Hi Folks,
I hope you don't mind me posting this here and that some of you find it of interest. It's relevant in a roundabout kind of way! I know many of you will have read some of my previous articles so this will bring you up-to-date with where I am.
** Intro
Unusually, buying a brand new NC750 was the culmination of an interest in electric motorcycles that started with an article about the Zero Motorcycle's 2013 S in around March of that year. I managed to test ride one during the summer and I was itching to buy one, despite the £13,000 price tag! It is now two years hence; many hours spent keeping up with
www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/ (most of it via Tapatalk - a great forum app for smartphones), many discussions with my wife and friends, test rides of Zero models from 2012, 13 & 14 along with one on a Honda NC750X amongst other traditional bikes. In the past, I've spent much less time considering the purchase of houses, choosing jobs and even planning a family... On to the review though!
**Cost & Servicing
I'm starting here because in many ways I'd like you to consider the cost of the NC750S DCT when reading the rest of this review. The list price here in the UK is £6,500. There's a first service at 600 miles which cost me a little over £120 and the next services are due at 8,000, 16,000 (major including valve clearances), 24,000 and so on. There's a two year manufacturer's warranty included but that does require you to get your servicing done at a Honda dealership.
**Engine
The engine is a parallel twin which has similar characteristics to a car engine; a longer stroke and a relatively low rev limit of 6,500 revs/min. It is very smooth for a twin and you get just enough feedback to let you know it's there. The stock exhaust gives out a surprisingly good sound. One admirer even assumed the bike had an after-market can fitted! The motor still manages to be quiet and refined so you're not disturbing the peace in the countryside or your neighbours on a Sunday morning. If you read the blurb, you'll learn that the engine is a brand new design with a number of innovations that help fuel efficiency.
The engine feels strong and will happily cruise all day at 90mph doing a mere 4,500rpm. Most bikes are just starting to wake up at that engine speed.
**Transmission
As you may be aware, DCT stands for Dual Clutch Transmission. This is the same technology as used in many VW cars with the flappy paddle gear change. The fact that Honda have managed to package this into a motorcycle is a great feat of engineering.
The bike launches from a standing start with great ease and at a good clip. The up-shifts are so smooth that you wouldn't be able to tell if it wasn't for the change in engine note. If you're in a hurry you can keep the throttle pinned and the box just keeps the acceleration coming. Downshifts are also extremely smooth, so much so that I never worry about it changing gears mid-corner or on a roundabout. There are the odd occasions when the box finds itself in the wrong gear and suddenly has to change, but these are very rare and never a problem. We riders get it wrong occasionally when using a manual transmission and we have a lot more information to go on, so I'm happy to forgive it. I must emphasise that it is very rare and only really materialises as the odd clunky gear change in contrast to the smooth and refined experience you're used to 99.9% of the time.
The story doesn't end there though because there are some clever electronics inside Honda's DCT system which do an excellent job of adapting to the way you ride. You choose whether to ride in D or S mode; D = Drive, S = Sport. Drive mode wants to get you into the highest gear as soon as possible to help fuel efficiency. This means you'll be in 4th by 25mph, 5th by 30mph and 6th as low as 37mph. However, if you open the throttle a bit, the transmission will keep in a lower gear for longer. If you're cruising and want to accelerate quickly, the box will drop a gear or two as you open the throttle wide. Once you've made your manoeuvre and have settled back to a relaxed riding style, you'll find yourself back up the gears. The S mode simply holds the gears for longer to give you more revs, power and acceleration. D mode holds onto high gears for longer when decelerating and S mode changes down quicker to give better engine breaking.
I like to think of D mode as dumper truck mode for the doldrums! It is great when just keeping with the flow of heavy traffic and filtering (lane splitting in the US). At the lights you still get a good strong pick-up and acceleration is good up to around 30mph when it really starts going up the gears. If you're keeping with the flow of the traffic, you'll find yourself hanging around 30-40mph. In this mode you simply coast up to the lights. The thump-thump of the engine sounds a little like you're driving a dumper truck if you try accelerating at 40mph when it is in 6th gear. It will accelerate though and you soon get used to it. At first, I thought I would never use D mode but I find myself using it increasingly to the point where more than half my commute is now ridden in D mode.
S mode is Sprightly mode, in my mind, as the NC really isn't a sports bike despite handling rather like one. That's not to say it's slow though. There is plenty of acceleration for quick getaways and overtaking on country roads even with my 220 lb lump on board. That's 16st or 100+ Kg to save you the maths... ;-) Because the engine is so low revving, quiet and never really sounds like it's working hard, you'll often look down at the speedometer and find you're going a lot quicker than you thought. You'll stay in a low gear when riding quickly around lots of bends which helps you around the corner as the extra engine braking on the rear wheel helps to keep it tight, just like you'd do with a manual transmission. If I'm not mistaken, it's a technique similar to what they are calling torque steering in cars, where the brakes are applied to the wheels on the inside of the bend. Not quite the same I'll admit... Just try going around a tight bend in a high gear and you'll see how much easier it is to hold your line in a low gear. Actually, please don't!
