Honda NC700X: A brave new world

The NC700X is the latest ‘crossover’ bike from the stable of Crossrunner and Crosstourer. But what sets the NC700X apart is a price of £5850 and a claimed 78.8mpg.

The subdued exhaust note, flush-fitting panels and perfect peg-to-seat-to-handlebar riding position tells you this is a Honda.

Honda makes a big deal about the NC’s slim build and how it aids city riding and, yes, it helps make it easy to throw around, so much so that the daunting wet weight of 218kg doesn’t come into it. Whether the DTC version and its claimed 228 kilos are so well hidden is something we’ll have to wait and see…

Carried down low in the diamond steel tube frame is the new engine; a motor which is already causing some debate. It’s likable from the off because of the way it pulls cleanly and strongly thanks largely to its long stroke.

But… and this is a big ‘but’ – just when I expected the solid drive of torque to disappear and the increasing revs to call horsepower into play for a top end rush… nothing.

To read the full report, pick up a copy of the November 30 edition of MCN.