2014–2018 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
Honda's Urban Accessibility Champion
The CTX700N is Honda's NC-family parallel twin dressed for relaxed road work. A 670 cc liquid-cooled twin makes 48 hp and 44 lb-ft, and it makes almost all of that low in the rev range, where a rider actually spends time. The chassis follows the same logic: a 28.3-inch seat, forward-set pegs, wide bars, and a 60.2-inch wheelbase that keeps the bike settled. At 483 lb wet the mass sits low enough that it disappears once you're rolling. Honda's second-generation DCT was available here, and it is the piece that defines the bike for most owners.
In practice this is a machine that asks nothing of you. It scores 9.0 for reliability and 7.2 for engine longevity in our scoring, and it earns those numbers by being simple: one twin, one job. Fuel economy of 62 mpg and low running costs mean the miles stay cheap. It suits the rider who wants to arrive unbothered, not the one chasing pace. The honest caveat is that 48 hp is 48 hp. Loaded two-up over a mountain pass you'll feel the ceiling, and the 3.3-gallon tank keeps your day organized around fuel stops.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 48 hp (35 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 44 lb-ft (60 Nm) |
| Displacement | 670 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-17 |
| Wheelbase | 60.2 in (1529 mm) |
| Seat height | 28.3 in (719 mm) |
| Wet weight | 483 lb (219 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.3 gal (12.5 L) |
| Fuel economy | 62 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Comfort
Drivetrain
Safety
Two decades of listening to riders adds up to something. People write in when they have lived with a bike long enough to know it, they talk at gatherings, and they pass along the long ownership discussions they have been following for years. On the Honda CTX700N the picture that comes back is unusually consistent. The praise repeats almost word for word across very different riders, and the objections surface only under conditions owners can describe precisely.
Ask CTX owners what sold them and the answer usually starts at the ground. The 28.3 in seat puts both feet down for riders who spend most of their lives on tiptoes elsewhere, and they connect that directly to how in control they feel every time the bike comes to a halt. From there the conversation moves to how the bike holds you. Forward controls, an upright back, and a seat with real padding under it add up to a posture owners say they can hold through a full commute and still take the long way home. Comfort over distance is the second thing they mention, and they mention it often.
The CTX carries its weight low, and owners feel it. They describe a bike that turns and threads through traffic with less effort than the numbers suggest, and that stays composed on a twisty road despite the stretched-out stance. Fuel talk runs almost as strong. Real-world returns above 60 mpg come up again and again, with roughly 62 mpg (3.8 L/100 km) the number most riders settle on. The 670 cc twin gets steady credit for its low-rpm pull and clean throttle response around town. Brakes come up less, though the riders who raise them describe strong, well-modulated stopping power.
Highway passing is the gripe with the most voices behind it. Owners describe planning overtakes in advance and working through gears to find drive, and they say the margin shrinks further with a passenger or bags aboard. Suspension draws a smaller but firm group. Nothing adjusts at either end, and sharp pavement edges reach the rider through the rear with more force than some want. A handful of owners who do their own work point to the missing center stand, which was never fitted as standard here, and note that chain and rear-wheel jobs take longer for it.
ABS modulator manufacturing defect (Recall, 2013-2014)
A manufacturing error in the Nissin ABS modulator could cause the anti-lock system to malfunction, possibly locking a wheel under hard braking. Affected early 2014 models built before April 2013.
Starter relay switch sealant defect (Recall 15V-439)
Faulty sealant on the starter relay switch can cause increased resistance at the main fuse, leading to engine stalling or fire risk. Affected 2014-2015 models. Honda issued a recall to replace the relay.
Loose shift drum star bolt in DCT models
The star bolt securing the shift drum inside the DCT transmission can loosen, causing erratic shifting or false neutrals. Requires disassembly to retighten with threadlocker.
DCT transmission sensor failure causing gear change issues at high mileage
Some owners report that around 48,000 miles the transmission sensors fail, preventing gear changes. Cycling the ignition can temporarily fix it, but component replacement is required.
Front fork pitting
The chrome on the fork stanchions can develop pits, leading to oil leaks and compromised damping. Most common on bikes used in wet or salty conditions. Aftermarket re-chroming or replacement is the fix.
Where this Honda CTX 700 N pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CTX 700 N is actually built for.
The riding position will carry you all day, but 48 hp, a 3.3-gallon tank, and no cruise control make this a hard sell for loaded two-up runs over Beartooth. Solo, at your own pace, it works.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
The low center of gravity and light steering make it a fine tool for learning lines on the Dragon. Just know the forward pegs limit lean angle before your nerve does.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
For 200-mile days on Highway 1 or the Parkway, this is honest, cheap, comfortable transport. It won't excite you, and after a few thousand miles you may find you don't mind.
Made for Highway 1 / Big Sur · Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Honda CTX 700 N. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2017–2019
The Café Face, Commuter Heart
About the same used price as this bike at 8 yr
Competitor · 2014
The Bobber Built To Customize
Roughly $1,800 pricier used than this bike at 11 yr
Same Platform · 2012–2013
The Frunk-First City Commuter
Roughly $1,400 pricier used than this bike at 12 yr