2010 Honda NT700V ABS – Road Test Review

photography by Kevin Wing

Competence. Like common sense, it’s all too uncommon. Motorcycles today, while generally reliable and well-engineered, tend to be specialized, designed to fit particular images or play specific roles. All-round bikes—like the go-anywhere, do-anything UJMs of years past—rarely win popularity contests or break sales records. Wide-ranging competence isn’t sexy or glamorous. Competence gets overlooked, collects dust, fades away. Remember Honda’s 599 or 919? Great bikes, lousy sellers.

2010 Honda NT700V ABS
2010 Honda NT700V ABS in action.

Honda’s new (to the United States, anyway) NT700V is versatile, well-mannered and user-friendly. It is with the utmost respect and admiration —not damning faint praise—that I consider the 2010 Honda NT700V to be a very competent motorcycle. It’s as comfortable as a favorite pair of jeans, as easy to spend time with as an old friend. If the NT700V were a dog, it would be a Labrador Retriever, dutifully at your side.

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We Americans like to grouse about great bikes sold in Europe or Japan but not here. Truth is, manufacturers do their homework; they have a pretty good idea of what will or won’t sell over here. The loud complaints of the few rarely result in purchases by the many. The NT700V was introduced in Europe in 1998, where it is called the Deauville (pronounced doh-vil), a resort town on the northern coast of France that hosts an international film festival every year. Europeans love the Deauville. They’ve bought nearly 50,000 of them over the past decade. If Honda thought they would have sold boatloads of them over here, they would have been on showroom floors years ago.

2010 Honda NT700V wheel and pistons
Only one of the six front pistons is actuated by the rear brake pedal; the other five are controlled by the lever.

Now, needing to fill a middleweight sport-touring hole in its lineup since the VFR800 has been supplanted by the VFR1200, Honda figures the Deauville is ready to come to America. But since Americans have a curious aversion to all things French, Honda is using the NT700V model designation as its U.S. appellation. Said to be targeted at entry-level touring and commuting riders who have survived their 20s, the NT700V has roughly half the displacement of Honda’s ST1300 and a base price that is $6,000 lower. With integrated saddlebags, shaft drive, optional ABS, a comfortable saddle, an adjustable windscreen, a centerstand and good fuel economy, touring is the NT’s bailiwick. All you need is a destination. The narrow V-twin and tucked-in saddlebags keep its profile slender and its 573-pound wet weight is easy to handle. Styling is modern, though conservative, with a generous amount of plastic and a strong family resemblance to the ST1300, especially from behind (love the black plastic tip-over bumpers!). The controls are basic but easy to use, and the analog speedo, tach, fuel and temp gauges are complemented by a small LCD display (odometer, A/B tripmeter, clock, average fuel consumption)—all the critical information is right there, easy to see.

2010 Honda NT700V ABS saddlebags
Integrated, interlinked saddlebags are handy, watertight and easy to use, but their carrying capacity is limited. Note preload adjuster lever on the left.

The NT700V’s roots go deeper than the decade-old Deauville. Its liquid-cooled, 52-degreee V-twin engine has been a workhorse in Honda’s stable, withsmaller versions powering various U.S. and European models since the late 1980s, including the Hawk GT, Revere, NTV650 and Transalp. The Deauville’s powerplant was 647cc from 1998-2005, after which it got a 33cc displacement boost during a major update in 2006. There’s nothing cutting edge about the engine, just tried-and-true engineering that should keep on chugging forever. The transverse-mounted V-twin has an oversquare bore/stroke of 81mm x 66mm, with chain-driven single-overhead cams that use forked rockers to actuate four valves per cylinder. The screw-type adjusters need their clearances checked every 8,000 miles, which also happens to be the recommended oil change and spark plug replacement interval.

Power befits the NT700V’s modest displacement. On Jett Tuning’s Dynojet dyno, its conversion of chemical energy into kinetic energy peaks at 55.1 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 41.6lb-ft of torque at 6,700 rpm. The programmed fuel injection, which uses dual 40mm throttle bodies with 12-hole injectors, is spot-on, with no hesitation or sloppiness. The NT’s V-twin is the little engine that could, rumbling along with a methodical cadence up to its 9,000-rpm redline and providing linear power and spirited—if underwhelming—acceleration. Riding two-up with both saddlebags full of gear, it pulls adequately on the highway and up steep grades. Passing vehicles or maintaining speed uphill often calls for a downshift, which is just fine. With feather-light clutch action and a five-speed transmission that shifts positively with minimal effort, gear changes are a genuine pleasure.

While it doesn’t swaddle you in anesthetizing luxury like a Gold Wing, the NT700V provides a satisfying level of touring comfort. Recently I took my girlfriend Carrie on her first overnight motorcycle trip. Despite cold, wet weather, we had a great time (thank goodness for Gore-Tex and heated apparel… dry + warm = happy!). The wide, flat saddle provided agreeable, upright seating for two, and the windscreen and fairing protected us from the worst of the elements. No tools are needed to manually adjust the windscreen over a 6.3-inch range and five locking positions; just grab both outer edges and give it a firm yank up or down. Watertight, locking his-and-hers saddlebags allow sufficient stowage. The left holds 27.4 liters and the right holds 26.6 liters (less capacity and a smaller opening because of the exhaust pipe), and each is rated for up to 11 pounds. The nifty saddlebag pass-through is a great place to stash tools (no toolkit provided) and a tire repair kit, and the two fairing pockets hold extra gloves, a wallet, a cell phone and a point-n-shoot camera. Carrie liked the sense of security she got from the large passenger grab handles, and we both appreciated the insulation from road buzz provided by the rubber footpeg covers. If the NT700V was my own bike, I’d accessorize it with Honda’s 45-liter top box plus liner and back pad, heated grips, DC socket and fairing wind deflectors for even more touring prowess.

2010 Honda NT700V ABSSay what you will about anemic power from a 680cc twin, it’s hard to argue about the NT700V’s fuel economy. With a 5.2-gallon tank and just 86 octane minimum, a tank full of the cheap stuff got us anywhere from 197 miles (solo, aggressive riding) to 251 miles (relaxed pace, two-up, loaded saddlebags) between fill-ups. Honda claims an EPA estimate of 50 mpg, but our average was 41.2 mpg, with a low of 37.9 mpg and a high of 48.3. Curiously, the NT700V doesn’t have a low-fuel light. The 0.9-gallon reserve in the specs simply means that when the fuel gauge hits the red “E” zone, you’ve got just under a gallon of fuel remaining. Be vigilant! And I found the fuel gauge to be misleading at times. For example, it showed a quarter tank at start-up but then the needle fell to the bottom of the “E” range when riding around. Wouldn’t be a big deal if there was a low-fuel light.

The NT700V’s twin-spar frame and swingarm are made of good, old-fashioned steel. To minimize mess and maintenance, power is transmitted to the rear wheel via shaft drive that operates smoothly. To keep costs down, the male-slider fork uses a damping rod rather than cartridge design and has no adjustability. But it has progressive damping and its 4.5 inches of travel soak up bumps quite well. The rear shock, which offers 4.8 inches of travel, has a handy remote preload adjustment knob with a wide, 40-click range and indicator lines to easily identify preferred solo and two-up settings.

Our ABS-equipped test bike slowed down in a controlled, predictable manner. Its Combined Braking System minimally links the rear to the front only (front brake lever does not actuate the rear caliper). Two 296mm front rotors are gripped by three-piston calipers and a single 276mm rear rotor is gripped by a two-piston caliper. When you squeeze the front brake lever, all three pistons in the right-front caliper and two pistons in the front-left caliper are actuated. When you step on the rear brake pedal, the rear caliper and one piston of the front-left brake caliper is actuated. A proportional control valve distributes braking force evenly. ABS engages smoothly, though grabbing a handful at the lever will result in some kickback.

2010 Honda NT700V on the Dyno
2010 Honda NT700V on the Dyno

The NT700V is effortless to ride. The only other bike I’ve tested that was as immediately intuitive is the Suzuki V-Strom 650. Both bikes are well-balanced and comfortable, with neutral, predictable handling and user-friendly controls—and they’re obvious competitors. Shod with Bridgestone Battlax BT-020 sport-touring radials and steering geometry (28-degree rake, 4.5-inch trail) that strikes a balance between stability and maneuverability, the NT700V occupies a sweet spot that makes motorcycling fun and carefree. Just get on and ride.

