Honda NT700V ABS Deauville (2009)

[Bob]

There are things out there that don’t fit any conventional bill. Take the coelacanth for example: by all rights, it should have died out 65 million years ago, but instead, it carried on, unknown to the world, along an evolutionary cul-de-sac, until being discovered alive and well in 1938.

The Deauville is like that.

It packs a 680cc, liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve SOHC 52° V-twin, that redlines at just 8.5k and is propelled by shaft-drive. Sounds like a cruiser – but the Deauville certainly isn’t a cruiser. Rather it is a commuter/mid-sized touring machine, featuring an upright riding position and integral panniers.

Click here to read the full review

[vifferman]

It sounds not at all appealitising, even for a Honda...

[pritch]

It sounds not at all appealitising, even for a Honda...

On the other hand...

BIKE reported that it's the biggest selling bike in its class in Britain, whatever class that is. Light tourer perhaps?


They also report that owners are older than average and do very high mileages.

The Deauville is looking better to me all the time, I must be nearly old enough...

[Bob]

Honestly, it is a bike that is built to do a job... and it does that job well. The job being to haul you around, in great levels of comfort, for mile after mile, after mile...

But it isn't a thrilling bike. When it is in it's 'zone' then handling is decent - as I said, I was surprised at how easy it was to tip in on the move at reasonable speeds. But it has a small sweet-area in terms of revs... which on a bike like this I found limiting. But it does a job - and has a very loyal fan base.

As I also said in the review, if you cover a lot of miles - but don't want (or can afford) a full-on touring bike, then the Deauville merits considering.

[zadok]

The basic design of the bike has been around since 1988, or so. I had the naked NTV650 version, which I bought new and sold 14 years later with 119k on it. Didn't give me any grief. Sold it to a work mate who is loving it.
The same motor powers the Transalp, which I reckon is one cool looking machine.