding a conventional bike. It's really a Marmite bike you either love or hate them. For me it's the most practical alrounder you can hop on and go anywhere without fear of not being on the wrong bike in any situation.
It really did make me think 'UJM' right away. And then I wondered where they'd all gone to as there were plenty about in the 90's. I guess it became a sports bike arms race. Then bikes like the original Multistrada began to usher in the era of the road focussed adventure bike 🤔
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Very nice review, I love the way you focus on details, I'm tempted to buy this bike, vids like yours makes me go for it right now, but I think big changes are comming on 2025 for this model. Maybe my biguest concern is no to find enough empaty with my sporty riding style. Hope you have a chance to make a vid of the CB650, the other in my wishlist.
Cheers, I try to make videos that are an alternative to all the 'real' channels that seem to just regurgitate the marketing information. I also try to wait a while so I've had a chance to try things in all conditions before commenting. Is the CB the one that has the e-clutch as an option? If you are a sporty rider the NC might not be the bike for you - at least not without spending some money on things like suspension upgrades... Having said that the 2025 bike has twin disks so might be more suited to a more spirited ride. I'll definitely try to test ride one. Cheers.
Vogon, good to see you're back with a 'new' bike! Shame you had to let the V85 go, but I understand you're reasons. I still have mine, including it's quirkiness (atm my blinker switch seems to misbehave: blinkers won't stay on sometimes, and other times they can't be switch off 😒). But, that's not a big enough issue for me to trade it in. I used to have a Tracer 700 which was/is a very nice bike. But too smooth to my liking. It does everything without complaints, easy and comfortable to ride. But, it get's "boring" after a while (I use boring for lack of a better word). Probably a bit similar to your Honda. But I agree with you: if you're bike is your primary means of transportation, you don't want stupid problems and stupid dealers. You want/need it to work, be dependable, etc. Nothing wrong with this Honda. It may lack the looks, it may lack the excitement, but if it fits your riding style, and won't let you down; who are we to judge? I wish you many 'boring' miles 😉!
Ha ha thanks. I've had my share of excitement over the years, but the roads these days are so crap that slowing it down and taking it a bit easier seems like the better option for me at least. I managed to get rid of my need-for-speed on the race track and off-road, don't feel like taking those risks on the roads for sure! I plan to keep the bike but I said that about the last two as well so... *shrugs* we'll see. Sadly I no longer have the space / money / time / inclination to have multiple bikes like I used to - hence having to find the best compromise I can right now. Oh I was always amused by the indicators on the V85 - you never quite knew what speed they were going to flash at ;-)
Thanks for the detailed useful review. About six months ago I rode my 500F to the Honda dealer to buy a 750X DCT only to find the bike had been discontinued here in Canada. I loved the idea of the DCT and I was really disappointed. Now I don't feel so bad about winding up with a V85. Yeah it is Italian; but so far it's been pretty great, especially the suspension.
@@MultiVogonHonda US don’t really take this bike seemingly offering it only DCT and only one colour (black I think) and dealers hardly ever have the. Possibly think that if supplied properly in the US then it would be a success and they would actually have to improve it. They also don’t do the sibling machines the X-ADV or the Forza 750, strange when the X-ADV is a big seller on mainland Europe.
@@MultiVogon Canada is a small market and getting smaller. Honda Canada cherry picks the handful of models they think will be most popular and that's it. When the Transalp came on the scene, that was the end for the 750X. What was interesting was that the 750X bikes gathering dust at dealers; instantly disappeared when word got out that the 750X was to be replaced with the more mainstream Transalp. There aren't even any used ones available. I looked.
Great video absolutely honest, I'm on my 3rd it's a strange place where the NC sits in the Honda Range, I've had nobly tyres on mine stuck in the mud small jumps off road, and this model id definitely not for that, looking forward to some more vids👍👍✴ deserves a star
Cheers, I watched your videos when researching this bike 👍Yes, the reduced suspension travel on the newer bikes tells me they don't really expect people to take these off-road much, despite their marketing spiel. I was just checking my dash-cam footage for a recent video, and noticed something had been saved in the 'accident' folder - I guess somewhere on the road was a bump big enough to trigger the camera's G-sensor. Never had that happen on the V85TT 🤣
Bought mine in 2019 (new) and just love the bike. You are spot on with the suspension and mine has the hard seat but other than that it my go to bike (I have a couple of others). My NT110 is DCT but the NC is manual so cannot comment how the DCT performs and have to say the NC has plenty real world power. I thought about changing to the 2025 model but Honda not been radical enough so the trusty 2019 is staying.
What's the NT1100 like with the DCT? I ride one fairly regularly (not owned by me) and am not a huge fan of it for many reasons - but the engine is nice and I reckon the DCT would be nicer than the manual to ride for sure.
@@MultiVogon I think the DCT works very well although I have heard folks complain they think it snatchy. Personally I find no issue but am sure if you are heavy handed on the throttle then they will have issues. I do love the NT, been all over Europe with it and it great value for money. The engine is indeed excellent. I have loads of vids on the NT if you interested.
I very much enjoyed your review as with your previous ones. I have some experience of NCs as a rider rather than an owner as a blood bike rider in Powys and have to say that they are excellent ie all day comfortable with that relaxed power delivery but sufficient power to overtake when the opportunity arises and best feature? That storage compartment with plenty of room for the paperwork, waterproof over gloves etc and most importantly a flask of tea! Ideally I'd like the seat to be slightly higher in relation to foot peg height like in my CB500x. Interestingly the economy LED was tapped over in order to avoid rider irritation! One suggestion for you re the grips is maybe consider Grip Puppies - I put some on my CB to smooth at the vibes but they do thicken them up considerably. I was concerned that they'd make my heated grips less effective but I think it just lengthens the time it takes before the heat comes through. Cheers Mike
Hello fellow blood-y biker, who knows, we may have met for a relay handover once (I did meet up with someone on an NC from a different area!) Yep with you on the footpeg/seat distance, though I seem to have adapted to it without any major issues. Just bought and installed some grip puppies - (see latest video!) and so far they're doing ok. Not a fan of hugely thicc(tm) grips, but they're a definite improvement over the standard Honda ones so far. Yes I reckon I'm a setting higher on the heated grips than I'd usually be, but they do warm up eventually. Cheers!
Thanks for your response fellow BBW biker. It's interesting that we may have actually met on a relay. Where are you based? We're largely based around the Llandrindod Wells area although some of our riders live much further afield and some have a 30 mile or more journey just to collect the blood bike. Like you, I find that I adapt ok to the slightly cramped riding position on the NC and I must admit, after I've returned it, I do enjoy the more relaxed position on my CB as well as the more frenetic engine which generally turns over about 2000rpm faster than the NC at comparable road speeds. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the Grip Puppies but I'll keep them under review and ditto the Loobman chain oiler that I've recently fitted. Maybe see you in a relay in 2025😊
Well I don't want to doxx myself on here if I can avoid it, no doubt if I ever become a real youtuber someone will do that for me anyway 😂 30 miles to collect the bike, that sucks. I can almost see our garage from my house so I should not complain! Ah... I've got a LoobMan sitting in the shed for the last couple of months - it looked more fiddly than I expected to fit, I convinced myself I'd wait until the wheel was off for new tyres before playing around with it. Should just get my finger out and fit it really!
I guess not wanting to "doxx" yourself means you don't want to identify yourself, so if we do meet in future on a relay we may well not know that we've communicated on here! Re the Loobman I delayed installing mine until I'd got my centre stand. Fitting wasn't too testing on the CB, I did loosen the back end of the chain guard and pushed up out of the way. The trickiest bit is to be able to get line of sight on the inside of the rear sprocket to see if the oil is getting to where it's meant to be.
I'm considering one of these puppies as I want to do some longererer distances but I wouldn't go DCT . I thought your comments on the suicide jockeys was very pertinent as I also observe Death Race 2000 on a regular basis here in Welsh Wales . Thanks for taking the time , I know how long even short movies take to produce .
Hey no problem. DCT isn't for everyone. At least we have a choice - sounds like the manual model wasn't ever imported into the USA from the reviews I've seen. Plus you can fit a loud exhaust if you really want to fit in with the squids ;-)
Couldn't agree more with a bang on review. It is a motorbike, a good one, and does not require pigeonholing. When I started bikes were just bikes and had to do everything from commuting to holidaying. My 23 with 5k miles suits me just fine, but I'm an old man with a buggered foot (hence the DCT) and like you, I think the biggest shame is the budget suspension, particularly the front forks. When I find the correct consensus of opinion on how to improve them, cheaply, I shall do so. I think I can live with the rear shock. I found that in Sport mode mine would change into top (6th) at an indicated 106 mph. Tyres were changed for Michelin Road 5's when I had a opportune puncture. I think the ECU unit "learns" how you ride and adjusts standard ride mode accordingly over time to better comply with throttle input. I found the riders footpegs to be too small and slippery in the wet and changed them for larger aftermarket ones, and the lack of screen adjustment and buffeting is cured by moving the screen forward to allow air behind it and mounted on adjustable rails. The single front disc is more than adequate and twin discs on the new version would not be enough to tempt me to change. The DCT alone means I shall keep this bike for as long as I'm able. Shall follow your future insights with interest, having now subscribed.
Hi thanks, glad you enjoyed my ramblings. Now there's pressure to actually make videos more often 😂 Hyperpro springs seem to be a common upgrade for the front forks, so I might look into that in the future. I've not had any issues with the footpegs so far - but they are quite small so I can see why some people change them. On my multistrada they were even smaller, with no rubber on them at all. Thanks, Italian sense-of-humour !!
There’s a South Africans guy, frank something I think, and he’s done some nice mods to his NC. Chunky tyres, different suspension, looks a lot better imo. I’ve looked at these for a couple of years, tried the CBX 500 but it wasn’t great on the motorways. I’ve got a tiger 1050 at the moment but it’s not for me, too big and heavy. Real world power, the NC is more than enough. Good to see you back. 👍
I'll have to check it out, ta. The NC would be fine on the motorway as far as speed goes, but I think the lack of wind protection and no cruise control would make it tiring quite quickly. I also ride (not my bike) a new model Tiger (900? 950? not even sure lol) and it's a pretty nice bike to ride to be fair.
Thanks for a straight up honest review of the NC. Suspension appears to be a weak point and I hope that’s addressed in the new 2025 model. I’m still considering one in the future as the frunk is perfect for photographers and those requiring regular snacks.
I prefer to be in control of everything on my bike "triumph bonneville " l don't like rider aids TFT screens and a bike with no clutch is a scooter. Excellent review 👏 you very good, extremely audible, l enjoyed the honesty. Thank you.
