Love Hate Love, an Intro

Norris

Norris

Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
26
Location
Dana Point, CA
Bike
2010 Red NT700V
Hey Geezers Guys,

Congrats on the confirmed "Old Guy Bike" status!

I wanted to introduce myself, and share a little about my NT experience. I'm a spry 46 yo and this is my 5th bike, been riding for about 15 years now. Mostly just commutes and short weekend jaunts, I have yet to go overnight anywhere on a bike. My longest day was to Idyllwild and back from South OC in California.

Last year I was forced to sell both my Nighthawks (an '86 700SC and a '00 750) due to financial reasons. I was going nuts sitting in traffic in my piece of :poop: 4Runner, so I sold it to get back on a bike. I needed something practical because this was going to be my only transportation. I was looking at CBR250, Ninja 300 and similar as my budget was $2500 and needed something reliable. I actually almost bought a little DR200 dual sport. With cash in hand, I was scouring craigslist almost hourly waiting for the perfect match to show up.....and there it was, one late Tuesday evening....a bike I have never heard of.... this red 2010 Honda with <24000 miles, owned by an 83 yo whose wife was forcing the sale because he was too old. He was asking 2500. He fought off multiple possible buyers because I couldn't go see it until that Saturday and he could tell I was serious. I didn't even try to negotiate, I went to see it, rode it around his block, handed him the cash and was out.

Got home and was like, what the hell bike did I just get? Went on my old cozy advrider.com to do some reading. From what I read, I was going to flip this b and make some money. So, from the beginning, I was just in it to flip it. All I saw were $$$$ and the possibility of having the opportunity to chase another craigslist purchase, but with a significantly better budget. I thought I should wait to list it out respect for the old guy that just "gave" this bike to me. In that time, I learned how poorly designed the luggage lids are, and how mine didn't function hardly at all. And new ones are so damn expensive, Jeebus. Meanwhile, I am commuting daily and growing comfortable with my new steed. This thing is kinda perfect...comfy, not too fast, smooth as heck, handles everything I can throw at it. V-Twin....EFI...it has great tires...loving it. Oh, and the BRAKES....holy excrement....not ABS, but the connected brakes (CBS?) are legit. Best brakes I've ever had on a bike.

But both my lids are now off the bike (longer story)...and it is UGLY. The rear fender is probably the ugliest piece of crap I have ever seen on a bike. But since last week when I had a possible buyer fall through due to the lack of lids, and then me giving it some love with a 2nd oil/filter change since June and actually looking at the miles I have put on it, my perspective and attitude have completely changed. This is MY bike. It feels like an extension of me when I am on it. I don't have to see the back end when I'm riding it. Thinking a top box and lids will come my way via this forum when I have the funds together.

Creeping up on 30k miles and am thinking a valve check will be next, I don't have records of mine ever being checked. I may attempt to do it myself, a shop manual came with the bike and while I have never adjusted valves, I have broken down and parted out an entire bike, I am confident.

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to less lurking and more participation now that this little tourer has gained my love.

~Norris
 
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Welcome Aboard and Greetings from So Cal. :cool:

I am one of the younger members hailing from Generation X, such as yourself.
 
You young pups are welcome here as long as you don't make too much of a ruckus :geek:. Seriously, I think that the longer you own your NT, the more you will like it. I have had mine since 2011 (a faster red one like yours) and just turned over 101K miles in travels to the lower 48 and one Canadian province. We have a lot of NT experience collected here so if you have a question about your bike, maintenance etc., someone will be able to help you. Enjoy your bike, enjoy the forum.... welcome!

Mike
 
The bike is good for commutes and general travel. And there aren't many in the USA so you may have bought a collectors item. This is a great place to learn about the bike and get help.
Enjoy it.

Brad
 
I agree wholeheartedly with Mike. This bike can grow on you. A jack of all trades but not exactly a master at any. Just steadfastly gets the job done.
 
Welcome along, good to hear the NT700 has grown on you.

There are lots of GREAT ideas on this forum of how to fix the pannier lids and make them not only functional but robust. Spend some time checking out the various lock options others have used and you may just find something that will help you to get the bike back to its best.

Seagrass
 
Norris, welcome! I can relate to the rear fender, but like you, I don't see it when riding, actually I don't notice it any more. I just know this is a bike I get on 3-4 days a week and ride to work, church, or nowhere in particular. I open the top trunk, throw my stuff in, and go. I have the 2011 with ABS, and really like the brakes also.
 
