Knowing just how much the world is craving a taste of adventure right now, Honda Europe seized the moment to bring us the updated 2021 NC750X and X-ADV. Coupling a modest power bump with a slight weight decrease is just the beginning of what this dynamic duo has to offer. Let’s peek inside, shall we?
At the heart of both machines is that 750cc liquid-cooled parallel twin, which now makes 43kW (or just under 58 horsepower) at 6,850 rpm. It’s a modest increase over the 40.3kW (or 54 horsepower) produced by the previous version. In both the NC750X and X-ADV applications, Honda optimized its gear ratios to make the first few gears feel a bit sportier as soon as you roll out.
Both models also lost a small amount of weight for 2021, with the NC750X shedding 6 kilograms (or just over 13 pounds), and the X-ADV losing half that amount. Every little bit counts, but it remains to be seen whether these small changes add up to a drastically different experience in real-world riding conditions.
That unique frunk found in the NC750X grew slightly more capacious, and now holds 23 liters, putting that internal storage compartment on par with some aftermarket luggage options. Of course, how usable and practical it is also depends on the actual shape of that space. The X-ADV offers a combined 23.2 liters of storage, split between a 22-liter underseat storage compartment and a 1.2-liter glovebox.
Gallery: 2021 Honda NC750X and X-ADV
The NC750X now has a 30mm lower seat height, which works out to a decrease of just over an inch—and is not insignificant if you’re distressingly short of inseam, such as myself. Both the NC750X and the X-ADV get throttle-by-wire and ensuing rider modes, as well as several Honda Selectable Torque Control settings. Both also have USB ports. The NC750X gets a full-color LCD instrument display, while the X-ADV gets a new 5-inch TFT screen and integration of the Honda Smartphone Voice Control system, which was first introduced on the Forza 750. The X-ADV also gets new LED daytime running lights for 2021, and both bikes get new windscreens.
Pricing and availability have yet to be announced, either for Europe or elsewhere in the world. Since we don’t get the current X-ADV in North America, it seems unlikely that we’ll get the updated one—but hopefully the NC750X will be headed to our corner of the world in short order.
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Source: Honda Europe