[TheMagster]

First 125 miles and these are my initial impressions: I love the bike, it is just what I expected it to be. It does shift quickly through the gears in D mode, although this really isn't much of an issue for me. It has a little more spirit in S mode, so I guess it just depends on how fast you really want to pull away from the light when green says go.

On the curvy roads the sport mode is much better, I would dare to say necessary, at least for me. Love the way you can just switch between the S & D while rolling down the road, so very cool.

Tried to get up on the interstate and open it up...60, 65, 70 and....the road became a parking lot. Quick exit saved the day, a pass through downtown and we were back in the country. I will try again tomorrow.

I was having way too much fun just playing around in the auto mode and never did put it on manual. Only one time did I close the throttle, reach for a clutch and try to toe shift, not bad for someone who has never ridden anything but a bike with clutch and shifter. I really thought that would happen a lot at first.

First stop and some guy does a u-turn and comes back for a second look. He was a Gold Wing rider and said he noticed the red Honda right off and wanted to know what it was. I think he will be visiting the dealer before the weekend is over. He loved it. Said he was looking for something like the Wing but lighter. This is it.

Honda - THANK YOU, this is one fun motorcycle. Hope to get video soon.

 

[Jfkingd]

Congratulations. I'm thinking you have the faired model. I've ordered one for my wife. How's the windshield/buffeting? Where's the air hitting you? How well do you think the fairing is working for you? Ok I looked at the photo--fairing... Looks good!

 

[gregsfc]

Congratulations and great picture!

 

[wjohnso1]

Yep, nice looking ride. I got mine (CTX700N) from Performance Honda - Wesley Chapel in early June. Not on the I275 yet, came back to St. Pete the back road. I really like the ride too. I can push it around my yard ! ! ! Not so the ST1100.
I like the cows too.

 

[Billnoroville]

to TheMagster, Nice smile and Nice picture of your new bike. Thanks for posting your first day.

Is that your normal riding attire? Looks like that Helmet has good wind deflection and is pretty light. I must say the bags on the fairing model look quite good.

 

[Sevastopol]

Congrats! Love the no helmet law.

 

[gregsfc]

Congratulations. I'm thinking you have the faired model. I've ordered one for my wife. How's the windshield/buffeting? Where's the air hitting you? How well do you think the fairing is working for you? Ok I looked at the photo--fairing... Looks good!

+1 with Jfkingd...

I too would like to learn your impressions about how it performs (from a standpoint of wind deflection) on the highway. I'm going to be riding daily; 45-65 mph; fifty-five to sixty miles per day; in all kinds of weather. I'm hoping that the $800 extra for the fairing and the oh-crap grab bars for the pillion that I'm spending will be worth the extra money, and I'm impatient to learn others' impressions of the ride in that regard. If the fairing doesn't make it alot more comfortable on the highway than the N model, I fear I'll be waiting for after-market add ons to do the job and spending even more to make this a worthy commuter bike. But I hope that won't be the case, and I'll need only a larger screen. I'm not expecting a level of comfort that a touring bike would provide, but I'm hoping that it will be nearly as good as my mid-size scooter with regards to four-season riding.

Alot of folks reading reviews on this bike have been commenting that the CTX700 is really ugly or even fugly. I don't have a full understanding of the word fugly. It must be one of those terms used in biker circles that I've not got a full grasp on the meaning. I'm assuming it's simply a way to shorten a very denigrating point of view about a bike. At any rate, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, because I think this bike is gorgeous with the fairing.

 

[TheMagster]

Thanks for the feedback. I almost held out for white, but love the red.

As for my riding attire: I am not quite at the ATGATT stage but close. I wear a full face helmet, gloves, boots and always long pants, usually jeans with an under layer. I will be gravitating to a summer mesh so I will have a jacket on all year, just in the process of doing my research to see which one I want. I have NEVER gone helmetless, even when the law was passed. Not only do I work for a brain surgeon who would frown darkly upon riding without a helmet, I have had the unfortunate experience in actually utilizing my helmet in a couple incidents in which it did save me from harm, nuf said.

The hat is due in part because I am a country girl, love horses, cows and pigs and I am not often spotted without it. Plus it does help to hide the hair by helmet thing that women tend to deal with.

I will be getting out and riding more today so will have a little more to say upon my return.

 

[Jfkingd]

Fugly = Fu**in' Ugly.

My wife IS holding out for the white one.

Oh hey does the hat fit in your saddlebag?

Take care.

 

[Thumper]

Performance Honda Wesley Chapel, Fl. has 3 CTX's with fairings on the floor. Also several naked. One of the CTX with fairing is white and I think it was DCT. Just sayin!

 

[Kfrill]

The hat is due in part because I am a country girl, love horses, cows and pigs and I am not often spotted without it. Plus it does help to hide the hair by helmet thing that women tend to deal with.

I fully understand the helmet hair thing but sometime my hair looks better with helmet head. That's just sad, I know.

 

[gregsfc]

Performance Honda Wesley Chapel, Fl. has 3 CTX's with fairings on the floor. Also several naked. One of the CTX with fairing is white and I think it was DCT. Just sayin!

I don't think the DCT model is available in white. According to Powersports Honda website, DCT/ABS is available only in red for the CTX700; and only in red in the CTX700N. They're using Henry Ford's method of offering color choices so far.

 

[Thumper]

Yea, you must be right Greg. I can't remember which ones he has on the floor for DCT but he had several. The white must be a standard I guess.

 

[gregsfc]

I don't think the DCT model is available in white. According to Powersports Honda website, DCT/ABS is available only in red for the CTX700; and only in red in the CTX700N. They're using Henry Ford's method of offering color choices so far.

Correction! I mean the CTX700ND is available only in Black; exactly like Henry Ford would have offered if he had built motorcycles!

 

[TheMagster]

Yep hat fits in saddlebag. I actually bungee it to my trunk bag on my other bikes.

Kfrill - what's your secret, I have never had helmet hair I could stand to live with

 

[Kfrill]

Kfrill - what's your secret, I have never had helmet hair I could stand to live with

Short hair, too much mousse and a humid day.

 

[Old Tom]

Plus it does help to hide the hair by helmet thing that women tend to deal with.

When I went to the Adirondak rally some years ago, the girls had little gold badges stating "Hairdo by Honda" Shudda grabbed a few at the time.

 

[cobraguy]

Nice picture. My wife is green with envy right now. We don't know when hers is coming to the dealer. How long have they been available in Fla. We're in San Diego. She's ready to hop a plane go visit friends on the Space Coast and ride one home. She's way more hardcore than me.

 

[Kfrill]

Got my 700D today and there was nothing about the recall. I did have the manager check.

Now I need to practice tight turns with this longer wheelbase.

 

[Thumper]

Congratulations! Enjoy the new ride and you look very happy.