S mode also does an excellent job of changing up at just the right moment before you hit the rev limiter. As this bike has such a low rev limit, it's another good reason to let the DCT do it's job as you would otherwise be changing gears more often than on a traditional bike. Both D and S modes can be overridden at any time by pressing the + or - gear change buttons on the left handlebar. Changes go back to being automatic a short while afterwards or if you change speed enough to require a change. The only time I ever override either auto modes is to drop down a cog or two in anticipation of an overtake. I never use the manual mode as I would just be hitting the rev limiter all the time. The auto modes do a much better job and quite frankly, what's the point? I genuinely don't miss changing gears. I know there's an appeal to it, a lot like pulling the lever on a one-arm bandit machine. There's also the control aspect and more immersion in the mechanics of riding. Changing gear manually is not difficult to do either, so that's not an excuse. I rode 12,000 miles in one year on my Fazer, most of it on my commute. I can't honestly say that having to change gear in traffic was ever a big hassle. Going automatic does liberate me from some of the workload of riding. It leaves my senses more available to enjoy the experience. Over time, technology has got rid of the need to advance the ignition manually, to control the choke when starting from cold and most of us get away with not checking our engine oil between changes (especially in cars). Do we miss any of those tasks? Why not dispense with having to change gears then? The acid test is that I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've grabbed for the non-existent clutch lever, despite being so used to a manual transmission. You quickly adjust to having one less thing to do. Jump back on a traditional bike and you'll be changing gears again without a thought. The only difference is that you might just realise that you haven't missed the gear lever or clutch. Electric motorcycles will become mainstream over the next few years and the vast majority of these have a direct drive with any final drive ratio being taken care of by the front and rear sprockets.
**Handling and Suspension
The handling is sublime! The NC goes round corners better than any other bike I've ridden! The low centre of gravity has a lot to do with that, no doubt. The steering is very responsive which makes pointing the bike in the right direction effortless. Whilst that is useful in city traffic, the bike really comes into its own on twisty roads. Ironically, for what is ostensibly a commuter bike, the NC really shows its talents when you venture away from the city streets and highways. The bike is so easy to ride that all your attention can be focussed on enjoying the corners and taking in the scenery. I've heard that the NC will keep up with many a sports bike on twisty sections and I can well believe it. The handling gives you lots of confidence to enter corners at a good speed and makes you feel like there's plenty of grip to spare if the unexpected happens. Rather than the sheer adrenaline you'll experience from a fast bike screaming round the bends with the engine buzzing into double digits, you'll hear the wind and the low rumble of the engine. You get to see more of your environment from the upright seating position, you feel more comfortable and you just get a feeling of sheer joy. No stress, just an effortless sense of freedom.
**Fuel Economy (Imperial Gallons)
In short, it's very good for a naked bike. You will get a minimum of 60mpg even if you keep it in S mode. I'm getting 60+ mpg on my commute into London which is a mixture of high speed motorway and stop-start city riding. It's not an economical journey! My estimate is that you'll still get around 60mpg at a constant 90mph, 68mpg at 80mph and 75mpg at 70mph. I doubt I'll ever see the 80mpg that Honda makes claims for but I put that down to my weight and riding style. Others are getting 80 mpg from what I read.
In contrast, my Fazer 1000 was getting 40mpg on my commute and peaking at about 50mpg on long runs. That extra 20mpg or so from the NC makes a big difference and adds another dimension to the sense of freedom this bike gives you.
I ran the tank dry once whilst pushing my luck. I had used 2.5 litres of reserve fuel (not the 3.3 litres I thought there might be) and had covered 200 miles. You'll comfortably get 130-150 miles between fill-ups on the NC and still have plenty in reserve.
In the UK, the recommended octane rating for the NC is 91 RON. The lowest you'll get in the British Isles is 95 RON, so you really never need to spend the extra money on Super Unleaded (97 RON+), IMHO. The compression ratio is relatively low for a motorcycle and the likelihood of getting any pinking is non-existent with that low 91 RON rating. Due to the slow revving nature of the engine, I don't think you need to bother with fuel additives with this bike either.
**Tyres
Originally fitted with Bridgestone BT-023's which seemed fine. I've got a Road Pilot 4 on the back now after a puncture. That's good too and I'm hoping it lasts well.
**Storage
I love the frunk! It's just so nice to be able to store my helmet there when I stop and not have to carry it around with me. I can put a fresh shirt in the frunk and leave my backpack at home for my commute. Like any kind of storage, it makes itself useful one way or another. For most people it will remove the need for a top box or having to wear a rucksack on a regular basis. It's also great for little shopping trips - another excuse to ride the bike!
