New to NT700 -- Surprised About This Characteristic

[CArider]

Hey All,

I'm very new to the NT700 (have only ridden about 150 miles on mine), but not new to riding.

I have many good things to say about the bike so far, but there is one glaring characteristic about it that has really surprised me, and that is it's personality above 60mph. I know that it's no inline 4, but I really thought that as a touring bike, it would be more relaxed at freeway speeds. Seems like a 6th speed would cure this, perhaps?

Maybe I'm re-stating what's been said over and over again here, or maybe I'm being overly critical, but would love to know other's thoughts about this. FYI, my bike has just under 11,000 miles on it.

 

[ARKNT]

Others have wished for another gear but I don't think the engine's powerband is suited for it. Kind of just let it roll along and all will be fine.

Arknt

 

[mikesim]

You will adjust to the bike. It is actually relaxed at highway speeds... Hondas love to rev.

Mike

 

[Phil Tarman]

If you need to accelerate from 60 (or 70) with more vigor, just shift into 4th. I've cruised at 85-90 with no issues.

 

[DirtFlier]

The tachometer needle being high on the scale is more a mental problem than a mechanical one. The engine doesn't seem to mind the high revs so just continue on.

 

[Charlie U]

Hey All,

I'm very new to the NT700 (have only ridden about 150 miles on mine), but not new to riding.

I have many good things to say about the bike so far, but there is one glaring characteristic about it that has really surprised me, and that is it's personality above 60mph. I know that it's no inline 4, but I really thought that as a touring bike, it would be more relaxed at freeway speeds. Seems like a 6th speed would cure this, perhaps?

Maybe I'm re-stating what's been said over and over again here, or maybe I'm being overly critical, but would love to know other's thoughts about this. FYI, my bike has just under 11,000 miles on it.

I too had questions about the 6 gear, but I learned that this engine just likes to rev! I was holding back in fear of putting a piston through the head. But I just went with it, and I’m liking it! So what, you keep your speed down on the freeways. But feel free to let loose. It’s a very capable engine…oh and even riding the tach it still doesn’t affect gas mileage.

 

[rc_heli_nut]

I was holding back in fear of putting a piston through the head.

There's a fuel cutoff mode, that is part of the ECM programming, that will cutoff injector pulses if the engine exceeds an upper RPM limit. What the actual RPM limit setting is, is irrelevant, but it kicks in long before the engine would reach its (theoretical) mechanical RPM limit. So don't worry about launching any pistons into orbit

Let 'er rip!

 

[Warren]

I hit that once while accelerating hard in 4th while making a pass on a two lane country road. I was too busy looking for oncoming traffic to see what my speed or rpm were but when it kicked in I shifted into 5 th and completed the pass.

 

[WVRider]

I have found it hard to stay under 80 on interstates/4 lanes. Out west a friend and I cruised at 80 and 85 for over 160 mile straight. Never have had an issue. The craziest ride ever was quite a few years ago, staying with traffic on I-95 and I-26 from Savannah, GA to Columbia, SC was 90 and 95mph. The NT handled that with ease, myself not so. Was glad to get off those roads. Even at 91K miles she runs great ! If doing 55 or under on our two lane roads in WV I am almost always use 3rd and 4th gear. Seldom get in 5th unless I'm on a long flat or slightly downhill grade or once I get close to 60. Just got back from a trip in June where I really worked the NT hard up some of the mountain roads in NC, pushing the NT to 6K and 8K rpms in 2nd and 3rd gear flying up a couple mountains (Note that's only about 50 to 55mph) and it just keeps on purring. Like noted, it's not going to hurt that engine. Honda knows how to build them. Ride on !

 

[Hondafan]

A bit more on the subject. https://www.advrider.com/do-we-need-to-ride-harder/

 

[NewTo700V]

The NT does get winded at 65+. When I had mine on a cross country ride a few years back, I held the NT at WOT on I-40 in NM into headwinds and started slowing down riding up a grade.

For a 560lb touring bike it doesn't need a 6th gear, it needs another 40hp. It's a shame we probably aren't getting the NT1100.

 

[Phil Tarman]

The NT does get winded at 65+. When I had mine on a cross country ride a few years back, I held the NT at WOT on I-40 in NM into headwinds and started slowing down riding up a grade.

For a 560lb touring bike it doesn't need a 6th gear, it needs another 40hp. It's a shame we probably aren't getting the NT1100.

Hmmm. When I was on I-40 eastbound in NM, I never had any trouble holding 80-85 into headwinds. My gas mileage kinda' went to pot...down into the low 30s.

 

[NewTo700V]

Hmmm. When I was on I-40 eastbound in NM, I never had any trouble holding 80-85 into headwinds. My gas mileage kinda' went to pot...down into the low 30s.

This was westbound, on a particularly blustery day. Heading up a decent hill next to a big rig. I was in full tuck behind the windshield hoping that would help a bit. Down shifting to 4th did nothing but bring me near redline. My speed was dropping to those numbers.

Had the NT possess 100hp it would have powered through such a situation.

 

[DirtFlier]

Well, it doesn't have 100 HP so either adjust to it or get another bike.

 

[mikesim]

I have found that the NT has sufficient HP to do whatever I asked of it, even at extralegal speeds, YMMV.

Mike

 

[NewTo700V]

Well, it doesn't have 100 HP so either adjust to it or get another bike.

Well, yeah. But Op's observation is still valid. Honda released a bike that looks similar to a ST1330 but has the performance of a Shadow 750.

I'm reminded of an exchange I had with a random person leaving an auto parts a few years ago. I had ridden the NT there, as I was getting back on the bike a fella standing outside the store exclaimed "oh, that must be a speed demon!". I started laughing in the poor guy's face. He looked confused and after I managed to compose myself I told him it wasn't.

 

[RedNigel]

I had an experience once on I10 coming home from Vegas. The headwind I was fighting was so strong at times I was doing 70 mph with the throttle wide open...Also mileage went down to 32mpg

 

[Coyote Chris]

Hmmm. When I was on I-40 eastbound in NM, I never had any trouble holding 80-85 into headwinds. My gas mileage kinda' went to pot...down into the low 30s.

You must be aeredynamic like Frosty! I was doing 80 cruise on I90 happy as a clam when I decided to pass a vehicle. Only the throttle was wide open.
That poor engine was making all the power it could at that rpm w/ headwind.

 

[Coyote Chris]

I too had questions about the 6 gear, but I learned that this engine just likes to rev! I was holding back in fear of putting a piston through the head. But I just went with it, and I’m liking it! So what, you keep your speed down on the freeways. But feel free to let loose. It’s a very capable engine…oh and even riding the tach it still doesn’t affect gas mileage.

Piston speed is no longer the death sentence it used to be in older machines. Tolerences and metalurgy have come a long way. I am so old I remember when gas station attendants checked your oil.

 

[Coyote Chris]

I have found that the NT has sufficient HP to do whatever I asked of it, even at extralegal speeds, YMMV.

Mike

You haven't ridden a VFR!