Hello from a fellow 46yo 'young buck'......albeit a balding one. :oops:

Someone just posted the sale of some larger-capacity pannier lids here, one set in red and one in silver:
https://www.nt-owners.org/forums/threads/new-large-pannier-lids.12238/
This say "Deauville" on them, as they're from Europe where the bike was sold as the Deauville. These may not be ideal for CA if you like lane-splitting, but on the other hand if this is your sole transportation, they'd offer a fair amount more space, and wouldn't be wider than your mirrors, I don't think. The large lids will accommodate a helmet, whereas the standard ones won't.

I removed the entire latch mechanism, and have yet to figure out how to set up the seat release on its own. My seat is currently not latched.

Speaking of seat, there are a few folks who have gone with aftermarket seats, but most of us find it pretty darn comfortable for a stock seat. And that's saying a lot, since there are a lot of old arses on this forum! :ROFLMAO:

Here are a few good threads on pannier latches:
https://www.nt-owners.org/forums/threads/another-latch-replacement.12040/
https://www.nt-owners.org/forums/threads/improved-pannier-latches.12000/
https://www.nt-owners.org/forums/th...ailure-not-only-the-lid-has-this-issue.11975/

The latch I used was Southco V7-10-115-50 -- the smaller locking style in black powder coat.
https://www.southco.com/en-us/v7
They are available on Amazon, as well as McMaster-Carr. I can't find a direct link to McMaster-Carr, but they are under "keyed draw locks."
 
BTW, if you were't aware, this motorcycle is based on the Honda Hawk 650GT. The Deauville had 2 iterations, the first as a 650 sharing the same engine, and the fuel-injected 700 (680cc) you now have. The bike was very popular with couriers in europe due to its shaft drive and relatively small displacement. It was a good workhorse. Honda imported it here in 2010 in maroon and silver, with ABS optional in silver. In 2011 it was offered in black only, I think. Many people blame Honda for pulling the plug on the bike too soon, but you have to remember what 2010 was like economy-wise. I don't blame Honda. The bike was $10k, $11k with ABS, and positioned against the smaller BMW sport-tourers. Like the Hawk GT, it was a little pricey for what you got, especially for the American market, and the desire for more power. As noted, you have a collector's item. BTW, the same engine is in the weird DN-01 as well.

And speaking of that engine, it's an old design, but tried and true. It has screw-and-locknut valve adjustments. The worst part is just getting down to the valves; just get an egg carton for your screws, and mark things as you go. If you've never adjusted valves before, do a little you-tubing. There's sort of a certain 'feel' you go for when checking valves. The feeler gage should move with just a little bit of friction.....not too freely, not too snug. Post on here as you get into it and you'll get plenty of help.

P.S. Every bike has quirks, but on the plus side the NT700 is pretty darn reliable. Just the lids are a nuisance. And when you go to have tires replaced, make sure they (or you) use a special spline lube on the rear drive axle when the wheel goes back on.
 
Norris said:
But both my lids are now off the bike (longer story)...and it is UGLY. The rear fender is probably the ugliest piece of crap I have ever seen on a bike. But since last week when I had a possible buyer fall through due to the lack of lids, and then me giving it some love with a 2nd oil/filter change since June and actually looking at the miles I have put on it, my perspective and attitude have completely changed. This is MY bike. It feels like an extension of me when I am on it. I don't have to see the back end when I'm riding it. Thinking a top box and lids will come my way via this forum when I have the funds together.

Creeping up on 30k miles and am thinking a valve check will be next, I don't have records of mine ever being checked. I may attempt to do it myself, a shop manual came with the bike and while I have never adjusted valves, I have broken down and parted out an entire bike, I am confident.

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to less lurking and more participation now that this little tourer has gained my love.

~Norris
Click to expand...

If you still have the lids, you can mount external latches on them like many of us were forced to do. Here's link to a Thread I created when I started having issues with the latches, Pannier Latch Failure - Not Only The Lid Has This Issue. There's a lot of information in this thread. I still have the first set of latches that I used and replaced them with something better. If you are tight on money, I can give them to you free of charge. Let me know if you are interested in them.

