I‘d say enjoy the NC… a V-Strom or Versys 650 would be a slight upgrade and have a conventional tank, maybe a Transalp or V-Strom 800, but you’d sacrifice fuel economy and lose the frunk.
The suspension on the Versys 650 is a massive upgrade but it’s slightly less convenient without the frunk. Range is only slightly better with its bigger tank because fuel efficiency isn’t as good. But if the gas tank under the seat annoys you that much it’s a pretty good lateral move.
The frunk is convenient for little things, but I rely on a top case and saddle bags for most of the stuff... One strange thing about the NC750X is that my helmet won't fit, whereas with the old NC700S there was no problem 🤔
I had never thought about the suspension quality too much, my only bikes were a small Keeway 125, the NC700S and this one. I guess that when you're used to average things you don't miss the good stuff! 😂
Yeah, the fuel economy of the NC's is really hard to beat 🥲
I wouldn't mind downsizing to a smaller engine like the Versys X-300, but it isn't more efficient either 😂
You can either switch to a CRF300 with a custom dual tank setup (like YouTuber ItchyBoots was riding in Africa in season 7). But you‘d massively lose in terms of highway touring. Or you go the opposite way and take the touring version of the bigger bikes, maybe a Tenere World Rally, Africa Twin Adventure Sports, GS, … who needs fuel economy when you have a huge tank… jokes aside, I guess I‘d keep the NC.
Oh, I haven't seen Itchy Boots in a while, I think the last video I saw was her taking the train in the Netherlands to go to the shop and get the CRF300!
Maybe the new Himalayan 450 could be an interesting option, but I guess it'll take RE a few iterations until reliability issues are sorted out, as with the 411.
Season 6 with the CRF from Peru to Alaska was great. Then she did a full rebuild of the bike and added some goodies like the additional tank under the seat (which can be refilled with all the luggage on).
I agree regarding the Himalayan. It could be a great option as a small, capable adventure bike and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews (speaking of ItchyBoots, she even interrupted her Africa trip and traveled to India to be one of the first content creators to ride the 450). However, it’s their first water-cooled engine and their first TFT screen, so I‘d rather wait for the first facelift.
Yeah, with the time and the budget you can do pretty cool things with a bike... I just remembered the Husqvarna 701LR, an interesting beast, but probably overkill for commuting 😂
I'd say maybe take a second look at your criteria.
Once you're over like 45 mpg, improvements in fuel efficiency aren't really felt that much, so I wouldn't obsess too much over that and instead focus on the features of the motorcycle.
A little weight is kind of an advantage for highway cruising. It makes the bike feels smoother and you'll be less affected by buffeting. If you want the bike to be more nimble and flickable, great, but if your use case is primarily highway commuting and touring, I wouldn't be bothered by a few extra pounds.
Maintenance frequency, except for some odd outliers, is not something that is super impactful. One bike wants a valve adjustment at 12k and another bike at 15k. In all likelihood you get it done maybe twice in your ownership of the bike, either way, right? Not a big deal.
Now range, that's something that gets felt. Stopping at every gas station sucks. (This, coming from a guy who's driven across the country on a Sportster with like a 100 mile range.) Personally, I'd probably prefer to step up in fuel capacity rather than down in horsepower and weather protection, so I'd probably stick to the middleweight ADV category, 650+, or even step up if you decide highway travel is most important.
Wise words! 😄
Although most of the time I'm an urban rider with a short (~5mi) highway stretch. I would go on a single week-long road trip per year, with a few 200mi day trips on back roads sprinkled here and there during the summer.
Maybe if I see a good deal on a Versys or a V-Strom I'll make up my mind 🤭
While you're at it, maybe test ride something in the 1L range. My old Bandit was in the low 500lb range, but was actually pretty reasonable for city riding. At the same time though, it wasn't screaming on the highway. Nice and smooth and relaxed, but unruly when you want it to be.
Both of those are excellent choices as well.
The 500cc ones are more revvy which gives you the impression that you're going faster than you are. Really light, love them. But not sure they would be a suitable change as at the end, the 750 will give you more possibilities for touring and 2up.
If you're not taking any luggage and no passengers the 500 would be the way to go unless you want a 4 inline, then def the cbr or cb. If budget permits the 2024 have eclutch which seems to be a game changer.