I hear ya. I'm happy to have some rider aids though - would much rather have a bike with ABS and TC these days, and yes I've done my time on much simpler bikes back in the day. As long as you're enjoying riding, that's the main thing. 🤜
I have a manual version of the 2014 model that I purchased about a year ago. My favourite thing is the long stroke engine. It loves meandering around town at 2000 rpm. It has a pleasing relaxed sound. Your comments about the suspension and the original stock tires are bang on. This bike is built to a price and I'm OK with that. The budget suspension is something that bothered me when I first bought the machine but I changed my mind on the issue. The NC encourages a riding style that has no need for fancy suspension. I'll never get a speeding ticket on this bike and that's not because of impulse control. It puts me in a state of mind where the goal is to enjoy the ride and smell the coffee. It's not like riding around on a supermoto or sportbike where brain power has to be dedicated to following traffic rules. Honda does call this an adventure bike and I don't find that baffling. Everybody knows what a dual sport is and how it's used. Ditto for a retro bike. It's not so clear what an "adventure" bike is. People will bolt some accessories to a Honda CRF300 and they'll claim they've changed it into an adventure bike. Others will go to the BMW dealer and add every option under the sun to an R1300GS purchase and call the result an "adventure" bike. Those two examples aren't the same type of bike, not the same buyer and not the same use case. They're further apart than a retro is from a cruiser. "Adventure" is a pure marketing term and a confusing one at that.
I got a mostly stock (she wears a Brembo radial master with pride! Also double-jointed mirrors and wind deflectors. I touched nothing else.) CB650R in the DPRB. I also bought a less stock ER6n (she gots the sports suspension 😁) to tour around Bulgaria whenever I'm there. Whichever one I'm on while out having a bike adventure is an adventure bike. It's such a broad and vague category that at this point I don't see much sense in it, other than as a big bucket to dump anything with the slightest hint of off-road capability that doesn't fit any other label.
A friend has a 2014 too and loves it, she's put over 50,000 miles on it I think. I do wonder if the manual would actually be a bit nicer around town at slow speeds. I know I cannot be trusted, so I am happy that the NC is unlikely to get me in any trouble. I once looked after a friend's ZX6R for a while. Now THAT was a bike but I knew I could never own one without my license spontaneously combusting 😂 I think you've described what I feel when riding the bike quite well - yes you're not allocating so much brain power to the actual physical riding. It is a different state of mind I think. One that many won't understand but that's ok. My biggest adventure ride was on an overloaded GPZ500S - that was a 'boring commuter bike' too back in the day. Got me to the Nordkapp and back from the UK though!
@MultiVogon Mate of mine has a Ducati 916. Basically his pride and joy at this point. I swear there's a conspiracy though. They've got a satellite pointed at his garage, ready to issue the ticket as soon as the bike comes out!
@@MultiVogon During the 1990s I owned a GSXR 750 which I rode like a scooter while being folded up like a pretzel. That bike soured my love of riding for many years. I'm just not someone who enjoys fast riding. I live on the Canadian Prairies where once I'm out of the city, the highways are straight, level, well maintained and free of traffic. In the city, the potholes will swallow a Grom whole. You talk about looking after a sportbike for a short time. I have a 690 supermoto that during the first couple of weeks of ownership I was a bit aggressive but I soon settled down. It's possible to appreciate the qualities of a supermoto while adopting a chill riding style. They're really good at dealing with potholes.
Rather be riding on it, than working on it. Good choice. If it suits you, who's to say otherwise. You might invest in some fork cartridges and a shock, maybe a pipe and an ECU tune to coax a little personality or character out, but otherwise, I'm sure it'll run longer than you want it to.
Indeed. If I keep it I might well look into some kind of upgrade for the front suspension - we'll see how it goes. I am really really hoping it has some of the famed Honda reliability.
I have a manual, regarding the display, if you set it to trip it will go to 250-300km(150-200miles) before you hit reserve, your fuel and trip will blink and display how many litres you have used since hitting reserve! On mine I usally have 3 litres left, about 100km (70 miles) with 1 liter left it will really blink faster so you know it is time to fuel, otherwise agree with your findings!!!
NC owners love their NCs. For good reasons. But we have to live with all those ignorant ones and their correspondingly ignorant comments. Imagine, there's one of the greatest bikes out there and most of the bikers don't know about it.
Once rode a K75RT - and I think it was one of the most comfy bikes I've ever ridden. Having a barn-door for a fairing didn't help with top speed, but definitely kept the weather at bay!! Cheers.
You've picked up on everything I found with my NC 750. I bought the comfort pack that includes a centre stand, larger screen and heated grips. Touring screen is useless as it is so noisy and directs the air straight to your helmet. This was solved by a £14 clamp-on extender that transformed the bike, enabling high speed cruising. Grip diameter is too small as you stated and I have arthritis in my fingers these days so didn't suit me. I found it a great bike for long distance and took several 200 mile plus rides with no issues. In the end though I'd had enough of the DCT and ironically bought a Moto Guzzi V7 special edition, mad.
Nothing wrong with being mad *twitch* *twitch* *wibble* 🤪 I may well go down the cheapo clamp-on-extendy-thing route, we'll see. It worked for the V85 for sure. Hope you're enjoying the V7. Mine was a III. Lovely bike, crippled my back after an hour though, sadly 😔
Hi, I came off Italian stallion bikes, Ducati and Aprilia, great ride quality, stunning looks, power all over the place……and crap electrics. Brand new bikes that cost a fortune and you were waiting for the next hiccup electronically. I watched Chris Moss do a revue of this bike, he is correct, it’s vastly underrated. I purchased a 2022 model new, added bar risers, put the hyper pro front springs in (the suspension is poor) and kept adding bits and pieces. I went with the manual model, I’ve had a VFR 1200 DCT , so I’m used to the system, but wanted to keep it light. I’ve gone with the Pyramid plastics crash bars, (better than the Honda ones) Givi spots and rear rack. I do trips with camping gear to the Dales, Lakes and Wales. The salesman at the dealership said I you sure you want to go from a Tuono to an NC, I said I have got fed up with the temperamental Italian mistresses, I’m going back to the wife (Honda) I would change the rear suspension, but it is liveable, the expense versus the improvement?
Cheers. Yes I may well change the front fork springs, the rear shock is ok for now though. Plenty of people can't understand why I defected from Italy back to Japan. I just want a quiet life for a while - you can have too much of a good thing 😂
I have one the dct is fantastic I travelled to France 🇫🇷 on it very close to the Swiss border.. ... I will only purchase a new version if it has cruise control...... I had to adjust the rear suspension and luckily the previous owner had fitted some preload adjusters to the front suspension so I adjusted that and it transformed the bike. .. I suggest you purchase some they look easy to fit
Nice review Sir. I've got the manual one and although I've always changed my bikes quite often ( over the last 50 years) this one ticks most boxes. Just can't find anything worthy to replace it.
It is the bike I picked to hire to ride around New Zealand next month, (manual is what they have.) It was cheaper than the big front wheel adventure bikes but hey I normally ride a VFR 800 everywhere. .
Bought my DCT last year and enjoyed your video. I am in agreement with your comments on the bike, no way is this an adventure bike, the manual version might fair better offroad and with knobbly tyres. Anyway, suspension is not very good, still looking at solutions for the front. It's unbalanced as far as I can see. I've had to up the rear suspension as I was grounding the pegs on some rough corners and the front is too harsh. Mine came shod with Metzeler Tourance tyres which I've found excellent grip and hard wearing, strange but true. The grip size is small so I fitted grip puppies which helped, but the downside is it takes longer for the heat to get through from the heated grips. I've also found keeping it in sport mode on coutry roads to be the best, as only having 58BHP it didn't like any climbs coming out of corners without having to dab the minus paddle to drop a couple of gears to get some oomph uphill. I might try dabbling with the user mode as I got stuck in some deep gravel in a car park and having no clutch to slip it wasn't a pleasant experience trying to get out, another reason it isn't an adventure bike, imagine getting mud bound and not being able to power out. On the whole I love the bike for all of it's little quirks and wish I'd found it earlier.
Cheers! Yes 100% manual/clutch would be my choice for any offroading more than a gentle gravel road. Though I wouldn't choose this bike for anything more serious than that anyway! A mate has the tourance on his BMW and really rates them, which is why I was disappointed that mine came with the Dunlops. Agree on the longer warm-up time with the grips, but the trade off seems to be worth it so far (though it's been sub-zero here for a week so no riding sadly) Yeah I do 'encourage' it to change down sometimes especially in standard mode. I'm going to try and ride more in manual mode when the weather improves, to see whether I can get on with it (It's not natural at the moment - usually I adapt to things quickly but I can't get the 'feel' of the manual mode yet) You can turn off the traction control in the user mode I believe, which is what you'd want to do in gravel/mud I'd reckon. IIRC it switches back on next time the bike starts though. At least there's the option.
Yeah, it IS dull. But it's a great everyday commuter, a real workhorse. Great if you are looking for an inexpensive, versatile everyday Jack of all trades and commuter. If you are looking for a crotch rocket, a track, adrenaline booster it is NOT what you should be looking for. From my experience: one of the better things to do is to replace default tyres with something better and more suitable for your riding style. Also, get ready to have your chain replaced sooner rather than later. Consider changing the battery as well - NC is cheap, but in part it's due to some of the pieces that wear out anyway being not the top notch. PS Speaking of mileage: during a trip across half Europe with quite a distance on the German highways I ended up with 3.9l/100km, with all the bags, all the fast riding. That IS rather impressive I'd say.
I'm a bit of a squirrel, I own everything, ride the crap out of all them. I have an early nc700x with the DCT. It took me about 2,000 mi to finally get the hang of what I wanted that gearbox to do. I learned you can't downshift too far and when you nail the throttle you're right in the torque curve and this thing will move right along. Not fast, mind you but definitely entertaining. And I LOVE the DCT gearbox. YMMV
Funny you say that about the led on the grips. I have the same problem with the leds on my Oxford heated grips. It has crossed my mind to put tape over them at night but I was wondering if it was only me that was sensitive to this kind of thing. 🤣
Ha ha I thought I was the only one 🤣 Interesting, not had a bike with the oxfords, so can't compare. But every other bike I've ridden with heated grips hasn't felt the need to shine laser beams into my eyes at night (that's what modern LED headlights are for, apparently...! )
At 7.40ish. Next time you go on to reserve look at the bottom of your screen, around the middle, you will see RES displayed, also, my orange square at the top right stays on until you fill up.
Had the same bike from new since 2021. If you change the trip to miles since fill then it swaps to count up miles when it goes into reserve. Tyres either Michelins or Bridgestones I've found good. Buy a cover for the rear shock otherwise it's constantly covered in crap. Try and keep the swing up clean as they rust really easily if neglected. Not an adventure bike but an easy going, go anywhere, do anything bike. Headlight is so so in the winter.
Yeah I was aware of that - miles-left-in-the-tank would be nice to have though. I've fitted a rear hugger already which seems to be keeping the worst of the crap off the rear shock. Headlight definitely could be better for sure - shame the OEM spotlights are so expensive as I reckon they'd help a lot. Not sure what tyres I'm going to get, but Dunlop Mutant, Michelin Pilot Road 4/5/6, and Pirelli Angel GT are the main contenders right now.
