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How do you think the CTX700 will do long distance? Do you think it will do good on a possible 8hr trip?
Long distance travel on the CTX700
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I find riding feet forward (cruiser style) much better for all day riding. With normal style bent legs you are more restricted how long you can last, the more your legs are bent the sooner you need to stop.
It also depends how comfortable the saddle is and noone knows that. I'm sure Mustang or other seat specialists will do a range of seats if the bike is popular.
Screens & windblast affect it too, again noone knows which screen arrangement will be best, and that will vary from rider to rider.
It also depends how comfortable the saddle is and noone knows that. I'm sure Mustang or other seat specialists will do a range of seats if the bike is popular.
Screens & windblast affect it too, again noone knows which screen arrangement will be best, and that will vary from rider to rider.
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892 Posts
Looking and sitting on the bike, I'm betting on it being good for distance. That is pretty much the reason I am purchasing this one for my wife. We both do long distance travel by motocycle and both are in the Ironbutt Association. As BlackSpirit said, seats can be changed. I would like to figure out a way to mount some mid level footpegs for the ability to change up riding positions but this may not be easy the way the bike is designed. I have to look at it closer when I get the bike in the garage.
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975 Posts
Interesting and important thread for me as a novice rider.
I'm still a new rider who has very little knowledge of what different rides provide with regards to comfort and control. I've never even ridden a motorcycle; only one scooter, but I know the scooter that I own, with the platform down and forward, provides me all day comfort if I need it. Adventure, standard, and sport bikes all sit quite differently from the scooter, so I've sort of had an inclination towards the cruiser position so long as it isn't exaggerated in a reclined position. The CTX700 and CTX700N does not seem exaggerated at all.
The scooter also provides me great weather protection even on the highway, and the reason I know this is that I can ride, without freezing to death, in temperatures down to the upper twenties on my 40 minute commute. The only problem area is my hands, but I know there are heating solutions to solve the hands issue for any kind of ride. Also, I can ride in a pretty steady rain with little or no problems with regards to vision and comfort. With regards to motorcycles with an upper fairing and this aspect of comfort, I have no clue as to how it compares, and I'm not sure how much a test ride would reveal it to me. I've got pretty good rain and winter riding gear, so it may not matter much.
The only negatives with the scooter ride is that it is just a little cramped and there is no way to adjust the position, and the wind hits me square on the face shield with the stock screen and at the top of the helmet with the big screen. With the stock screen, it is very loud. At highway speeds, I can't hear the engine. With the big screen, it cuts about half the wind noise, but I get a whistle in my head most of the time, and I can't move the rain off my windshield w/o sitting up super tall so that my face shield hits the wind. I haven't decided whether I prefer the ability to move rain off my shield as with the stock screen or the quietening down that the big screen provides. This would most-likely be the same dilemma with a CTX700 with and w/o the larger screen.
Since I'm so inexperience, and I don't know how much one test ride would teach me, I'm sort of anxious about how different the motorcycle ride may be. Four-season riding is important to me. With regards to the wind noise, I've got a cheap helmet ($78 Vega full face), but I've been hesitant to buy a more expensive helmet, because I don't know if I'd be paying for wasted features or if in fact it would quieten things down. In other words, I'd hate to pay $200 for a helmet that is supposed to be quiet and it be no better than what I've got.
One thing I do know, is that I don't want a scooter any more simply for the fact that, after riding one for a while, I've decided I'd rather own a power two wheeler that has actual gears for a transmission for service reasons and for efficiency and durability reasons. I'm not really anti scooter; just anti CVT, and the only scooter that's not CVT is a 150 and that's not enough for my commute.
I'm still a new rider who has very little knowledge of what different rides provide with regards to comfort and control. I've never even ridden a motorcycle; only one scooter, but I know the scooter that I own, with the platform down and forward, provides me all day comfort if I need it. Adventure, standard, and sport bikes all sit quite differently from the scooter, so I've sort of had an inclination towards the cruiser position so long as it isn't exaggerated in a reclined position. The CTX700 and CTX700N does not seem exaggerated at all.
