Honda NC700 test in the new Cycle World
 

The November issue of Cycle World arrived today with a test of the NC700X (the "new concept" 62 degree forward lean parallel twin). A spirited day of riding returned 59 mpg and their best fuel mileage was . . . . . "riding more sedately but still with a touch of sportiness, we got 73 mpg on our very first attempt at a "good" number". They expect that 80 mpg is not out of the question.

The DynoJet chart shows max hp of 48.02 at 6140 RPM and max torque of 43.67 @ 4580 RPM, with the torque above 40 ft/lbs from about 2600 to 6400 RPM.

A tank empty weight of 451 pounds seems a bit lardy.

They sound like they liked it a lot. They remarked it took some getting used to the rev limiter kicking in at 6500 RPM. But then they are used to bikes that rev to the moon. I recall that when I first got my EX250 Kawasaki and was riding around town I was always shifting at about 6K RPM until I remembered that redline was around 14K and I hadn't yet gotten into the powerband. But it was still keeping up with city traffic just find even with the early shifting, and I was shifting where it seemed reasonable.

cheers,
Michael

It will be interesting to see what the gearing looks like in gearing commander. That engine would probably be capable of cruising 100 kph with PnG at 2,600.

If this bike is anything I expect it to be, 80mpg is not only not out of question, that should be quite easy :)

Basically my only problem with the NC700. I don't even know what's so heavy in it. Should be at least 50 pounds lighter, IMHO.

Oh, I'd have no problem with it, I usually shift around 3500rpm on my F650 :D The range I use should work equally well on the NC700. I could probably even go lower, the twin would tolerate low revs better than the single (no wonder, I've heard that younger BMW singles like low revs better too).

On the top of it all, I love the luggage compartment. This is why it can be a nice F650CS successor for me. But Teresa's still young with a mere 116000km :D

It's at like 3000-few rpm at 100km/h if I remember well.

...I googled up the reduction ratios of the two bikes (the NC700S and F650CS) and the difference in (primary*final) ratios is ~1.23, which gives ~3254rpm for the NC700S, via the factory sprockets (taking the F650CS as 4000rpm at the same speed).

(I had an easy job they having the same 0.84:1 highest gear and the same 160/60 rear tire.)

Not sure if anyone knows here, but I can see the 700 a good candidate for streamlining. The subframe is the same as a few other new bikes from honda, one being a scooter. (or perhaps start with the scooter instead)

That would be a bike that could break 90 mpgUS one day and break 150 mph on the salt flats the next with streamlining and a big gearing change.

Thread in another forum. There are pictures of the frame on page 2.

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http://0.tqn.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/u...X-skeleton.jpg

A Hossack FFE and remote steering head would give a nice FF platform and lower the frontal area.

cheers,
Michael

There are more threads regarding the bike on the nighthawk motorcycle forums. A member has purchased one and is getting great mileage with ordinary riding.

That forum requires registration to view it. The link carries me to a login screen.

cheers,
Michael