All Tests – 2014 Integra Test: no more trunk … engine! – The Integra more sporty but not more practical

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2014 Integra test: no more trunk … engine !

All Tests - 2014 Integra Test: no more trunk ... engine! - The Integra more sporty but not more practical

Like its sisters NC750S and NC750X, the Integra is updated in 2014. However Honda has precisely privileged its maxi scooter by reserving some additional alterations, which the Site was able to review during its press presentation. Test !

The Integra more sporty but not more practical

Less agile than the competition because of its 17-inch wheels (against 15 on the Tmax or C600Sport to which it was opposed in our) and turning a little less dry than a "real" scooter, the Integra comes out all the same good urban exercise, especially thanks to its dual-clutch transmission, suddenly blank.

In mode D, the pilot only has to open the throttle so that the gears are linked quickly and allow him to roam the streets in 4th at 45 km / h or twice as fast on the roads in 6th. Those in a hurry can select S mode to benefit from more punchy times. The more nervous will choose to ride in manual mode.

The sound of the engine a little more marked also makes it possible to better manage the gear changes with the ear … and the fingers, since like the NC750S and NC750X, the changes of reports are carried out by means of two small gray triggers placed on the left stalk.

A little more present than on the 700 version, the engine brake of the Integra can be increased at any time with a simple push of the thumb. Very quick to get down a gear – it’s almost instantaneous! -, the DCT system always takes a longer time to drop a second, but this does not affect piloting in any way.

When one of the two automatic modes is engaged, the machine discreetly takes over when it sees fit. And it still is! The Japanese engineers must be congratulated here – in the first place – for the work carried out on the management of the reports, very close to that of a "normal" pilot. !

The D mode in particular is more versatile than before. Always configured to drive economy as a priority, it responds more finely and quickly to the expectations of the driver and to the rotations of his right wrist, especially in the event of overtaking another vehicle..

S mode continues to exploit the full potential of the engine … up this year! The has already made it possible to validate the progress made in terms of acceleration and pick-up, the 2014 version of the engine easily dominating its predecessor. Would the Integra no longer let its competitors slip away? ?

In terms of braking, however, we could see that the abandonment of the combined ABS system (the C-ABS which linked the front brake to the rear brake) leads to the loss of a little extra in terms of cool driving ", particularly appreciable on the Integra and its rear brake control on the handlebars.

It is therefore no longer possible to simply lick the left lever to effectively slow the Honda scooter. On this 2014 model, you have to quickly resort to the right lever controlling a front brake whose power has become a little more timid than on the 2012-2013 versions….

The loss of combined braking is in fact accompanied by a slight drop in power: the dual-piston caliper of the NC750 in 2014 bites the 320 mm disc a little less hard than the 3-piston caliper of the 700 versions did. previous ones. A point that only the late-checkers will note … perhaps !

The two kilograms saved by the new ABS system are not felt, nor are the other two saved thanks to the aluminum swingarm. On the scale besides, the Integra 2014 weighs only one kilogram less than that of 2012: 237 kg all full facts.

Undetectable when driving, the presence of the new swingarm is much more visible from the outside: the new element specific to the Integra has the advantage of being much cuter than the steel one which always equips the NC "roadster. "and" trail ". There may be jealousy in the NC family !

Like the increase in cubic capacity, this 2014 novelty allows the Integra above all to score points for bikers looking for a maxi scooter that is rewarding for their urban and peri-urban journeys..

MNC recalls in passing that the protection provided by the large windshield is still as good as ever, the clever cutouts and air deflections canceling out any unpleasant feeling of pushing in the back at high speed. Likewise, the apron – even shorter in 2014 – perfectly insulates the legs from downpours..

To cut down on the bollard, MNC greatly prefers the Integra to the NC750X. From a global point of view, moreover, the behavior of the scooter is very close to that of the motorcycle, with which it shares not only the engine but also the frame and the suspensions. Only the shock absorber is adjustable in preload by the user, but the latter will not complain as the compromise found by the factory is satisfactory..

More efficient than the old version, the Integra 2014 should better contain the attacks of the "pure" maxi scooters of the Tmax and C600Sport types … However, it is not only in dynamics that the Honda improves: d ‘an aesthetic point of view too, the "NC750D" is more sporty.

"The shapes and style of the Integra have evolved into something more "motorcycle" typed.", describe the Japanese. And it is clear that the shorter front fairing – at knee level, we realized when we got on board – lightens and energizes the Integra.

In its two "Special Edition" (+ 200 €), the winged maxiscoot is adorned with golden rims and decorations – simple stickers – which would not mismatch on CBRs. The white version which uses the colors of the HRC will undoubtedly satisfy fans of the brand, while the black will seduce beyond the Honda clan.

In order to catch the eye and flatter the ego of the – future? – owner, several plastic parts are skillfully crafted to look like carbon. No really, those who criticized the Integra for its too bland look will have to review their judgment…

The instrumentation for its part is unchanged externally, but it now indicates the instantaneous and average consumption, as well as the volume of fuel used: a maximum of 14.1 liters which is discharged via the hatch housed under the passenger seat, as on the other two NC.

On the other hand, unlike the NC750S and NC750X which accommodate a full face helmet in their "false" tank, the 2014 Integra still does not accommodate a helmet … The storage space announced "more spacious"by the Japanese a few months ago has not changed.

This is the big disappointment about this new Integra: to use it on a daily basis as a "real" scooter, its buyers remain condemned to buy a top case. Admittedly, the price extension is reasonable: count between 299 € the black top box of 35 liters and 570 € for the painted one of 45 liters…

But if the overall bill remains far from that demanded by the king of maxi scooters in France (the Tmax ABS is currently displayed at € 11,299), the efforts of Honda engineers to make their Integra a more racy scooter are swept away. a knock.

There remains the engine performance, effectively on the rise and well integrated by version "2.0.14" of the DCT … But will this be enough to impose the Integra on the French market? Case to follow in our market reports: stay connected !

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