To NT or not to NT

Sheriff41

Sheriff41

Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
23
Location
Texas Hill Country
Bike
'05 ST1300A
Noob here. I've been riding my V Star 1100 Classic for 10 years and I'm starting to look for something a bit smaller and easier to handle. I've always liked the look of the NT and the positives I hear from NT owners. I also like the F 800 BMWs and the CTX 700 DCT. I'm comfortable with the different styles of these bikes and whatever I get will probably be my last bike. Looking for something to last 10 years or so.

My riding is mostly commuting and weekend day trips around the Texas hill country. The day trips are usually 2 up rides.

I've seen some low mileage NTs lately, less than 7 thousand miles, in the $4-5k range. The CTX can be bought for about the same or a little less. F 800s vary by model. My concern is mostly with the NTs age and parts availability.

Understanding you may be slightly biased 😉what would be your advice?

BTW, y'all have a really decent forum here, Thanks!

Sheriff
 
Welcome to the forum. The NT is pushing ten years old so parts can be a concern. The biggest issue will be body parts. Old "tupperware", that isn't cracked or missing tabs will get harder to find...particularly saddle bag lids as those are one the NT's problem areas. The good news is there isn't a lot of colors or decals to match on the NT as it was pretty much a single color paint scheme. Mechanical parts should be fairly easy for awhile...

If you can find a 2010 with the ABS option that's a good choice. Not all 2010's had ABS only the Silver ones were offered with the option. All 2011s are Black and came with ABS standard...
 
This is an opinion, so you can ignore it completely, but I would not recommend the CTX700. Its only good feature, IMNSHO, is the low seat height if you've got really stumpy legs. The panniers are decorative and completely impractical. The NC750 or even the NC700 are really good bikes from what I hear, but don't offer the weather protection and shaft drive of the NT. My NT has been slightly less than trouble-free, but that's mainly been because of two mechanics neglecting to lube the splines after a tire change. I've had two final drive rebuilds, but Honda paid for one of them under my extended warranty. The second one only cost me about a third of what it could have been because I got a real deal on parts and labor costs from the dealer who had sold me the bike.

I have 131K miles on mine and I'll keep it until it dies … or until I quit riding. If it dies first, I'll probably quit riding. I'm 76 and have had six knee replacements.
 
Without knowing how far you commute or on what kind of roads I'm just guessing. But in general, for a commuter the NT is hard to beat. Economy and protection are outstanding. For your 2-up day trips you might be happier with a bigger bike (like the one you have). I enjoyed my NT for 5 years before getting a bike with 30 more hp, one more gear, and cruise control. Other than the pannier latches the NT is mechanically great. For parts I see lots of NTs sell at auction for around $2,000 and I bet most of them would be great parts bikes if not commuters.
 
RedLdr1,

Thanks for the pointers! I didn't realize only the silver bikes had ABS and I don't think I've even seen a 2011 for sale yet.
 
Thanks Jim. My commute is about 35 miles/day. About 2/3 of that is highway at 70 mph. I've read where some NT owners say 2 up is fine and others say the same thing as you. I'll keep that in mind.
 
Sheriff41 said:
I've read where some NT owners say 2 up is fine and others say the same thing as you.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to be negative. There is no question the NT will handle 2-up riding. But we all have different standards for how comfortable is comfortable. If I traveled with my wife I'd have a Gold Wing or maybe a Lexus.
 
Thanks Jim. I didn't read your comment as negative. I agree, what is comfortable for one may not be for another. I guess what I was getting at was the ability of the bike for 2 up riding from a performance angle. The only way to know if a bike is comfortable is to get on and ride!
 
Sheriff41 said:
RedLdr1,

Thanks for the pointers! I didn't realize only the silver bikes had ABS and I don't think I've even seen a 2011 for sale yet.
Click to expand...

To be clear all silver NT's do not have ABS. Some have it and some don't. It was an option.
 
I made a change from a (much) larger and heavier bike to a 2010 red non ABS, NT 700. I rode that NT for about two years, including a solo trip from Michigan to Florida and back. I did add an electronic cruise control and was planning on replacing the black, painted 2X6 that Honda called a seat, when an opportunity to trade it in on another of the previous brand (HD), presented itself. I went back to the larger, heavier bike and I don't regret it. I am 73 years old and have been riding since 1967 and have owned 36 bikes over the years. The NT is a great commuter bike as well as day rides, two up in the Hill country (been there twice) but it is not a long distance, two up touring bike. At least not for me. YMMV.
 
IMHO, it is a grand touring bike for a single rider, but just a tad too small for long distance two up. Overnite short duration trips are OK though. For my purposes, its exactly what the doctor ordered.