The scooter also provides me great weather protection even on the highway, and the reason I know this is that I can ride, without freezing to death, in temperatures down to the upper twenties on my 40 minute commute. The only problem area is my hands, but I know there are heating solutions to solve the hands issue for any kind of ride. Also, I can ride in a pretty steady rain with little or no problems with regards to vision and comfort. With regards to motorcycles with an upper fairing and this aspect of comfort, I have no clue as to how it compares, and I'm not sure how much a test ride would reveal it to me. I've got pretty good rain and winter riding gear, so it may not matter much.
The only negatives with the scooter ride is that it is just a little cramped and there is no way to adjust the position, and the wind hits me square on the face shield with the stock screen and at the top of the helmet with the big screen. With the stock screen, it is very loud. At highway speeds, I can't hear the engine. With the big screen, it cuts about half the wind noise, but I get a whistle in my head most of the time, and I can't move the rain off my windshield w/o sitting up super tall so that my face shield hits the wind. I haven't decided whether I prefer the ability to move rain off my shield as with the stock screen or the quietening down that the big screen provides. This would most-likely be the same dilemma with a CTX700 with and w/o the larger screen.
Since I'm so inexperience, and I don't know how much one test ride would teach me, I'm sort of anxious about how different the motorcycle ride may be. Four-season riding is important to me. With regards to the wind noise, I've got a cheap helmet ($78 Vega full face), but I've been hesitant to buy a more expensive helmet, because I don't know if I'd be paying for wasted features or if in fact it would quieten things down. In other words, I'd hate to pay $200 for a helmet that is supposed to be quiet and it be no better than what I've got.
One thing I do know, is that I don't want a scooter any more simply for the fact that, after riding one for a while, I've decided I'd rather own a power two wheeler that has actual gears for a transmission for service reasons and for efficiency and durability reasons. I'm not really anti scooter; just anti CVT, and the only scooter that's not CVT is a 150 and that's not enough for my commute.
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Use hearing protection. I do when I ride longer distances. It cuts down on fatique and can protect against tinnitis and hearing loss from the noise. I have found that I can hear the engine well enough and other cars/trucks and even a conversation when the engine is off. Good hearing protection will only attenuate the sound not make you totally deaf. Example of not wearing hearing protection is my brother, he rode for decades in Houston with a helmet and no hearing protection now her has hearing loss from it. No helmet, out there is very good at noise levels.
The silent killer is deadly (wind noise). I find that it is best to put on ear plugs even with a helmet. I feel much more refreshed once coming to a stop for a break. I get headaches usually from long distance riding with out them. even with the most expensive helmet there will always be wind noise.
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Judging from the riding position I think it would be no problem for you to ride for a long period of time on the CTX700. The only pain I would get is from having my back arch but it would be the case on the CTX and another way to solve it is to have a passenger then you have a back rest. 
Usually it would be the knee position that would bother me most something you would suffer from on super sport bikes.
Usually it would be the knee position that would bother me most something you would suffer from on super sport bikes.
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975 Posts
Hummm!
I have trouble wearing ear plugs. I've got a malfunctioning eustachian tube on my right side, and the one on the left side ain't exactly normal. I have to constantly hold my nose and blow and swallow hard, chew gum, etc. to keep from having problems such as holes in my ear drums, cholestetomas, etc. Plugging my ears aggravates this problem, but I don't want to go deaf either.
What about a good helmet that protects hearing? But I don't read this in the features of helmets.
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Helmets don't really provide hearing protection and can aggravate some wind noise. Talk to your audiologist about what would work in your situation. Riding for shorter periods of time can help. Let your ears "rest" a bit every now and then. I only use plugs when riding for more than a few miles at a time.
gregsfc, you might want to explore the helmet reviews on webBikeWorld. They have the most extensive reviews you'll find anywhere.
I use earplugs with my modular Scorpion EXO-900. It's noisy, and the earplugs make it reasonable inside the helmet. I had a problem with it that forced me to use my daughter's old full faced helmet. I was amazed at the difference in the noise level! As a general rule, go for a full face helmet to get less noise (and less cost).
webBikeWorld will give you info like the helmet shape, weight, noise, features, etc. It's worth looking up.
Regarding the long distance riding, that may or may not work. I've ridden my Burgman 400 scooter on a SS1000 and found it comfortable. I thought one of the reviews on the CTX700 was saying the rider sits so far back, that the windscreen didn't do a good job diverting the air around you and you got a lot of turbulence. Aftermarket alternatives may take care of that.
