Honda NC750X, X-ADV and Forza 750 in the Everyday \u0026 Touring Test

There are bikes that impress in pub-talk. And there are bikes that convince in real life. The Honda NC750X, the Honda X-ADV, and the Honda Forza 750 clearly belong to the second category. On paper, all three deliver no sensational figures. 59 PS, 69 Nm. But they shine through DCT, low consumption \u0026 a lot of practical use. In Central Europe, that quickly sounds like a sensible purchase. In Portugal, Spain, or Italy, it sounds like: exactly right. It's no coincidence that especially the Honda X-ADV is among the best-selling bikes here at all. Gregor, Schaaf and I want to find out why that is.

For this, we put together a tour with Calimoto that seems fitting for this vehicle category. It doesn't start on an empty dream road, but right in the pulsing heart of Lisbon's old town. Heavy traffic, narrow alleys, steep streets, hectic traffic-light starts, poor parking options, and constantly that South European traffic pulse that would drive you up the wall in a car.

After that, we head out towards Serra de Montejunto, a backdrop of spectacular rock formations and winding mountain roads. On the way towards the Atlantic, the landscape becomes calmer, drier, and more rugged. We eventually reach the famous shell-shaped bay of S\u00E3o Martinho do Porto, where we stop for a coffee. Heading back inland, we reach the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros with its limestone massifs, caves, and barren hills. Magnificent long-distance views on narrow, lightly-trafficked roads. Here we pick up the pace and the grins under our helmets get wider.

All three models use the well-known 745cc inline twin-cylinder engine. It produces around 59 PS and 69 Nm. That makes it spot-on for every everyday situation. The engine delivers solid torque early on, pulls cleanly, and doesn't feel strained at country-road pace, even though the three DCT-equipped Hondas are no lightweights.

The sound is a pleasant surprise. The 750 sounds bassy and sonorous. Not artificially loud, not overly sporty in its staging, but grown-up. Especially on the X-ADV and the Forza 750, this feels almost like a small luxury moment, because you're sitting on a scooter concept but aren't acoustically reminded of a vacuum cleaner. While other maxi-scooters rely on a CVT, Honda's DCT really shines here, with crisper responsiveness and the fun of blasting through the gears using the switches at the left handlebar end.

All three test vehicles were fitted with Honda's dual-clutch transmission. DCT is still a topic of debate among many riders, mostly those who haven't tried it yet. In the stress of Lisbon, it proves itself after five minutes. Anyone riding there in stop-and-go traffic, uphill, downhill, between cars, scooters, delivery vans and pedestrians doesn't want to miss this feature ever again. No clutching in and out a hundred times - just ride.

DCT is superior to the classic scooter CVT. It's a genuine 6-speed gearbox that shifts automatically and allows manual input if desired. In 2025, the DCT tuning at low speeds was improved, making the response in city traffic smoother. A blessing for smooth lane merging, U-turns, maneuvering, and pulling away at traffic lights.

On country roads, the system fits just as well. Depending on the riding mode, it shifts up earlier or later, striking a balance between maximum power and fuel saving. In the sportier modes it winds the gears out further; anyone wanting full control can manually override the system or ride entirely in manual mode. Especially downhill, for ideal use of the engine brake (adjustable!), I highly recommend this.

Schaaf could hardly be pried off the NC750X. The NC is the most honest vehicle and the only bike in this group. It's a bike for people who have to ride but still want to enjoy riding.

The NC750X is the classic bread and butter bike in the best sense, though with more riding pleasure than you'd credit it with at first glance. It offers accessibility, practical features, reliability, everyday usability, and low consumption. It's not exciting, but it inspires confidence with every kilometer, and that's what makes it so likeable.

In our test in Portugal, it shows its strengths especially clearly. In Lisbon you appreciate the clear seating position and its predictability. On country roads it stays stable, good-natured, and adequately brisk. The chassis isn't high-end, but it works and is designed to be very comfortable. The twin-cylinder engine fits the NC's concept very well.

When it comes to luggage space, it moves to the front in our test. The NC750X was equipped with the complete original Honda pannier set. On top of that comes the practical storage compartment in the spot where other bikes carry the tank. For a four-day tour, that's worth its weight in gold. For everyday life in Southern Europe, even more so. Helmet, rain gear, groceries, camera, laptop - just stuff it in. A vehicle meant to function as a household's only vehicle needs to be able to do exactly that.