Doing a valve check requires tearing the down nearly completely as many other items do, which includes the removal of the throttle body. You will need a shop manual, which I have 2 of them, either are for sale.
 
Welcome. Agree 100%. That rear end is fugly for sure. I do enjoy the bike, though. It's so ugly it makes me giggle every time I look at it. I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. Just got one last fall and still kind of breaking it in. Had a '86 CB700SC as well. Midnight blue & black. Good bikes...both of 'em.
 
Love all the responses! Thank you for the warm welcomes.

Lids - I have 1 (right) left! When I got the bike, the right side functioned pretty well, I did not realize that the hooks on the left side had been JB Welded into place and I think a bit too deep into the lid...they didn't stick out quite enough to engage the catch consistently. I ended up gorilla taping it shut and not using it. At purchase, I was told the left side didn't work. Before I realized the issue....again, the hooks were JB welded in place, but not set to the correct height, I replaced the inner workings on the left side. ($35 Honda part). When the lid still didn't latch, that's when I finally realized it was the hooks that were the issue. I got the left side to close and latch, so I thought. I was ok with having both lids non-working, it looked ok and I have no issues wearing a backpack on the daily. Cut to a run up to Wrightwood, and I hit this super jacked up spot on hwy 60 and the lid shattered. It's gone. The hinges were still there and had some plastic attached, and 1 hook was still connected with a little plastic, but the rest was never to be seen again. So I took the right side off, too. I still have that one. Somewhere in this story, I did purchase those luggage latches from someone here (sorry....forgot from whom :unsure: ), I don't think I am skilled enough to get those mounted. I will definitely be re-visiting Brillot2000's post on the subject.

I've actually considered ordering these liner bags (ebay $42 pair) in to fill the 2 empty cavities I've got going on. I do a lot of lane splitting, so the deeper lids are a bit of a turn off for me. Or maybe I should totally re-do the rear-end...fender eliminator...bail on the dual cavities all together....I wonder if that has ever been done? LoL I kid....kinda

BrianMac: I had the fast RWB version of the 700SC. Had 86k on it!! I bought it running for $1300; sold it with gummed up carbs for $1000. Laughing. Great bike, though. Shaft drive, 6th gear, gear indicator, smooth AF, and a fun power band. I actually converted mine to a round headlight. Wasn't too bad. This was the bike I did my longest day on...handled flawlessly.

Valves: I have a shop manual as well, plus a super resourceful Dr of engineering who rides that I can lean on. Invaluable!


Sojourner: Great info, thank you!

~Norris
 
Speaking of which, someone here sprayed their lids with truck bedliner material......black panniers doesn't look bad.....
 
Dude....great find!! Just pulled the trigger....wife approved....seriously....$30 and I'm stoked. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
 
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Welcome to NT-World, Norris! I own the 79th NT built for the US. I bought it in March of '10 and have 131K on it. For a while, I was a major source of used big lids. But then I quit worrying about having immaculate lids and went to the rattle-can black idea.

P8250233.JPG


This picture was taken in Madawaska, ME, the day after I completed the Four Corners Tour (Blaine, WA; San Ysidro, CA; Key West, FL; Madawaska in less than 21 day. That was during my "Epic Post-Retirement Ride to Alaska, the Four Corners, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador," an 80-day, 21,000-mile trip. It's definitely worth having lids on your panniers IMNSHO. I've had trouble with my latches, but they've been working OK for the last 50K. I've got a set of latches that I'll figure out how to attach when they fail.

One of the neat things about this list is that someone can always provide an answer to your questions.
 
Amazing, Phil. Love your front fender set up...lights and extender...and I totally agree about the lids. Now that I have a miss-matched lid on the way, we'll see what color they both end up.
 
Norris said:
Somewhere in this story, I did purchase those luggage latches from someone here (sorry....forgot from whom :unsure: ), I don't think I am skilled enough to get those mounted. I will definitely be re-visiting Brillot2000's post on the subject.

~Norris
Click to expand...

If you are riding to Wrightwood, then you can swing by my place. I am not that far from Big Tujunga Canyon and then down Sunland Blvd. I will do the install of the latches for you if you like. My place is close to the I-5 and Hollywood Way. Just in case you are considering to take my offer.

Here's a picture of both NaTalie and NaNCy.

IMG_0217[1].JPG
 
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