Why The NC750X Is The Honda Touring Machine Built For Every Kind Of Rider

The whole concept of traveling on a motorcycle may have been popularized by the current adventure bike trend, but in reality, it is the one thing that has never gone out of fashion. Touring bikes became popular decades ago, but became pretty big and heavy over the years, alienating newer riders somewhat. More recently, we have seen more middleweight touring bikes join the fray, offering newer riders a more accessible alternative.

In reality, you can travel on any motorcycle, from a Honda Grom all the way up to a Gold Wing. It just depends on how much discomfort you are willing to put up with. But the Honda in question is actually pretty comfortable. It offers a host of modern features as well as built-in storage. It also has a relatively low seat height, and although it certainly isn’t the lightest of middleweight tourers, it has a fairly low center of gravity. It also has a neat trick which makes it more accessible for new riders, yet still appealing to more experienced riders.

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The Honda NC750X Is The Touring Machine Built For Every Kind Of Rider

MSRP: $9,499

The NC750X is technically marketed as an adventure-ready bike by Honda, but in reality, it is without doubt a middleweight touring bike. While it certainly competes with some similarly priced street-oriented adventure bikes, it competes more directly with a couple of other affordable touring bikes. Triumph has been making waves with the impressive Tiger Sport 660. A recent update has only improved the value proposition, and its triple certainly makes it stand out from the crowd of parallel twins. The default choice in this segment has long since been the Kawasaki Versys 650, but the higher-spec LT ABS version is all that remains these days, and that is a fair bit more expensive than the Honda.

In terms of genuine street-oriented adventure bike competition, there are several options, but only a few can actually match Honda’s price tag. Suzuki actually has two bikes in the form of the new V-Strom 800 and the old V-Strom 650. Both these bikes have their merits, but it is still a little surprising that the V-Strom 650 is still sold alongside the 800! Moto Morini offers the X-Cape 650 at a price that is very hard to ignore. Benelli has the TRK 702, which is a bit more expensive than the X-Cape, but still over $1k cheaper than the Honda.

If you are willing to consider a left-field alternative, BMW sells the C 400 GT maxi-scooter for a bit less. It is a well-equipped motorcycle and more than capable of handling light-duty touring. While this may seem like a strange bike to compare it to, the NC750X has more than a little in common with maxi-scooters, and that is not necessarily a bad thing at all.

Rivals

• Triumph Tiger Sport 660
• Kawasaki Versys 650 LT ABS
• Suzuki V-Strom 650
• Suzuki V-Strom 800
• Moto Morini X-Cape 650
• Benelli TRK 702

The NC750X Has An Unusual Parallel-Twin

Power: 58 Horsepower

Parallel twins are now ubiquitous. Pretty much every manufacturer has developed one, and in some cases several. Honda is one of the few manufacturers that never stopped producing engines in this configuration, but the one we find in the NC750X is a little different. It is laid down relatively flat in the chassis, because this engine needed to fit into a scooter as well as a conventional motorcycle. The NC series was always meant to be something of a hybrid between a scooter and a motorcycle.

The modern NC750X carries that particular torch, but you will find this engine in the X-ADV and Forza 750 maxi-scooters, which are sold throughout the rest of the world. As such, the “tilted forward” layout is desirable for the usual step-through design of larger scooters. The power delivery is also a little different, as there is a strong emphasis on mid-range and not a lot of top-end power. 58 horsepower is objectively low for a 750, but with a nice flat torque curve, the tune is optimized in such a way that you will never notice its lack of top-end power at road-legal speeds.

Engine Specifications

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The NC750X Puts Practicality First

A Great Bike For Any Level Rider

Honda has bet big on automatic motorcycles. No other manufacturer has gone down this path just yet, and for now, this means that if you want an automatic motorcycle, you want a Honda. Although these bikes get a lot of criticism directed at them, one thing remains abundantly clear, and that is the simple fact that there really is a market for them. In the case of the NC750X, the DCT transmission just makes it that much more practical and that much more accessible.

The fact that the engine sits very low in the chassis also means that the bike wears its weight very low. So even though it is not the lightest motorcycle in the world, it is still relatively easy to maneuver and handles relatively well, too. That said, this is obviously no sports tourer, as the suspension and chassis are of the budget variety. This is a motorcycle that puts a lot of emphasis on comfort.

Another benefit of the engine configuration is that there is space for a frunk, which is actually pretty big – enough for a full-face helmet according to Honda – which is pretty useful. Like most Honda touring bikes, it has a very comfy seat, and the recent update has improved the wind protection, not to mention the overall design of the bike. With that update, it also got a new TFT dash with smartphone connectivity. It also now has dual disc brakes up front with combined ABS and traction control. You also get ride modes, but cruise control is absent.

No bike is perfect. It is very easy to pick apart the NC750X, but looking at it objectively, we have a bike that really is built for everyone. No matter your weight, size, or level of experience, this is a bike you will be able to ride and enjoy. Naturally, there are those who don’t care for automatic motorcycles, but this is not made for them, and there is no denying the added convenience and practicality they offer. Automatic motorcycles like the NC750X are here to stay.

Features

• Combined ABS
• Traction control
• Ride modes
• TFT dash
• DCT

Chassis, Suspension, And Weight Specifications