European trip - Honda NC700X DCT

[Trev]

Just returned from 5 days in Europe travelling through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France. Just over 1800 miles in total, some great roads and sights and the NC was the perfect bike for the trip IMO.

Used the frunk and a Kriega 10L tail pack (I travel light) and carried all I needed. Used iphone and map for navigation, map for rough route planning each night, iphone for when I needed to find specific point or really couldn't find the right road out of town!

Bike didn't miss a beat, chain needed one small adjustment (I run a Tuturo oiler), whiff of oil when I got home, a bloody good clean and new rear tyre. Have today replaced the Z8's with a pair of Michelin Pilot 3's and can't wait to see how they perform now the wet stuff is well and truly here.

What will I change for next time - tank top map holder to save opening frunk on each route check stop, charger for iphone to save carrying battery pack back up, 8 days next time and take in Alps/Italy/switzerland.

Averaged 68 - 72 mpg but two tankfuls on French D roads at 90 - 110 kmh nursing very worn rear tyre averaged 83mpg which I find amazing as although a more gentle than I would have normally ridden wasn't amazingly slow, not much passed me put it that way.

Although I haven't owned 'adventure or touring bikes' to compare I cant at the moment think of what one would add for my type of riding that the NC can't deliver, for sure a bit more oomph is always welcome but not if against any trade off in additonal weight, practicality or fun. The DCT was superb on roads where you really need to concentrate on what's around you rather than what gear you're in and I'm going to find it interesting when I get out on one of my 'manual' bikes this weekend.

[pilninggas]

Just returned from 5 days in Europe travelling through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France. Just over 1800 miles in total, some great roads and sights and the NC was the perfect bike for the trip IMO.

Used the frunk and a Kriega 10L tail pack (I travel light) and carried all I needed. Used iphone and map for navigation, map for rough route planning each night, iphone for when I needed to find specific point or really couldn't find the right road out of town!

Bike didn't miss a beat, chain needed one small adjustment (I run a Tuturo oiler), whiff of oil when I got home, a bloody good clean and new rear tyre. Have today replaced the Z8's with a pair of Michelin Pilot 3's and can't wait to see how they perform now the wet stuff is well and truly here.

What will I change for next time - tank top map holder to save opening frunk on each route check stop, charger for iphone to save carrying battery pack back up, 8 days next time and take in Alps/Italy/switzerland.

Averaged 68 - 72 mpg but two tankfuls on French D roads at 90 - 110 kmh nursing very worn rear tyre averaged 83mpg which I find amazing as although a more gentle than I would have normally ridden wasn't amazingly slow, not much passed me put it that way.

Although I haven't owned 'adventure or touring bikes' to compare I cant at the moment think of what one would add for my type of riding that the NC can't deliver, for sure a bit more oomph is always welcome but not if against any trade off in additonal weight, practicality or fun. The DCT was superb on roads where you really need to concentrate on what's around you rather than what gear you're in and I'm going to find it interesting when I get out on one of my 'manual' bikes this weekend.

Glad you had a great trip - have you got any photos/videos up?

I'm not surprised about the NC being well up to it; there is an awful lot of hype about motorcycle touring and the machines needed.

what was your itinerary?

i think once you have done multi-country european touring riding in this country is nowhere near as much fun.

[Berniebloke]

I must get myself a test ride on an NC - I keep hearing so many good things about them

[Trev]

Glad you had a great trip - have you got any photos/videos up?

I'm not surprised about the NC being well up to it; there is an awful lot of hype about motorcycle touring and the machines needed.

what was your itinerary?

i think once you have done multi-country european touring riding in this country is nowhere near as much fun.

Sorry I'm a bit old school and don't do the bike/video thing, once you've seen one video of 'X does wherever' then you've seen 'em all ; ) I only took 6 pics on the whole trip, just enough to remind me of where I went, will try to post a couple.