**Wind protection
It's a naked bike so there isn't any to speak of. You'll get more from the bigger windscreen on the NC750X model, which is more of an adventure bike. There are a couple of things I've noticed compared to riding my Fazer. The first is that wind noise inside the helmet is actually reduced! Essentially, the air flow around the helmet is more consistent whereas the screen on my Fazer compressed the air and it would hit the top of my helmet under higher pressure with more turbulence and hence more noise. 90mph on the NC is less tiring than on the Fazer. I've found this when test riding other bikes too, notably the ZZR 1400 with which I also felt buffeting on my helmet at high speeds. Perhaps a bike with enough of a screen to keep the airflow over the top of my helmet is the solution but I fear I would end up riding a Goldwing!
The other thing I've noticed is that I've got cold in conditions that wouldn't have bothered me in the past. This is down to the wind hitting my body and leeching away the heat, a bit like water does in a cold swimming pool but less obvious. The solution is easy - if the weather is a bit chilly I just wear something with more thermal insulation than cotton underneath my jacket. That means keeping the winter lining in when its cool as well as when it's cold. In mild weather its not a problem and in hot weather the airflow will be a bonus with all the zips open.
**Display
Simple, effective and a lot of thought has gone into it. Just like the rest of the bike really! What I particularly like is the ability to see your fuel consumption in miles per gallon and then view the amount of fuel used in litres. In the UK we have this situation where we all understand miles and gallons but petrol is sold to us in litres. So in terms of fuel consumed, it actually makes more sense to me to see this in litres. I prefer using the fuel consumed display as an indication of how much fuel I have remaining rather than the bar display for the tank. I think this is the same as my preference for displaying the percentage of battery remaining on my phone rather than relying on battery icon. The bike and the petrol pump are within 0.3 litres of each other when I fill up. I wonder which one is lying as the pump always reads a little more... I doubt that much would evaporate!
Someone at Honda actually considered how we might want to see the figures displayed in the real world here in the UK, which I find to be a remarkable attention to detail and very thoughtful. As a lay person I can't fully appreciate all of the effort and ingenuity that has gone into designing and building the engine, the suspension, the transmission, the software and so on. However, I can appreciate some of these little touches like the care taken over the display and the control gear. It really gives you respect for those that have worked hard to create this bike. It also helps me understand why my advanced riding instructor doesn't buy any other make!
**Security
The Honda Ignition Security System (HISS) looks like a great deterrent. Just don't lose your keys!
**Comfort
The suspension soaks up the bumps well and the seat is comfortable for an hour or so. I did a day trip to the Peak District covering 370 miles quite comfortably. By the way, I hear it's good to keep mileage down to 250 miles a day if you're going touring - only because it gives you a good balance between riding and allowing plenty of time for a long lunch and a few stops for a cup of tea.
**Sales & Customer Service
I'm going to give a nod to Norton Way Honda here. They're based in Letchworth Garden City, just north of Stevenage and very close to the wonderful A507 Baldock to Buntingford road. It just happens to be one of the best motorcycling roads in Hertfordshire and is perfect for taking bikes for test rides. Ask for Steve or Oz and you'll be well looked after. I can't commend them enough. It's really nice when sales people have a genuine passion for bikes and are willing to have a friendly conversation about particular models without the hard sell. Loads of product knowledge and experience, no BS, what more could you ask for? Thank you gentlemen!
**Final Words
I've wanted to write this review for weeks, but I'm glad I didn't get round to it for a while. It has given me more time to get over the honeymoon period and get used to the bike. There are usually a couple of things one can find to complain about on a bike but I genuinely can't think of anything worthy of note with my NC. I last paid attention to my mileage as I passed two months of ownership and the clock read over 3,500 miles! My commute only accounts for a maximum of 2,000 of those miles so the rest have been for fun and from me making excuses to go out for a ride. If you want a great quality roadster that's reasonably priced and a joy to ride, then look no further! As an all-rounder, I think it's hard to beat. NC stands for New Concept and I believe that the improvements over traditional designs raise this bike to the status of a modern classic.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. If it encourages a few of you to test ride an NC750 and make your own minds up, then it will have served it's purpose. Ride safe and have some fun! :-)
**Notes
This is all just my humble opinion. I've taken the time to write this simply to spread the good word about a great motorcycle. I don't have any affiliation to Honda other than being a customer and have received no payment or incentive of any kind to write this review.
As much as I love the NC750 and the DCT transmission, I see it as a stepping stone between a traditional bike and an electric bike. Electric motorcycles are still too expensive for most people and don't support on-board fast charging at the time of writing. I sometimes get the opportunity to go for a ride out after work which would take me well beyond the range of current battery technology and I can't charge at work. I can only justify owning one motorcycle at the moment so it has to be able to do it all. I hope that within the next five years we'll see electric motorcycles with a 150 mile range at 80mph, more if ridden slower. We also need charging at least as fast as Tesla's superchargers (80% charge in 20 minutes), and the infrastructure to support it. Everyone's circumstances are different and there are many happy electric motorcycle owners out there already. I hope I can join them in a few years.
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Topic: Honda NC750S DCT Review (Read 7664 times)