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Honda NT700V?
- Thread starter pkwyrider
- Start date
kenvford
Moped
The NT700V is based on the XL700V TransAlp available in Europe, with the addition of plastic and shaft drive. The TransAlp was at one time considered a dual sport type bike. It has not been imported since 1990 at which time it was a XL600V, with chain drive. I own two 1989 TransAlps. They are fun to drive, being quick and nimble. While I have not driven the Deauville (as it's called in Europe), I have spoken to two that have. Both say it is too underpowered to be a sport tourer, especially if you load the bags with gear and a passenger. I would tend to believe that analysis. I'm looking at it for my wife, as it seems to be a suitable "companion" bike on trips.
I went to my local Honda dealership and spent some time checking out the NT. Seems like it is everything I'm looking for in a bike at this stage in my life. And the more I talk to Phil Tarman and hear what he has to say, the more I want the bike. At this point I'm about 95% sure I will buy an NT. Lorie, how do you like your Nighthawk 750? I had a Nighthawk 650, then later on I bought a Nighthawk 700S. Loved both bikes, but I really regret selling the Nighthwk S....what a great ride that was!
I bought my NT in August took to the dragons tail in September
It went around the dragon much easier then then my Concours did in 03
The luggage is a little small, but I put the GIVI rack on to use the sme 45L bag I use on the Concours which I did keep and took it to Natural Bridge the weekend
the Nt runs and handles well with good gas milage and comfortable
Tony Borum Hagerstown, MD
It went around the dragon much easier then then my Concours did in 03
The luggage is a little small, but I put the GIVI rack on to use the sme 45L bag I use on the Concours which I did keep and took it to Natural Bridge the weekend
the Nt runs and handles well with good gas milage and comfortable
Tony Borum Hagerstown, MD
Here's a review of the NT I posted on the ADV Riders Forum. I was answering the question: "How does this bike perform compared to an 02 750 Nighthawk? I am looking for a street only bike."
The question came in the middle of a discussion comparing the NT to the Wee-Strom and the BMW F800ST. My answer:
I have ridden a Wee-Strom. The two bikes feel very much alike in the 30 miles or so I rode the Wee. I did not take it on any gravel, and I have had my NT on some. The Wee may have been a tad more powerful (the numbers say it is) and it had the 6-speed box. It did not have as much weather protection, but had excellent ergonomics. After 30 miles, the seat felt fine, don't know how it does on longer rides. I could be happy with a Wee.
I have not ridden an F800ST. I had great hopes for it when it was announced, but after sitting on it in the BMW dealer, I scratched it from my list. I had to lean too far forward to reach the bars, and the pegs were too close to the seat for my old metallic knees (I've had three right knee replacements, two left knees). My sense was that it would not have as much protection from the elements as the NT.
The NT has been a delight. I had ridden two Kawasaki Concours for 160K miles and was a little apprehensive about changing, but it was time for something lighter. I had been interested in the Deauville for years and when Honda decided to import it, I put it on my short list. After riding two non-ABS versions for a total of about 15 miles, I felt confident enough to buy an ABS model.
I knew that if it was going to work for me, there were several things I'd want changed. I bought bar risers, peg lowerers, a Throttlemeister, and bigger pannier lids (those had to come from the UK). There were other things I did to the bike and some on this list have said that I should have spent all my money on another bike. But there wasn't another bike that did everything the NT does.
The five-speed transmission seems, to me, to be perfectly matched to the engine's power curve. I have learned that it's not a low-rpm V-Twin torquemaster. Below 3,000 RPM, if you give it much throttle, it sounds like a bucket of rocks. Above that, it doesn't really start to pull until above 4 or 5,000. The 8500 rpm red-line is a hard one -- when you touch 8500, the engine shuts off. After having the Connies, where the redline at 10,500 was a suggestion (although power had peaked somewhere around 9,500), the first time I hit the redline with the NT was a real shock.
The brakes are great. I don't know for sure about the ABS; I think I activated it once in rain when a lady ran a red light in front of me. I sorta' felt one pulse and the bike stopped quickly and surely.
The handling is good, too. It's better on smooth roads than on real choppy ones, and it's not a sports bike, but it's nimble and accurate. In fact, I may take the peg lowerers off. I keep dragging the pegs. I had peg lowerers on my Connies, too, and only rarely dragged the pegs, but the NT gets 'em down fairly often.
Acceleration isn't any more powerful than you'd expect, but I keep up with traffic just fine. Cruising at 80-85 is comfortable, and I think if I were in Europe, I'd be fine at autobahn speeds. When I rode a GTR (the Euro version of the Concours) there in '08, we seemed to spend most of our time at 85-95mph, with occasional stretches at 100-105. The NT would be fine at 85-90, but would be working pretty hard at 95 and up. I've had it to 108 a couple of times, and acceleration was SLOOOOWWWW at that speed.
