New NT Convert

[NTNewbie]

Hello everyone!
I have been lurking here for the last week getting as much information as I could about this little known (in America anyway) bike. I found one for sale up near Dallas at a dealership for just over $3000 with a little over 36000miles on it and couldn't turn down the opportunity. Got up early and rode my 2018 Z650 the 170miles to be there when the dealership opened this past Tuesday, test rode it and made a trade. They were anxious to get it out of inventory and I was anxious to get something that could tour competently and wouldn't have me mucking about with a chain anymore.

So far I have only put the 170 miles for the return trip on the bike, but I must say it checks almost every box for what I have been looking for in a motorcycle, the only quibbles are the seat height and weight. It sits just a touch high for my 28" inseam, but I can get the balls of my feet down or flat foot one side while other is on peg. It came with lots of farkles already installed including: Windshield side extensions, wind deflectors, top case, engine guard, external latches on the large side cases, fog lights, heated grips, engine guards (with mounted highway pegs), and a throttle lock(still not so sure how I feel about that one). The previous owner seems to have kept it up mechanically. I am partially assuming this because there was a well worn Haynes service manual in the top case. The dealer didn't do an oil change or anything since they took it in on trade so I figured it would be good to check the oil when I got it home. It was about as clean as fresh oil from the bottle, almost couldn't tell any was on the dipstick because of how clean it was.

This is my third motorcycle not counting my wife's Rebel 500, and I have to say it is one of the best bikes I have ridden as far as overall smoothness of function. I read a lot of articles and reviews talking about how people felt it needed an extra gear, this made me seriously question whether or not I should get it since I like taking long highway rides. I had no trouble keeping up and maneuvering through lunch rush traffic on the interstates around the DFW metroplex heading home. So far it has impressed me, I know its not going to be as quick as what I am used to with my Z650, but I don't need that, I need a competent do-it-all light touring machine, and that is what I now have.

I hope to get some pictures and post them up soon, its had some minor cosmetic damage, but that is to be expected with 13 years and 36000miles of use.

 

[mikesim]

Based upon what your objectives are for the new bike, it sounds like the NT will fit the bill nicely. Welcome!

Mike

 

[coaster]

Welcome to the group, you mentioned hiway pegs mounted to the engine guards , I am interested in the setup, is it possible to post some pictures?

 

[NTNewbie]

Here are a few pictures. Sorry about quality and lighting, weather isn't great so had to take them in my garage. Does anyone know what the mount on the top of the dash goes to? I assume it is for a GPS or phone, but I haven't seen that mount style anywhere.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Looks to me as if you've gotten a good deal. I don't think I've ever seen that type engine guard before. I'm not sure exactly what the mount on top of the dash is for, but if it's a RAAM mount you could use it for either a phone or a GPS. As for the throttle lock, I'm guessing that if you do long trips you'll appreciate it. I've had both throttle lock and cruise control on both of my NTs. The first one I rode for 139K before trading for #2. #2 has about 29K on it now and was at 22K when I bought it in August of '20. I didn't ride at all last year because of health problems in the spring and then my wife's diagnosis of Alzheimer's in the fall, but think I'll be getting back on the bike this year. In '13 I did my "Epic Post-Retirement Ride to Alaska, the Four Corners of the US, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador," an 80-day, 21K ride and the bike was great for that.

I'm glad you found a good deal on an NT and glad you've joined the Forum!

 

[mikesim]

I believe that the mount on top of the instrument cluster is a Ram ball setup. That can be used for most anything.

Mike

 

[NTNewbie]

That does indeed sound like a truly epic trip, very envious of that endeavor. Took a closer look at the mount realized it is a round magnetic disc on the end of it, apparently you can get a corresponding disc and adhere it to a phone/GPS and it will hold it that way. My wife of course knew what it was as soon as I showed it to her. I am hoping to be able to put the bike through its paces and take some time getting used to handling it's weight at slow speed this weekend.

 

[DirtFlier]

NTNewbie - HyperPro makes a slightly shorter rear shock eye that drops the seat height by 35 mm (1-3/8"). The sidestand has to be shortened for this to work and the lowered bike is almost impossible to lift onto the centerstand but it can still work by rolling the rear wheel onto a 2 x 6.

