Author Topic: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA  (Read 13230 times)

not2old

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #20 on: May 18, 2011, 09:06:27 PM »
We can't (yet) get that model in Canada.  How would it compare to the BMW f800st?

Offline Rick Hall

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #21 on: May 18, 2011, 09:21:42 PM »
I've ridden with Phil on his new twin, he keeps right up. It sounds different (two cylinders) and the fairing isn't as large as the barn door on the C-10, but it's a cool bike none the less. Riding two up fully loaded into a headwind might be a problem, especially on the interstates. Unsure of alternator output, but Phil has electrics, add-on lights, GPS, and I think an espresso machine.

Saddle bags do have a pass-through section from one side to the other. I think it'd be large enough for a cane, or 3-4 piece travel fishing rod, but not a set of crutches or a fly rod.

In many ways, it's a scaled down Concours.

Would *I* buy one? Maybe.

Rick
Rick Hall     1994 ZG 1000 "Sam"      xCOG #1914 (CO)
  GfNi H.P.   DOD #2040   1kQSPT 14.16   IBA #3274
    The Kawasaki Concours page at: www.zggtr.org

Offline ptarman

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #22 on: May 18, 2011, 11:36:43 PM »
Honda's C-ABS from the CBR's instead of the old-school ABS now available
Quote

I'm not sure what the difference is between the C-ABS I've got on my NT and C-ABS on the CBR.

Are you?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2011, 05:16:28 PM by ptarman »
Phil Tarman
Fort Morgan, CO
NT700VA 2010 SN #0079 -- "Dudley"; IBA # 5811: SS1000(X2), BB1500

Offline ptarman

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #23 on: May 18, 2011, 11:43:20 PM »
Unsure of alternator output, but Phil has electrics, add-on lights, GPS, and I think an espresso machine.

Saddle bags do have a pass-through section from one side to the other. I think it'd be large enough for a cane, or 3-4 piece travel fishing rod, but not a set of crutches or a fly rod.

In many ways, it's a scaled down Concours.

Would *I* buy one? Maybe.

Rick

I have learned the limits of the alternator.  When I have the Honda heated grips on #5 (that's the blister your palms mode, wattage unknown), my heated jacket turned up all the way (90 watts), the Denali LED lights on (10 W), GPS (? W, but it can't be much, and add the 2nd 55W bulb when I turn on high-beam, the LEDs on the heated grips start to blink.  When I check voltage then, it's down around 13.1-13.3V. 

If I take the 55W of the high beam light out, the LEDs stop blinking and the voltage is 14.1-14.2V.  If I turn the hand grips down to the #3 of the 5 intensities available, I can leave the high beam on and keep the voltage up.

The alternator puts out 428A, and it looks to me like the required electrical load for the bike itself, no farkles, must be around 183A.
Phil Tarman
Fort Morgan, CO
NT700VA 2010 SN #0079 -- "Dudley"; IBA # 5811: SS1000(X2), BB1500

Offline lt1

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #24 on: May 19, 2011, 09:06:47 AM »
Honda's C-ABS from the CBR's instead of the old-school ABS now available
Quote

I'm not sure what the difference is between the C-ABS I've got on my NT and C-ABS on the CBR.

Are you?
The NT uses the 3-piston 296mm rotor linked brakes that Honda has used for quite a while.  Their new system on the CBR's has much more advanced electronics, is essentially "invisible" to the rider, links all the pistons (instead of just the center ones) when needed.  Look for reviews on the CBR's for more info.  I believe the info is also on the Honda site.  Basically, the brakes are only linked or ABS'd when you really need it, and not when you don't want it.
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Offline ptarman

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #25 on: May 19, 2011, 09:41:28 AM »
Thanks for that info.  So far, for me, the system I've got on the NT has worked flawlessly.  I was concerned about having the linked brakes, but haven't noticed any downsides (or upsides, either, for that matter).  I may have activated the ABS once, and, if I did, I could barely tell it was pulsing.
Phil Tarman
Fort Morgan, CO
NT700VA 2010 SN #0079 -- "Dudley"; IBA # 5811: SS1000(X2), BB1500

Offline So Cal Joe

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #26 on: May 19, 2011, 10:13:48 AM »
The biggest complaint I would have is it's only 700CC, Honda should have at least made it 1000 cc.

If you are born once you will die twice
If you are born twice you will die once

Offline ptarman

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #27 on: May 19, 2011, 10:30:17 AM »
Joe, They built it for Europe; it's sold very well there for years.  And if they'd made it a 700cc bike, it would have not fit the niche that it owns:  a small, shaft-drive, sport-touring bike.

I wouldn't have been interested in it if had been a 1000cc bike.

You've got several of those you can look at:  the new Ninja 1000, the MG Norge, old C-10s, etc.  There isn't another 700cc bike with weather protection, good bags, and a shaft drive.
Phil Tarman
Fort Morgan, CO
NT700VA 2010 SN #0079 -- "Dudley"; IBA # 5811: SS1000(X2), BB1500

Offline Rawman

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Re: It's not a Kawasaki; not a BMW; it's a Honda NT700VA
« Reply #28 on: May 19, 2011, 02:22:14 PM »
I looked at that bike too, it was to replace my wife's Shadow VLX-DLX 600. But she wasn't riding much now with 2 kids......
2009 Non-ABS
VStream, PR2s, AreaP Full Exhaust, Carbon Can, PC-V, BMC Air Filter, 151 Dyno'd RWhp.
'04 Honda VTX-1300C, '01 Kawasaki ZRX-1200R, '87 Yamaha VMax, '79 Kawasaki K-1000 LTD, '77 Kawasaki KZ-1000,'80 Suzuki GS-550L