Scooter? Bike? SUV on two wheels? Adventure crossover? With the X-ADV, Honda created its own category, one that's now being copied by other manufacturers.

On the tour, the X-ADV is the vehicle that draws the most attention. It stands there wide and robust, radiating more adventure than a normal maxi-scooter ever could. In the city it benefits from the DCT, the storage space, the upright seating position, and the good overview. On poor side roads and in hilly terrain, its longer suspension travel makes it feel more composed than classic scooters. It can handle rougher asphalt, gravel car parks, and the wild access roads towards viewpoints better. Something Gregor never fails to let us know via the intercom - not to say rub our noses in it - loudly, in his Slovenian exuberance, and thanks to the Cardo Packtalk, in crystal-clear quality.

The X-ADV isn't the most rational entrant in the test, but perhaps the most emotional one. It turns every commute into a small adventure while still offering maxi-scooter comfort on weekend trips. For our journey through Portugal, that's ideal. Through the city during the week, to the sea or the hills on the weekend - and doing it with style.

City kid Poky identifies most with the Forza 750, the popular 1000PS long term test bike of 2023, which has gotten even better in its current specification (USB port in the front storage compartment, illuminated compartment under the seat, cruise control...). The Forza is the most elegant solution in the test. It's less rustic than the X-ADV, less of a bike than the NC750X, and therefore geared most strongly towards urban composure.

In Lisbon, the Forza 750 is the most relaxed vehicle, and that starts right at a standstill with the easy mount. Its lowest center of gravity makes maneuvering and parking child's play. It glides confidently through traffic, feels high-quality, offers good protection, and conveys that pleasant feeling of riding a large vehicle, while still being slim enough to weave between cars. On country roads it surprises with stability and a sportier character (Pirelli Diablo Rosso Scooter!) - it's capable of noticeably more than its looks suggest, even if riding it briskly takes some overcoming due to a lack of front-wheel feedback.

On a four-day tour, you quickly notice how practical a vehicle really is. On all three Hondas, carrying luggage is easy. The NC750X scores with its pannier set and storage compartment. The X-ADV offers scooter-style storage and can be made tour-ready with accessories. The Forza 750, with its scooter DNA anyway, makes everyday luggage especially uncomplicated, though it surprisingly has a slightly smaller storage compartment than the X-ADV.

I'm slowly arriving at an understanding of what makes these vehicles so successful in Spain and Portugal: two-wheeled mobility here isn't just leisure enjoyment. Commuting, running errands, doing weekend tours, dashing to the beach, mastering narrow old-town alleys, and finding a spot to park where there really isn't one - these two-wheeled all-rounders have to manage all of that, since they're often used as the only vehicle.

The three Hondas are closely related, but not interchangeable. They share the 750 twin-cylinder engine, the DCT, low fuel consumption, relaxed power delivery, and strong everyday usability. They're easy to ride, never overwhelm you, and feel pleasantly unfussy in operation.

Here in Central Europe, that's precisely what gets interpreted as a lack of character. We often look for vehicles that entertain us, perhaps even test us with their antics. In Southern Europe, people ride daily, and here one thing matters above all: the 750 Hondas make life easier. At the same time, they're not soulless - our tour proved that.

The NC750X is the bike for pragmatists. It's the most versatile, the most honest, and with the pannier set, the best travel companion for riders who want to explore the wide world after work.

The X-ADV is the character head of the group. It's expensive, but as a border-crosser it offers a unique blend of scooter, bike, and light adventure machine. It's the vehicle for people who want scooter comfort but no scooter identity.

The Forza 750 is the cultivated sovereign. It's urban, elegant, stable, and surprisingly grown-up on country roads. Poky's choice is thus the most comfortable, mature, and urban interpretation of the 750 concept.

After four days from Lisbon to the sea, into the mountains, on towards F\u00E1tima, and back, the answer is clearer than at the start. These three Hondas aren't popular in Southern Europe because they're spectacular. They're popular because they solve the local population's real problems in a luxurious way. Traffic, parking, heat, bad roads, luggage, commuting, weekend trips - all things that are often treated as side issues in a bike test. In the South, they're the main test.

In Central Europe, one might ask: Why only 59 PS? In Portugal, after four days, we're more likely to ask ourselves: Why would you actually need more?

Note: The test conclusions are taken from the most recent individual tests of the three models.