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Huh.... What was Honda thinking?

stkmkt1 said:
When is Honda going to understand that 5 speed gear boxes are a thing of the past? To me, this just shows how desperate they are to bring something to the Market (US). Since the motorcycle division has been up for sale for over 3 years, and no one has shown any interest, Honda has not come up with anything exciting. Everthing is just copycat crap, boring, or too late to the game kind of stuff. You might make a case for their new automatic transmission. But that will only interest a very very small set of people in the crowd.
Click to expand...

I've been rideing ST1300's since 2005. I'm on the second one. The 5 speed is fine. I like the gearing much better than my '04 R1150GS. They're doing us a favor with this bike.
They paid to have it EPA certified. It's been proven in worldwide for years. They're taking a chance on a middleweight tourer in Harley Davidson land.
aaaaaa airhead, oilhead, ST1300, electra glide
 
send it to us, make it look new.. the process goes on...
Good looking bike..
I like mine better...
LT Rt and the weird and neat GS
 
I went to the local Honda (who is also a BMW) dealer and looked at the NT700V when it arrived. I sat on it (too much snow on the ground to think about riding it).

Overall, I liked the bike. I thought that the $10k price tag was a bit high, but it has been a while since I last purchased a new bike; so, my pricing calibration may be off. I wasn't crazy about the linked brakes, but Honda's concept seems better than the disaster that BMW came up with for the R1150RT (my opinion).

The Honda did get me thinking.... about a K75S. So I've purchased one (K75S). Smooth, reliable, good looking (to me), adequate power for 2 up (it's a matter of perspective and what you are looking for). And the K75S was about one third the price of the new Honda. I'm gonna get a lot of gas and riding time for that $6-7k difference.

I don't really understand the concept of a bike being "boring". To me, the bike (any bike) can take you on an adventure. It is the ride and the adventure - the bike is just the vehicle to get you there.
 
Last edited:
Innovation :)

honda-innovations.jpg


And, Sixteen years, more than a decade and a half, earlier...

bmw-innovations.jpg


For what it is worth, a rather well-known longtime (and VERY long distance) BMW Rider has one and seems to like it quite a bit.
 
"We'll see", said the zen master....

In true Honda fashion I am sure the bike will be dependable, reliable, economical, and functional.

Is it good looking? You decide for yourself.

Is it exciting? Depends on how you ride.

The Deauville has been in production for quite some time. So I am sure they have the bugs worked out.

I am curious about two things: 1.)How has the Deauville final drive evolved over the years?
2.) Why did Honda make the bike as heavy as it is?
 
jkbales said:
Honda already has the VFR800 competing with the F800ST. Do they need the NT700V at all? Did Honda size the motor to slip under the 700cc mark due to legal restrictions?
Click to expand...

I read an article indicating that this bike was brought to the US (it's been in Europe since 1998) since the VFR was increased to 1200 cc (I think).
 
88bmwJeff said:
I read an article indicating that this bike was brought to the US (it's been in Europe since 1998) since the VFR was increased to 1200 cc (I think).
Click to expand...

in europe it's called the Deauville. (some say dullville.... )

i saw three in daytona. nice tidy bike, definitely patterned on the K75.

bmw should not have let this happen. :nono

ian
 
I sat on it at the bike show in November. Comfortable, nice ergonomics, fairly light feeling. I liked it.

But the RS is paid for, ya know?

And it's amusing to read the magazines: Rider says it's competent and well-mannered and fine for touring. MCN says it's the motorcycle equivalent of a glass of warm milk before bed. :laugh
 
Ted said:
Innovation :)

[For what it is worth, a rather well-known longtime (and VERY long distance) BMW Rider has one and seems to like it quite a bit.
Click to expand...

Good post Ted! BMW owned the midweight touring bike category with the K75RT, a bike that was "best of" on many motorcycle magazines lists, and more than once. BMW blew it!
JD
 
For the out of date technology it is overpriced. It does not even have cartridge front forks and a helmet will not fit in the side cases. You have to buy the larger side case lids from Honda if you want to store a helmet. These bikes have been in Europe for a long time and they even have radios in Europe. I wonder why Honda feels that U.S. buyers would not like a radio. Anyway for $11,000 there a lot of more up to date bikes out there.
 
Because IÔÇÖm a Honda guy who loves BMWÔÇÖs, I thought I was going to really like this ÔÇ£newÔÇØ bike. It gets very good reviews across the pond; they seem better at evaluating what a bike is supposed to be as opposed to what it is not.

That being said, when I saw it and sat on it, it did nothing for me. IÔÇÖm still one of those riders, after decades of owning bikes, that has to have the bike ÔÇ£talk to meÔÇØ, utilitarian does not work for me.

I donÔÇÖt do spec sheet test rides too much, but I will say, this bike is as heavy as my RT with 2/3ÔÇÖs the power.