Comfort on the road is good. I've done a SS1K and taken the bike on several 4-600 mile days. The saddle is OK (although I'm in on a Russell DayLong group buy next month), and I did add a CeeBailey +2" windscreen.
I'm biased, but I don't think there's any great struggle to see the NT as the premier mid-sized (OK, small-sized) sport-tourer when the only candidates are the NT, the F800ST, and the Wee-Strom. And if the bike is to be used only on pavement, that settles it.
__________________
Phil Tarman
Ft. Morgan, CO
2010 Honda NT700V ABS
IBA # 5811: SS1000, BB1500
The question came in the middle of a discussion comparing the NT to the Wee-Strom and the BMW F800ST. My answer:
I have ridden a Wee-Strom. The two bikes feel very much alike in the 30 miles or so I rode the Wee. I did not take it on any gravel, and I have had my NT on some. The Wee may have been a tad more powerful (the numbers say it is) and it had the 6-speed box. It did not have as much weather protection, but had excellent ergonomics. After 30 miles, the seat felt fine, don't know how it does on longer rides. I could be happy with a Wee.
I have not ridden an F800ST. I had great hopes for it when it was announced, but after sitting on it in the BMW dealer, I scratched it from my list. I had to lean too far forward to reach the bars, and the pegs were too close to the seat for my old metallic knees (I've had three right knee replacements, two left knees). My sense was that it would not have as much protection from the elements as the NT.
The NT has been a delight. I had ridden two Kawasaki Concours for 160K miles and was a little apprehensive about changing, but it was time for something lighter. I had been interested in the Deauville for years and when Honda decided to import it, I put it on my short list. After riding two non-ABS versions for a total of about 15 miles, I felt confident enough to buy an ABS model.
I knew that if it was going to work for me, there were several things I'd want changed. I bought bar risers, peg lowerers, a Throttlemeister, and bigger pannier lids (those had to come from the UK). There were other things I did to the bike and some on this list have said that I should have spent all my money on another bike. But there wasn't another bike that did everything the NT does.
The five-speed transmission seems, to me, to be perfectly matched to the engine's power curve. I have learned that it's not a low-rpm V-Twin torquemaster. Below 3,000 RPM, if you give it much throttle, it sounds like a bucket of rocks. Above that, it doesn't really start to pull until above 4 or 5,000. The 8500 rpm red-line is a hard one -- when you touch 8500, the engine shuts off. After having the Connies, where the redline at 10,500 was a suggestion (although power had peaked somewhere around 9,500), the first time I hit the redline with the NT was a real shock.
The brakes are great. I don't know for sure about the ABS; I think I activated it once in rain when a lady ran a red light in front of me. I sorta' felt one pulse and the bike stopped quickly and surely.
The handling is good, too. It's better on smooth roads than on real choppy ones, and it's not a sports bike, but it's nimble and accurate. In fact, I may take the peg lowerers off. I keep dragging the pegs. I had peg lowerers on my Connies, too, and only rarely dragged the pegs, but the NT gets 'em down fairly often.
Acceleration isn't any more powerful than you'd expect, but I keep up with traffic just fine. Cruising at 80-85 is comfortable, and I think if I were in Europe, I'd be fine at autobahn speeds. When I rode a GTR (the Euro version of the Concours) there in '08, we seemed to spend most of our time at 85-95mph, with occasional stretches at 100-105. The NT would be fine at 85-90, but would be working pretty hard at 95 and up. I've had it to 108 a couple of times, and acceleration was SLOOOOWWWW at that speed.
Comfort on the road is good. I've done a SS1K and taken the bike on several 4-600 mile days. The saddle is OK (although I'm in on a Russell DayLong group buy next month), and I did add a CeeBailey +2" windscreen.
I'm biased, but I don't think there's any great struggle to see the NT as the premier mid-sized (OK, small-sized) sport-tourer when the only candidates are the NT, the F800ST, and the Wee-Strom. And if the bike is to be used only on pavement, that settles it.
__________________
Phil Tarman
Ft. Morgan, CO
2010 Honda NT700V ABS
IBA # 5811: SS1000, BB1500
My local Honda dealer let me take an NT out while he had my Versys in for a new front tire prior to going to the National in WI. I liked it very much. The ergonomics were just about perfect for me.......5'11", 190 lbs, 32" inseam. The power seemed adequate, would have liked a little more however and agree with statements that two up and loaded down that it would probably be underpowered. I believe it would a be fuel miser. Very nice handling and comfortable. I rode it for about an hour around the countryside here in South Georgia.