Honda NC700x Manual motorcycle... Incredible MPG (100.6 mpg personal best)

[HHOTDI]

Hello all. I hope this is ok to share here. I recently purchased a really nice Honda NC700x manual from it's original owner with only 1702 miles on it with the hopes of some really great fuel mileage savings!

I drove it home in about 26f weather, snow flurries and cross winds at about 30mph. Not a fun 105 miles home to say the least! It was several weeks before the weather broke again to allow me to get it out for another ride. I filled the tank from the trip home and found a poor 54mpg, Not Happy Bob!!

I checked the bike over really good and found the tires to be low. I aired them up to the recommended 36f-42r. I fired it up and let it warm up and then changed the oil with Rotella T6 and a K+N oil filter and took another ride. This netted me 64mpg and it was a decent partly cloudy day with moderate winds.

A few days after that I went for another ride where I checked the tires and made sure they were up. I added a K+N air filter and also noticed that the chain was very dry looking so i liberally sprayed some chain lube in it and we went for another ride. This time i fought some cross winds about 20-25mph and enjoyed a mildly sunny day getting 75mpg when i topped off the tank after a 200 mile ride!

Just last week i got the bike out, checked the tires, liberally lubed the chain and went out again. It was a beautiful sunny day and rode for about 100 miles to a little town for some "PIE/Ice Cream". Just to get there and find that they are still seasonally closed for another week, ratz! So i had a cold iced-tea and sulked on a park bench. Both directions along the way i employed some "Ecomodder driving Techniques" and when i arrived home i found that i had gotten an incredible 86MPG, a new personal best!! :{)

Next i installed a one tooth larger front sprocket, 17T and that made a difference! Netting me a best 99mpg, backed it up a week later with 98mpg!
I then changed tires and went to a taller rear tire sized at a 150/70-17". I also added a huge 46L top box and two large side cases/Luggage boxes and hit 94mpg on the same river rd.

On Sept 4th 2018, i installed a smaller rear sprocket from a DCT version of the NC700's. Then on Sept 8th, i headed out to the Cd'A River Rd again to gun for the century mark. It was much colder out, in the low 60's. It had rained earlier that morning and the roads were still all wet with a chill in the air. I rode the beautiful 50 miles out and 50 miles back to the gas station. I topped off the tank and nursed it to the top and when the pump shut off it stopped at .994 gallons!! That netted me a new personal best of 100.6 MPG!! WhooRahh!! :{)

Future plans are for a Craig Vetter Stream-Liner type fairing. I'll probably make the Tail section first and run that for a while. Then i'll attack the nose section. I'll keep posting the progress! Many Blessings! :{)

[westb87]

Fantastic work my man! That's a sharp bike for sure. I've always enjoyed using EngineIce for my coolant and that RotellaT6 for the oil. Good pick! Does the bike call specifically for a JASO certified oil?

[HHOTDI]

yes indeed! I've taken it on a couple more 150-200 mile rides and the mileage is hanging in there. Now to employ some EcoModder driving technics and see what i can squeeze out of it! State highways instead of freeways, back roads instead of SH's, 5mph under where i can(traffic contingent), some full tuck riding(safely), some clutch in coasting and p-n-g, bump the tires a couple of psi, keep the drive chain well lubed. And whatever else i can think of while i'm out there...

[HHOTDI]

So yesterday i made a trip north of me to Sandpoint Idaho to a neat place there called "PanHandler Pies" where i enjoyed a delicious piece of their home made "RazzleBerry". I'd never heard of that before, so the little waitress said it was a mixture of a few select berries and she recommended it. Man it was delicious, luckily i limited myself to only one piece heh! Made the trip home by way of Bayview Idaho and visited a neat old Naval base from WWII. The guards even let me take a picture of my NC700 in front of their naval base sign, pretty cool!

I didn't top off my tank until this morning to see that i has gotten 83.6 MPG, pretty darn good for the ole NC! Last night i scored a tall factory windscreen from a buddy who had just purchased and installed a really big 24" windscreen so i got his old one for free.99!! So this morning i quickly removed my old bikini factory windscreen and installed the new to me tall factory windscreen. Of course, i had to take it for a test ride today.

I rode out to a beautiful area called the "Coeurd'Alene River Rd". I stopped off at the Enaville Snake Pit for a delicious Bacon Cheese Burger, fries and of course a piece of PIE!! When i topped off the tank and road 102 miles of the beautifully windy river road the pump stopped at 1.03 gallons. After i confirmed the level in the tank, yup its full. I confirmed the trip-meter, yup its 102.3 miles. And i rechecked the pump, yup 1.03 gallons.....WHOOHOOOT!!! That's a new personal best of 99.32 MPG!!