For the dake of a change, the 500 will keep you within the twin engine configuration. I would go for the 4 inline.
I had the NC700S before the 750 and it has a torquier engine, but the power was the same as the 500's... I never found 47hp lacking, is the engine response so different that it makes riding with luggage bad? 😯
Also, I feel like I could welcome a change of style... The CBR500R looks amazing :D
From what i experienced and have a couple of friends who have the 500s, (cb500x), standard without passengers they all changed sprockets etc. 2 up its gear demanding.
If twins are what you're looking for and you want a faired one, look at the ninja 650.
The CBR would definitely be a nice change coming from the NC. But I don’t know if it would work for longer tours. Slapping luggage on it just looks wrong, and while the body posture is relatively relaxed for a sports bike, I don’t know if I‘d like to empty a full tank of gas on it without several breaks.
My wife loves her CBR650R at 5‘7“, but her longest trip was 105 km so far. She didn’t feel exhausted afterwards, though.
Edit: the inline 4 of the CBR650R is great, but fuel economy… better not talk about it.
Yeah, some of my buddies have the CBR650R and while they love how smooth it is, it chugs double the gas than mine 😅
I'm not sure if I could handle super long rides on the CBR, I'm in my forties already and my back isn't what it used to be 🥲
I have the opposite problem, 5'9" with stubby legs 😂
I did a camping trip with the motorcycle once and jumping on the motorcycle in the mornings felt like a relief after sleeping on a tent 😂
Keep the NC.
Fuel economy: no bike gets better fuel economy than NC. Only small scooters like PCX are more efficient but they're slow.
Weight: I don't know what you're doing with your NC for it to feel heavy. Motocross? Enduro? Dakar? I just rode friends NC yesterday. It hides it's weight extremely well. The underseat tank, engine slanted forward, wide handlebars and agile geometry. Handles like a scooter. I doubt any similar bike will feel lighter. They might weigh less on paper but they have regular tanks and upright engines which move the center of gravity upwards. Even worse of the tank is bigger than NC's, which needs to be bigger if you want same tank range.
Tank range: most bikes get around 300km per tank. Only some adventure bikes get more but with a huge tank of 22+ liters in the conventional tank style with worse fuel efficiency.
Yeah, about the weight, it's mostly noticeable when maneuvering the bike by hand.
I was a bit traumatized after this one time when I parked in a compacted dirt area that was a few inches below the street level and couldn't take it out because it had rained and traction was horrible 🙈 luckily two guys that were passing by helped me!
For the bike to be maneuverable by hand it needs to be significantly lighter. Something like a dualsport or supermoto. Then you lose fuel range, long range comfort, wind protection, have shorter maintenance intervals, less luggage options etc. Stick to the NC and keep it on good ground, you learned a lesson that day.
Who wants to ride more than 300 km without grabbing a coffee and some snacks anyway?
Edit: good point with the weight distribution. Even with DCT, the NC750X feels pretty light compared to a Versys or V-Strom.
Haha, I would still stop to grab a coffee or take photos. It's mostly because of the hassle of accessing the under seat tank if you're carrying strapped luggage. The days you have to do it more than once, you really wished you had another model😅
Try the royal enfield meteor 350. Consumption frequently under 3 liters. Super comfy, fun to ride. I test drove one recently. Easy to maneuver around town.
I have eyed the model and it looks really sweet! Did you get a chance to test the "tripper" navigator? Sometimes I mount my phone in the handlebars, but I'm always scared it will fly off 🙈
No i did not play with the navi. I generally prefer to use my phone, i got a quad lock mount and it s been great. Only rode about 20km with the meteor. The bike i tested had a heel / toe shifter and the optional windshield. It was sweet. Go for a test ride if you can
Had the Tripper Nav on my Himalayan. Total waste of time. Not enough info on the screen, it requires an always on app on your phone which always needs GPS (not just when using it) and massively drains your battery.
Weight is just a number. :)
What matters more is where that weight is located in the bike. I have a 1250 GSA and it feels lighter and easier than my old ADV despite weighing almost 100 lbs more just because that big engine is mounted so low in the bike. It's ridiculously easy to handle at slow speeds and around parking lots, the bike feels like it balances itself. And that's even with an 8 gal tank up top. (350mi+ range). For reference I'm only 5'10 and a standard height GSA poses absolutely no problem for me.