Itinerary was:

Wednesday - left home (near Ringwood) Wednesday midday for run to chunnel across Sussex downs, took bloody ages and loads of speed limits and traffic meant not as much fun as I'd hoped, would have been better off doing M3, M25, M20 as I usually do in the car. Tunnel crossing, £49 one way, hour and half motorway blast to Aalst - 350 miles in total

Thursday & Friday was visiting expo in Brussels so NC stayed garaged while I hitched a car ride in with colleagues on Thursday, took bike to expo Friday, did show and left 4pm heading South via Dinant, stayed on Belgian/Luxembourg border near Bastogne

Saturday across Luxembourg (lovely roads, very quiet, lots of bikes out) into Germany near Konz and then South to Stuttgart for the night to meet a friend for a beer.

Sunday - West from Stuttgart into France to Epinal, lovely windy roads some almost Alpine like in places, night at Bourbonne les Bains (middle of no where) in a one star hotel that left me wondering how they got the star! Lovely dinner though.

Monday - Westish past Auxerre, Chartres, looking for (and failing to find) tyre shop, night at Pithivers

Tuesday - still looking for (and finding to find one with 160/60 - 17 in stock) tyre shop, North West to Caen, 4.30pm ferry (£58 one way), off ferry at 9.30pm to p*ssing rain for hour ride home, welcome to England!

Total mileage after leg to Brussels was 1723 in four and half days, some days could have done more, some days went a little too long before stopping for the evening. I agree, theres' s lot of cobblers talked about what you need to go touring, no doubt more kit, different bike will make it easier/faster/posier (take your choice) but my advise is just do it. You haven't got to clock monster miles, stick to the prescribed bikers destinations or ride in a group. A bike you trust, kit your comfortable in (preferably waterproof), map (although mine was hopeless and still managed ok), mobile/smart phone for emergencies, cash and a willingness to meet new people and of course the right docs, legal bits, etc

I enjoy riding in the UK and really haven't travelled enough of it on a bike to make a fair comparison but busy roads, some truly scandalous road surfaces and some lemons still insisting on proving they can out ride Rossi on a Sunday morning do make it less than enjoyable at times.

[Trev]

I must get myself a test ride on an NC - I keep hearing so many good things about them

Give one try out, mines a DCT, I've plenty of 'manual' bikes so attracted to something completely different. Slow, heavy, plasticy but I love it, one of those bikes that sum of the parts adds up to way better bike than it should be. Even did Thruxtion track day week before last and managed, eventually, to get past the Triumph Sprint and Hayabusa in my group and I'm no track god, even better it averaged 48mpg over 7 sessions when my GSXR750 managed 28mpg at Thruxton 3 months before, was a bit quicker round the lap though : )

[pilninggas]

Sorry I'm a bit old school and don't do the bike/video thing, once you've seen one video of 'X does wherever' then you've seen 'em all ; ) I only took 6 pics on the whole trip, just enough to remind me of where I went, will try to post a couple.

Itinerary was:

Wednesday - left home (near Ringwood) Wednesday midday for run to chunnel across Sussex downs, took bloody ages and loads of speed limits and traffic meant not as much fun as I'd hoped, would have been better off doing M3, M25, M20 as I usually do in the car. Tunnel crossing, £49 one way, hour and half motorway blast to Aalst - 350 miles in total

Thursday & Friday was visiting expo in Brussels so NC stayed garaged while I hitched a car ride in with colleagues on Thursday, took bike to expo Friday, did show and left 4pm heading South via Dinant, stayed on Belgian/Luxembourg border near Bastogne

Saturday across Luxembourg (lovely roads, very quiet, lots of bikes out) into Germany near Konz and then South to Stuttgart for the night to meet a friend for a beer.

Sunday - West from Stuttgart into France to Epinal, lovely windy roads some almost Alpine like in places, night at Bourbonne les Bains (middle of no where) in a one star hotel that left me wondering how they got the star! Lovely dinner though.

Monday - Westish past Auxerre, Chartres, looking for (and failing to find) tyre shop, night at Pithivers

Tuesday - still looking for (and finding to find one with 160/60 - 17 in stock) tyre shop, North West to Caen, 4.30pm ferry (£58 one way), off ferry at 9.30pm to p*ssing rain for hour ride home, welcome to England!