Headlight is rubbish tbh and a definite poor call by honda 😮 how a company as big and with such a history can fail to fit a good headlight I don't know
Hippo hands brother. Combined with your heated grips, they will turn your grips into a little oven for your hands, allowing you to continue wearing summer weight gloves, which more easily enables you to feel your controls in addition to the benefit of keeping your hands, nice and toasty. I guess in this instance, it would also block that green light .
The light... the damn light..... 🤣 I looked them up - they look similar to the handlebar muffs I've used before. I remember they took some getting used to, but made a big difference. Cheers!
You can buy Grip Puppies for your grips to make it easier to hold them. They are foam covers for the part your hand sits on. They mute the effect of heated grips but that last setting was too hot anyway. I’ve had them on my last two ST1300s and my Current Goldwing. How is the wind protection on the M roads? I’m used to very good wind and rain protection and yes, I haven’t had a chain drive scoot since ‘79.
Yep I am aware of those, but figured they would hinder the grips. But maybe you're right & they'd be ok on the hottest level. Might try them out next year. There's no getting away from the fact that the NC doesn't have great weather protection as standard. There are loads of bigger screens available - I've just tried the Honda OEM taller screen so far. I think I'll probably get one of those top spoilers like I had on the Guzzi if I continue to ride it through this winter. I am not enjoying chain maintenance - must get around to fitting the chain oiler that's been in the shed for months...!
@ I haven’t had any problem with Grip puppies and they really are better on my 77 year. Old hand when it’s cold or I’m out for more than a couple of hours. Honda grips are just hard.
Agree with your review, I'm about to trade my 2016 DCT in for another 2025 DCT, agree with swing arm comments, had mine powder coated, seat was too hard and sloped forwards, suspension was too hard, the previous 2015 suspension was better, blame the journo's test riding it as if its a fireblade and complaining that the front dives under braking! Anyway, I'm looking forward to double front discs, a level and lower seat, and smoother gear changes in the lower gears on the 2025 model.
I think maximum power with the "P" not exist as you think. It gives just different mapping to the engine, but the power is the same. On the Africa Twin 3 bars is the softer and 1 is the hardest, sharper mode, so maybe Honda's logic is the same here...
Yes a fair point it just tweaks the 'curve' rather than changing the power the engine produces. In 'rain' mode it is a very soft throttle response, so far less chance of breaking traction on slippery surfaces. In sport it is much more instant (though as I mentioned it also makes the DCT down changes far too aggressive for my liking - wouldn't be an issue on a manual bike of course).
That's funny, I'm coming from exactly the same place, and I will support all your statements, I got mine as a reliable workhorse standing next to my Moto Guzzi V85TT, now my Moto Guzzi is standing in the living room and the NC is my preferred choice standing in the garage. I don't know what it is with this bike? It's built to a budget, on paper it's supposed to be dull and practical, but when I ride it I just simply feel relaxed and joyful ??? but alright, sometimes it's just about the perfect match, and I found it to fit perfectly to where I am in life now (still love my Moto Gucci and keeping it so far) greetings from DK
In many ways it is greater than the sum of its parts. But then sometimes you hit a bump in the road and remember how cheap the front forks are 😁 Relaxing is a word that keeps coming up and that's definitely the case for me. Maybe I'll get tired of that and want a bit more 'character' again, but right now I'm enjoying riding around with my feet up, and reading the paper with a nice cup of tea 😅
I love my V85TT, but as I live very remote, I work on my own bikes, so the lack of a dealer network hasn't been an issue for me. The Guzzi is an easy bike to work on.
Yes, she is easy to work on, I also do my own service, my biggest concern is waiting time for spare parts if something goes wrong, haven't yet 👍(22.000km euro 4 model)@@michaelj63
@@michaelj63 Yes, I do my own service too, and I still love the V85. My worry is the lack of dealerships and customer support here in DK for the Guzzi if anything goes wrong with the electronic , I will keep the V85TT, it is a bike chosen with the heart, and Guzzi have souls, no denying that 👍 My NC750XD is my trustee workhorse and I love it for that 😊
I think he hit the nail on the head that it’s got a boring image because so many mention the lack of horsepower, when in reality if you get to ride one you would feel quite differently about it I believe the reviews killed sales enough that Honda stopped selling the NC here in Australia back in 2020
Interesting, I thought it was one of their best selling bikes - maybe just in Europe? That's probably why they list it as an adventure bike even though every 'professional' reviewer only seems to consider it as a commuter bike.
Sounds like a good sensible bike. A bike that doesn't get in your way, but presumably if you're a good rider you can make it go places. I wouldn't mind seeing what you think of this one vs the TransAlp, if you get the opportunity to ride one.
You can definitely out-ride the suspension on a bumpy road if you're not careful, that's for sure. I'd love to have a go on a Transalp at some point. I always liked the original V-twin one. If I was going to do any off-roading though, I would definitely go for a manual bike over a DCT I think - based on my experience from years of crashing into trees and ditches on rallies here in Wales ;-)
Nice vid....I have the "BIG OLD MAN" 1200 2016 version and would love a dashboard notice for the heated grips.....I keep forgetting to turn them on after fuelling. I tried the 700 and 750 dct and the 750 was much smoother for gear changes while the 700 was as clunky as my Ct1200 is...apparently the newer ones are much better...the radiator is ugly compared to the cb500x and the handbrake is still shit and I wish theyd used the nt700 shaftdrive 🤬🏍️💨💨💨💨👍P.S. I used to have a 700 Deauville...now thats dull😸
I remember the original Deavuille - we did indeed refer to it as the dull-ville ;-) Yea a shaft drive would be nice. If your hands are cold, just put them in your pockets 🤔 what could possibly go wrong!!
Its the great bike< ihad one for 18 months a great bike, but you right, the suspension could do with some work. The new 2025 model looks good I had metzelers on mine and they were really good.
Bought a 2024 ex demo machine (DCT). Comfortable, frugal with fuel, reliable but oh so bland! That and the fact that i didn't like it deciding to change gears in the middle of a corner. Traded it back in after 2 months for a Transalp (which i love).
Yes it is not ideal, especially in sport mode when there's a fair bit of engine braking. It sounds like the 2025 bike might have an IMU, so maybe they'll fix that - will be interesting to test ride one for sure. Cheers!
I found your comment about the Dunlop OE tyres odd. My CB500X came with Dunlop Trailmax tyres. The OE rear managed 12000 hard kilometres and I replaced it with the same. The second one only managed to last about 10000km but I think the second one suffered from doing a lot of heavily laden kilometres in very hot conditions.
There's definitely some luck in what tyres you get, for sure. But these ones are almost trashed after less than 2500 miles. I didn't measure the tread when they were new, but I bet it was much less than on a retail tyre... the Michelin's on the V85 were still ok at 7000+ miles, that was with more weight and speed too. Cheers.
Problem is the NC 750 is basically a scooter chassis made to look like a motorcycle. The Vultus, Integra and the X-ADV current model are the originals. That's why the tank is under the seat, and there is plenty of room to have that storage compartment Frunk. I think they look OK, but the scooter thing puts me off them. The CB500F is a much better machine all round, and 93 mpg despite the abuse I give it on the work run.
Great straight up review. It's not for me. Good luck with the winter, that's not for me either. Wouldn't buy something I'm not confident I can fix,26 year old Harley would be pretty boring to pay someone else to work on. Happy days from previously sunny Devon.
Yeah I've done my time through many winters when I didn't own a car. These days I'll pick heating and podcasts instead most of the time. It's nice to get out on a fine dry day though, when they happen (not so nice to spend ages cleaning the frikkin salt off when you get home tho!).
Great review and although may sound picky, I think they are all good and valid points. Sorry for the diversion, but can you please advise which Moto guzzi you preferred? Ie v7 or 85 tt? Many thanks
Hi, tricky as they were completely different bikes. I'd have to say that the V7 attracted lots of admiring glances and comments from people,. but the V85 was MUCH more comfortable for long distance rides. If I had the money and space, I'd have kept both - V7 for Sunday posing, and V85 for everything else ;-)
Had one not dct, it cornered superply fuel consumption fantastic touring screen cut the wind out it was nighon a perfect bike but it was so good it lacked thrill it could get upto a good speed but it felt slower.
An interesting point, it does kind of feel slower the faster you go - maybe lack of vibration, intake and exhaust noise contributes to that? 🤔 Now, back in the day when I had an RD350, it felt a lot faster than it actually was 😂
Honestly I wish Honda used this 750cc engine for more bikes rather than the new one in the Hornet and Transalp 750s. I love a torque-first, long-stroke low-revving engine! Combine that with the great economy and simple, infrequent maintenance and we have a winning combination. That said, I currently ride an ADV350!
A lot of people love the ADV350 - I only saw one for the first time on the day I picked my bike up from the dealer - didn't even know they existed before then. Yeah I think this engine would be good for the sort of off-roading that 'adventure' bikes do (gravel tracks etc) though I don't think I'd want the DCT for that, I'd want more manual control I think for sure.
The "never gets past 5th" in sport mode kind of makes sense. 6th is an economg gear on a lot of these bikes ('tis on my 650R as well). As such, 5th gets you your top speed, and in 6th the engine usually isn't making enough power to counter drag so you end up slowing down.
Yes, sounds feasible. I spend a lot of time in 5th, just rolling the throttle on and off. Then into 6th on long straights. Fuel consumption never seems to deviate. 350-400kms a tank
Indeed, I am sure it does it to keep the revs up a bit to enable faster acceleration and more engine braking. Can't say I've ever had an issue with the bike not being able to pull 6th though, it's a pretty torque-y engine.
@@MultiVogon Oh yes, she's very torquey, no doubt able to pull pretty well, but if you're going for top speed, as in the actual top speed, then you need the engine at its peak power to reach it. That's when it's doing all it can just to battle the enormous amount of drag there is. At that point, even though 6th gear will technically let the rear wheel spin faster, if it's anything like it is on my 650R, when it's under this much drag, that peak power is simply out of reach. That said, at regular road speeds this engine should pull well in most gears. That's why they have it shifting "early" when there's next to no load. This power curve stuff only becomes relevant when you're going for the driving ban 😉
@@williambell12 The gearbox management system on these DCTs in standard mode usually has two goals - maximum achievable fuel efficiency and protecting drivetrain components. At this point they're probably going for fractions of a %. Even though to you and me the difference between 5th and 6th is basically imperceptible in the conditions you describe, I'm sure it makes sense to the engineering team that decided on the algorithm. Lots of people also have concerns about it shifting early when just plodding along. As long as there's no real load on the engine, that's fine. It only becomes a problem when you're going 25mph in 6th and you give 'er.