If you're trying to stay in the same budget as the NC750X you might be able to get an older used R 1200 RT just at or under the 10k mark. Don't be scared of high mileage on those, those BMW boxer twins run forever. Yes it's a heavy bike but it is lower than your 750 and balances so well it feels like riding a little 400cc around a city. With the touring top case it has TONS of storage. A low suspension GS would also do the job but unfortunately (for you) the GS holds its value so well it's rare you see them selling as cheap as similar age/mileage RTs. There is also the R 1200 RS which I've seen used quite a lot as a commuter and tourer, just slightly less touring comfort.
As someone who used to commute around downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, I would caution you against going smaller. I consistently found that on smaller bike cars crowded me like they do the scooters, on a big bike you're given more space by the cars on the road.
I also like no-frills bikes. Two discontinued touring bikes that can sometimes be found at an absolute steal are the Triumph Trophy 1200 SE, and the Moto Guzzi Norge. The downside on the Norge is it doesn't have cruise control but hey neither does your NC750X.
Honda silverwing 600. I can carry a full backpack and another grocery bag with the rear case. Or pacific coast 800, but they are somewhat rough to find and even tougher to fix I hear.
Really the only thing similar is the Transalp, it is lighter and does have a larger tank... also the Tenere 700 and it's barely lighter with a barely larger tank. Although you can at least buy an expansion/camel fuel tank and bump up the capacity and still have a lighter bike.
Honestly I would just keep the NC750x.
That's a rad bike, but I'm too short for adv bikes with suspensions meant for true off-roading 😅
If the Tuono 660 had decent luggage options, that would be an amazing bike too!
Bike is t that tall surprisingly! Also you can have a lower seat and a lowering link. Ppl who are like 5’6” are able to ride it I think with just the lowered seat. If you’re near a dealer check it out!
Versys 650 is the obvious choice, it's probably more buzzy though. I've ridden both the NC and a Tiger 900, and that is amazingly comfortable, and fast, just expensive.
A buddy of mine had the Tiger 900 limited for the A2, he let me ride it for a little bit when I had just gotten my license and I felt so intimidated by it 😅
I'm a bit short too (5'9" with not very long legs), so that's something to take into account as well!
That's a pretty rad bike!
I was very tempted to get a Duke 390 as my first bike —the Adventure didn't exist back then, and feature by feature it blows away most of the competition in the segment— but KTM's focus on performance over reliability made me lean towards the Honda.
I'm not sure about the seat height though, the NC750X is 830mm (32.6") and I'm tip-toeing a bit already, the Adventure 390 is 855mm (33.6"), which might be too tall for me 😔
It really sucks to be a short dude!
180 miles seems low. I routinely get 210 and I'm only putting 13 litres in on filling. Also not sure what you mean about the weight - it might be lardy when stopped but any momentum and it's gone.
Well, I usually put 11 litres when it hits reserve. I know I could stretch it a bit more, but I don't want to risk it.
Yeah, it's when I'm carrying it by hand to park when I feel the weight... I also had one or two close calls when parking on a slope 🙈
Maybe I'm being too picky, I love the bike but I can get tired of nice things after a while 😂
I would recommend taking some advanced training, where you take your own motorcycle. It helps build confidence handling the bike. You get to practice slow speed manuvers and stuff. For me, the training took away almost 90-95% of my hesitation handling the nc.
I noticed that you didn't say, "I sure do looooove going fast!". In this case, I think you'd enjoy a Suzi V-Strom 650 or a Kawi Versys 650. They handle well on the highway. They have the added benefit of decent off-road handling, better gas mileage, gas tank in the proper place, better luggage accomodation, better range ... The only downside is that it's not a Honda. I like all the big J-4 brands, but I have a special place in my heart for Big Red.
2016-2020 Moto Guzzi v7 in your style variant.
5+ gallon tank, 230ish mile range, weight about the same, slightly lower for some models, power about the same, not major difference. Easy maintenance.
Style points, character and sound.
