Honda NC700x Manual motorcycle... Incredible MPG (100.6 mpg personal best) - Page 2 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

HHOTDI · 05-29-2018, 09:17 PM

hey C-Chris, welcome to the ride and a hearty welcome from North Idaho! You'll love the NC700. I looked for a DCT but was not able to find one in my price range for several years. Then i came across the one if have from a college student looking to sell it now that he was graduating. It only had 1705 miles on it and he had purchased it new in 2012. I just got it a few months ago in Feb and i've already got about 4k miles on it! I'll keep it until my arthritic knee, ankle and hand won't allow me to shift and pull the clutch anymore. Then i'll sell my beloved manual and get a nice DCT! Glad to have yo along for the ride!!

ColoradoChris · 05-29-2018, 09:25 PM

You got a better deal on yours than I did. Mine has 12k miles on it and needed a new chain.... But I am having a blast what little I have ridden it. I am almost to the point that I no longer grab of the non existent clutch lever at stoplights.

I replaced my sprockets along with the chain although the didn't look like they needed it. Which means I have a 39t rear that you are welcome to for the cost of postage if you want to further tweak your gearing.....

HHOTDI · 05-29-2018, 10:09 PM

Right on, I've been looking at the 38T rear that is available for it. I might do that later this summer. We'll see how it pans out with the new 17T front as far as ride-ability and most importantly to me is Smiles-per-Gallon, MPG!!

Would love to see some pics of your bike when you are able to post! :{)

ColoradoChris · 05-29-2018, 10:41 PM

lets see if this works, here are some pictures from a short ride the other day... still one short, hope the mods don't mind...

stealth edit

ColoradoChris · 05-29-2018, 10:45 PM

p.s. I added the fender mockup picture back in post #10 if anyone wanted to comment on it.

HHOTDI · 05-31-2018, 01:02 AM

Chris, that is a sweet looking NC! I especially like the racks, i so want to make a set for mine. :{)

HHOTDI · 05-31-2018, 01:04 AM

So i have two rides now on the new 17T primary sprocket. Both netting me in the 82 mpg range. In the next couple of days i'll make a few more rides and see what we can squeeze out of it. I'll try and ride over to my test area and see what we get out of it there!

ColoradoChris · 05-31-2018, 09:59 AM

HHOTDI, for some reason I really like the colors on your bike

but what is that funny looking lever in front of the left handgrip....

82 mpg with just a gearing change, there is some real potential in there I think.

It looks like I will actually get to make about a 300 mile loop in mixed gravel and pavement this weekend, more pavement than not, but up through the mountains some. I plan on putting all the bags on for this ride just to see where I am in a "touring/adventuring" configuration. I feel like the bags are too small for my ultimate cargo requirements. Hopefully (against what I see most adventure type bikes with) just a larger top case will do the trick. With the current bags, I am pretty sure a brick has a lower Cd.

I am planning a central america ride for next year, and fuel economy is not something that often gets discussed. I talked to some friends who did Prudhoe Bay and they were in the 40 mpg range. No wonder they all put on bigger tanks and talk about range....

HHOTDI · 05-31-2018, 09:45 PM

Hey C-Chris, thanks i like it too. I did a lot of automotive painting when i was young and have contemplated painting it White, or maybe Red. We'll see, and then again i very well may just leave it alone.

(but what is that funny looking lever in front of the left handgrip). I believe you're referring to the right grip maybe, and that is the Throttle Cruise Control. OR, you're looking at my Clutch lever. Yes mine is a manual, for now! As soon as i can find a great deal on a DCT i'll grab it and then sell my manual.

(82 mpg with just a gearing change, there is some real potential in there I think.) Me too, i had matched and even bested that several times with the stock 16T. I had a best of 99mpg once keeping it around 45-50mph! Now that the 17T is on duty, i'll head to a remote river road and see what i can squeeze out of it now!

(It looks like I will actually get to make about a 300 mile loop in mixed gravel and pavement this weekend, more pavement than not, but up through the mountains some.) You might consider lowering the air pressure in your tires a few pounds if you experience some traction issues. That has always helped me in the past. Just make sure you have a tire plug/patch repair kit and a mini air compressor along to refill your tires after the long stretch of gravel if needed.

I plan on putting all the bags on for this ride just to see where I am in a "touring/adventuring" configuration. I feel like the bags are too small for my ultimate cargo requirements. Hopefully (against what I see most adventure type bikes with) just a larger top case will do the trick. With the current bags, I am pretty sure a brick has a lower Cd.....(IKR!!??)

I am planning a central america ride for next year, and fuel economy is not something that often gets discussed(true'Dat).

I talked to some friends who did Prudhoe Bay and they were in the 40 mpg range. No wonder they all put on bigger tanks and talk about range....(that is so true again. The main reason i bought the NC700x was because of a write-up that AMA Hall of Famer Craig Vetter wrote about the NC. He mentioned the great mpg, upright position and ease of maintenance typical of Hondas. That was probably 5 years ago and i set out to find one i could afford. Well, a few months ago i found mine for $2500 cash from a student and i grabbed it! Like i mentioned before, i really wanted the DCT version, but that'll come later i'm sure as i wont be able to use the manual for too much longer i'm sure. but that's is no prob, i look forward to it actually and am happy. It is what it is, just getting old.

HHOTDI · 05-31-2018, 10:09 PM

C-Chris...That is so cool that you're going to tour parts of South America. You should have no problem with gas mileage as the NC is well known for mid to high 60's loaded! You know, if you decide to part with those smaller touring bags i'll happily take them off of your hands for you...hehhehe :{)

If you go to Craig Vetters website you can read all about the several builds he did on the Streamliners, and the ones he helped build for other folks. Just building the tail section was a huge difference/mpg gains. And that then added a huge storage area for a guy to use inside of the new streamlined body! Fill it up man! Then he listed a reasonable difference/improvement was made when the front was completed, and yet another reasonable difference was made when they smoothed out the belly pan, then another huge difference when they started changing the shape of the modified tail section/helmet area.

And just as luck would have it, as he was finding huge improvements he was hit broadside by that stupid deer! And things came to a screeching halt as far as progress on the Vetter Streamliner. I have spoken with he and his wife Carol a few times on line. Great people!

A friend of theirs ad fellow competitor Alan Smith has made huge improvements with his 250cc Ninjas. Another friend and fellow competitor of theirs Vic Valdez he too has made huge improvements with a couple of his Ninjas.

After Craigs accident a couple of years ago, i lost touch with him and several of the others and have no idea what their current improvements/status/plans are. :{)