Chris
I use earplugs with my modular Scorpion EXO-900. It's noisy, and the earplugs make it reasonable inside the helmet. I had a problem with it that forced me to use my daughter's old full faced helmet. I was amazed at the difference in the noise level! As a general rule, go for a full face helmet to get less noise (and less cost).
webBikeWorld will give you info like the helmet shape, weight, noise, features, etc. It's worth looking up.
Regarding the long distance riding, that may or may not work. I've ridden my Burgman 400 scooter on a SS1000 and found it comfortable. I thought one of the reviews on the CTX700 was saying the rider sits so far back, that the windscreen didn't do a good job diverting the air around you and you got a lot of turbulence. Aftermarket alternatives may take care of that.
Chris
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Thanks for the tip. I've been going strictly on the product marketing and consumer reviews, but most consumers just make generalizations about the noise level.
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216 Posts
I am getting the CTX specifically for long distance riding. Whether it is within my local riding area (anywhere within 200 miles I consider local) or my long distance rides beyond Florida (Georgia or beyond, my husband and I tour every summer 3,000 to 7,000 miles depending on how long we get). I have put 150,000 + on 500cc bikes; Buell Blast and Vulcan 500, so I am pretty sure the 700 will be perfect.
Bottom line, any bike you like, can be good for long distance if you are willing to just put the miles on it.
Bottom line, any bike you like, can be good for long distance if you are willing to just put the miles on it.
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11 Posts
Riding position for long distance riding is obviously a personal thing. I prefer a slight forward lean and my feet below me, which is why I ride a FJR1300. No problem doing 1000 mile days with that riding position and excellent wind protection. My wife prefers more of a cruiser riding position, so the CTX700 really appeals to her. Having the fairing with taller shield and hard bags will make this bike a good long distance bike for her.
But long distance for her will probably not involve qualifying for the Iron Butt Association (IBA) and I suspect most buyers of this bike won't be getting it with the intention of doing IBA certificate rides. That's what they make bikes like the FJR1300, ST1300, Goldwing and K1600 to name a few. Although like my fellow IBA members on this forum, I would have no problem putting serious miles on the CTX700.
But long distance for her will probably not involve qualifying for the Iron Butt Association (IBA) and I suspect most buyers of this bike won't be getting it with the intention of doing IBA certificate rides. That's what they make bikes like the FJR1300, ST1300, Goldwing and K1600 to name a few. Although like my fellow IBA members on this forum, I would have no problem putting serious miles on the CTX700.
I wonder if Madstad is going to offer one of their EXCELLENT!! Windshield Systems,
they are Excellent, They really reduce the wind noise down by quite a bit, they also reduce most wind buffeting, and S M O O T H out the air no more turbulent air.
Since it smooths the air out so much, this is what makes it much quieter.
You can actually hear engine sounds that I had never heard before, and sounds around you can be heard now, as before they went unnoticed.
I have Had the Madstad system on three bikes and all three were much improved.
they are Excellent, They really reduce the wind noise down by quite a bit, they also reduce most wind buffeting, and S M O O T H out the air no more turbulent air.
Since it smooths the air out so much, this is what makes it much quieter.
You can actually hear engine sounds that I had never heard before, and sounds around you can be heard now, as before they went unnoticed.
I have Had the Madstad system on three bikes and all three were much improved.
I wonder if Madstad is going to offer one of their EXCELLENT!! Windshield Systems for the CTX,
I have one on my NC700X, all i can say is WOW!!! a smaller shield does the work of a much larger shield, it is just engineered right!!
they are Excellent, They really reduce the wind noise down by quite a bit, they also reduce most wind buffeting, and S M O O T H out the air no more turbulent air.
NOTE:
Turbulent Air is Noisy Air. it can also punish you on a long trip, making you feel like you feel like you just finished fighting a couple of rounds.
Since it smooths the air out so much, this is what makes it much quieter.
And much less wing buffeting.
I could actually hear engine sounds that I had never heard before, and sounds around you can be heard now, as before they went unnoticed.
I have Had the Madstad system on three bikes and all three were much improved.