When it comes to complaints, I’m reminded of the commercial showing the Maytag repair man, looking bored. With 10 years of obsessive Honda development in the European market and a diehard engine that goes back even further, the NT700V seems bulletproof. The plasticky looking rear end and the cheesy, nonfunctional vents on the fairing don’t do it any favors, but that’s a matter of taste. The fairing panels at the front of the gas tank complicate the use of a magnetic tankbag, and my left boot heel rubs against the centerstand when riding with the balls of my feet on the pegs. Minor stuff, really.

Besides the missing low-fuel light, a more significant concern is limited load capacity. We measured it at 399 pounds (972-pound GVWR less the 573-pound wet weight), and Honda lists it at 403 pounds in the owner’s manual. We’ve seen load capacities around 400 pounds on many bikes designed for touring, yet this weight is easily surpassed by just a rider and passenger suited up with helmets and riding gear. Adding accessories and filling up the saddlebags further exceeds the allowable limit. As Tuttle suggested in a recent Rider blog post, the OEMs may report conservative numbers to protect themselves from liability. An important issue better addressed elsewhere.

With lots of miles together, me and the NT700V have become two sweet peas in an even sweeter pod (to quote the Red Hot Chili Peppers). Everything about the bike is well-engineered and sensible, qualities I appreciate more and more as I get closer to my 40s and ego-inflating hormones diminish. I realize that many people buy bikes because of the image they want to portray, and that some will immediately dismiss this bike as underpowered or boring. Their loss. Hopefully American motorcyclists will embrace the NT700V because we need more bikes like this on the road. Competent and well-rounded, and without gratuitous weight, power and complexity. I’m sure Honda loyalists who’ve been waiting a long time for the NT700V to be sold in the States are already forming an owner’s club and planning a rally. If so, please send an invitation to Greg Drevenstedt, care of Rider magazine!

2010 Honda NT700V ABS Specifications:
Base Price: $9,999
Price as Tested: $10,999 (ABS model)
Warranty: 1 yr., unltd. miles
Website: powersports.honda.com

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, transverse 52-degree V-twin
Displacement: 680cc
Bore x Stroke: 81.0 x 66.0mm
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Valve Train: SOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Valve Adj. Interval: 8,000 mi.
Fuel Delivery: PGM-FI with auto enrichment, 40mm throttle bodies w/ 12-hole injectors x 2
Lubrication System: Forced pressure wet sump, 3.0-qt. cap.
Transmission: 5-speed, cable-actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: Shaft, 3.090:1

ELECTRICAL
Ignition: Digital transistorized w/ electronic advance
Charging Output: 438 watts @ 5,000 rpm
Battery: 12V 11.2AH

CHASSIS
Frame: Steel twin spar w/ steel swingarm
Wheelbase: 58.1 in.
Rake/Trail: 28 degrees/4.5 in.
Seat Height: 31.7 in.
Suspension, Front: 41mm male-slider fork, no adj., 4.5-in. travel
Rear: Single shock with remote spring preload adj. & 4.8-in. travel
Brakes, Front: Dual 296mm discs with w/ opposed 3-piston CBS calipers & ABS (as tested)
Rear: Single 276mm disc with w/ opposed 2-piston CBS caliper & ABS (as tested)
Wheels, Front: Cast, 3.50 x 17 in.
Rear: Cast, 5.50 x 17 in.
Tires, Front: 120/70 ZR17
Rear: 150/70 ZR17
Wet Weight: 573 lbs.
Load Capacity: 399 lbs.
GVWR: 972 lbs.