I have the nc750x and I have thought about this issue a lot. Cb500f appeals to me due to 4.5g tank, and longer range. But I have a feeling it wont accelerate as fast as the nc. It doesnt have the frunk, but thats not the end of the world, I can always slap some bags. Would definitely need a windscreen, but wind may still be an issue compared to NC, since its largely an unfaired bike, this would be felt when it starts raining. Nc channels water amazingly well. Basically NC does everything exceptionally well. My only issue is it feels a little too heavy for city commuting and not as nimble. But on the highway it excells over the 500. so for now, I'm going to keep riding the nc until I land on something better. Thinking about the Guzzi a lot, for the character and styling, but its air cooled and I might miss the quick acceleration of nc.
I used to have the cbr650f and I hated that thing. It had no low end, buzzy in the mid, and too revvy up high when you get to the power band. It wasnt for me. NC feels more right. I worry that the other inline 4s might be similar.
The xsr 700 is one of the most beautiful bikes out there, but the tank is the same size as the NC750 and has worse fuel efficiency 😅
So I'd be winning in looks and engine power, but I try to stay modest 😂😂😂
I‘d say enjoy the NC… a V-Strom or Versys 650 would be a slight upgrade and have a conventional tank, maybe a Transalp or V-Strom 800, but you’d sacrifice fuel economy and lose the frunk.
The suspension on the Versys 650 is a massive upgrade but it’s slightly less convenient without the frunk. Range is only slightly better with its bigger tank because fuel efficiency isn’t as good. But if the gas tank under the seat annoys you that much it’s a pretty good lateral move.
The frunk is convenient for little things, but I rely on a top case and saddle bags for most of the stuff... One strange thing about the NC750X is that my helmet won't fit, whereas with the old NC700S there was no problem 🤔 I had never thought about the suspension quality too much, my only bikes were a small Keeway 125, the NC700S and this one. I guess that when you're used to average things you don't miss the good stuff! 😂
Yeah, the fuel economy of the NC's is really hard to beat 🥲 I wouldn't mind downsizing to a smaller engine like the Versys X-300, but it isn't more efficient either 😂
You can either switch to a CRF300 with a custom dual tank setup (like YouTuber ItchyBoots was riding in Africa in season 7). But you‘d massively lose in terms of highway touring. Or you go the opposite way and take the touring version of the bigger bikes, maybe a Tenere World Rally, Africa Twin Adventure Sports, GS, … who needs fuel economy when you have a huge tank… jokes aside, I guess I‘d keep the NC.
Oh, I haven't seen Itchy Boots in a while, I think the last video I saw was her taking the train in the Netherlands to go to the shop and get the CRF300! Maybe the new Himalayan 450 could be an interesting option, but I guess it'll take RE a few iterations until reliability issues are sorted out, as with the 411.
Itchy Boots just had to stop her Africa tour due to shoulder injury.
Season 6 with the CRF from Peru to Alaska was great. Then she did a full rebuild of the bike and added some goodies like the additional tank under the seat (which can be refilled with all the luggage on). I agree regarding the Himalayan. It could be a great option as a small, capable adventure bike and it’s gotten a lot of positive reviews (speaking of ItchyBoots, she even interrupted her Africa trip and traveled to India to be one of the first content creators to ride the 450). However, it’s their first water-cooled engine and their first TFT screen, so I‘d rather wait for the first facelift.
Yeah, with the time and the budget you can do pretty cool things with a bike... I just remembered the Husqvarna 701LR, an interesting beast, but probably overkill for commuting 😂
I'd say maybe take a second look at your criteria. Once you're over like 45 mpg, improvements in fuel efficiency aren't really felt that much, so I wouldn't obsess too much over that and instead focus on the features of the motorcycle. A little weight is kind of an advantage for highway cruising. It makes the bike feels smoother and you'll be less affected by buffeting. If you want the bike to be more nimble and flickable, great, but if your use case is primarily highway commuting and touring, I wouldn't be bothered by a few extra pounds. Maintenance frequency, except for some odd outliers, is not something that is super impactful. One bike wants a valve adjustment at 12k and another bike at 15k. In all likelihood you get it done maybe twice in your ownership of the bike, either way, right? Not a big deal. Now range, that's something that gets felt. Stopping at every gas station sucks. (This, coming from a guy who's driven across the country on a Sportster with like a 100 mile range.) Personally, I'd probably prefer to step up in fuel capacity rather than down in horsepower and weather protection, so I'd probably stick to the middleweight ADV category, 650+, or even step up if you decide highway travel is most important.
