As I unpacked my bag I panicked for a brief moment: Oh no, had I forgotten it? I rummaged through my clothes. Thank the lord, there it was before me, my “If you can read this the bitch fell off” t-shirt. It would soon serve its purpose. I was fortunate enough last week to be able to hop on the NC700X that has been sitting patiently at our house – whose very convenient built-in storage had been used mostly for grocery store runs of baby wipes and bottles of wine, my father’s must-haves – for a scenic ride to Isla Vista, CA. I had almost a week off from class and my girlfriend Chelsea had been asking me to come visit for a couple week; the explosive diarrhea excuse was starting to lose its charm.
The NC700X’s large tank storage was perfect for bringing another helmet up for Chelsea, and the utility rails on the back seat made strapping on my heavy backpack for the long trip a breeze. While not the most exciting or sporty bike, the NC made it a pleasant ride with its comfortable riding position and my personal MVP for long rides – the windscreen. I may have been spit on by a passing sportbike or two, and there was a pair of motorcycle cops who I’m pretty sure yelled “pussy” at me, but I wasn’t complaining. This bike looks pretty cool if you ask me, I dig the adventure bike styling. But try ripping away from a stop or quickly getting on the gas to pass a group of cars, and there’s not much there. Is there a version with a sportbike engine in it?
Still the bike cruises along great and it’s tons of fun in the corners. After arriving in Isla Vista, University of Santa Barbara’s beachside college town and Franzia-box-in-the-gutter capitol, I peeled my numb (but sculpted) glutes from the seat and drug myself upstairs for a good night’s rest. It was an extremely fun and well hydrated week in Isla Vista, but the most memorable part (for numerous reasons) was that Sunday, we were able to go for an afternoon ride up the beautiful 154 to famous Cold Springs Tavern for some live music and some amazing barbeque. Get the tri-tip sandwich. Thank you NC700X, for the comfortable ride, abundant storage and restored intestinal health.
—Ryan Burns