At a first glimpse, what we have here is a good looker. Visually, it could be a screamer, or is it a tourer? Technically it’s neither, but Honda’s NC700X is something much more useful to the vast majority of motorcyclists. To find out where it really fits in, you only need to do two things: peek under the metal and take it for a short spin.
Firstly, slot the key into the spot close to the ignition switch. Twist it to the right and the tank cover jumps a few millimetres. Lift this cover and you might think you have been looking at the wrong bike. Is this a scooter? Well, there is a large storage compartment under there, large enough to swallow a full-face helmet. So the next question is “where does the fuel go?” Try turning the key in the opposite direction and the seat pops up. Look underneath this and you spot the filler cap. That means the tank is under the seat. Cool! While we are on a voyage of discovery, let’s see what else we can learn.
Taking a look at the engine we note that it is an unusual configuration for modern times – a parallel twin. But again a big difference to the ones of my youth – these pots are close to horizontal. Hmmm, that means, together with the fuel being housed low down, a low centre of gravity and nice design…But parallel twins vibrate, don’t they? Some research reveals that we needn’t be worried. This one has a 270 degree crank, so it has the firing angle of a 90-degree V-twin, à la Yamaha’s TDM 850. This is all starting to look quite interesting, so it’s time for that spin.
The seat height is reasonably low at 830 mm and the dummy tank quite wide. A small screen helps the looks but otherwise it is a semi-naked bike with tubular trellis frame emerging from the bodywork lower down. The bike is pleasantly easy to manoeuver and, at 214 kg is not too heavy to catch, should you lose balance or forget to correctly position the side stand. This is a very important factor that many forget. If you cannot pick your bike up by yourself, should you be riding it? What if you are alone and drop it. A bit embarrassing, I think. The seat covering is a touch slippery but the overall feeling is positive because you sit in the bike and not on top of it. in addition, the overall set-up is well enough dimensioned for comfort.
It is very easy-going, almost impossible to stall, and all you need is a minimum of 2 000 r/min to get going. Straight away you appreciate the low centre of gravity and the bike feels light and nimble for a 700 (well, actually only 670, but I guess at the moment 650s are out and 700 is in?). It sort of reminds me of my old 860 Ducati, which was soon called a 900 without any capacity alterations due to the dictates of fashion. And fortunately the off-set crank angle really does work with nothing more than a satisfying gentle shake when accelerating to let you know that you are not piloting a sewing machine.
You can get into top gear (6th) at as low as 60 km/h. Low down torque is what the NC700X is all about. When you explore the traits above 3 000 r/min you soon hit the rev limiter at around 6 500 r/min so you might as well short-shift at 3 000 to 4 000 and get there just as
quickly.
Fuel consumption is reported to be 4 L/ 100 km and that hidden tank holds 14 litres, so your range could be as much as 350 km which is much better than most two-wheelers that dictate a careful watch on your riding plans to ensure the proximity of re-fueling stops.
Single wavy-pattern disc brakes are fitted front and rear that are adequate for the job. The rear suspension uses a monoshock. In summary, an excellent all-round commuter/tourer that should give years of economical fun with minimal maintenance expenses.
Three colours are available: the red featured here plus a white and a silver and all look pretty neat in the metal.
Specifications*
Engine: four-stroke parallel twin, 270 degree crank
Displacement: 670 cm3
Power: 38 kW at 6 250 r/min
Torque: 62 N.m at 4 750 r/min
Transmission: six-speed
Brakes: Single discs front and rear
Frame: Steel
Weight: 214 kg
Seat height: 830 mm
Fuel tank: 14 litres
Price: R66 000
Warranty: two years/unlimited km
Service intervals: 12 000 km
*Manufacturer’s figures