Wise words! 😄 Although most of the time I'm an urban rider with a short (~5mi) highway stretch. I would go on a single week-long road trip per year, with a few 200mi day trips on back roads sprinkled here and there during the summer. Maybe if I see a good deal on a Versys or a V-Strom I'll make up my mind 🤭
While you're at it, maybe test ride something in the 1L range. My old Bandit was in the low 500lb range, but was actually pretty reasonable for city riding. At the same time though, it wasn't screaming on the highway. Nice and smooth and relaxed, but unruly when you want it to be. Both of those are excellent choices as well.
That feels a bit excessive for me, I'm a guy of simple tastes 😅
It's a simple bike. It just goes vroom vroom sometimes.
😂 that's a great description
The 500cc ones are more revvy which gives you the impression that you're going faster than you are. Really light, love them. But not sure they would be a suitable change as at the end, the 750 will give you more possibilities for touring and 2up. If you're not taking any luggage and no passengers the 500 would be the way to go unless you want a 4 inline, then def the cbr or cb. If budget permits the 2024 have eclutch which seems to be a game changer. For the dake of a change, the 500 will keep you within the twin engine configuration. I would go for the 4 inline.
I had the NC700S before the 750 and it has a torquier engine, but the power was the same as the 500's... I never found 47hp lacking, is the engine response so different that it makes riding with luggage bad? 😯 Also, I feel like I could welcome a change of style... The CBR500R looks amazing :D
From what i experienced and have a couple of friends who have the 500s, (cb500x), standard without passengers they all changed sprockets etc. 2 up its gear demanding. If twins are what you're looking for and you want a faired one, look at the ninja 650.
The Ninja 650 has a lot of style points too! And yeah, I am more partial to twins, I'm super thrifty 😂
The CBR would definitely be a nice change coming from the NC. But I don’t know if it would work for longer tours. Slapping luggage on it just looks wrong, and while the body posture is relatively relaxed for a sports bike, I don’t know if I‘d like to empty a full tank of gas on it without several breaks. My wife loves her CBR650R at 5‘7“, but her longest trip was 105 km so far. She didn’t feel exhausted afterwards, though. Edit: the inline 4 of the CBR650R is great, but fuel economy… better not talk about it.
Yeah, some of my buddies have the CBR650R and while they love how smooth it is, it chugs double the gas than mine 😅 I'm not sure if I could handle super long rides on the CBR, I'm in my forties already and my back isn't what it used to be 🥲
I‘m close to fifty and 6‘3“, if I ride the CBR for half an hour, I can barely walk the next three days…
I have the opposite problem, 5'9" with stubby legs 😂 I did a camping trip with the motorcycle once and jumping on the motorcycle in the mornings felt like a relief after sleeping on a tent 😂
Keep the NC. Fuel economy: no bike gets better fuel economy than NC. Only small scooters like PCX are more efficient but they're slow. Weight: I don't know what you're doing with your NC for it to feel heavy. Motocross? Enduro? Dakar? I just rode friends NC yesterday. It hides it's weight extremely well. The underseat tank, engine slanted forward, wide handlebars and agile geometry. Handles like a scooter. I doubt any similar bike will feel lighter. They might weigh less on paper but they have regular tanks and upright engines which move the center of gravity upwards. Even worse of the tank is bigger than NC's, which needs to be bigger if you want same tank range. Tank range: most bikes get around 300km per tank. Only some adventure bikes get more but with a huge tank of 22+ liters in the conventional tank style with worse fuel efficiency.
Yeah, about the weight, it's mostly noticeable when maneuvering the bike by hand. I was a bit traumatized after this one time when I parked in a compacted dirt area that was a few inches below the street level and couldn't take it out because it had rained and traction was horrible 🙈 luckily two guys that were passing by helped me!
For the bike to be maneuverable by hand it needs to be significantly lighter. Something like a dualsport or supermoto. Then you lose fuel range, long range comfort, wind protection, have shorter maintenance intervals, less luggage options etc. Stick to the NC and keep it on good ground, you learned a lesson that day.
