Riding the Nc700x

Riding the NC700X

ROUNDUP

Honda completely rethinks the modern motorcycle

BRUNO DEPRATO

WHEN THE BIG ECONOMIC CRISIS struck and the going got really tough for the motorcycle industry, the tough kept going. Honda upshifted and responded like the world leader that it is, redefining the sport to attract a new generation of riders and revitalize the battered old legion searching for a new direction after years of "new-and-improved" machines that have steadily grown more potent and, in some cases, less user-friendly. complishing this mission. Besides being a terrific value for the money, the new package had to be highly versatile. It had to show conceptual flexibility. How many variations could be extrapolated from a single design? In this case, there are three: the Integra maxi-scooter and two motorcycles, the naked NC700S and NC700X adventure-touring crossover.

Honda started this revolution with a blank screen; nothing stored on an existing hard drive was capable of ac-

The heart of the package is a compact parallel-Twin with cylinders inclined forward 62 degrees. A steel trellis frame tightly “encages” the engine, using it as a stressed member and following its low profile.

This design is superbly functional by being quite stiff and leaving plenty of usable space between the steering head and seat. Honda used that space for a false gas tank/luggage compartment; the actual 3.7-gallon tank is located under the seat.

The three models’ chassis geometry follows tried-and-true rules, spanning a 60.6-inch wheelbase and sporting rather conservative 27-degree rake and 4.3-in. trail. But the NC700X stands a little taller due to its longer-travel suspension: 6.0 in. for the 41mm fork and 5.9 in. for the Pro-Link shock. It follows that seat height goes from 31.1 in. on the Integra/ NC700S to 32.6 in. on the NC700X.

The all-new counterbalanced parallelTwin (with 270-degree crank) is, however, the same for all three models. Honda poured a lot of its automotive experience into this project to make the Twin user-friendly. An undersquare 73.0 x 80.0mm bore and stroke make for an actual displacement of 670cc. Most other Honda streetbikes are oversquare.

But these types of measurements are rather commonplace on Honda’s automotive side. The smaller bore means more-compact cylinder spacing, making the engine narrower and easier to package. Compact combustion chambers also result, with four valves of relatively small diameter set at a narrow included angle to further maximize efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Compression is a moderate 10.7:1.

The single overhead cam is chaindriven, and L-shaped rockers have rollertype cam followers to reduce friction. Fuel injection works through 36mm throttle bodies.

The NC700X unit comes in two power and torque levels: 51 horsepower at 6250 rpm and 45.7 foot-pounds at 4750 rpm when teamed with a standard six-speed gearbox; and 47 hp and 44.2 ft.-lb. of torque when associated with the newgeneration dual-clutch transmission. I tested the manual-gearbox version.

Of the three models, the NC700X is the best seller in Europe, where the appeal of this type of motorcycle remains strong.

It also doesn’t hurt that the 700X is competitively priced at less than 8000 euros ($6999 stateside), and its engine delivers a claimed 66 miles per gallon, according to the European homologation cycle.

All of this adds up to an affordable, versatile and efficient motorcycle that is a pleasure to ride. At 472 pounds, it’s not particularly light, yet it feels light.

I expected the conservative steering geometry, long wheelbase and tall seat height to offset the low center of gravity, slowing steering response at walking speeds, but that’s simply not so. The X feels lively and delivered excellent maneuverability even through the congested traffic of downtown Milan.

In addition, the engine is very smooth, tractable and more than adequately strong at full throttle. Top speed is a healthy 117 mph, and cruising all day long at a semi-legal 85 mph is just a laugh, since even at that speed, fuel economy is 47 miles per gallon.

The big surprise came when I pushed the 700X on a twisty backroad. Steering is precise and reassuring, and gratifying lean angles happen just like that. Thus, the X can keep a fast pace without stressing its rider. The comfortable riding posture and competent chassis dare the rider to adopt a more aggressive riding style, and that smooth and torquey engine offers all the supportive response one needs to balance the bike while scratching the footpegs in corners. The bike is shod with 120/70-17 front and 160/60-17 rear tires, and they worked well.

Braking is the only department that needs attention. The single “daisy-style” 320mm front disc with three-piston radial-mount caliper and the 240mm rear rotor and related single-piston caliper do not deliver all the stopping power the bike deserves. In addition, one has to adapt to the integral braking system: Counterintuitively, the rear brake must be stomped on hard to get the best out of the front brake (the pedal activates the third piston), all while squeezing the handlebar-mounted lever (to make the other two pistons do their part). I would welcome a standard dual-disc front brake system. When the NC700X makes it’s U.S. debut in August, Combined ABS will only be offered on the more expensive DCT model.

That concern aside, all of it works.

The Honda NC700X is the first “intelligent bike” and is rapidly climbing the sales charts here in Europe, where it might set itself at the top by the end of the year. As for the U.S., we’ll have to wait and see.