My first bike was a CB125F which came with the same type of display (though a different layout). I set it up for night riding and just left it. During the day it was lit up pretty well by incident daylight. I've come to appreciate gauge clusters who don't require additional lighting to function during the day. Y'know - like every single one used to in the past! Never expected such an anti-feature on supposedly modern, supposedly improved vehicles ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Mind you, I well remember taking speedos apart to replace the burned out bulbs back in the day ! Although once your speedo-cable snapped it didn't matter so much 😂
@MultiVogon Ah... The bad ol' days... Come to think of it, I remember tearing apart half the dash on the ol' Toyota to do the same 🤣🤣🤣 Say what you will about LEDs, they've fixed _that_ particular struggle. I just wish they'd stopped there. The newer (2006) Toyota's speedo _has_ to be lit up day and night, else you don't see a thing 😒 Cars peaked in the '90s 🤣
If these TFT screens with rider modes are going to define the future of motorcycles - I am destined to live in the bargain/retro world of analog clocks and mechanical switchgear .
Looks like the new bike will be moving to a TFT screen as well next year. They CAN be good (BMW RT with integrated nav display was great) but you can't beat a nice pair of dual analogue clocks, I agree!
There is a video online called Knox with a motorcycle journalist called Mos and he upgraded the suspension front and rear at a cost of £3000 and he couldn't believe the difference in handling. Night and day was the conclusion he came to.
Nowhere near £3000, the Hyperpro gear he got free but it costs around £1000 to do front and rear and that is with their top range rear shock. They also have cheaper one. Even if you used range topping Ohlins it would only be a bit more than that.
There comes a point where you just spend a few thousand more on the bike though, perhaps? I have no plans to upgrade the suspension at the moment. Although having said that on a previous bike I did fit progressive springs which helped a lot - but that was 'back in the day' not sure if that sort of thing is still an option.
One of the best bikes Honda ever made. It does what it was built for perfectly.
We just don't know what that is.😂
As the owner of 15 plus Hondas from the late 70s on I can safely say Hondas build quality is rubbish compared. My 99 vfr800fi is blemish free zero rot. I had one of these 21 plate dct. The suspension is awful. The swing arm is like mild box steel. Te,e the adjusters off and look inside. I had mine 3 months hated tthe ride but suspension mods would have cured that but rusty swingarm at a year old. Sold it. Sorry Honda but you are losing it
@@volt8684 agree regarding the swingarm
I had a 2014 NC700X. It didn’t have the DCT. Rode it for 10 years and traded it for the 2024 Honda Transalp. The NC700 was a great bike. I never had a single issue with it. I really miss that storage compartment. I never found it boring at all.
Exactly! On top of it’s reliability, personally I miss that extra storage at the front
how do like the TA in comparison?
@ I really like the TA. Have not had any issues so far. I have right around 3,000 miles on it. It came stock with the quick shifter on it and I absolutely love it. Still missing that storage compartment on the NC700. I do like the TA better due to the fact that I can do more off pavement riding.
@@chunkybullmoto isnt it more fun in general?i mean ,the 90hp dont make a differense on road?i m thinking for the 2025 transalp,over tenere and vstrom.
@ the TA is a really fun bike to ride. On road and off road it is a blast to ride. I haven’t ridden the tenera or vstrom, so I would recommend test riding all of them and pick the one you like best.
Last year I bought a Kawasaki ZZR1400 and a Honda NC750X. By the end of the year I realised the Honda was my 'go-to' machine. Indeed I used the big Kawasaki so little I sold it. There isn't another bike out there I would rather have.
Great real owner review! As the owner of a 2017 DCT, I immediately paid attention when you highlighted the harshness of the suspension, as you are the ONLY review I've read that has ever mentioned it, something I noticed from the first day I bought the bike.
Of course the 2017 has less rider modes, but it has equally needless/useless selectable colors/gears/rpm buried in a seriously complicated menu. I figured out the trip meters, but all the other crap I NEVER use.
Other than those things, this bike has been the easiest to ride, efficient, reliable, and versatile bike out of close to 100 I've owned.
I'm also a big fan of thd DCT, and typically ride using the paddle shifters for downshifts in the eco mode.
When people realize they should ride bikes that impress themselves and not others, it stands out. And judging by the growing group of owners, many are.
And the day I got 24 beer and a Costco chicken in the storage bin, it became my friend for life!
Boring? Not a chance!
I had the suspension upgraded and now it needs nothing. I want to get an inline 4 tourer but I think I'll have this one a long time.
@@Bryan11210 what did you do to upgrade the suspension? I've several posters that have changed theirs
Well now I realise I've wasted time keeping tools and first aid kits and things in the storage bin... Off to see if someone does a wine-rack for it 😁
I bought a 2020 in August of 2021 and have put 40,000 miles on it in just over 3 years. I absolutely love mine. It is taller than yours, is manual and I put risers on it. I live in Texas where everything is bigger lol
As a lot have people already said, “great review” couldn’t disagree with any of it. Bought my DCT in January 24 and have just clocked up 4000 miles, was a little unsure about the bike at first but it ultimately it has won me over. Completely useable in the real world on real roads but I have upgraded the front and rear suspension with Hyperpro front springs and a YSS rear shock, that has made a big improvement for a total of £800. It’s definitely not an Adventure bike, and it does have its flaws but for me it does everything I want from for a fairly reasonable outlay and the economy is great. Hope to see your follow on vids, just subscribed, I wish all TH-camrs could follow your lead. By the way you can get rid of annoying gear/rev light on dash completely if you want. Instructions in handbook, and you can also see how many miles you have travelled once the bike goes onto reserve fuel. Can be set through menu settings. All the best Martyn
Cheers, yes the hyperpro springs sound like a worthwhile upgrade. The rev-light was turned off immediately. I found the setting for the miles travelled since going onto reserve, but what I really want is the estimated range left! First world problems, eh? 😁
What difference it made with hyper pro springs and yss rear shocks ? Please advise sir
I’ve had it NC 750 X with DCT since May 2023. I’ve now done nearly 6000 miles and I’m still on the original tires (they are still legal).
I had the same problem with the diameter of the grips and my big hands, so I fitted some grip puppies that only cost about £17.
I also found that little light in the top right hand corner of the dash annoying, so learnt how to turn it off.
I totally agree with your comments about it not really being an adventure bike.
I’ve been riding for just over 50 years, for my style of riding I think this is the best bike I’ve ever owned. I have three other bikes and prefer riding this.
Thanks for your video.
Hi, thanks for your comment, glad you're enjoying the bike. I'm curious to know what tyres your bike came with. It seems to be luck whether you got Dunlop Trailmax D609 (crap) or Metzeler Tourance Next (good) . I also just got some grip puppies and fitted them - they definitely seem to be an improvement. Cheers!
@@MultiVogon - It has Tourance Next. I bought a new NT1100 DCT in October and that has Metzeler. My BMW K1600 did nearly 7k on its original tyres.
I own a 2024 NC750x DCT and like many others I love mine. It's a all around workhorse for everyday commuting and longer trips. For me I just ride my own ride.
Thank you for this honest, no nonsense review. the NC 750 may not be the most exciting bike on the market, far from it. However, I would not go as far as label it 'boring'. In my unprofessional opinion, It is a reliable, solid, dependable, frugal, low maintenance with a 5 year warranty bike. That works for me.
'18 manual owner here. Riding 50 years. You need to ride it for what it is, not what u want. Jeez!, people hitting the red line. You ride it in the torque zone, not power band. Its a long stroke, keep it in the "meat". With road based tyres it can certainly hustle along. Great production mate.
Cheers from New Zealand
Yep my Ducati would've shaken itself to bits if I tried to use the same revs as the Honda. Well, to be fair it shook itself to bits regardless, but anyway 🤣
😂 Love your sense of humor in your presentation while really giving useful real world information.
I picked up the same model this year in June as a daily. Brilliant bike. Problems had - the handbrake calliper bolts came loose and I actually lost a bolt. I never use it so didn’t realise immediately. Extras that came with the bike - Honda heated grips and a Givi carrier. Extras I added - Givi hand guards, SW motech engine guards, usb port, Givi auxiliary lamps, oh, and a Leo Vince pipe just because that engine note was crying out to be released. And don’t give up on Dunlop!! I added Dunlop Mutants which are honestly some of the best tyres I’ve ever run on any bike. Give them a go!
Yep I'm probably going to fit Mutants next, they sound like an ideal tyre for the manky roads here in Wales.
Well done review with a dry sense of humour. I loved it. I drive a very practical 2006 Honda Silverwing 600 (scooter on steroids) and love it. The NC is on the top of my list to replace my Silverwing in 2 years when it turns 20. Other riders used to joke me about my bike until they could not keep up to me in twisties. Keep up the great work and who cares what others think in the long run. Dave from Nova Scotia, Canada
Silverwing! I remember when they were basically a CX500 with a load of Tupperware glued to it 😂 Bikes & scooters have come a long way in the last 30 years (and when I remember some of the sh!t heaps I used to ride that's a really good thing ;-)
Love your style MV and so grateful that you don’t regale us with your legendary poetry 😉
Having owned a 2015 model NC750X I wholeheartedly agree with your summary. It’s not the bike for charging around like a loon scaring the locals but as a travel bike, i.e. somewhere to sit and enjoy the scenery with minimal fuss, it’s exemplary. Mine was a manual ,so none of the dct shenanigans, but fast A road overtakes were terrifying because I kept hitting the rev limiter at the worst possible moment. Presumably the dct fixes that.
I’m currently on a Transalp which is great for faster rides but when the roads get slow and narrow I find myself wishing I was back on the NC.
Hope you enjoy the bike.
Cheers. Yes I definitely think overtakes are where the DCT shines on this bike - although it does take away the fun of 'rev-limiter-roulette' 😲
Interesting, I thought the Transalp would be good on the narrow roads - I assume it has wider bars and a more upright riding position?
@@MultiVogon The Transalp does indeed have slightly wider bars and a marginally more upright riding position but where it fails is in the power delivery. It really doesn't like plodding around at low revs and there's a flat spot between 3000-4000 rpm. Not a deal breaker but every other mid capacity twin I have ridden (NC750, Vstrom, MT07, CB500X, etc.) does it better IMHO.
Brilliant review that for once sounds like it is done by somebody who thinks for themselves and knows the actual bike. Best real world review I think I have ever come across for any bike. Keep it up.
Hey, wow thanks for that. I try do do the sort of review that I wanted to find when I was looking for myself. Glad some people enjoy my waffle 😁
Great review. I bought a 2014 demonstrator with 212 miles. I put 73,000 miles on it before I moved to spain. Used it for work, camping and rides out with my son an friends. It's now a works hack for a repair shop. When I got to spain I bought a Yamaha, MT07 But I was always thinking of the NC. So, 3 days ago I pxed it for a 2024 NC. Yeagggghhhh.
I have a 2015 Model/ 2016 Reg DCT that I bought end of 2019 with only 1600 Km, went to look at a manual but the DCT was like new and a great price so I took it home.
