2025-on Honda NC750X review: Upgraded to make it smoother, more practical and greener than ever

It’s out with the old single disc front brake set-up and in with two 298mm discs with twin-piston sliding pin calipers and ABS. Brakes are now more progressive with lots of feel at the lever and an impressive level of power. The back brake is strong and tactile, too.

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Suspension is unchanged, but the ride quality, stability, steering accuracy and outright fun to be had in corners, belie the NC’s sometimes steady-away reputation. 17in wheels are a new and shod with either Dunlop Trailmax or Metzelers Tourance dual purpose tyres – a hangover from when the NC was pitched as an adventure bike. The Metzelers fitted to our test bike have an excess of feel, grip and warm up in an instant.

Changes to the long-stroke, SOHC 745cc parallel twin cylinder engine are limited to fuel injection tweaks for Euro5+ emissions regs. It still makes 58bhp, which won’t set your hair on fire on a bike weighing 226kg with DCT, but performance is spritely. The motor makes a good account of itself at full throttle, too, as it bellows deeply through its air box.

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This NC750 was always designed to be frugal, flexible and forgiving. Its 51lb-ft of torque is made at just 4750rpm and its delivery is soft and simple to control. Tweaks to the mapping gives the Honda an even friendlier character, making it the perfect steed for commuters, or weekend tourers. A claimed 81mpg adds up to a theoretical 250-mile range from its 14.1-litre fuel tank.

Most NC750 customers go for this semi-auto DCT version, adding around £750 to the price. There’s no clutch or gear lever and the Honda can be a full automatic, or manual, using the switchgear buttons to change gear.

The urgency of the shifts in ‘auto’ change depending on the riding mode, or can be adjusted via the dash. For 2025, the DCT gets a new electronic algorithm (first seen on last year’s Africa Twin) for smoother shifts and more low-speed control. Auto is perfect for town riding, or lazy touring and manual better for more spirited riding, where you can decide on the exact gear you need through corners, although the system isn’t as tactile as using a conventional clutch and gearbox.

There’s no denying the NC750X isn’t the kind of bike you’ll gaze at for hours in your garage over a cup of tea, but it’s a good, honest machine that’s well built and reliable. It should come as no surprise that our online MCN Owners’ reviews are glowing.

It’s tricky to pigeonhole the NC750X. A DCT version would rival a maxi-scooter for commuting and its on-road touring ability comes close to a middleweight adventure bike or tall rounder, albeit not quite as exciting. But whichever way you slice it, the Honda is a lot of well-built, reliable and practical machine for the money.

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The NC750X gets a freshen-up for 2025 with reshaped fairing sides and a 50% brighter LED headlight. Many of its plastics now come from recyclable materials, including the cubby hole under the fuel tank, made from old car bumpers. ‘Durabio’ is used for the body panels (on the green and black versions, not red or white).

It’s derived from non-edible corn, turned into Biomass PC Pellets, pre-impregnated with colour and formed to create glossy panels (a world first for a motorcycle). It does away with all the nasty stuff and CO2 emissions associated with painting and with the material being the same colour all the way through, scratches are less likely to show up. The screen is made from clear, uncoloured Durabio.

Replacing the old LCD screen, the ’25 NC750’s new colour TFT dash (the same as the Transalp’s) is bolder, easier to read and features a gear position indicator, outside temperature, fuel gauge and three layout options with light, or dark backgrounds.

There are three standard riding modes (Sport, Standard, Rain), or you can pick your own rider aids in the User mode, where you set your desired level of power, engine braking, traction control and if fitted, shift maps for the DCT’s auto mode. The dash also links to Honda’s Roadsync app via Bluetooth for turn-by-turn navigation, calls and music controlled either by your voice (via a headset) or new switchgear buttons with backlit joystick control. Sadly, there’s still no cruise control.

A raft of new accessories have been created for the 2025 NC750X. They can be bought separately or grouped together in four packs: The Adventure Pack features goodies like crash bars, hand guards and fog lights, the Comfort Pack includes comfort seats, heated grips and a taller, wider, five-way manually adjustable screen. The Urban pack comes with a rack, luggage, a USB-C charger and centre stand and the Travel Pack feature panniers. Prices are to be announced in the coming days.

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