I sat upright and comfortable, steady speeds of 45-50 mph along the river rd, stopping several times for scenery and pictures. It would seem that the NC really likes the tall windscreen with my height and always a freshly lubed chain! Now, i've got to get that 17T sprocket installed and see what we get with that!!
:{)

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by HHOTDI

I rode out to a beautiful area called the "Coeurd'Alene River Rd". I stopped off at the Enaville Snake Pit for a delicious Bacon Cheese Burger, fries and of course a piece of PIE!! When i topped off the tank and road 102 miles of the beautifully windy river road the pump stopped at 1.03 gallons. After i confirmed the level in the tank, yup its full. I confirmed the trip-meter, yup its 102.3 miles. And i rechecked the pump, yup 1.03 gallons.....WHOOHOOOT!!! That's a new personal best of 99.32 MPG!!

I sat upright and comfortable, steady speeds of 45-50 mph along the river rd, stopping several times for scenery and pictures. It would seem that the NC really likes the tall windscreen with my height and always a freshly lubed chain! Now, i've got to get that 17T sprocket installed and see what we get with that!!
:{)

You still haven’t put that 17T on and you’re getting almost 100 MPG?? Noice. Put that sprocket on! If you feel like going even taller, the JT sprockets catalogue lists down to a 38T rear sprocket vs your 43T. What kind of RPMs is that engine comfortable down to? My screamer Cibbie is surprisingly comfortable down to 2000 RPM, it doesn’t show any signs of lugging, but taking into account the considerable valve overlap needed for such an engine, it probably isn’t particularly efficient down there anyway. The VFR 400 doesn’t like going much below 2500 with load.

Gonna go work on the little viffer’s carbs after this. There is a large flatspot, and the fuel economy is pretty abysmal considering how I ride it. I rode for part of a tank on my dad’s newer VFR 400(360 degree crank vs my 180) and got 59 MPG. My bike is struggling to hit 50.

[HHOTDI]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

You still haven’t put that 17T on and you’re getting almost 100 MPG?? Noice. Put that sprocket on! If you feel like going even taller, the JT sprockets catalogue lists down to a 38T rear sprocket vs your 43T. What kind of RPMs is that engine comfortable down to? My screamer Cibbie is surprisingly comfortable down to 2000 RPM, it doesn’t show any signs of lugging, but taking into account the considerable valve overlap needed for such an engine, it probably isn’t particularly efficient down there anyway. The VFR 400 doesn’t like going much below 2500 with load

Hey Das, yes that is correct, i still have not installed the 17T. Been so busy at work, then with honey-do's trying to get the TT ready to take the family out camping. I remembered hearing about the 38T rear sprocket, but i had it in my mind that i'd hold off on that for the Craig Vetter DIY streamliner body i'll be building for the NC700x. If i don't have the chance to build at least the tail section this summer, then i'll build them both this coming winter.

In real world riding i'm staying right at 75-83 mpg. I purposely went to that stretch of road to be able to run the NC for about 100 miles and safely and without hindering anyone else at 45-50mph. I just wanted to see what i could squeeze out of it once. I'm so happy with the 75-83mpg that it regularly gives me that i wonder why i never sold my other ones and bought one of these sooner! I tried to get one of the DCT versions as they too return superb MPG, but none were available in my price range of cheapness. So i found this NC for sale on CL from a college student who was graduating and no longer needed a short commuter. I teased the guy a little bit as he had purchased it new in 2012 and had only put 1702 miles on it as of Feb 2018 when i bought it!

Though I still have a 2003 CRF230f(for sale $1,500) which was/is a great bike, i just don't have time to off road any more. And my little Black/Black 2012 CBR250r (for sale $3,500) with only 460 miles on it also is a neat bike, i'm just too old and arthritic to ride in that position anymore. Well, that and i'm 6'6"/230lbs so i kind feel like i'm riding a football! More to follow... :{)

[HHOTDI]

SO the 17T is in and installed!! I also installed a few other things while i was there and had a bunch of stuff apart. I installed the 17T, the new MoTech Skid plate, and the Highway pegs. I was not able to get out and ride this Memorial weekend, but time well spent with the family. So, this week i'll get out and ride! :{)

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by HHOTDI

SO the 17T is in and installed!!

Yay! Any plans for a speedo healer yet, or does the speed read off the front wheel?

Originally Posted by HHOTDI

I was not able to get out and ride this Memorial weekend, but time well spent with the family. So, this week i'll get out and ride! :{)

Same. Spent time working on motorcycles with family sitting around watching/complaining.

[HHOTDI]

Thanks Das... Not really. I've heard other folks talk about the speedo being off and i've not seen that on mine. I'll check the mile markers when i make my next ride against my speedo and see if it is off. It's about 50 miles out and another 50 miles back so it will be easy to check. I'll keep you posted! :{)

[ColoradoChris]

I just got a 2012 NC700x DCT and am loving it. I haven't put fuel in it yet, but should get a chance to ride some this week.

I eventually plan to use it on a ride to Central America, so no streamliner mods, but...
I want a "better" front fender. I have looked at the FendaExtenda to at least keep some of the splash off the radiator etc, but wondered why no one was making an aftermarket fender for it.

Through the magic of MS Paint, and cut and paste, I mocked up something that started as a Buel Battletwin fender, add a little where its yellow, remove the grey outlined by yellow and add a couple of green wings to cover the fork seals and I have what I think I want.

Anyone have any feedback?

Shoot I need 5 posts to add an image, off to intros...