I have done lots of commuting, weekend riding and tours all over Europe. 82000 Kms now. Only issues were a wheel bearing and fork seal. Always reliable and cheap to run and maintain, never found it boring. Did the Route des Grande Alps last September. The bike is great for touring in the mountains and small back roads, still rolls well enough 150-160 Kmh on the Autobahn if needed. Yeah you see a lot of people out there with fancier bikes but are they really having that much more fun.
I have other expensive sports and hobbies and this bike keeps the motorbike budget reasonable while still lots of fun.
Sounds perfect to me! I have my fingers crossed.
Very entertaining commentary. Excellent work. Enjoy the ride.
I was feeling a strong pull towards the V85tt but videos like this keep fueling my doubts. Honda Transalp 750 coming right up! I will wait until the 2025 model becomes available in a few months. Enjoy your bike and forget about the dull bit. If its a pleasure to ride, then its a good bike.
Yeah I'd like a spin on a Transalp to see what they're like. I'm not worried about the dull label - it did give me a hook for the video though :-D
Most practical, most reliable, you meet the nicest people on a Honda.
Here's hoping. If she could be rich and single too, that'd be a help 😂
If the new 2025 model finds its way to Australia I would definitely consider it.i have a 2019 model year purchased in 2020 cb500x Dunlop trail max done 14000 kms and still has 4mm tread left on both tyres low powered commuter and decent solo ride tourer.your review of this nc750 is very comprehensive well done sir.
Already 23k miles on my NC750 2019. Runs perfectly. Couple modifications for comfort definitely recomend. This bike is road/commuting. Nothing about extremely rides. But i keep my Honda in garage for more long time.
Sold my GS 1200 a year ago and bought this very same bike even same colour and I love it. Thought it was slow but it is not. Did have the same issue with it lurching forwards when you man handle it so I always select N before pushing it. All in all a great bike.
Yes I always move it around in neutral. It was the slowing-to-a-stop-why-am-I-not-stopping experience I wasn't prepared for!
I have one, screw and locknut tappets means self service - also upgraded the suspension for touring !
Anything with two wheels and an engine is good in my book! I had an NC750 loan bike from my insurance for most of a summer, and over time fell in love with the thing. Fast enough for twisty Scottish roads, amazing fuel economy, and that storage box is one of the best things in biking. Yes the suspension could do with a bit of work, and the OE Dunlops are rubbish, especially in the wet (several brown trouser moments as normal speeds), but give the bike time and you can appreciate it for what it is.
As a log long time Guzzi owner with a 2020 V85T I find these very interesting, I think I could enjoy NC750.
Watched a lot of reviews on the NC750X the last few weeks and I think this review solidified my thinking and I'm now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 2025 NC750X, subject to some long test rides. I'm a new, older rider and this would pair nicely w my Yamaha 250XT for longer rides on pavement to the twisties. Life is good, and I don't want mine to end mine in a MC wreck so "boring" is good!
I'll certainly be trying to have a go on a 2025 version next year so I can see if it's worth the upgrade. On paper it doesn't really look it, but if I was buying new right now, I'd probably wait too!
Yes u did. Sold mine. The quality of my 2021 was appalling. Swing arm Rustin inside and out
Entertaining and useful review. You get this bike. I'm finding it hard to decide what would come next after the shine of mine has worn off. It's soooo useful. The 2025 model doesn't move things on enough to tempt me to change but it's good to see Honda are adding small improvements. I'm waiting for the belt drive/ larger frontal bodywork version to arrive in my ideal future.
Thanks! Well this is the third 'I'm going to keep this forever now' bike I've had in a row. Not sure if that says more about the bikes or about me :-D I'll definitely be keeping it for the duration of the warranty at the very least. (don't quote me on that though!)
Defo not dull, loved mine and did loads of miles on it. I sold it because the DCT started playing up, turned out to be the ‘shifter motor’ but took my local main dealer over a month to diagnose. Went from the NC back to a GS but now on an X-ADV 750, which is a brilliant bike. The brakes and suspension are noticeably better than the NC. looking forward to seeing more videos from you about this great bike 😎👍🏻🎉 oh and Veridian sell a (proper) bolt on Crusie Control for the RBW NC’s 🔧
Yeah I'd read about the shift motor issue on forums somewhere I think - a cheap part to replace when you know what it is apparently. I'm surprised the dealers weren't all over that - car or bike, they just LOVE to replace parts instead of diagnosing problems 🙄
I've seen the CC option too - not sure I want to go that far just yet, we'll see!
If you’re not intending to go off road , which many NC750 x owners won’t be, Michelin road 6’s are a fantastic option that transforms the ride to a much better experience…great vid..any bike is as dull as you want it to be..🏍️💨💨
Yep, it'll be those, or Angel GT's, or Dunlop Mutants next I think. Depends what I can get at the time.
I had an early one the 7OO and it became the MOST ENJOYABLE BIKE TO RIDE. I would add its not the best bike ever for me but I did keep the bike longer than most of my other bikes. It did teach me to ride slower and relaxed. So maybe its a bike for older more experienced riders who need a change. I did fit an after market exhaust which gave it a more retro feel. I would consider another in the future. Thanks for the video, well done.
Cheers, yes more relaxed is definitely the way I feel about it at the moment. Still picks its skirts up and runs on the open road too though if desired. A friend has had a 700S from new, with about 50K miles on it and she loves it & has had no real issues with it other than the usual consumables.
I always intend to keep bikes long term, so it will be interesting to see if this one hangs around or if after a year or two I decide that I want a change again. I will be reporting back on my experiences with Honda vs Moto Guzzi dealers anyway :-D
Bought one in 2018 and loved it. Very relaxing bike indeed. I ended up trading it for a Transalp, but I do miss it in a few ways. That frunk is extremely useful, and the bike is easy, reliable, comfortable and it can be ridden on dirt roads with ease with good clearance.
I think I'd be tempted by a transalp too, though I've not test ridden one. The engine would be good for off-roading I think, but probably not with a DCT.
I have the 2017 model I call it my dementia bike as its the dct model. Your right about the suspension but you soon get use to the ride. I love the idea your never in the wrong gear, no faffing at traffic lights and alway able to scratch your nose with either hand whilst staying in 1st gear ready for when the lights change. The 2017 model has different drive modes to the later models it has Drive then sport 1,2 & 3. I find sport 2 the ideal choice for town and twisty roads as its not going up and down the box all the time and it feels like riding a conventional bike. It's really a Marmite bike you either love or hate them. For me it's the most practical alrounder you can hop on and go anywhere without fear of not being on the wrong bike in any situation.
Cheers. It will be interesting to see if the 2025 bike moves the game on again.
Nice review - complements
Good to see some positive reviews of this bike. In my mind this is one of the few UJM's in a hyper segmented market. Cheers
It really did make me think 'UJM' right away. And then I wondered where they'd all gone to as there were plenty about in the 90's. I guess it became a sports bike arms race. Then bikes like the original Multistrada began to usher in the era of the road focussed adventure bike 🤔
Very nice review, I love the way you focus on details, I'm tempted to buy this bike, vids like yours makes me go for it right now, but I think big changes are comming on 2025 for this model. Maybe my biguest concern is no to find enough empaty with my sporty riding style.
Hope you have a chance to make a vid of the CB650, the other in my wishlist.
Cheers, I try to make videos that are an alternative to all the 'real' channels that seem to just regurgitate the marketing information. I also try to wait a while so I've had a chance to try things in all conditions before commenting. Is the CB the one that has the e-clutch as an option? If you are a sporty rider the NC might not be the bike for you - at least not without spending some money on things like suspension upgrades... Having said that the 2025 bike has twin disks so might be more suited to a more spirited ride. I'll definitely try to test ride one. Cheers.
Vogon, good to see you're back with a 'new' bike! Shame you had to let the V85 go, but I understand you're reasons. I still have mine, including it's quirkiness (atm my blinker switch seems to misbehave: blinkers won't stay on sometimes, and other times they can't be switch off 😒). But, that's not a big enough issue for me to trade it in. I used to have a Tracer 700 which was/is a very nice bike. But too smooth to my liking. It does everything without complaints, easy and comfortable to ride. But, it get's "boring" after a while (I use boring for lack of a better word). Probably a bit similar to your Honda. But I agree with you: if you're bike is your primary means of transportation, you don't want stupid problems and stupid dealers. You want/need it to work, be dependable, etc.
Nothing wrong with this Honda. It may lack the looks, it may lack the excitement, but if it fits your riding style, and won't let you down; who are we to judge? I wish you many 'boring' miles 😉!
Ha ha thanks. I've had my share of excitement over the years, but the roads these days are so crap that slowing it down and taking it a bit easier seems like the better option for me at least. I managed to get rid of my need-for-speed on the race track and off-road, don't feel like taking those risks on the roads for sure!
I plan to keep the bike but I said that about the last two as well so... *shrugs* we'll see. Sadly I no longer have the space / money / time / inclination to have multiple bikes like I used to - hence having to find the best compromise I can right now.
Oh I was always amused by the indicators on the V85 - you never quite knew what speed they were going to flash at ;-)
Thanks for the detailed useful review. About six months ago I rode my 500F to the Honda dealer to buy a 750X DCT only to find the bike had been discontinued here in Canada. I loved the idea of the DCT and I was really disappointed. Now I don't feel so bad about winding up with a V85. Yeah it is Italian; but so far it's been pretty great, especially the suspension.
I thought the 750 was one of Honda's biggest selling bikes, maybe not in Canada? Enjoy the V85 - great bikes 👍
@@MultiVogonHonda US don’t really take this bike seemingly offering it only DCT and only one colour (black I think) and dealers hardly ever have the. Possibly think that if supplied properly in the US then it would be a success and they would actually have to improve it. They also don’t do the sibling machines the X-ADV or the Forza 750, strange when the X-ADV is a big seller on mainland Europe.
@@MultiVogon Canada is a small market and getting smaller. Honda Canada cherry picks the handful of models they think will be most popular and that's it. When the Transalp came on the scene, that was the end for the 750X. What was interesting was that the 750X bikes gathering dust at dealers; instantly disappeared when word got out that the 750X was to be replaced with the more mainstream Transalp. There aren't even any used ones available. I looked.
To flash your headlight just press the switch down and it will flash 😉. Great review 👍
Great video absolutely honest, I'm on my 3rd it's a strange place where the NC sits in the Honda Range, I've had nobly tyres on mine stuck in the mud small jumps off road, and this model id definitely not for that, looking forward to some more vids👍👍✴ deserves a star
Cheers, I watched your videos when researching this bike 👍Yes, the reduced suspension travel on the newer bikes tells me they don't really expect people to take these off-road much, despite their marketing spiel.
I was just checking my dash-cam footage for a recent video, and noticed something had been saved in the 'accident' folder - I guess somewhere on the road was a bump big enough to trigger the camera's G-sensor. Never had that happen on the V85TT 🤣
Coming up 10 yrs on my Nc750x. It's my goto bike. If you're into DIY maintenance it's easy. Best tyres Mich pr5.
