http://www.hondaprokevin.com/motorcy...s-review-specs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnZA2u8LTEg
(The second link shows a stock bike exactly like mine.)
This is not the kind of bike I’d have considered buying until recently, but age-related arthritis caused me to look for one with automatic transmission. Trolling the Net I came across the NC750 range which includes a naked-looking S model and a sort of dual-purpose-looking X, both with a Dual Clutch Transmission option. Aha!
Swinging a leg over the seat is something my hips don’t like now so the lower set S was the one which interested me. Even so I prefer to climb on, chookie-style.
Honda NZ doesn’t import the NC bikes with DCT and until now not even with ABS, so onto Trade Me and sure enough Cyclespot were offering a used, low km, 2014 S-model with DCT and ABS, so I bought it. It came also with an accessory centre-stand, Puig brand ‘touring’ screen and stainless-steel side protection-bars. BikeTranz delivered it to me on the 25th of September ’17 with just 4,384km on it. That is now 10,000km, so over 1,000km per month and none of it commuting.
As well as there being an ‘automatic’ option with DCT, both S and X use a car-like 750cc parallel twin engine said to be akin to half a Honda Jazz 1500 engine, an under-seat fuel tank and a storage compartment where a conventional tank is commonly found.
That ‘architecture’ gives low-set weight for easy slow-speed maneuvering and even I can do a full-lock, slow-speed, feet-up figure-8 easily. After having had top-heavy bikes with 25 litres of fuel up top, that is a revelation. Not that I do commute anymore, but this bike would make an excellent commuter, especially with it’s DCT.
For almost all the riding I do now the ‘frunk’ storage compartment is all I need. It will hold any helmet with ease so my rain-suit, lunch and a vacuum flask nowhere near fill it.
So, what’s it like to ride?
• It’s not an exciting bike by any means but it is extremely easy to ride with neutral and accurate steering, excellent balance and a comfortable, upright, roomy riding position. The stock seats were rather hard so I’ve fitted Shad-brand after-market ones which are excellent.
• The stock suspension didn’t suit me at all, so it’s now had the KSS treatment, which I’ve posted about elsewhere here.
• The DCT is brilliant for me. Again, I’ve posted about that.
• The engine is rather dull, frankly, but is willing enough when provoked and has good fueling. 40kW and 68Nm moving a bike weighing 226kg wet, are never going to cut it with the power-hungry set, but it suits the way I ride now very well. Because of the car-like engine characteristics, it is low revving and ridiculously fuel efficient. Like, 30km/l of mixed riding, which means about 330km before the 3 litre reserve. At least the exhaust note is not too subdued when given some stick. It starts very easily, settles quickly into a smooth idle and performs well from cold.
• Re-fueling requires the pillion seat to be raised but since bikes must not be sat on then in NZ, it’s not a problem.
• Instrumentation is comprehensive but rather small. Km/l is a nice inclusion.
• Mirrors are perfect. Wide, large, and always dead-clear.
• With quite modest brake specifications, I am surprised at how well they work. This is the first ABS equipped bike I’ve owned. It works smoothly and doesn’t cut in too early. The rear brake is very easy to use when cornering.
• The Puig screen works well enough with the add-on top deflector I’ve added.
• I quite like the somewhat Transformer-esqe styling, and the satin-white of my bike. Surprisingly, the satin paintwork is easy to clean.
I’ll never love this bike the way I do my Buell of eleven years, but it’s an ideal bike for me now, and for the kind of riding I do, which is mainly day-rides of up to 400km and shorter rides of between 40km and 100km.
