All Test Drives – 2014 Honda CTX700 Test Drive: Not So Simple! – CTX700: Easy Bagger!

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2014 Honda CTX700 review: not so simple !

All Test Drives - 2014 Honda CTX700 Test Drive: Not So Simple! - CTX700: Easy Bagger!

At first glance, the Honda CTX700 is just a new bagger type offshoot from the NC700 platform. Either a kind of utility custom … But behind its unpretentious appearance hides in reality an interesting and original motorcycle. Test.

CTX700: Easy Bagger !

Intuitive handling despite its heavy weight (244 kg all full, 19 kg more than an NC700S), the CTX700 shows excellent balance and a satisfactory turning radius. Childish to use, its robotic box reinforces this feeling of general ease (all the details on the DCT on the last page). So many particularly interesting assets in urban areas.

However, in town, the Honda is not as comfortable as expected. The fault first of all with its volumes not obvious to apprehend since the width of the mirrors and the suitcases exceeds that of the handlebars … To clear your way up to the "pole position" at the red light therefore requires a good shot. eye. And also good arms, because the steering is quite heavy to handle at low speed.

At the same time, with its generous wheelbase (1530 mm) and its open caster angle (27 ° 4), that was to be expected! Another characteristic explains this maneuverability behind the NC700s: its less advantageous weight distribution due to the displacement of the tank. Due to the modifications made to its rear buckle, the 12.4 liter container is in fact installed "traditionally" between the thighs and not under the saddle like the NCs (all technical details on the last page).

Second consequence, which is far more important: this move involves the elimination of the "tank-safe" very popular on the NC700 and NC750 S and X! On the CTX700, a removable cover located on top of the tank trim conceals access to the fuel cap (mounted without hinge, arf …) and to a small non-lockable storage space (re-arf! ).

A safe inside which it is for example possible to store a glasses case, but whose particular format – the bottom is wider than the entrance – does not facilitate the recovery of too small objects, such as credit cards or toll ticket.

In theory, this reduction in carrying capacity could only be of relative importance since the CTX700 is delivered with removable cases. But in practice, this luggage does not fill the gap since it is impossible to slip a helmet, whether it is a full face or a jet without a visor..

Incidentally, the integration of said suitcases could have been the subject of more success, by more closely following the shapes of the motorcycle. Their useful volume would have been improved and the stern would have gained in visual fluidity..

A surprising part-cycle

Stabilized at 4000 rev / min in sixth at 130 km / h, the placid twin purrs peacefully on the highway, while distilling some shudders in the seat and hands. These vibrations increase in intensity at high speeds, very quickly since the block cuts at 6500 rpm !

Hardly enough time to appreciate the softness of the automatic upshifting through the DCT when heavy black clouds obscure the horizon … A veritable deluge of rain falls on the Honda (and its tester!), While sudden gusts of wind carefully encourage other users to slow down.

The whims of Aeolus are so powerful that the modest 47.6 hp and 60 Nm of torque are struggling, especially uphill. To stay at 130 km / km into the wind when the terrain becomes positive, fifth gear is sometimes requested, at the same time increasing the engine speed by 1000 rpm. At this point, we tell ourselves that the CTX700 – more "wrapped" than the NC700s – would be more at ease equipped with the "new" 745 cc engine of the NC750..

Despite a strong crosswind, the bike is of imperial stability and maintains its course. ABS operates efficiently, even in the wet, which makes it possible to take full advantage of a braking system that is sufficiently powerful and easy to adjust. In short, the Honda encourages you to continue on your way, while the terrible weather suggests the opposite !

In terms of protection, however, the results are less glorious … A driver of 1.75 m has only the lower third of the face and almost the entire bust protected by the imposing fork crown. For long journeys, the fitting of an optional high screen seems imperative. The lower body is not much better off, because the radiator gills and the fairings raise only a modest rampart against the bad weather..

Fortunately, this little winter storm is coming to an end just when the virolos take over from the monotonous, expensive and "radar-based" motorway. The "S" mode of the DCT transmission is engaged with a flick on the right stalk, immediately increasing the responsiveness of the engine. The reports are much more drawn than by resorting to the "D" mode, with which the motorbike grazes the under-revving by requesting the threshold of flexibility located at 2000 rpm.

With this "Sport" function, the mechanics start again quickly from the slightest rotation of the accelerator and downshift in a flash if necessary. More and more finely calibrated and transparent in use, the DCT really works wonders on a motorcycle like the CTX700, offering the possibility of "cruising" cuddly in "D" mode or gently tarrying in "S" mode.

Certainly, a few jerks are still noticeable and the fact of not being able to manage the engine brake with the clutch initially causes mixed feelings. Similarly, the inability to up or down two gears in a row in "manual" mode can be annoying, as can the sometimes interventionist aspect of the device….

The system blocks certain requests, such as downshifting "manually" (via the triggers on the left stalk) above 4000 rev / min or to increase a report below 3000 rev / min in mode "S". In addition, as the motorcycle does not have a tilt sensor, the speeds are up or down as indifferently in a straight line as in a bend or … inside a roundabout..

Fortunately, the DCT eliminates any engine braking on downshifting, thereby avoiding the slightest risk of load transfer on the angle. And from the angle, precisely, the CTX700 is just waiting to take! Its extremely healthy chassis allows to titillate the limits of its ground clearance (130 mm) without any ulterior motive, while the good cohesion of its suspensions combined with its royal stability allows passages in surprisingly dynamic curves..

Very insensitive to the grip of the front brake in bends, the Honda is also neutral and precise when setting the angle, its steering becoming much easier to handle with the speed. Equipped with excellent traction and good original tires (Metzeler Z8 Interact), the CTX700 goes from one sequence to another with astonishing efficiency. We are far, very far, from the vague and sometimes erratic behavior of certain customs !

A few passages on really bumpy asphalt confirm this excellent potential. Admittedly, the rear suspension – whose stroke is reduced by 10 mm compared to the NC700S (110 mm) – lacks progressiveness and struggles to absorb big shocks, but the bike never pretends to break up..

Verdict: a motorcycle to discover

Funny motorcycle this CTX700! Unclassifiable, it mixes genres with a certain originality, reminding in passing how Honda likes to venture off the beaten track.

However, if this "melting pot" turns out to be successful, or even tasty in some ways, some will probably find it difficult to overcome their perplexity to decide to take the controls. So from there to ordering it…

And it’s a shame, as this CTX700 turns out over the kilometers to be an amazing motorcycle, which hides an unexpected versatility behind lines and an unpretentious engine..

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