Good luck.
Bought mine in 2019 (new) and just love the bike. You are spot on with the suspension and mine has the hard seat but other than that it my go to bike (I have a couple of others). My NT110 is DCT but the NC is manual so cannot comment how the DCT performs and have to say the NC has plenty real world power. I thought about changing to the 2025 model but Honda not been radical enough so the trusty 2019 is staying.
What's the NT1100 like with the DCT? I ride one fairly regularly (not owned by me) and am not a huge fan of it for many reasons - but the engine is nice and I reckon the DCT would be nicer than the manual to ride for sure.
@@MultiVogon I think the DCT works very well although I have heard folks complain they think it snatchy. Personally I find no issue but am sure if you are heavy handed on the throttle then they will have issues. I do love the NT, been all over Europe with it and it great value for money. The engine is indeed excellent. I have loads of vids on the NT if you interested.
I very much enjoyed your review as with your previous ones. I have some experience of NCs as a rider rather than an owner as a blood bike rider in Powys and have to say that they are excellent ie all day comfortable with that relaxed power delivery but sufficient power to overtake when the opportunity arises and best feature? That storage compartment with plenty of room for the paperwork, waterproof over gloves etc and most importantly a flask of tea! Ideally I'd like the seat to be slightly higher in relation to foot peg height like in my CB500x. Interestingly the economy LED was tapped over in order to avoid rider irritation! One suggestion for you re the grips is maybe consider Grip Puppies - I put some on my CB to smooth at the vibes but they do thicken them up considerably. I was concerned that they'd make my heated grips less effective but I think it just lengthens the time it takes before the heat comes through. Cheers Mike
Hello fellow blood-y biker, who knows, we may have met for a relay handover once (I did meet up with someone on an NC from a different area!) Yep with you on the footpeg/seat distance, though I seem to have adapted to it without any major issues.
Just bought and installed some grip puppies - (see latest video!) and so far they're doing ok. Not a fan of hugely thicc(tm) grips, but they're a definite improvement over the standard Honda ones so far. Yes I reckon I'm a setting higher on the heated grips than I'd usually be, but they do warm up eventually. Cheers!
Thanks for your response fellow BBW biker. It's interesting that we may have actually met on a relay. Where are you based? We're largely based around the Llandrindod Wells area although some of our riders live much further afield and some have a 30 mile or more journey just to collect the blood bike. Like you, I find that I adapt ok to the slightly cramped riding position on the NC and I must admit, after I've returned it, I do enjoy the more relaxed position on my CB as well as the more frenetic engine which generally turns over about 2000rpm faster than the NC at comparable road speeds. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the Grip Puppies but I'll keep them under review and ditto the Loobman chain oiler that I've recently fitted. Maybe see you in a relay in 2025😊
Well I don't want to doxx myself on here if I can avoid it, no doubt if I ever become a real youtuber someone will do that for me anyway 😂
30 miles to collect the bike, that sucks. I can almost see our garage from my house so I should not complain!
Ah... I've got a LoobMan sitting in the shed for the last couple of months - it looked more fiddly than I expected to fit, I convinced myself I'd wait until the wheel was off for new tyres before playing around with it. Should just get my finger out and fit it really!
I guess not wanting to "doxx" yourself means you don't want to identify yourself, so if we do meet in future on a relay we may well not know that we've communicated on here! Re the Loobman I delayed installing mine until I'd got my centre stand. Fitting wasn't too testing on the CB, I did loosen the back end of the chain guard and pushed up out of the way. The trickiest bit is to be able to get line of sight on the inside of the rear sprocket to see if the oil is getting to where it's meant to be.
I'm considering one of these puppies as I want to do some longererer distances but I wouldn't go DCT . I thought your comments on the suicide jockeys was very pertinent as I also observe Death Race 2000 on a regular basis here in Welsh Wales . Thanks for taking the time , I know how long even short movies take to produce .
Hey no problem. DCT isn't for everyone. At least we have a choice - sounds like the manual model wasn't ever imported into the USA from the reviews I've seen. Plus you can fit a loud exhaust if you really want to fit in with the squids ;-)
After the Cub, the best Honda ever! No if's, no but's, simply the 2nd best Honda ever
Now a C750 is something I'd like to have a go on. Still with a 3-speed heel-n-toe gear-change and drum brakes too of course 😂
Couldn't agree more with a bang on review. It is a motorbike, a good one, and does not require pigeonholing. When I started bikes were just bikes and had to do everything from commuting to holidaying. My 23 with 5k miles suits me just fine, but I'm an old man with a buggered foot (hence the DCT) and like you, I think the biggest shame is the budget suspension, particularly the front forks. When I find the correct consensus of opinion on how to improve them, cheaply, I shall do so. I think I can live with the rear shock. I found that in Sport mode mine would change into top (6th) at an indicated 106 mph. Tyres were changed for Michelin Road 5's when I had a opportune puncture. I think the ECU unit "learns" how you ride and adjusts standard ride mode accordingly over time to better comply with throttle input. I found the riders footpegs to be too small and slippery in the wet and changed them for larger aftermarket ones, and the lack of screen adjustment and buffeting is cured by moving the screen forward to allow air behind it and mounted on adjustable rails. The single front disc is more than adequate and twin discs on the new version would not be enough to tempt me to change. The DCT alone means I shall keep this bike for as long as I'm able. Shall follow your future insights with interest, having now subscribed.
Hi thanks, glad you enjoyed my ramblings. Now there's pressure to actually make videos more often 😂 Hyperpro springs seem to be a common upgrade for the front forks, so I might look into that in the future. I've not had any issues with the footpegs so far - but they are quite small so I can see why some people change them. On my multistrada they were even smaller, with no rubber on them at all. Thanks, Italian sense-of-humour !!
There’s a South Africans guy, frank something I think, and he’s done some nice mods to his NC. Chunky tyres, different suspension, looks a lot better imo. I’ve looked at these for a couple of years, tried the CBX 500 but it wasn’t great on the motorways. I’ve got a tiger 1050 at the moment but it’s not for me, too big and heavy. Real world power, the NC is more than enough. Good to see you back. 👍
I'll have to check it out, ta. The NC would be fine on the motorway as far as speed goes, but I think the lack of wind protection and no cruise control would make it tiring quite quickly.
I also ride (not my bike) a new model Tiger (900? 950? not even sure lol) and it's a pretty nice bike to ride to be fair.
Thanks for a straight up honest review of the NC. Suspension appears to be a weak point and I hope that’s addressed in the new 2025 model. I’m still considering one in the future as the frunk is perfect for photographers and those requiring regular snacks.
I’ve got the manual version, love it and think it’s amazing lol cheers
Had DCT for 3 years, one of the best all round bikes I've ever owned, great tourer, regret selling it.
I prefer to be in control of everything on my bike "triumph bonneville " l don't like rider aids TFT screens and a bike with no clutch is a scooter.
Excellent review 👏 you very good, extremely audible, l enjoyed the honesty.
Thank you.
I hear ya. I'm happy to have some rider aids though - would much rather have a bike with ABS and TC these days, and yes I've done my time on much simpler bikes back in the day. As long as you're enjoying riding, that's the main thing. 🤜
I have a manual version of the 2014 model that I purchased about a year ago. My favourite thing is the long stroke engine. It loves meandering around town at 2000 rpm. It has a pleasing relaxed sound. Your comments about the suspension and the original stock tires are bang on. This bike is built to a price and I'm OK with that. The budget suspension is something that bothered me when I first bought the machine but I changed my mind on the issue. The NC encourages a riding style that has no need for fancy suspension. I'll never get a speeding ticket on this bike and that's not because of impulse control. It puts me in a state of mind where the goal is to enjoy the ride and smell the coffee. It's not like riding around on a supermoto or sportbike where brain power has to be dedicated to following traffic rules.
Honda does call this an adventure bike and I don't find that baffling. Everybody knows what a dual sport is and how it's used. Ditto for a retro bike. It's not so clear what an "adventure" bike is. People will bolt some accessories to a Honda CRF300 and they'll claim they've changed it into an adventure bike. Others will go to the BMW dealer and add every option under the sun to an R1300GS purchase and call the result an "adventure" bike. Those two examples aren't the same type of bike, not the same buyer and not the same use case. They're further apart than a retro is from a cruiser. "Adventure" is a pure marketing term and a confusing one at that.
I got a mostly stock (she wears a Brembo radial master with pride! Also double-jointed mirrors and wind deflectors. I touched nothing else.) CB650R in the DPRB. I also bought a less stock ER6n (she gots the sports suspension 😁) to tour around Bulgaria whenever I'm there.
Whichever one I'm on while out having a bike adventure is an adventure bike. It's such a broad and vague category that at this point I don't see much sense in it, other than as a big bucket to dump anything with the slightest hint of off-road capability that doesn't fit any other label.
A friend has a 2014 too and loves it, she's put over 50,000 miles on it I think. I do wonder if the manual would actually be a bit nicer around town at slow speeds.
I know I cannot be trusted, so I am happy that the NC is unlikely to get me in any trouble. I once looked after a friend's ZX6R for a while. Now THAT was a bike but I knew I could never own one without my license spontaneously combusting 😂
I think you've described what I feel when riding the bike quite well - yes you're not allocating so much brain power to the actual physical riding. It is a different state of mind I think. One that many won't understand but that's ok.
My biggest adventure ride was on an overloaded GPZ500S - that was a 'boring commuter bike' too back in the day. Got me to the Nordkapp and back from the UK though!
@MultiVogon Mate of mine has a Ducati 916. Basically his pride and joy at this point. I swear there's a conspiracy though. They've got a satellite pointed at his garage, ready to issue the ticket as soon as the bike comes out!
@@MultiVogon During the 1990s I owned a GSXR 750 which I rode like a scooter while being folded up like a pretzel. That bike soured my love of riding for many years. I'm just not someone who enjoys fast riding. I live on the Canadian Prairies where once I'm out of the city, the highways are straight, level, well maintained and free of traffic. In the city, the potholes will swallow a Grom whole. You talk about looking after a sportbike for a short time. I have a 690 supermoto that during the first couple of weeks of ownership I was a bit aggressive but I soon settled down. It's possible to appreciate the qualities of a supermoto while adopting a chill riding style. They're really good at dealing with potholes.
Great review. Thanks. Keep them coming. Glad I kept my v85…
Rather be riding on it, than working on it. Good choice. If it suits you, who's to say otherwise. You might invest in some fork cartridges and a shock, maybe a pipe and an ECU tune to coax a little personality or character out, but otherwise, I'm sure it'll run longer than you want it to.
Indeed. If I keep it I might well look into some kind of upgrade for the front suspension - we'll see how it goes. I am really really hoping it has some of the famed Honda reliability.