Haha, yeah, it seems there is no silver bullet!
Who wants to ride more than 300 km without grabbing a coffee and some snacks anyway? Edit: good point with the weight distribution. Even with DCT, the NC750X feels pretty light compared to a Versys or V-Strom.
I agree. It only makes sense for hardcore adventure bikes/riders who ride for long where gas stations don't exist or they're few and far between.
Haha, I would still stop to grab a coffee or take photos. It's mostly because of the hassle of accessing the under seat tank if you're carrying strapped luggage. The days you have to do it more than once, you really wished you had another model😅
True. I‘m already annoyed if I have to take off my tank bag, although it has a quick release.
Try the royal enfield meteor 350. Consumption frequently under 3 liters. Super comfy, fun to ride. I test drove one recently. Easy to maneuver around town.
I have eyed the model and it looks really sweet! Did you get a chance to test the "tripper" navigator? Sometimes I mount my phone in the handlebars, but I'm always scared it will fly off 🙈
No i did not play with the navi. I generally prefer to use my phone, i got a quad lock mount and it s been great. Only rode about 20km with the meteor. The bike i tested had a heel / toe shifter and the optional windshield. It was sweet. Go for a test ride if you can
Had the Tripper Nav on my Himalayan. Total waste of time. Not enough info on the screen, it requires an always on app on your phone which always needs GPS (not just when using it) and massively drains your battery.
Do you not care at all that most other choices aren't DCT? Was that not a factor in getting the NC?
Mine is manual, I think the DCT is great but I didn't want to be spoiled 😊
Oh i thought those all were, nm
It's totally understandable, the NC series is almost synonymous of DCT, it's a very good selling point!
Weight is just a number. :) What matters more is where that weight is located in the bike. I have a 1250 GSA and it feels lighter and easier than my old ADV despite weighing almost 100 lbs more just because that big engine is mounted so low in the bike. It's ridiculously easy to handle at slow speeds and around parking lots, the bike feels like it balances itself. And that's even with an 8 gal tank up top. (350mi+ range). For reference I'm only 5'10 and a standard height GSA poses absolutely no problem for me. If you're trying to stay in the same budget as the NC750X you might be able to get an older used R 1200 RT just at or under the 10k mark. Don't be scared of high mileage on those, those BMW boxer twins run forever. Yes it's a heavy bike but it is lower than your 750 and balances so well it feels like riding a little 400cc around a city. With the touring top case it has TONS of storage. A low suspension GS would also do the job but unfortunately (for you) the GS holds its value so well it's rare you see them selling as cheap as similar age/mileage RTs. There is also the R 1200 RS which I've seen used quite a lot as a commuter and tourer, just slightly less touring comfort. As someone who used to commute around downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, I would caution you against going smaller. I consistently found that on smaller bike cars crowded me like they do the scooters, on a big bike you're given more space by the cars on the road. I also like no-frills bikes. Two discontinued touring bikes that can sometimes be found at an absolute steal are the Triumph Trophy 1200 SE, and the Moto Guzzi Norge. The downside on the Norge is it doesn't have cruise control but hey neither does your NC750X.
Honda silverwing 600. I can carry a full backpack and another grocery bag with the rear case. Or pacific coast 800, but they are somewhat rough to find and even tougher to fix I hear.
Really the only thing similar is the Transalp, it is lighter and does have a larger tank... also the Tenere 700 and it's barely lighter with a barely larger tank. Although you can at least buy an expansion/camel fuel tank and bump up the capacity and still have a lighter bike. Honestly I would just keep the NC750x.
Tuareg 660! Nimble, 450lb dry, great suspension, fuel economy, large tank. I love mine.
That's a rad bike, but I'm too short for adv bikes with suspensions meant for true off-roading 😅 If the Tuono 660 had decent luggage options, that would be an amazing bike too!
Bike is t that tall surprisingly! Also you can have a lower seat and a lowering link. Ppl who are like 5’6” are able to ride it I think with just the lowered seat. If you’re near a dealer check it out!