I used to wear ear plugs because the turbulent air was so LOUD and defining that it was uncomfortable with out earplugs i never rode with out them until the wind noise was greatly reduced to a very low talking volumne.
The Madstad system was the best upgrade i had ever done. I have no relationship with Madstad they are just a Excellent product, that the owner stands behind.
Check out their web site if you are not happy with it return it for your money back, not to many windshield companies offer that
But this does more than just a windshield, it smooths out the Air like no regular windshield can.
I have one on my NC700X, all i can say is WOW!!! a smaller shield does the work of a much larger shield, it is just engineered right!!
they are Excellent, They really reduce the wind noise down by quite a bit, they also reduce most wind buffeting, and S M O O T H out the air no more turbulent air.
NOTE:
Turbulent Air is Noisy Air. it can also punish you on a long trip, making you feel like you feel like you just finished fighting a couple of rounds.
Since it smooths the air out so much, this is what makes it much quieter.
And much less wing buffeting.
I could actually hear engine sounds that I had never heard before, and sounds around you can be heard now, as before they went unnoticed.
I have Had the Madstad system on three bikes and all three were much improved.
I used to wear ear plugs because the turbulent air was so LOUD and defining that it was uncomfortable with out earplugs i never rode with out them until the wind noise was greatly reduced to a very low talking volumne.
The Madstad system was the best upgrade i had ever done. I have no relationship with Madstad they are just a Excellent product, that the owner stands behind.
Check out their web site if you are not happy with it return it for your money back, not to many windshield companies offer that
But this does more than just a windshield, it smooths out the Air like no regular windshield can.
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975 Posts
Thanks for the informative post westgl.
Seems like you are not alone in your beliefs regarding the effectiveness and quality of this brand of screen. I went to the NC700X forum and browsed topics on Madstad. A lot of folks dissing it on appearance alone, but no one having anything negative to say about how useful it is. Someone did a poll over there asking which after market screen is best. Madstad won by a nose over Puig with ten different screen choices with respect to the NC700X
My question is: with this kind of screen, is it basically solutions for naked model bikes or do they make superior screens with regards to fairing models?
At any rate, I sent them an email asking about the CTX.
Seems like you are not alone in your beliefs regarding the effectiveness and quality of this brand of screen. I went to the NC700X forum and browsed topics on Madstad. A lot of folks dissing it on appearance alone, but no one having anything negative to say about how useful it is. Someone did a poll over there asking which after market screen is best. Madstad won by a nose over Puig with ten different screen choices with respect to the NC700X
My question is: with this kind of screen, is it basically solutions for naked model bikes or do they make superior screens with regards to fairing models?
At any rate, I sent them an email asking about the CTX.
dand - you might wish to try an Airhawk cushion. Everybody's derrière is different, but this is one of the least expensive solutions you can try. The thing to remember on the Airhawk is to not inflate it much at all.
Another solution I've used successfully, is the BeadRider cushion. It's especially nice in hot temperatures. There's a lot of air flow through the beads.
Chris
Another solution I've used successfully, is the BeadRider cushion. It's especially nice in hot temperatures. There's a lot of air flow through the beads.
Chris
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1,290 Posts
I highly recommend the AIRHAWK R cushion (not the regular one, but the "R" version). It fits the CTX perfectly, installs easily in about 5 minutes on top of the stock seat, and for me its made a HUGE difference. I used to have to stop and take a break after about 30-40 minutes on the 2015 stock seat - with the airhawk R I can go for a couple of hours no problem - actually I have yet to go on a ride where I felt I needed to stop because of the seat since the airhawk. So far max 2 hours but I feel I could have gone longer.
Its made by a company that makes wheelchair pads. You inflate it and its designed to keep pressure off your back/tailbone, and help with circulation. You can adjust it as you see fit, with more or less air. Its made to do that quickly and easily. All I can say is mine works great - its completely transformed my ride I no longer have to worry about tailbone/back pain on longer rides. I paid $179 for mine, worth every cent. Seems very durable. Airhawk has a 60 day trial so if you buy one you can send it back for a refund if you don't like it.
I was looking at Corbin, Seth's seats, etc when I decided to give the Airhawk R a try - glad I did. A quick fix that has made all the difference for me.
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