I’m lucky, my Guzzi dealer is great and that adds to the awesomeness of that product. They are just different and certainly not boring.
Glad to hear it :-)
I have a manual, regarding the display, if you set it to trip it will go to 250-300km(150-200miles) before you hit reserve, your fuel and trip will blink and display how many litres you have used since hitting reserve! On mine I usally have 3 litres left, about 100km (70 miles) with 1 liter left it will really blink faster so you know it is time to fuel, otherwise agree with your findings!!!
NC owners love their NCs. For good reasons. But we have to live with all those ignorant ones and their correspondingly ignorant comments.
Imagine, there's one of the greatest bikes out there and most of the bikers don't know about it.
Yes people I know still roll their eyes and sigh when I say what I'm on right now. Their loss! Cheers.
Nice review. I suspect these bikes will just keep going, like an ST1100 or a BMW K75. The NC700/750 might be the perfect bike for my daily commute.
Once rode a K75RT - and I think it was one of the most comfy bikes I've ever ridden. Having a barn-door for a fairing didn't help with top speed, but definitely kept the weather at bay!! Cheers.
You've picked up on everything I found with my NC 750. I bought the comfort pack that includes a centre stand, larger screen and heated grips. Touring screen is useless as it is so noisy and directs the air straight to your helmet. This was solved by a £14 clamp-on extender that transformed the bike, enabling high speed cruising. Grip diameter is too small as you stated and I have arthritis in my fingers these days so didn't suit me.
I found it a great bike for long distance and took several 200 mile plus rides with no issues.
In the end though I'd had enough of the DCT and ironically bought a Moto Guzzi V7 special edition, mad.
Nothing wrong with being mad *twitch* *twitch* *wibble* 🤪
I may well go down the cheapo clamp-on-extendy-thing route, we'll see. It worked for the V85 for sure.
Hope you're enjoying the V7. Mine was a III. Lovely bike, crippled my back after an hour though, sadly 😔
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
Nice one, thanks. Still can't quite believe people watch my ramblings, so thanks for that!
Hi, I came off Italian stallion bikes, Ducati and Aprilia, great ride quality, stunning looks, power all over the place……and crap electrics.
Brand new bikes that cost a fortune and you were waiting for the next hiccup electronically.
I watched Chris Moss do a revue of this bike, he is correct, it’s vastly underrated.
I purchased a 2022 model new, added bar risers, put the hyper pro front springs in (the suspension is poor) and kept adding bits and pieces.
I went with the manual model, I’ve had a VFR 1200 DCT , so I’m used to the system, but wanted to keep it light.
I’ve gone with the Pyramid plastics crash bars, (better than the Honda ones) Givi spots and rear rack.
I do trips with camping gear to the Dales, Lakes and Wales.
The salesman at the dealership said I you sure you want to go from a Tuono to an NC, I said I have got fed up with the temperamental Italian mistresses, I’m going back to the wife (Honda)
I would change the rear suspension, but it is liveable, the expense versus the improvement?
Cheers. Yes I may well change the front fork springs, the rear shock is ok for now though.
Plenty of people can't understand why I defected from Italy back to Japan.
I just want a quiet life for a while - you can have too much of a good thing 😂
I have one the dct is fantastic I travelled to France 🇫🇷 on it very close to the Swiss border.. ... I will only purchase a new version if it has cruise control...... I had to adjust the rear suspension and luckily the previous owner had fitted some preload adjusters to the front suspension so I adjusted that and it transformed the bike. .. I suggest you purchase some they look easy to fit
Thanks I may look into that. new [front] springs seem to be a reasonably cheap upgrade too.
Nice review Sir. I've got the manual one and although I've always changed my bikes quite often ( over the last 50 years) this one ticks most boxes. Just can't find anything worthy to replace it.
Cheers! I always intend to keep bikes long term, so it will be interesting to see how ownership of this one goes.
It is the bike I picked to hire to ride around New Zealand next month, (manual is what they have.) It was cheaper than the big front wheel adventure bikes but hey I normally ride a VFR 800 everywhere. .
Bought my DCT last year and enjoyed your video. I am in agreement with your comments on the bike, no way is this an adventure bike, the manual version might fair better offroad and with knobbly tyres. Anyway, suspension is not very good, still looking at solutions for the front. It's unbalanced as far as I can see. I've had to up the rear suspension as I was grounding the pegs on some rough corners and the front is too harsh.
Mine came shod with Metzeler Tourance tyres which I've found excellent grip and hard wearing, strange but true. The grip size is small so I fitted grip puppies which helped, but the downside is it takes longer for the heat to get through from the heated grips.
I've also found keeping it in sport mode on coutry roads to be the best, as only having 58BHP it didn't like any climbs coming out of corners without having to dab the minus paddle to drop a couple of gears to get some oomph uphill.
I might try dabbling with the user mode as I got stuck in some deep gravel in a car park and having no clutch to slip it wasn't a pleasant experience trying to get out, another reason it isn't an adventure bike, imagine getting mud bound and not being able to power out.
On the whole I love the bike for all of it's little quirks and wish I'd found it earlier.
Cheers! Yes 100% manual/clutch would be my choice for any offroading more than a gentle gravel road. Though I wouldn't choose this bike for anything more serious than that anyway!
A mate has the tourance on his BMW and really rates them, which is why I was disappointed that mine came with the Dunlops.
Agree on the longer warm-up time with the grips, but the trade off seems to be worth it so far (though it's been sub-zero here for a week so no riding sadly)
Yeah I do 'encourage' it to change down sometimes especially in standard mode. I'm going to try and ride more in manual mode when the weather improves, to see whether I can get on with it (It's not natural at the moment - usually I adapt to things quickly but I can't get the 'feel' of the manual mode yet)
You can turn off the traction control in the user mode I believe, which is what you'd want to do in gravel/mud I'd reckon. IIRC it switches back on next time the bike starts though. At least there's the option.
Yeah, it IS dull. But it's a great everyday commuter, a real workhorse. Great if you are looking for an inexpensive, versatile everyday Jack of all trades and commuter.
If you are looking for a crotch rocket, a track, adrenaline booster it is NOT what you should be looking for.
From my experience: one of the better things to do is to replace default tyres with something better and more suitable for your riding style.
Also, get ready to have your chain replaced sooner rather than later. Consider changing the battery as well - NC is cheap, but in part it's due to some of the pieces that wear out anyway being not the top notch.
PS Speaking of mileage: during a trip across half Europe with quite a distance on the German highways I ended up with 3.9l/100km, with all the bags, all the fast riding. That IS rather impressive I'd say.
I'm a bit of a squirrel, I own everything, ride the crap out of all them. I have an early nc700x with the DCT. It took me about 2,000 mi to finally get the hang of what I wanted that gearbox to do. I learned you can't downshift too far and when you nail the throttle you're right in the torque curve and this thing will move right along. Not fast, mind you but definitely entertaining. And I LOVE the DCT gearbox. YMMV
Overall I'm a fan - it still has some annoyances though. It will be interesting to see how the 2025 bike makes improvements to it.
Funny you say that about the led on the grips. I have the same problem with the leds on my Oxford heated grips. It has crossed my mind to put tape over them at night but I was wondering if it was only me that was sensitive to this kind of thing. 🤣
Ha ha I thought I was the only one 🤣 Interesting, not had a bike with the oxfords, so can't compare. But every other bike I've ridden with heated grips hasn't felt the need to shine laser beams into my eyes at night (that's what modern LED headlights are for, apparently...! )
At 7.40ish. Next time you go on to reserve look at the bottom of your screen, around the middle, you will see RES displayed, also, my orange square at the top right stays on until you fill up.
Had the same bike from new since 2021. If you change the trip to miles since fill then it swaps to count up miles when it goes into reserve. Tyres either Michelins or Bridgestones I've found good. Buy a cover for the rear shock otherwise it's constantly covered in crap. Try and keep the swing up clean as they rust really easily if neglected. Not an adventure bike but an easy going, go anywhere, do anything bike. Headlight is so so in the winter.
Yeah I was aware of that - miles-left-in-the-tank would be nice to have though. I've fitted a rear hugger already which seems to be keeping the worst of the crap off the rear shock. Headlight definitely could be better for sure - shame the OEM spotlights are so expensive as I reckon they'd help a lot. Not sure what tyres I'm going to get, but Dunlop Mutant, Michelin Pilot Road 4/5/6, and Pirelli Angel GT are the main contenders right now.
Headlight is rubbish tbh and a definite poor call by honda 😮 how a company as big and with such a history can fail to fit a good headlight I don't know
Hippo hands brother.
Combined with your heated grips, they will turn your grips into a little oven for your hands, allowing you to continue wearing summer weight gloves, which more easily enables you to feel your controls in addition to the benefit of keeping your hands, nice and toasty.
I guess in this instance, it would also block that green light .
The light... the damn light..... 🤣 I looked them up - they look similar to the handlebar muffs I've used before. I remember they took some getting used to, but made a big difference. Cheers!
You’ve done some practical mods I’ll have it off you when you get bored / buy the NT😁
😂
You can buy Grip Puppies for your grips to make it easier to hold them. They are foam covers for the part your hand sits on. They mute the effect of heated grips but that last setting was too hot anyway. I’ve had them on my last two ST1300s and my Current Goldwing.
How is the wind protection on the M roads? I’m used to very good wind and rain protection and yes, I haven’t had a chain drive scoot since ‘79.
Yep I am aware of those, but figured they would hinder the grips. But maybe you're right & they'd be ok on the hottest level. Might try them out next year.
There's no getting away from the fact that the NC doesn't have great weather protection as standard. There are loads of bigger screens available - I've just tried the Honda OEM taller screen so far. I think I'll probably get one of those top spoilers like I had on the Guzzi if I continue to ride it through this winter.
I am not enjoying chain maintenance - must get around to fitting the chain oiler that's been in the shed for months...!
@ I haven’t had any problem with Grip puppies and they really are better on my 77 year. Old hand when it’s cold or I’m out for more than a couple of hours. Honda grips are just hard.
I'd be interested in the accessories you've added other than the grips and outlet in the frun k.
Agree with your review, I'm about to trade my 2016 DCT in for another 2025 DCT, agree with swing arm comments, had mine powder coated, seat was too hard and sloped forwards, suspension was too hard, the previous 2015 suspension was better, blame the journo's test riding it as if its a fireblade and complaining that the front dives under braking!
Anyway, I'm looking forward to double front discs, a level and lower seat, and smoother gear changes in the lower gears on the 2025 model.
Yes it is dull. I had 2 dct models. Dull but so, so practical and easy to ride. I loved them to bits.
I think maximum power with the "P" not exist as you think. It gives just different mapping to the engine, but the power is the same. On the Africa Twin 3 bars is the softer and 1 is the hardest, sharper mode, so maybe Honda's logic is the same here...
Yes a fair point it just tweaks the 'curve' rather than changing the power the engine produces.