One thing about the bike that is attractive; it has already proven for about ten years that it is bullet proof, like every Honda I have ever owned.

If you want a bike to get you around and never so much as hiccup, this one is worth a look. Me, I want a bit more out of a bike. IÔÇÖve owned a minivan already in my life, I donÔÇÖt want another.
 
Time will tell

The more I look at the Honda 700NT, I see two thirds of a Kawa Concours that has not quite hit the target.
:scratch

On the other hand, maybe Honda knows something about the World Motorcycle markets that other do not.
 
I think this size bike will appeal to those of us who are shorter or smaller than average. This bike has two problems that will keep us away. It has a rather high seat and it is heavy for its size. I sold my K75RT partly for those reasons. The other reason I sold the K75RT is also shared with this bike. It will be appliance dependable but also appliance exciting. It will be as exciting as a Honda Accord. I was going to say Toyota Camry but recent problems have made every Toyota ride an adventure.

Ken
 
This is a tough crowd. I've heard quite often from many riders (some of them here) that new riders should not be riding bikes with large displacements. Some here have even suggested that we (here in the US) require new riders to work up to larger displacement bikes like they do in other parts of the world. Now along comes a bike that's between the really small beginner bikes and the large displacement bikes, and many people are complaining it's under powered. What gives?

For those riders who have many years and miles of experience, this bike is probably not for you. BUT, for those with only a few years experience, this bike would a good fit. This also is probably a better fit for those who are returning to riding--something to get them back into the swing of things before they buy that 150hp bike.
 
ItÔÇÖs an interesting bike but definitely not a bike I would buy. Then IÔÇÖm not in the market for this kind of bike in the first place. IÔÇÖve read European reviews of the bike over its life there and last night came across the first US review I have seen. Sport Rider has an extensive write up on it. Cutting to the last paragraph:

As lightweight sport-tourers go the NT700V performs exactly as advertised. Manageable power is perfect for someone not looking to enter the sportbike market, yet wants something capable of occasional backroad jaunts along the way. It'll take you somewhere far from home without gulping gas or breaking your (or your pillion's) back as well. Though it's this comfortable ride that makes for a less than exciting experience when the road turns exciting, the NT is still surprisingly capable. That being said, the technology behind the NT700V is long in the tooth already and if it were me, I might be looking to spend my $9999 on other Japanese-or even German-alternatives

I like Hondas and have owned several. I may well own one again but not this model. I drive a boring Ford Taurus for my cage. It does all sorts of things reasonably well, gets decent gas mileage, hauls all kinds of stuff and people and is basically comfortable. I still have it even though it is boring because it does these things reasonably well. If I wanted a Taurus for a bike maybe the NT700 would fit the bill. There is a market for such bikes. I expect different things from a bike.
 
another FYI

Not to hijack this thread, but next year Triumph plans to introduce the 675cc version triple of their 1050cc Tiger.
The 675cc sportier engine will be retuned for torque and mid-range performance and less HP (that engine just sizzles now).

So in 2011, we will have BMW, Honda, Triumph, H-D, Motoguzzi, Yam, Suz, Kawa, Aprilia, have I missed any, all clawing in the mid-range (650-800cc)market.
Let the games begin!
 
ultracyclist said:
Not to hijack this thread, but next year Triumph plans to introduce the 675cc version triple of their 1050cc Tiger.
The 675cc sportier engine will be retuned for torque and mid-range performance and less HP (that engine just sizzles now).

So in 2011, we will have BMW, Honda, Triumph, H-D, Motoguzzi, Yam, Suz, Kawa, Aprilia, have I missed any, all clawing in the mid-range (650-800cc)market.
Let the games begin!
Click to expand...

Typically with that much competition, the big winners are the motorcyclist.

I have had a VStrom 650 and Suzuki should offer that in an "RT" style bike. It is one of the all time great motors.
 
Ted said:
Innovation :)

honda-innovations.jpg


And, Sixteen years, more than a decade and a half, earlier...

bmw-innovations.jpg


For what it is worth, a rather well-known longtime (and VERY long distance) BMW Rider has one and seems to like it quite a bit.
Click to expand...

It appears to me that BMW owners are at the top of bike bashers.

Honda may have been reading this forum about how many want BMW to make the K75RT again and cash in. Now that Honda has made a similar bike, you guys are bashing it.

I thought the K75C I had was rather mundane and unexciting, a recurring theme about the "Dullville" in this thread.

Too heavy, the Honda is 47lbs lighter than the K75RT 567/520. Power is 75HP for the K. 65HP for the NT. 1/4 mile times K75-13.5/ Nt-14.0. Top speed K75-116mph, NT-115mph.

I'm guessing that after inflation adjusting the K75RT had a much higher price.

These specs are from http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/

Ralph Sims
 
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