This was not a good purchase. I researched my first bike for awhile. I chose the NC700 because of the Dual Clutch Transmission. It'd been awhile since my MST course, and I remember having trouble with stalling at stops. So the DCT looked to be a good choice for a beginner. I bought one...
read more
This was not a good purchase. I researched my first bike for awhile. I chose the NC700 because of the Dual Clutch Transmission. It'd been awhile since my MST course, and I remember having trouble with stalling at stops. So the DCT looked to be a good choice for a beginner. I bought one used, with 5000 miles, from a senior citizen who'd added a useful windscreen and bags.
Sensible, safe, and a good commuter? These boxes it checked. And the DCT worked as advertised. Shifted up and shifted down on its own, or at the punch of your thumb. It gave some confidence. And it was easy to manage in NYC street traffic. And the front trunk was fun. I wound up treating it like a fanny pack.
But was the bike fun, comfortable, and good for the interstate? NO. It struggled to keep up with interstate speeds over 80mph. The model is tuned to give all its power at low speeds, and it has a rev limiter to protect the engine. So at interstate speed, with no fairing, it got caught by the wind, slowed down, and any attempts to increase the engine hit the stupid rev limiter. Lastly, after a couple hours on the interstate, the seat made my butt sore in a way that lasted for days.
And the bike was not FUN. Even around town, it chunked and it clunked. It was forgiving, but in no way inspiring. I remember having a Honda Elite scooter that more gleeful. It would always shift itself upward too soon, and the chugging reminded me of a tractor.
After about a year, it was stolen for a joyride and wrecked up in the Bronx. I was surprised to find I didn't mind it being gone. I missed having a motorcycle. But not that motorcycle, the NC700x.
So buyer beware.
If you go over to the NC700x forum site, most of the posts tell you it's "just as good as larger bike" or a "Mini-Dualsport" or "Good for all my needs". I believed these posts, but in my experience, I outgrew this motorcycle in about 6 months.
Show less