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But, yes, the NT700V does feel light and nimble and is very easy to ride. It takes little muscle and effort to make it do what you want it to on the twisty roads, yet is still rather stable and comfortable when rolling down the less-exciting open highways.
The NT doesn't really feel like your traditional, big-bore touring bike. Instead, the NT feels more like you're riding a big single, but with V-twin torque and pulling power, not to mention, there's that destinctive V-twin vibe and sound. This kind of makes sense, since this motor is an off-shoot of the one that powers Honda's Transalp, a rather large rally-style dual-sport machine that Honda used to offer here in the U.S. (The Transalp is still very popular in Europe.) So that probably explains the NT's "single" - even though it's a V-twin - feel. The motor is also related to the "automatic" D1-01.
As far as power, the NT is rather feisty and certainly perks up when you reach about the 5000 rpm range. No worries, however, the NT doesn't mind being revved one bit when you want to pep things up a bit, and it is just as efficient off the bottom when a more relaxing pace is desired. Shifting is light and easy, clutch-pull is light, and I could detect very little drive lash or torque-effect from the NT's shaft-drive system.
You will notice, however, quite a bit of gear-whine from the NT's motor, especially on rapid deceleration.
Unlike the big 1800cc touring bikes, the NT is about as thirsty as a camel. Throw in a large five-plus gallon fuel tank and the NT will last a lot longer between gas stops than you will.
Comfort is another one of the NT's strong points. Seat has good, firm padding and has nice contour, and at 31 inches, seat height is rather low. Tubular handlebars have a neutral bend and should be easily replaceable if they don't fit you. It has traditional triple-clamp mounting.
Adding to the NT's riding comfort is the manually adjustable windscreen. It has a rather wide top-to-bottom range and is surprisingly quiet when it comes to wind noise. You can reach over and raise or lower the windscreen while in motion (though it's difficult), but I wouldn't recommend that - it's kind of risky. It's better to wait for a stop sign when you can safely reach over with both hands and make adjustments. It's a nice set-up, but not if you're used to push-buttons. Still, it's much better than having to bust out tools to make adjustment.
Saddlebags are extremely narrow and don't hold a ton, but lane-splitters in California will love 'em. There is, however, a cool "pass-over" channel that runs from one bag to the other, which is a perfect place to store longer objects, such as posters or a broken-down pool cue. You could call 'em "linked bags." There're also two small glove boxes in the fairing for more storage.
I also enjoyed the NT's strong brakes and the performance from the ABS and how the front brake is not linked to the back brake. Overall, it seems to be a good system for what this bike is intended.
Suspension feels a little on the stiff side but seems to be well balanced overall. Rear-shock preload adjusting is made simple thanks to an easy-to-reach dial on the side of the bike. Unfortunately, there are no other suspension adjustability.
Honda will provide some accessories for the bike, such as a rear trunk large enough to store a full-face helmet. A bag liner will be available to go with it. Heated grips will also be offered for $189.
Even though the ride was just 70 or so miles, I came away quite impressed with the "little" NT. It does make for a nice, light-duty weekend touring bike just like Honda said it would, but I feel its greatest attribute is commuting. With its narrow bags, outstanding range, excellent comfort, light weight and good overall performance, the NT700 makes for a classy everyday commuter, and longer the commute the better.
The NT is available in two colors - red and silver. The standard model sells for $9999 and the ABS-equipped NT sells for a grand more at $10,999. ABS is only available on the silver model.
Compared to full-size touring bikes, such as a fully equipped Gold Wing which sells for around $24,000, 10 grand doesn't sound too bad. Still, for that price, I'd like to see suspension that is fully adjustable (as well as the clutch lever) or at least heated grips as standard equipment. That's about my only real gripe with the NT700V, otherwise I could see this bike being a commuter's best friend.
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