 

[NTNewbie]

I appreciate the info. If I do any lowering it will be through having the seat redone, I never have been a fan of lowering the rear suspension, don't want to change the way the bike rides. Probably will send my seat off to Mean City Cycles to be modified eventually. Will probably happen after my wife rides on it for a long trip with me an decides she wants a better seat.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Both of my NTs have been lowered by changing the "dogbones" that attach the shock to the linkage. This dropped the rear of the bike about an inch. I slid the the front suspension up the same distance in the triple-clamp. The dealer who (reluctantly) did the alteration to my first bike warned me about how much the handling would change and refused to shorten the sidestand, saying it would weaken it. As far as I could tell it didn't change the handling at all. A friend shortened the sidestand. It took two tries to get it short enough that the bike wasn't in danger of falling over when I parked it.

My 2nd NT had already been lowered in the same way when I bought it. I have to confess that I have never put either bike on the centerstand since I had the first one lowered. After all my knee replacements, I just don't have the strength, but I think most people could do it with a 2X6 ramp.

I also have a Russell Sport Saddle on Horse (my 2nd NT). It's an inch lower than the stock seat and doesn't have the spring that Russell puts in the DayLong. It's very comfortable and makes the bike more accessible for me. It is expensive, though.

 

[DirtFlier]

Phil - there are no "dogbones" used on the rear suspension of the NT. The bottom of the shock bolts directly to the swingarm, without any kind of linkage. It's a simple system that works well on the NT and lowering is done by changing the shock's lower mounting eye to one with different dimensions.

I only wish the NT was 100 lbs lighter!

 

[junglejim]

To NTNewbie, it is so great to hear from a person who has the same passion for the NT700 that many of us have had over the last 13 or so years. But in my case that passion was replaced by a bike with that “one more gear” desire. My NT took me to the west coast, the south coast, the north coast (Lake Superior), the Carolinas, TN, VA,WV, GA, AL, ++++++++++++ and AK and always brought me home every time with no issues (except for worn out tires and a worn out rider).

I rode my NT about 55,000 miles in the 5 years that I owned it. But like many others here I moved on to a newer bike with more power, lighter weight, and electronic cruise. Oh - and one more gear.

 

[junglejim]

Bc

I only wish the NT was 100 lbs lighter!

Tosh, I found the Tiger 800 to be about 100# lighter than the NT, and it has about 40 hp more power. It doesn’t do as well as it NT on fuel economy but all those ponies eat gas..I increased the drive ratio by about 5% from stock and that improved gas mileage. By the way folks that is one advantage of a chain drive over a shaftie.

 

[harryhendo]

You can get the covers for the scratched up fairing pockets (the left one locks, the right one doesn't) from a Honda parts house pretty cheaply. Open them to about 45 degrees, and then just pull them backwards and they pop out.

 

[WVRider]

Welcome to the Forums and to the world of the NT. After 86K miles I'm still in love with my 2010. Hope it will keep going as long as some of the others on the forums here. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[mikesim]

I just rolled over 137,000 miles and couldn't be happier with my NT.

Mike

 

[Brillot2000]

I loved mine so much. I raised it back from an insurance company death. Diva just rolled over 50,000 miles.

 

[Randall-in-Mpls]

By the way folks that is one advantage of a chain drive over a shaftie.

That's the ONLY advantage of a chain drive over a shaftie. And one I'm not willing to trade for.

 

[Coyote Chris]

That's the ONLY advantage of a chain drive over a shaftie. And one I'm not willing to trade for.

The sad thing is that bikes in the US and even now over seas had enclosed chains. As it is, I decided to have one shaft drive bike and two chain drive bikes. Without rain to deal with in the west for the most part, they are easy for me to maintain with the cleaner/wax system dupont came up with (Thanks Chuck) and chain adjustment is about nil. It looks like the chains/sprockets will out live me and if they dont, good. That means I an still riding. Right now at 74, I can still hold the bikes up. Ask me in two years....

 

[NewTo700V]

Tosh, I found the Tiger 800 to be about 100# lighter than the NT, and it has about 40 hp more power. It doesn’t do as well as it NT on fuel economy but all those ponies eat gas.

Where were you riding the NT? Because if someone were to ask me about fuel efficient motorcycles, I wouldn't suggest the NT. I would suggest bikes like the CB500F or NC750X.

A quick search shows Tiger owners get MPG in the low 40's. The NT really isn't any better than that at high speed riding, and gets very thirsty during highway RPMs. I've only seen 50 - 60 MPG from the NT on back roads where speeds might be 50 or under.