Bike Files: Honda NC750X

Honda’s twin cylinder workhorse is popular for a reason…

NC750X? Never heard of it!

Funny that. We reckon the NC750X is one of the best bikes you’ve never heard of. Where Fireblades, Gold Wings and even little Cubs steal the headlines, Honda’s NC750X just continues to fly under the radar – selling to riders who just want a good reliable workhorse. You’ll rarely read a magazine review and it doesn’t feature in many group tests. It’s a bike to do a job and it does it very well.

Good reliable workhorse? Sounds boring to us!

You know, we are big fans on the Honda NC range but even we’re not going to try and convince you this is the most exciting motorcycle you’ll ever ride. The softly tuned twin is actually derived from a Honda car engine and the chassis is basic too. For all that, it all melds together really well. It’s been designed to be inexpensive, easy to ride and practical. To that end, it ticks all the boxes and has proved extremely popular because of that.

A car engine…?

The design of the engine is based on the one found in a Honda Jazz. The Jazz is a small four-cylinder car, and this is a twin, and it’s commonly accepted that the NC engine design is based around half a Jazz motor. What you get is a really low revving, lazy, motor when compared to traditional motorcycle powerplant. It sounds dull but fits the NC750 rather well. Peak power is 58bhp, which is more than enough for the intended job.

So it’s no MT-07?

No, it’s a mid-capacity parallel-twin but it’s a very different proposition to sporty numbers like the Yamaha MT-07 and Kawasaki Z650. If that’s your thing, Honda will sell you the very spunky Hornet 750.

So what does it ride like?

To be honest, it’s pretty difficult to give a review on the NC. Can you review a fridge or a washing machine? Ok, we’ll give it a go!

It basically does everything you expect of it with the minimum of fuss. That laid back engine gives the NC750 a unique feel in today’s motorcycling landscape. It is very soft in its tune and many, if not most, come with Honda’s excellent DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) system fitted.

That turns it into a big automatic which is very easy to ride. Some riders scoff at the NC but if you know what you’re buying you won’t be disappointed. Sure, it’s not the most exciting motorcycle, but it’s still a motorcycle and all bikes are fun, right? It’s a bit of an appliance, but there are not many bikes this practical.

What’s practical about it?

That DCT gearbox, while not standard, is a popular option and makes it a really very easy to ride motorcycle, especially for riders who are less confident. Even with the six-speed manual gearbox there aren’t many 750s this easy to get on with.

It’s not especially light (at 224kg for the DCT version) but it carries its weight well and has a lowish (800mm) seat height. One of the unique aspects of the NC750X is that the 14.1 litre fuel tank sits under the passenger seat, lowering the centre of gravity and opening up a 23 litre storage place where the fuel tank would traditionally sit.

That’s enough space to store a crash helmet, or a bag of shopping. There’s also an official luggage kit available as an accessory, giving a further 105 litres of on board luggage capability when all three boxes are fitted. Add in the fact that fuel consumption’s over 80mpg and you realise motorcycling probably can’t get any more practical than the Honda NC750X.

Are there other NCs?

At this moment in time, no. There used to be an NC750S, which was a pure roadster model, but it fell out of the range in 2020. The X is a kind of crossover bike, with a mildly adventure bike look and feel to it. Worth noting that, although not sold as an NC, the Forza 750 maxi scooter is also based on the same platform and is even more practical.

What about the NC750X’s specification?

While the chassis is quite basic, there’s quite a lot of useful spec on the NC750X. Ride modes and traction control all add to safety, while there are a whole host of accessories available to add things like heated handlebar grips, taller screens, USB charger and luggage to modify and turn the bike into an even more practical light tourer or all-weather commuter.