In 'rain' mode it is a very soft throttle response, so far less chance of breaking traction on slippery surfaces. In sport it is much more instant (though as I mentioned it also makes the DCT down changes far too aggressive for my liking - wouldn't be an issue on a manual bike of course).
That's funny, I'm coming from exactly the same place, and I will support all your statements, I got mine as a reliable workhorse standing next to my Moto Guzzi V85TT, now my Moto Guzzi is standing in the living room and the NC is my preferred choice standing in the garage. I don't know what it is with this bike? It's built to a budget, on paper it's supposed to be dull and practical, but when I ride it I just simply feel relaxed and joyful ??? but alright, sometimes it's just about the perfect match, and I found it to fit perfectly to where I am in life now (still love my Moto Gucci and keeping it so far) greetings from DK
In many ways it is greater than the sum of its parts. But then sometimes you hit a bump in the road and remember how cheap the front forks are 😁 Relaxing is a word that keeps coming up and that's definitely the case for me. Maybe I'll get tired of that and want a bit more 'character' again, but right now I'm enjoying riding around with my feet up, and reading the paper with a nice cup of tea 😅
I love my V85TT, but as I live very remote, I work on my own bikes, so the lack of a dealer network hasn't been an issue for me. The Guzzi is an easy bike to work on.
Yes, she is easy to work on, I also do my own service, my biggest concern is waiting time for spare parts if something goes wrong, haven't yet 👍(22.000km euro 4 model)@@michaelj63
@@michaelj63 Yes, I do my own service too, and I still love the V85. My worry is the lack of dealerships and customer support here in DK for the Guzzi if anything goes wrong with the electronic , I will keep the V85TT, it is a bike chosen with the heart, and Guzzi have souls, no denying that 👍 My NC750XD is my trustee workhorse and I love it for that 😊
I think he hit the nail on the head that it’s got a boring image because so many mention the lack of horsepower, when in reality if you get to ride one you would feel quite differently about it
I believe the reviews killed sales enough that Honda stopped selling the NC here in Australia back in 2020
Interesting, I thought it was one of their best selling bikes - maybe just in Europe? That's probably why they list it as an adventure bike even though every 'professional' reviewer only seems to consider it as a commuter bike.
Dull and beautifully reliable.
I have a cb500x, and it's probably my favourite bike.
Sounds like a good sensible bike. A bike that doesn't get in your way, but presumably if you're a good rider you can make it go places. I wouldn't mind seeing what you think of this one vs the TransAlp, if you get the opportunity to ride one.
You can definitely out-ride the suspension on a bumpy road if you're not careful, that's for sure. I'd love to have a go on a Transalp at some point. I always liked the original V-twin one.
If I was going to do any off-roading though, I would definitely go for a manual bike over a DCT I think - based on my experience from years of crashing into trees and ditches on rallies here in Wales ;-)
It’s a nice colour and a very underrated bike mossy had his suspension upgraded and it transformed it have you seen the long term test ?
Sold mine and got a goldwing. You’ll pry the goldwing from my dead clenched fist… but I miss my nc750
Nice vid....I have the "BIG OLD MAN" 1200 2016 version and would love a dashboard notice for the heated grips.....I keep forgetting to turn them on after fuelling. I tried the 700 and 750 dct and the 750 was much smoother for gear changes while the 700 was as clunky as my Ct1200 is...apparently the newer ones are much better...the radiator is ugly compared to the cb500x and the handbrake is still shit and I wish theyd used the nt700 shaftdrive 🤬🏍️💨💨💨💨👍P.S. I used to have a 700 Deauville...now thats dull😸
I remember the original Deavuille - we did indeed refer to it as the dull-ville ;-) Yea a shaft drive would be nice. If your hands are cold, just put them in your pockets 🤔 what could possibly go wrong!!
Its the great bike< ihad one for 18 months a great bike, but you right, the suspension could do with some work. The new 2025 model looks good
I had metzelers on mine and they were really good.
Bought a 2024 ex demo machine (DCT). Comfortable, frugal with fuel, reliable but oh so bland! That and the fact that i didn't like it deciding to change gears in the middle of a corner. Traded it back in after 2 months for a Transalp (which i love).
Yes it is not ideal, especially in sport mode when there's a fair bit of engine braking. It sounds like the 2025 bike might have an IMU, so maybe they'll fix that - will be interesting to test ride one for sure. Cheers!
I found your comment about the Dunlop OE tyres odd. My CB500X came with Dunlop Trailmax tyres. The OE rear managed 12000 hard kilometres and I replaced it with the same. The second one only managed to last about 10000km but I think the second one suffered from doing a lot of heavily laden kilometres in very hot conditions.
There's definitely some luck in what tyres you get, for sure. But these ones are almost trashed after less than 2500 miles. I didn't measure the tread when they were new, but I bet it was much less than on a retail tyre... the Michelin's on the V85 were still ok at 7000+ miles, that was with more weight and speed too. Cheers.
Problem is the NC 750 is basically a scooter chassis made to look like a motorcycle. The Vultus, Integra and the X-ADV current model are the originals. That's why the tank is under the seat, and there is plenty of room to have that storage compartment Frunk.
I think they look OK, but the scooter thing puts me off them. The CB500F is a much better machine all round, and 93 mpg despite the abuse I give it on the work run.
Great straight up review.
It's not for me.
Good luck with the winter, that's not for me either.
Wouldn't buy something I'm not confident I can fix,26 year old Harley would be pretty boring to pay someone else to work on.
Happy days from previously sunny Devon.
Yeah I've done my time through many winters when I didn't own a car. These days I'll pick heating and podcasts instead most of the time.
It's nice to get out on a fine dry day though, when they happen (not so nice to spend ages cleaning the frikkin salt off when you get home tho!).
Great review and although may sound picky, I think they are all good and valid points. Sorry for the diversion, but can you please advise which Moto guzzi you preferred? Ie v7 or 85 tt? Many thanks
Hi, tricky as they were completely different bikes. I'd have to say that the V7 attracted lots of admiring glances and comments from people,. but the V85 was MUCH more comfortable for long distance rides. If I had the money and space, I'd have kept both - V7 for Sunday posing, and V85 for everything else ;-)
Had one not dct, it cornered superply fuel consumption fantastic touring screen cut the wind out it was nighon a perfect bike but it was so good it lacked thrill it could get upto a good speed but it felt slower.
An interesting point, it does kind of feel slower the faster you go - maybe lack of vibration, intake and exhaust noise contributes to that? 🤔 Now, back in the day when I had an RD350, it felt a lot faster than it actually was 😂
Honestly I wish Honda used this 750cc engine for more bikes rather than the new one in the Hornet and Transalp 750s. I love a torque-first, long-stroke low-revving engine! Combine that with the great economy and simple, infrequent maintenance and we have a winning combination. That said, I currently ride an ADV350!
A lot of people love the ADV350 - I only saw one for the first time on the day I picked my bike up from the dealer - didn't even know they existed before then.
Yeah I think this engine would be good for the sort of off-roading that 'adventure' bikes do (gravel tracks etc) though I don't think I'd want the DCT for that, I'd want more manual control I think for sure.
great vid fab bike
The "never gets past 5th" in sport mode kind of makes sense. 6th is an economg gear on a lot of these bikes ('tis on my 650R as well). As such, 5th gets you your top speed, and in 6th the engine usually isn't making enough power to counter drag so you end up slowing down.
Yes, sounds feasible. I spend a lot of time in 5th, just rolling the throttle on and off. Then into 6th on long straights. Fuel consumption never seems to deviate. 350-400kms a tank
Indeed, I am sure it does it to keep the revs up a bit to enable faster acceleration and more engine braking. Can't say I've ever had an issue with the bike not being able to pull 6th though, it's a pretty torque-y engine.
@@MultiVogon Oh yes, she's very torquey, no doubt able to pull pretty well, but if you're going for top speed, as in the actual top speed, then you need the engine at its peak power to reach it. That's when it's doing all it can just to battle the enormous amount of drag there is. At that point, even though 6th gear will technically let the rear wheel spin faster, if it's anything like it is on my 650R, when it's under this much drag, that peak power is simply out of reach.
That said, at regular road speeds this engine should pull well in most gears. That's why they have it shifting "early" when there's next to no load. This power curve stuff only becomes relevant when you're going for the driving ban 😉
@@williambell12 The gearbox management system on these DCTs in standard mode usually has two goals - maximum achievable fuel efficiency and protecting drivetrain components. At this point they're probably going for fractions of a %. Even though to you and me the difference between 5th and 6th is basically imperceptible in the conditions you describe, I'm sure it makes sense to the engineering team that decided on the algorithm.
Lots of people also have concerns about it shifting early when just plodding along. As long as there's no real load on the engine, that's fine. It only becomes a problem when you're going 25mph in 6th and you give 'er.
My first bike was a CB125F which came with the same type of display (though a different layout). I set it up for night riding and just left it. During the day it was lit up pretty well by incident daylight.
I've come to appreciate gauge clusters who don't require additional lighting to function during the day. Y'know - like every single one used to in the past! Never expected such an anti-feature on supposedly modern, supposedly improved vehicles ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Mind you, I well remember taking speedos apart to replace the burned out bulbs back in the day ! Although once your speedo-cable snapped it didn't matter so much 😂
@MultiVogon Ah... The bad ol' days... Come to think of it, I remember tearing apart half the dash on the ol' Toyota to do the same 🤣🤣🤣
Say what you will about LEDs, they've fixed _that_ particular struggle. I just wish they'd stopped there. The newer (2006) Toyota's speedo _has_ to be lit up day and night, else you don't see a thing 😒
Cars peaked in the '90s 🤣
@MultiVogon "I don't know what you're talking about, officer - I was doing 29! Come, see for yourself! Says so right here!"
I have a 2022 nc and it gives a range countdown and a fuel gauge readout.
If these TFT screens with rider modes are going to define the future of motorcycles - I am destined to live in the bargain/retro world of analog clocks and mechanical switchgear .
Looks like the new bike will be moving to a TFT screen as well next year. They CAN be good (BMW RT with integrated nav display was great) but you can't beat a nice pair of dual analogue clocks, I agree!
There is a video online called Knox with a motorcycle journalist called Mos and he upgraded the suspension front and rear at a cost of £3000 and he couldn't believe the difference in handling. Night and day was the conclusion he came to.
Nowhere near £3000, the Hyperpro gear he got free but it costs around £1000 to do front and rear and that is with their top range rear shock. They also have cheaper one. Even if you used range topping Ohlins it would only be a bit more than that.
There comes a point where you just spend a few thousand more on the bike though, perhaps? I have no plans to upgrade the suspension at the moment. Although having said that on a previous bike I did fit progressive springs which helped a lot - but that was 'back in the day' not sure if that sort of thing is still an option.
Good review
Never mild dull bike mate.. you drone on and on... 😂😂 (just kidding - interesting review
I really do 🤣
@@MultiVogon 🤣🤣😂😂