First ride: Honda CTX700N

The CTX700N, in its matt gunpowder black metallic paint scheme, plays its ‘dark, brooding and sinister’ card well. If it could rewrite Honda’s famous ’60s slogan to be ‘You meet the meanest muthas on a Honda’, it would. However, as I soon discovered in just the first few hundred metres of riding the thing, it’s very possibly the most refined and thoroughly pleasant middleweight cruiser I’ve ridden in years.

While “refined” and “pleasant” don’t fit the macho cruiser mould, they do pry open wallets in dealer showrooms – and for proof look no further than Yamaha’s XVS650 Custom and XVS650A Classic. These middleweight Yammie cruisers have together formed the fly in Harley’s ointment for years. In 2013 some 1029 of them were sold, making it Australia’s best-selling cruiser ahead of a sea of Harleys. Now Yamaha has some hot competition in the form of the CTX700N.

So what have we got here? The CTX700N is basically a cruiser version of Honda’s NC700SA roadie, produced in Thailand and powered by the same 670cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled parallel-twin. It’s a brother to the CTX700, which sports an upper fairing and small screen and comes in standard and Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) versions (CTX700D).

The bike really surprised me. I was expecting something, well, a little bland. Instead I found a spritely, energetic and agile machine that can genuinely be ridden in anger, with light and responsive controls, a quality finish and incredibly low running costs. If you don’t buy into all the cruiser image stuff, or even if you’re looking for a stepping stone to your American Big Twin dream machine, it has plenty to offer.

Admittedly, the jury is still out on the thing’s styling. To my eye Honda’s designers set out to copy Ducati’s Diavel, but decided to drop the flowing, organic lines and go for blocky and angular instead. I’m not a fan but beauty is, as mothers often tell their ugly children, in the eye of the beholder. But I digress…

I throw a leg over the saddle with an open mind and I’m immediately greeted with a superb ride position. The low 720mm seat will only trouble Oompa-Loompas but there’s entirely adequate legroom to accommodate taller folk too. Hauling the thing off its sidestand won’t prove taxing either – the bike weighs in at 219kg (wet), a paltry sum for a cruiser, and it’s held low too. It feels like a bicycle after my last test bike, Harley’s 330kg Fat Boy Lo.

I hit the starter and the parallel-twin roars into life. Actually, I’m getting carried away with my clichés again – ‘whirrs politely’ would be a more accurate description. With its stock pipes, you won’t be bothering Beryl next door with this one.

I pull in the feather-light clutch, feed in the revs via the equally light throttle, ease out the former and roll off down the street, noting the speed with which the twin spins up. It’s the barest moment before the donk’s bouncing off its 6400rpm revlimiter, so I hook another cog in the also light and refined gearbox and do it all again.

This new Honda engine will go far. Essentially half a Honda Jazz car engine, its auto origins are betrayed in its lazy, low-revving and torquey nature. It has a strong bottom end and a very appealing midrange. While it will happily rev out to its redline in most gears, there seems to be little point in doing so – best stick between 3000rpm and 4000rpm and ride that torque.

It’s also incredibly smooth with barely a hint of vibration. Certainly there not enough to distort in the slightest the excellent view offered by the mirrors. That much was evident when I pressed the bike into a commuting role through the week. Cruisers are normally hopeless commuters, but this one isn’t – that low centre of gravity, the light controls, excellent fuelling and healthy steering range see to that.

Honda Australia doesn’t quote output stats but Honda Europe does and here we’re talking 35kW (47.6hp) and 60Nm. On the road that translates to punchy acceleration and a top speed approaching the old ton – there’s a good level of grunt available but not enough to intimidate someone stepping up from a smaller bike. The CTX misses out on LAMS eligibility by a mere 10cc. That’s a shame because it would be a brilliant first bike.

At 100km/h in sixth the engine’s ticking over at just 3000rpm, so it’s plenty relaxed for long-haul work. That small headlight and cowling, taken from the NC700SA, do actually do a bit to subdue the wind’s blast, but not as much presumably as the protection offered by the faired CTX.

The biggest eye-opener is the bike’s sporting ability. As I hammer it through the winding backrounds near my house, it’s rock-solid to impressive angles of lean, its quality Metzeler Roadtec Z8 hoops inspiring confidence. Honda has really pulled a rabbit out of its hat here – good legroom, a low seat height, and excellent cornering clearance.

The anchors are rippers too, hauling the CTX down from speed with power and poise, and all backed by ABS as standard. The suspension is basic but entirely adequate. Point, squirt, brake, and repeat – hey, I’m actually having a hell of a lot of fun!

I’m struggling to find fault with this machine. There’s no centrestand (not uncommon these days) and it’s a bummer it has chain final drive instead of a shaft – it would be a natural fit for the latter. That’s it – as a piece of engineering it’s beyond reproach.

The headlight is good and strong and the instruments (an LCD display with speedo, tacho, fuel gauge, clock and a choice of two trip meters or an odometer) are clear and highly legible. The lockable fuel cap is under the lift-up panel on top of the tank. There’s also a handy glovebox here – good for a wallet and phone (though it can’t be locked). Fuel economy, meanwhile, is spectacular – how does 3.6lt/100km sound? It’s only got a 12.5-litre tank but that will still give a safe range of 300km – brilliant stuff.

Add that economy to low on-going running costs (skinny, relatively under-stressed rubber; single front disc; only two cylinders, etc) and this is a budget wonder, and all for a modest $9049 (plus on-road costs). The CTX700 is $9849, while the CTX700D is $10,849.

I’ll admit it: I wasn’t expecting much of the CTX700N but Honda has shown up my lack of faith. Okay, so it’s not the ‘mean mutha’ it would like to be. Who cares? If the styling appeals, this bike will reward you with supremely easy and enjoyable motorcycling, and all for a great price.

CTX700N in Bike Showroom

PERFORMANCE
Maximum power: 47.6hp (35kW) at 6250rpm
Maximum torque: 60Nm at 4250rpm
Economy: 3.6lt/100km

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel diamond
Front suspension: 41mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: Pro-Link monoshock, adjustable for preload
Front brakes: Single 320mm petal disc with twin-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Rear brake: Single 240mm petal disc with single-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Tyres: Metzeler Roadtec Z8 -- 120/70-17 front, 160/60-17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed kerb weight: 219kg
Seat height: 720mm
Wheelbase: 1530mm
Fuel capacity: 12.4 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $9049
Colours: Black or red
Bike supplied by: Honda Australia, www.hondamotorcycles.com.au
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres