I'm looking at a 2010 NV700T ABS. Upon reading some reviews I found that a big problem is the saddlebag latch system. Is there a lot of trouble with them or was this just a fluke happening by the test riders. Hee is the article: and if this is common is there a fix? did Honda ever do a recall or service bulletin?
The problem is in the latch system. It’s highly complex and quite persnickety. On three different occasions, I had latch failures–and the failure was different every time. One failure scuttled a holiday trip, as the bag keyhole hung tightly onto the key, as it won’t release it unless the bag is latched shut, which it wouldn’t do due to a broken spring.
A second failure occurred out in the middle of nowhere. In that case, the spring slipped off the latch, so it wouldn’t click shut. I had to right back to civilization with the bag hanging open.
Finally, and this was the last straw, it simply popped open on the freeway, and a $5000 camera was dangling by a strap. The latch lever wasn’t functioning properly in this case–it feigned being latched, but it was not.
Looking at the design of the Honda NT700V bags, it’s hopelessly complicated, especially compared with something like an Aprilia Mana GT 850, where all the hardware is external.
The bags are beautiful to behold, but there is no way to be sure the puny latches and springs are in place and doing their job. A reliability issue like this is very un-Hondalike, and makes it difficult to feel confident loading anything in the bags (which could also use a liner). It’s a problem that we would very much like to see addressed.
Here is the ad for the bike, he is asking $3000
The Honda NT700V motorcycle has a solidly tested engine that has proven itself in Europe. A number of European police departments used this motorcycle in cities. It is a very comfortable bike to ride, reliable, low maintenance, shaft drive, great mileage with a 5.2 gallon tank. It comes with heated grips. It has 2 integrated luggage bags in the rear with a passage that connects both bags. At the rear there is a larger luggage bag that fits 2 helmets. Plenty of luggage space. This is the ABS model. Only 23,000 miles. See specks below and two reviews when the bike was first introduced in the U.S.A.
The problem is in the latch system. It’s highly complex and quite persnickety. On three different occasions, I had latch failures–and the failure was different every time. One failure scuttled a holiday trip, as the bag keyhole hung tightly onto the key, as it won’t release it unless the bag is latched shut, which it wouldn’t do due to a broken spring.
A second failure occurred out in the middle of nowhere. In that case, the spring slipped off the latch, so it wouldn’t click shut. I had to right back to civilization with the bag hanging open.
Finally, and this was the last straw, it simply popped open on the freeway, and a $5000 camera was dangling by a strap. The latch lever wasn’t functioning properly in this case–it feigned being latched, but it was not.
Looking at the design of the Honda NT700V bags, it’s hopelessly complicated, especially compared with something like an Aprilia Mana GT 850, where all the hardware is external.
The bags are beautiful to behold, but there is no way to be sure the puny latches and springs are in place and doing their job. A reliability issue like this is very un-Hondalike, and makes it difficult to feel confident loading anything in the bags (which could also use a liner). It’s a problem that we would very much like to see addressed.
Here is the ad for the bike, he is asking $3000
The Honda NT700V motorcycle has a solidly tested engine that has proven itself in Europe. A number of European police departments used this motorcycle in cities. It is a very comfortable bike to ride, reliable, low maintenance, shaft drive, great mileage with a 5.2 gallon tank. It comes with heated grips. It has 2 integrated luggage bags in the rear with a passage that connects both bags. At the rear there is a larger luggage bag that fits 2 helmets. Plenty of luggage space. This is the ABS model. Only 23,000 miles. See specks below and two reviews when the bike was first introduced in the U.S.A.