Total mileage after leg to Brussels was 1723 in four and half days, some days could have done more, some days went a little too long before stopping for the evening. I agree, theres' s lot of cobblers talked about what you need to go touring, no doubt more kit, different bike will make it easier/faster/posier (take your choice) but my advise is just do it. You haven't got to clock monster miles, stick to the prescribed bikers destinations or ride in a group. A bike you trust, kit your comfortable in (preferably waterproof), map (although mine was hopeless and still managed ok), mobile/smart phone for emergencies, cash and a willingness to meet new people and of course the right docs, legal bits, etc

I enjoy riding in the UK and really haven't travelled enough of it on a bike to make a fair comparison but busy roads, some truly scandalous road surfaces and some lemons still insisting on proving they can out ride Rossi on a Sunday morning do make it less than enjoyable at times.

I've done all those places on a bike (except back via Normandy); Epinal and the Vosges are lovely and as you say almost (though not quite) Alpine in nature. The Swabian Alps directly south of Stuttgart are worth a ride, the roads between Reutlingen and the Swiss Border are good, infact the whole region from the Ardennes to the Alps (Ardennes, Vosges, Blackforest, Swa Alps) is better than the UK for riding.

I too like Luxembourg and the region between Bastogne and Luxembourg City is great for bikes (particularly the Mullerthal).

do post up your pics - pics tell more than 1000-words, or so they say.

[wiltshire builders]

there is an awful lot of hype about motorcycle touring and the machines needed.
.

In June/July I completed a 3,000 mile trip from Denmark, across Scandinavia, down through the Balkans and back through Germany on a zx10r with a us20 and an r25.
I'm not saying it was comfortable but I got to where I was going bloody quick!
Unless you're camping there is no need for masses of luggage and as for a GS1200 and the like, forget it. Too big, too heavy.

Sounds like you had a great time. Nice one.

[~BornAgain~]

I must get myself a test ride on an NC - I keep hearing so many good things about them

I did exactly that last Saturday at Blade Honda Swindon (they had a manual NC700S and a DCT NC700X). I tested the NC700S. The bike is OK up to 50-60mph, then if you want to open it you will have to wait a looooooong time before you hit 80mph. You will need both parts of your licence and a utility bill.

I must say I was looking to change my 2006 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer for the Honda NC700X, but now I am not so sure anymore...

Other observations:
1. Rear break seemed very weak... but front brake very good.
2. Very light and easy to manouver.
3. No wind protection on the NC700S. Riding at 70mph for extended periods of time might prove difficult. The NC700X might be different as it has the little screen.
4. You will hit the rev limiter a few times before you get used to it.
5. Storage space is a big plus.

I will try to get on a CB500 to see the difference... same power but different rev. range.

[Trev]

Pity you didn't get the try the DCT, I also tried the manual and, apart from the great price, good mpg and storage, IMO it's just another low powered mid-range bike and you can get fixated on the lack of revs. The DCT, although no quicker (it's got a few more bhp but also more kg) is a completely different bike, especially in X guise. You kind of forget the lack of top end acceleration (or even top end!) and get used to covering the ground pretty quickly by maintaining a decent average speed rather than bursts of acceleration followed by braking and the DCT box suits the low revving, torque orientated motor very well.

Having said that, I do have access to a couple of other bikes and although I'm a massive fan of my NC, and a convert to the DCT, not sure it would be my bike if I was only allowed one, guess that would depend what I was to use it for. Year round, do it all then maybe but owning a bike is as much about the heart as the head so my '89 GSXR1100K still does it for me even though compromised in some (dozens) of areas ; )

Agree with your comment on the brakes although DCT has linked with ABS and overall brakes are well up to the bike. The small screen adds some wind protection but depends what you're used to, better than my MT-03 but it's no RT. The storage is a blast, sees me hopping on the bike to pick things up I would have used the car for, even picked up a KFC for my lad without spilling the Sprite!