Mike
 
Electraclyde said:
I made a change from a (much) larger and heavier bike to a 2010 red non ABS, NT 700. I rode that NT for about two years, including a solo trip from Michigan to Florida and back. I did add an electronic cruise control and was planning on replacing the black, painted 2X6 that Honda called a seat, when an opportunity to trade it in on another of the previous brand (HD), presented itself. I went back to the larger, heavier bike and I don't regret it. I am 73 years old and have been riding since 1967 and have owned 36 bikes over the years. The NT is a great commuter bike as well as day rides, two up in the Hill country (been there twice) but it is not a long distance, two up touring bike. At least not for me. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Thanks Electraclyde, these are some of the things that led me to ask questions. You're the first one to suggest the seat is uncomfortable. A dealer here just listed a 2011 so I'll have to go check it out and see for myself.
 
I find the stock seat to be very comfortable. In over 103K miles, I have no complaint.

Mike
 
How large are you and your riding buddy? I am 5'-8"/170 pounds and my wife is 5'-6" and 140 pounds....and we fit fine on the NT700 for 1-2 hour rides with comfort stops (wife likes to hike and shop)....she is not keen on all day rides.

I owned my NT700 for 2 years - I bought it as a lighter weight replacement for my ST1100. It was a nice bike and fit us far better than the largish ST1100 - the reason I sold the NT700 was the built in luggage and somewhat tight fit for riding double up just wasn't suitable for any overnight trips for my wife and I. (Now that I am semi-retired I plan on taking frequent 2-3 day trips).

I rented a BMW R1200RT while in Tucson celebrating my retirement, and I fell in love with it...my wife loved the room and comfort. I bought a very nice used 2016 BMW R1200RT for my double up trips - it was far more expensive and far more suitable for our trips, and it has a lot more luggage room....the extra weight is manageable for me right now - but as I approach geezerdom it may be too heavy. For my size I would not want to use it as a daily commuter if there was a lot of city riding - but I love it when out on longer rides in the country.

I also recently bought a used BMW F800GT for my single rides. It is faster, more nimble and more fun than the NT700, it is 6 years newer and I expect parts to be available for a long time (but a bit more expensive). Parts availability for the NT700 at Honda dealers is not likely to be something they will have in stock, and they will need to order the parts. The only issue with the F800GT for me is getting a windshield that provides a quieter ride.....at the moment I am riding with a cut down stock windshield as it is cooler and quieter than the stock windshield - but I do get a lot of airflow to the upper body. The luggage is snap on/snap off easy - but it is a bit small for anything more than overnight for 2 people (perfect for a single rider on long trips if you strap the sleeping bag and tent onto the passenger seat).

One other bike I would consider, is the Triumph Street Twin. It is a great bike, handles well....the only potential downside is the chain drive - but newer O-ring chains are far cleaner and easier to maintain than they used to be. A friend of mine has the Bonneville and they shipped it to the UK and toured double up on it for 6 weeks. And if you have any dealers nearby - go ride a Moto-Guzzi....it feels a lot like you are riding a 1970's bike - but it affordable, reliable and comfortable to ride.

A lot of what you do depends on what you are after. If you are looking to spend a few thousand dollars on a 10 year old bike that will provide good basic transportation and fun for a few years....the NT700 might be a good choice. If you are looking for a bike to last for 10 years or more.....you should likely look for something newer.
 
The NT can be 2 up toured quite well. My wife enjoys riding with me. I enjoyed all of my 6 year stint with our faithful silver steed. I had the big lids and electronic cruise and Mic-O-Pegs and Heli-Bars. I always told wife this was our Mini-Wing. Two summers ago we rode over 2,500 miles very comfortably. North Carolina to Cincinnati to Charleston and Savannah and many places in between. Wife never complained once, even after 10 hours in the saddle one day. 75 on the Interstates? Oh yes, we kept up just fine thank you. Take good care of her and she will take good care of you. (Wife and Bike).
 
I think the NT can be a conservative two up bike, depending on the size of the riders and how fast they want to go. The Europeans have a nice FB page, called " Honda Deauville owners, and they have many, and I mean many old NT and NT predessesspr type bikes that have been rode hard and put away wet every day for many thousand of miles and many years before 2010 when they came here. Its a great machine. With the big lids if you want to carry something.
 
Good Morning Sheriff41,
I have owned my NT700 for 5 years and I have enjoyed every minute of it. For me to keep a bike this long it must be special, Electraclyde will attest to that. I have added several farkles to mine and if you plan to take any trips covering several days, I recommend adding Mick O Pegs and an upgraded seat from the stock model. I am now considering a Russell Day Long Seat. I recommend going to both of these farkles websites for more info.
Honda's reputation for reliability is on display with the NT700. I won't worry too much about the mileage on the NT if the owner can produce the proper documentation regarding service and proper maintenance performed.
Have fun locating the right bike for you.
 
Thanks for all the replies, comments and advice! I am having trouble finding a clean example near me so the hunt continues. I have seen several for sale in other states. I am being patient! I'll lurk here for a while and ask questions as I think of them.
 
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