The Honda Owners Club

Can you help me - looking for review of the above model - have seen one in my local showroom and it appears to be what I am looking for. Ageing biker getting itchy feet wants to go touring Europe any help or comments - sensible ones - please. Any advice appreciated A.S.A.P.

Here is a little one
http://www.productreview.com.au/showite ... m_id=40783

I have bought a Deauville 700 for the reason you state. It is my 4th regular European touring bike. Its immediate predecessor was a BMW R1100R, which I never actually got to tour on as it didn't cut the ice with me.

For seven years I did do long continental tours on a Varadero, a bike that I can highly recommend, if you are a youngish 6 footer.

The Deauville is still undergoing 'trials'. to date it has proved to be an ideal no nonsense bike that is a pleasure to ride.
With a top box and the built in panniers, I can get everything I need for a 3 week trip. It is close to being an ideal solo bike as long as you are not looking for 'fair ground ride' excitement.

Mind you I have also bought a Transalp for a bit of fun

HAVE READ SOME REPORTS OF REV SURGES AROUND 3000RPM IN TOWN AND ALSO BAR VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 85MPH ANY COMMENTS? - STILL LIKE THE LOOK OF IT.

The only surge I have felt is when opening the throttle - even that is a little modest compared to the Varadero

Vibration is rather subjective but I have found nothing intrusive. A lot smoother than my BMW.

The one reservation I do have is a strange induction noise. Not unlike flicking through a pack of cards. Ear plugs help.

Not noticed any unpleasant unrequested surges on my 07 NT700.
Agree about the weird and wonderful noises although Honda assure me "it sounds like any Deauville ever has".

Not so keen on the way the wind catches her so often or the fact that the rear end seems to dance about on the motorway upwards of 80mph but that will be getting a mention when she has her 4,000 mile service shortly. Anyone any clues what the 4k service costs at Honda main dealer? Please type gently if it's going to scare me.

I have now sold my Deauville 700, after only 2500 miles. It is a great bike for a commuter or someone looking for reliable and convenient transport.

I ride only for pleasure and the Deauville was not a fun bike. I am not talking about speed as my Transalp is slower, but much more fun to ride.

Also having had a Varadero for some years I got used to the comfort afforded by long travel suspension. The Deauville has the almost standard 120mm of front Axel travel. Both the Varadero and the TA have 175+mm of front Axel travel. This takes many of the jolts and jars out of riding and I find it much more comfortable.

My only reservation about the TA for touring, is the wire wheels. I do like to be able to use Ultraseal or be able to plug a tyre. I am trying to convince myself that punctures are few and far between.

Barry wrote: I am trying to convince myself that punctures are few and far between.

With modern rubber technology and far higher specs these days, think you are better placed Barry.

That is a nice thought, but I got a rear wheel puncture in my new Deauville within the first week.

I'm probably going to jinx myself, but have been riding and driving since 1969 and cant remember ever having a pucture, either bike or car! As the odds are getting seriously stacked against me, I have promised to have ultraseal put in at the next tyre change.

Re the Deauville, I was chatting to an old boy at Hunstanton a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at the amont of corrosion all over his Deauville, it was really bad, never seen a Honda like it, he said he regularly cleaned the bike, it just developed over time.

Al

al-n-di wrote:Re the Deauville, I was chatting to an old boy at Hunstanton a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at the amont of corrosion all over his Deauville, it was really bad, never seen a Honda like it, he said he regularly cleaned the bike, it just developed over time.

Al

I can imagine that one of the problems is all that plastic. It can keep everything out of sight and out of mind - but it dosn't stop the moisture getting in. Having sold mine before the first proper sevice was due, I can only repeat what I have been told and that is that removing all the plastic for servicing takes time and that can add up to £100.00!

Barry wrote:

al-n-di wrote:Re the Deauville, I was chatting to an old boy at Hunstanton a couple of weeks ago and was shocked at the amont of corrosion all over his Deauville, it was really bad, never seen a Honda like it, he said he regularly cleaned the bike, it just developed over time.

Al

I can imagine that one of the problems is all that plastic. It can keep everything out of sight and out of mind - but it dosn't stop the moisture getting in. Having sold mine before the first proper sevice was due, I can only repeat what I have been told and that is that removing all the plastic for servicing takes time and that can add up to £100.00!

Yep that applies to my Goldwing.Got 2 quotes from Honda dealers for 12000 mile service one @£350 another @ £150 inclusive of parts.

I'm a member of the Deauville Owners Forum & I've had my 03 NT650 for 3yrs.
I had a look at two ABS 700s at Bradford Motorcycles today, along with a couple of Pans, but decided I don't do the mileage to warrant a Pan these days, but might upgrade to a 700. My 03 650 has less than 17K on the clock, & I was offered £3,150 against either of the 06 DVs. at roughly
5 & 1/2K each.
I regularly get 60/65 mpg on the 650. Todays Bradford run was M/ways for best part of 130mls, & hovering around 80ish returning 57mpg on 10.39 litres, ie 2.28 galls. But, going back over the threads on the DV forum, the 700 is obviously slightly higher powered, but a lot of owners have reported serious corrosion, surging in slow moving traffic, heavier & a few reckon the 650 to be the better of the two, although they too have sometimes had corrosion faults. Luckily my 03 is rust & ally furring free.
So for now I'm staying with the 650.

Thanks for all your interest and replies received to my original request. Since that time I was able to travel Europe for 3 months this summer on the Deauville I purchased second hand with 1200mls on the clock. Yes I found problems originally with vibration from the bars at speed but having now covered a high mileage it seems to have become very less noticeable. I agree with the posted comments that it is an ideal touring bike and in fact covered 10300mls from home to home. Had a great time doing so and if anyone would be interested in asking any questiomns about the trials and tribulations of travelling abroad I would be only too willing to help.
Re corrosion problems I can see where they can crop up as after having a whole month off my tour in mostly wet weather riding and not being able to clean down properly each day and mostly standing out in all weathers for thet time I have had to give the whole bike a good clean down since my return and am still in the process of getting the chromes back to a good shine.
One comment I would like to put on record is the fantastic service received from the Honda agents when needing services. In Palermo,Sicily I was totally shocked to be told that my service would need "just over an hour" to be done and yet the place was stacked out with bikes in for servicing when I turned up. Similarly in Berlin at first request I was informed 1 to 2 wks but when they saw where I was from and that I was travelling they agreed to fit it in if I left it during the day - totally great!
Put new tyres on to go and only required 1 new front in Berlin and never had to change the rear until back in this country with another 1k mls on! Altogether fantastic trip and no problems at all with bike apart from own stupid fault when falling off a few times when loaded and at a standstill with top heavy weight just losing balance. Maybe I'm not the only one to have done that before?
Good biking to all and enjoyed your comments

Pat B

Sounds good. Don't forget to post some pics of your trip.

John