Honda NC 700 X vs Suzuki DL650 V-Strom: The comparative
The arrival of the new Honda NC 700 X Will it revolutionize the category of mid-displacement trails? It’s possible. This bike comes with also a step ahead if we take into account its relevance to the future reform of the European who helped set a limit to 35 kilowatts for beginners Category A2 from January 2013. The NC700X opens the opportunity for a brand new engine block, which relies on arguments unusual for the genre motorcyclist design taking into account the reform of the permit, ultra low average fuel consumption, driveability, accreditation-like current; performance general, often rely forward in all arguments, then move into the background. Orientation “motomaubile” would it intended to appeal especially … “motomobilistes” or bikers as motorists? So, failing to find him a true rival front that does not exist yet, we have chosen to oppose the Honda NC700X neither more nor less than the reference time in mid-displacement road trails: the new Suzuki DL650 V-Strom 2012.Ergonomics between the crossover from Honda is just
Honda NC 700 X is a motorcycle called “cross over“ by Honda at the crossroads so. It resembles in some ways a trail, a road by other … and it is verified once on board. With 830 mm seat height to the shape cleverly worked, the new Honda Trail consumer proves far more accessible than the 2012 Suzuki DL650, which itself rises to just over 5 mm. The gap seems therefore once installed. Honda gives pride to the relaxed, low footpegs, narrow generally handle very high. The Suzuki has an equally relaxed ergonomics, but the legs are more bent and the feeling of being away from the direction betrays his older design, more voluminous.
The first laps are not less instructive: first, the more compact size, the large handlebars, ultra easy direction, are of a Honda motorcycle extremely intuitive. You’ll notice that it’s usually the sort of home, but this facility fully meets the ambitions of the NC 700 X to apply to “first-time buyers“. If Suzuki can also be the first large displacement of many beginners, its height and his size does not necessarily make a bike easier.
After a few urban developments, we quickly notice that Honda was made to walk the boulevards: it shines even better than the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom and has orders for greater sweetness. He was awarded 20/20 for the city then? No, not quite. Firstly because the gearbox Honda does not compete with the best of its kind – the Suzuki is then almost level on this point – but also because its brand new engine, announced as very docile at low revs, no ultimately proves no more flexible than the excellent V-twin Suzuki.
650 on the DL, you can drive in the third city in almost no change of speed, even by taking up to 2 000 r / min. While the Honda barely drop below 2500 r / min without hitting … A highlight for this architecture to 270 ° generally praised for its high mechanical flexibility (see Yamaha TDM 900, the Triumph Bonneville). Nevertheless, between the docility and the roundness of its engine, its ease of driving, his helmet in the wrong tank (great and certainly focusing on the long run!), The Honda does not lack for argument unless the appeal most of us everyday.
In town or at the usual times on peri-urban highways, Honda NC 700 X shows so at ease. The throttle response is more immediate and it does not feel like riding a motorized in spite of its power of only 47.5 horsepower (to 670 cm3). However, accelerating the interim reports, you find yourself quickly reach the rev limiter … which makes the motorcycle jump to 6500 rev / min! Then comes the moment “to confront“ a hostile slope on the A4 just steps from Reims. With the headwind, the Honda NC700 X then shows some difficulties in increasing the pace … Suzuki DL650 V-Strom does not have this restraint and immediately made the cannons and the extension very expressive of its 69 horses to more than 8500 r / min … Unsurprisingly finally, there is a real gap between the two trails of the same capacity, even during testing times. Whatever the report and speed – even with the DL 650 in the sixth and fifth in NC700 X- Suzuki forget the Honda.
However, if one recalls the pleasure of driving – and is it not important today? – The Honda is not dropped. The engine responds quickly to commands and this, on occasions the county are far from being ridiculous, cross just 4000 r / min to 130 km / h is a real pleasure riding the serene NC 700 X. Simply, the engine requires a manual that departs from the conventional schemes. We must shift gears quickly enough because the extension is limited, and use the flexibility to adjust its pace to better-looking legal … and finally common. We discover a twin and then filled enough reagent. Certainly, next accreditation, Suzuki and his “old” engine whose base was in 2002, arose there. Flexibility, torque, longer angry, few blows, obviously, this engine proves just as effective, even in 2012!
Particular it is true for driving, the Honda does not require any re-learning so far. With a low center of gravity, a pair of 17 inch wheels like any roadster, road pavement tires Bridgestone BT 23, the NC 700 X reveals an excellent dynamic behavior: heading hold large curved stability of the angle, neutrality in the great sinuous, she gives a smile as soon as triangular panels announcing turns emerge. On the efficiency of the cycle part, she did better than the Suzuki and it was not a foregone conclusion given the potential of DL650. This requires more involvement in the changes of direction and is less rigid when it triggers a late shift. Rest assured, the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom 2012 is none the less a piece of choice in the winding. We would like to find the best Suzuki gums series (Bridgestone Trail Wing) or braking at the Honda (despite its single disc front brake while ABS Honda is more transparent, resulting in very rare rebounds in the brake pedal for example). But once again the Suzuki’s delay in step motorway over 170 km in one go thanks to the comfort saddle and suspension, and his royal protection.
Is it still trails … or something else?
Aboard the Honda NC 700 X and Suzuki DL650 V-Strom we could not prevent us to draw straight into the campaign at the right time, just to check if the appellation trail, with ergonomics that can drive up (that are not enduro either, no exaggeration), was still valid … But a very bold ground is quick to give us ideas in place. Once the sculptures of his tires filled with mud trails, the Suzuki DL650 does almost no advantage apart from a suitable ground clearance … And it will end flat in the mud, probably too high for your servant. Certainly, these bikes can walk paths rolling, but little else. The functionality of the trails is a distant memory, these bikes are actually more comfortable on road.
Conclusion: Accreditation daily, price, performance, difficult to decide
The first match, which calls another (next week) … allowed us to better understand the new Honda NC 700 X in a real context. Designed primarily to meet the demands and needs of new customers from 2013 (because European license), it has something to finally look more broadly. Taking into account its current accreditation-like, its easy to drive, its consumption, its ingenious helmet, its very good handling, the NC700 X has enough to meet the needs of more particularly those that count. Displayed to € 6,490 with ABS as standard, this should leave something to equip it with a bubble high to approach the comfort provided by the Suzuki DL650 V Strom costing her € 8,199 with the ABS as standard. Nevertheless, it is not wrong target. Because in that first game, the recent Suzuki DL650 V Strom has played the role of “Mrs. more”: more performance, more character, more comfort on long-term, short, versatility undoubtedly even better, what it is here to dominate the points … but not necessarily in the hearts of everyone.
Honda NC 700 X
