The Touring Bike That Handles Like A Much Smaller Motorcycle
Roll into a gas station on a touring bike, stop a foot short of the pump, and the comfort suddenly comes with a catch. Now you’re pushing a heavy bike backward in riding boots while traffic waits behind you. It doesn’t end there. You pay for it at every U-turn, every tight parking lot, and every crawl through rush-hour traffic. Instead of cutting the weight, most manufacturers have focused on helping riders live with it, adding reverse gears, lower seats and walking modes. They help, but the weight stays right where it has always been. One bike, though, delivers touring comfort without the touring-bike bulk.
Big-Bike Comfort Doesn’t Need Big-Bike Handling
That idea sounds almost counterintuitive, because touring riders stopped questioning the bulk a long time ago. A heavy bike simply became part of the deal, as expected as heated grips and a tall windshield. But the weight itself was never the real problem. Where it sits is. Most touring bikes carry their fuel high, right in front of the rider. At 70 mph, you’d never notice, but at a walking pace, you notice nothing else. A six-gallon tank adds nearly 40 pounds, making the bike feel top-heavy in every slow turn.
The fix isn’t another rider’s aid. It’s smarter packaging. Keep everything that makes a bike good over long distances: the upright seat, the wind protection, the storage, and the range, but carry the heavy parts lower and closer to the center. A bike built that way stays planted at highway speeds yet feels light and easy when you’re turning around on a narrow road or edging through traffic. It sounds simple enough, yet very few manufacturers have committed to it. One has gone further than the rest, rethinking the motorcycle’s layout from the ground up.
The Honda NC750X DCT Delivers Long-Haul Comfort Without The Bulk
Price: $9,499
That manufacturer is Honda, and the NC750X is where the idea comes together most convincingly. On paper, it reads like a well-judged midsize tourer. There’s a 745cc parallel-twin, a six-speed automatic Dual-Clutch Transmission, and a rally-inspired screen. At $9,499, it brings an automatic gearbox and genuine touring comfort at a price few rivals can match.
What matters more, though, is how it stands apart. The NC750X is engineered around ease of use first, with every major system designed to reduce rider workload without sacrificing capability. And the cleverest part is that, instead of following every other manufacturer, Honda quietly did something few would have dared to try.
The Fuel Tank Isn’t Where It Should Be, And That’s The Point
That something was relocating the fuel tank altogether. Where other bikes carry gasoline, the NC750X has alockable 23-liter storage compartment. The 3.7-gallon tank now sits low under the seat, pulling one of the heaviest parts of the motorcycle down and toward its center. The engine helps, too, with its cylinders tilted well forward to keep the weight low.
The payoff shows up the moment you start moving. The NC750X weighs 497 pounds with a full tank, yet it doesn’t feel top-heavy when you’re turning around on a narrow road or threading through a crowded parking lot. With the fuel carried so low, the bike’s balance also shifts far less as the tank empties over a long day.
Torque-Rich Twin That Makes Long Days Easier
Easy handling is only half of what makes a good tourer. The engine has to be just as easy to live with, and the NC750X’s 745cc parallel-twin is built exactly that way. It’s tuned for low and mid-range pull rather than revs, making around 58 horsepower at 6,750 rpm and 51 pound-feet of torque at just 4,750 rpm. In other words, its strength sits in the rev range you’ll actually use, so the engine feels responsive in everyday riding without needing to be wrung out the way some rev-happy middleweights do.
A 270-degree crank gives the engine a relaxed feel, and a balancer helps keep it smooth. The engine is also fuel-efficient, which is important because the tank holds only 3.7 gallons. It’s backed by Honda’s strong reputation for reliability, too. All of this makes long days easier, and so does the way the bike changes gears.
DCT Brings Additional Convenience
Here, Honda takes the effort out of shifting altogether. The NC750X’s six-speed automatic Dual-Clutch Transmission does away with the clutch lever and foot shifter entirely. You can leave it in automatic mode and let the bike change gears on its own, or use the buttons on the left handlebar to shift yourself. Honda has also improved the gearbox’s logic, so it makes better gear choices in the city and on the hills, and it offers three modes you can customize to suit your riding.
Suspension Tuned For Real Roads And Loaded Trips
The NC750X sits on a steel frame that keeps it steady on the highway yet still lets it change direction easily on twisty roads. Once you’re up to speed, the chassis takes over. Up front, there’s a 41mm Showa fork with 4.7 inches of travel, and the Pro-Link rear shock offers 4.7 inches. That’s less than a hardcore adventure bike, but it suits pavement and keeps the seat at a reachable 31.6 inches. It’s set up to carry a passenger or a set of side cases, too. Braking comes from dual 296mm front discs and a single 240mm rear disc, with ABS as standard.
A Simple Set Of Features Rounds Out The Package
Honda’s electronics follow the same easygoing approach. The NC750X gets Standard, Rain and Sport riding modes, plus a custom setting, along with Honda Selectable Torque Control for wet or loose roads. A five-inch color TFT screen pairs with your phone through Honda RoadSync for navigation, music and calls. Full LED lighting, a USB-C port and an adjustable windscreen complete the kit. None of it is flashy, but all of it makes the bike easier to live with.
That focus on ease is what sets the NC750X apart from its rivals. None of them offers an automatic gearbox, a lockable compartment where the tank would be, or a low-slung fuel layout. At $9,499, the NC750X brings touring comfort while handling like a much smaller motorcycle.
Source: Honda Powersports
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