PERFORMANCE
Fuel Capacity: 5.2 gals., last 0.9 gal. reserve
MPG: 86 octane min. (high/avg/low) 48.3/41.2/37.9
Estimated Range: 216 miles
Indicated rpm at 60 mph: 4,200

[This 2010 Honda NT700V ABS Road Test was originally published in the April 2010 issue of Rider magazine]

CORRECTION 9/16/14: An earlier version of this story included the incorrect dyno chart.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Having owned my 2010 NT700 for almost 2 years I agree with most of the points raised in the test. I am 53 years old and it has taken quite a few years to realize that I can’t use bikes that do 250km/hr or more and run the quarter mile in 10 seconds or so. I have toured (3,000 km in 10 days) with my wife on the back in comfort. The drive train is quite noisy and a 6th gear would be nice but hey nothings ever perfect. It commutes well and handles good. I average 4.6l/100km. Some things are a bit poor re maintenance though. Fitting a rear tyre is a major headache and headlight globe replacement is a pain. Overall I love it and think it will be a keeper. A bike for a logical thinker!

  2. I have ridden BMW twins since 1976, liked my airheads, wouldn’t take an oilhead +money for my NT700V. It’s smoother, shifts better, better mileage(48-54), pulls my wife and I just fine. Nothing is perfect, gas guage speratic, average fuel consumpion works for the chamber of commerce or Honda, reads much higher than actual, forks top out on abrupt bumps,service is inconvient because of all the plastic, which on the other hand makes it easy to keep clean. The list of gripes on my 04 R1150R would go on an on. I am 64 an have been riding since I was 6. Bill

  3. Hey guys!! Saw the 2008 nc 700 where helmet fits where gas tank normally goes & thought that was awesome & tank underseat for a low center of gravity. Always wanted to ride. Back a long way (lol) I got an 80’s Honda 350 dohc but before getting it legal, had well know electrical issues so my riding career was super short lived. Had permit & only put about 50 miles on her & loved it!!!! Want a bike that me & my wife can ride separate & together.Not to heavy cause I’m 5’8″ 150 & she is 5’3″ & 120lbs. Great info to help make a decision on which bike to get. Saw the honda NSA 700 deauville & like the idea of “tranny choices” by automatic(drive&sport modes) plus the state of the art CVT mode as well, when kick stand down motor won’t cut on, parking brake, full digital instrument cluster, streamline design, comfortable seat & ride just to name a few.
    Let me know your thinking about my taste & if you believe we’ll be happy with the nt700 or NSA 700 deauville. Thx!! AJ

  4. Would like to relay this message to help owners who are concerned about clunky drivetrain on NT700V: 18 months old. 19000 miles. Full main dealer service history hid a lack of care by previous owner.

    Problem: Clattery drivetrain backlash and clunky gearchange issue.
    Cause and solutions (in order of importance):
    1. Side gear universal joint splines completely dry on both ends. Pack them full of grease. It works wonders. I used Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty Grease,
    2. Dirty/shite quality engine oil in need of a good replacing. I always use Silkolene Pro-4, but for this bike, I also added 2 table spoons (no more!) of Wynn’s Super Charge Oil Treatment.

    Use this as an additional guide to the Haynes Manual.

    These are the essential materials I could not have done without, and glad I had them to hand for this particular job:
    27mm ring spanner for rear spindle nut – Halfords Pro.
    14mm ring spanner (mine’s a ratchet) for rear brake stopper bolt – Halfords Pro.
    3/8″ drive metric socket set.
    3 x cans of silicone spray Trim Clean (perfumed) – Specialised Aerosols, Barnsley – eBay in bulk! Perfect for blasting dirt where your fingers can’t reach – and all areas need to be spotless for re-assembly of final drive UJ near the swingarm pivot.
    10 x white toweling face flannels – I buy these 100 at a time from IKEA once a year or so, and treat them as one-use only disposable for dirty jobs (like this one). 25p each.
    Marine grease (or Castrol LM) – don’t use Comma shite.
    While you’re there, If you want to properly waterseal/renew washers for the pannier mounting points – 3 on each side x 3/4″ rubber tap washers off eBay.
    To replace the small rubber washers on all the small screws inside the panniers – 6 on each side x 3/8″ fibre plumbing washers (red) are perfect. Again, only about a quid off eBay – but you then need to wet them and supple them up with two pairs of pliers before fitting them! Better than the rubber standard washers as they can grab and make removing the pannier screws difficult (I had to grind one screw off because of this).
    1 x hand-sized towel (or a tea towel).