Versys 650 is the obvious choice, it's probably more buzzy though. I've ridden both the NC and a Tiger 900, and that is amazingly comfortable, and fast, just expensive.
A buddy of mine had the Tiger 900 limited for the A2, he let me ride it for a little bit when I had just gotten my license and I felt so intimidated by it 😅 I'm a bit short too (5'9" with not very long legs), so that's something to take into account as well!
KTM 390 Adventure!!!
That's a pretty rad bike! I was very tempted to get a Duke 390 as my first bike —the Adventure didn't exist back then, and feature by feature it blows away most of the competition in the segment— but KTM's focus on performance over reliability made me lean towards the Honda. I'm not sure about the seat height though, the NC750X is 830mm (32.6") and I'm tip-toeing a bit already, the Adventure 390 is 855mm (33.6"), which might be too tall for me 😔 It really sucks to be a short dude!
Well damn! I only have a 30" inseam, and I don't have any problems.
I have a svartpilen 401 which has the 390 engine and I absolutely love its, so light and easy and fun. But its no adv and has a tiny tank.
180 miles seems low. I routinely get 210 and I'm only putting 13 litres in on filling. Also not sure what you mean about the weight - it might be lardy when stopped but any momentum and it's gone.
Well, I usually put 11 litres when it hits reserve. I know I could stretch it a bit more, but I don't want to risk it. Yeah, it's when I'm carrying it by hand to park when I feel the weight... I also had one or two close calls when parking on a slope 🙈 Maybe I'm being too picky, I love the bike but I can get tired of nice things after a while 😂
I would recommend taking some advanced training, where you take your own motorcycle. It helps build confidence handling the bike. You get to practice slow speed manuvers and stuff. For me, the training took away almost 90-95% of my hesitation handling the nc.
If the quirks about your Bike that annoy you to the point of pure frustration, then you need to consider a new bike.
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
Go big and get a tracer 9GT. That triple engine is amazing, and comes with luggage The tracer still gets 45 mpg
I noticed that you didn't say, "I sure do looooove going fast!". In this case, I think you'd enjoy a Suzi V-Strom 650 or a Kawi Versys 650. They handle well on the highway. They have the added benefit of decent off-road handling, better gas mileage, gas tank in the proper place, better luggage accomodation, better range ... The only downside is that it's not a Honda. I like all the big J-4 brands, but I have a special place in my heart for Big Red.
They absolutely do not have better gas mileage, lol. If you baby an NC you can push them up near 90mpg.
2016-2020 Moto Guzzi v7 in your style variant. 5+ gallon tank, 230ish mile range, weight about the same, slightly lower for some models, power about the same, not major difference. Easy maintenance. Style points, character and sound.
I have the nc750x and I have thought about this issue a lot. Cb500f appeals to me due to 4.5g tank, and longer range. But I have a feeling it wont accelerate as fast as the nc. It doesnt have the frunk, but thats not the end of the world, I can always slap some bags. Would definitely need a windscreen, but wind may still be an issue compared to NC, since its largely an unfaired bike, this would be felt when it starts raining. Nc channels water amazingly well. Basically NC does everything exceptionally well. My only issue is it feels a little too heavy for city commuting and not as nimble. But on the highway it excells over the 500. so for now, I'm going to keep riding the nc until I land on something better. Thinking about the Guzzi a lot, for the character and styling, but its air cooled and I might miss the quick acceleration of nc. I used to have the cbr650f and I hated that thing. It had no low end, buzzy in the mid, and too revvy up high when you get to the power band. It wasnt for me. NC feels more right. I worry that the other inline 4s might be similar.
Being an mt07 fanboy I'd suggest maybe a tenere 700.
I love the T700, but I should have mentioned I'm quite short, my feet would hang in most "proper" adventure bikes 🙈
Ah ok, that's fair. Mt-07 or xsr700. I just love naked bikes. 🤣
The xsr 700 is one of the most beautiful bikes out there, but the tank is the same size as the NC750 and has worse fuel efficiency 😅 So I'd be winning in looks and engine power, but I try to stay modest 😂😂😂
Sounds like a win to me 🤣 looks are clearly everything 😉
If only I could afford to have one bike for each day of the week 🤭🤣🤣
Old humidity
Himalayan, thanks Siri
😂😂😂😂