Honda NC750X update

I just completed a two-week, 3720-mile ride from here in Eastern Iowa to Arizona and Utah by way of Colorado.  Unlike my previous long ride, I was on my Honda NC750X motorcycle and riding in May.  I was hoping to get to Monument Valley before the weather got too hot, but the real result was extremes---rain and deserts, hot and cold, crosswinds and hail, construction and bad pavement, speed limits of 75 and 80 m.p.h. plus high-altitude passes with roadside snow and the endless nothingness of I-76 in Eastern Colorado, which made Nebraska look interesting.  

It was a learning experience.  

As I wrote previously, I got the Honda NC750X for a variety of reason, but most especially for its stability.  The center of gravity is low, as is the seat height.    I grew to trust it.  Going 80 m.p.h. in a light rain with the wind blowing, it took me a while to learn to dress appropriately and to trust the bike.  

The bike was trustworthy.

Wolf Creek Pass on the Continental Divide at 10,857' elevation.

I previously experimented with having a Yamaha X-Max scooter.  I could go 84 m.p.h. on a flat, but I decided that wasn't enough out West. And I was right.  Passing a truck going uphill on the interstate in Colorado or Utah required more power.  With the Honda, I could shift down to a lower gear, and it always responded with good acceleration, taking me up and around big trucks or heavy traffic.  The extra power kept me out of the way of other drivers.

Some reviewers have referred to the NC750X as boring.  It's true that some of the KTMs and higher -powered bikes might accelerate more quickly or flick through traffic more easily.

But I'm 65.  My reflexes aren't what they once were, nor is my physique. I'm not in a hurry. I'm happy with the Honda's stability and responsiveness.  It did well.

Before I left, I put my camping gear in a waterproof bag attached across my luggage rack and side panniers. It's the same bag I took west in 2022---and the same tent, sleeping bag, inflatable pillows, too.  And with the NC750X, I have the accessible extra storage where a gas tank is usually located.

The view from our camp east of Provo UT where I met my daughter and her husband.

But my route this time took me further south:

The Forrest Gump Highway at Monument Valley.

Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River near Page AZ.

Not far upstream is the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell:

From there, I headed to Bryce Canyon National Park:

After meeting my daughter for a couple of days, I went to Colorado National Monument:

And the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park:

Then it was time to face the long ride home.  From Grand Junction to Denver, I-70 is either under construction or deconstruction, with diversions, bumpy roads, and high passes, all taken at high speeds.  As clouds started to roll into the Loveland Pass at above 9,000', I stopped at a historic hotel built in 1880 at Silver Plume:

The few rooms shared a single communal bathroom.  The foundation had settled unevenly, and the floors made me feel like a sailor, but in most ways it was actually quite nice. And it was warm, as the air temperature dropped below freezing. 

From there to Dubuque, there is little interesting to relate---I suggest that you read Progressive Farmer instead.

This trip had neither the aspirations nor the longevity of my previous trip.  However, it left me with more confidence in my abilities to ride cross-country even as I age.  I'm not sure when I will next head out, but there are still lots of places I'd like to see.

Album from the trip.