    See Haynes Manual for disassembly photos.
    Put the tea towel on the silencer for its protection. Taping it in place is a good idea.
    Open the pannier lock on the left grab rail.
    Remove seat, side panels and rear light assembly cover/topbox, etc.
    Remove grab rails (easier to access the panel behind for cleaning around their mounting points), and disconnect the pannier lock securing clip and remove the lock from the left grab rail.
    CAREFULLY, with your finger, unpop the right hand pannier lock cable from its holder, and disconnect the nipple, from the right hand pannier assembly.
    There is no need to remove the cable as it saves remembering its exact location on re-assembly.
    Open left pannier and remove the 3 screws that hold the rear mudguard on. You can leave the left pannier in place. Even if thorough cleaning is required, you can access all the screws and fasteners to clean and treat them once the rear mudguard is removed.
    Remove right pannier, noting the little screw at the very front of it, and the rear mudguard noting its push-in lugs.
    After removing all the screws inside the case (except the couple that hold the light assembly in place – see Haynes), unhooking the plastic pannier main clip from near the top subframe rail, the right side pannier assembly falls away easily – no forcing required. Make a note of where all the screws go – there are 2 different sizes, but various washer/spacer combinations.

    Check this PDF out for a clearer illustration than Haynes:
    http://owners.honda.com/assets/OWNERLINK/Model/own_man/powersports/motorcycle/2010/10_NT700V_A.pdf

    The silencer prevents complete removal of the brake stopper bolt, but it clears enough to do the job.
    Remove the rear wheel as per Haynes (no need to remove the silencer).
    Now, the important bit you mustn’t skip. Spray down with the silicone cleaner ALL the area around the swingarm and UJ boot so it’s spotless. You’re going to need it clean for refitting the UJ and boot back in place so you don’t push any crap into the joint when you squash the boot closed on its bellows. I found the spray easier than brushing with petrol, as it blasts the dirt away from tiny hard-to-reach areas.

    Pull the driveshaft out as per Haynes. As for the UJ, once the shaft is out, push the UJ backwards into the swingarm as far as you can, separating it from its splines of the transmission side gear shaft. Then, squash the UJ rubber boot closed and then pull it off the bike by passing it through the gap you have just created between the front of the UJ (now resting in the swingarm) and the back of the (short) side gear shaft (fixed in place – no need to touch).

    Remove the UJ in an upwards direction, positioning it towards the shock spring. That is the only way it comes out. Re-assembly is the reverse order, i.e. UJ first inside the back of the swingarm to create the gap, and then squash the boot down and just raunge it through the gap – it makes shape again very easily.

    Note the boot fitting position stamped on the front top tab of the boot.

    Then, in contrast to the Haynes recommendation, first refit the driveshaft through the swingarm to the UJ before then offering up the final drive case. Doing it the Haynes way it’s too heavy to hold it all together while you locate all the splines, and if the UJ falls of the side gear whilst you’re refitting it, you’ll need to fiddle about with your fingers to locate the FRONT of the UJ to its side gear splines.

    The front of the boot pushes onto its front (side gear) housing easily with finger pressure. The back of it though requires 2 sets of pliers to grab the 2 tabs of the boot and pull simultaneously and twist at the same time (slides easily back because you’ve lubed it with the silicone spray), to locate the back end. It does eventually go on easily though.

    Then spray clean all the grease off the exterior of the boot you’ve inevitably left on, otherwise road grime will stick to it like shit to a blanket.
    Best way of completely cleaning off the boot, is to spray cleaner the bottom of the boot, wipe shite away, then rotate it 180 degress, and clean the ‘other’ side – and then just relocate it in the correct position when totally spotless.

    The rest is as per Haynes.

    My NT700V has gone from a very clunky gear change and a horribly rattly transmission/drivetrain, to no noise at all, and beautifully smooth.

    Enjoy!

    🙂

  5. Great review but I am pretty sure the dyno chart HP scale is incorrect… the engine is rated at 65HP.. the scale goes all the way up to 160!

    Looks like a great all around bike.

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