Hi everyone. I've been lurking here since this forum started and figured it was time to join. I've been riding off and on since I was a kid. Have owned 2 different Hondas, 2 different Harleys, and a Suzuki. My husband rides also. I'm really interested in the Street 750 cause my age and arthritis have me looking to trim some weight off my ride, but I still want enough power to cruise the Arizona highways.
Not to steer you away from this upcoming, great-looking, value-loaded HD Street, but if you want some other choices to look at that are very similar that will meet your needs and so you can work with different dealers for a good deal, check out the CTX700N and CTX700ND from Honda if you have not already. These bikes are very similarly-spec'd to the Street 750 bike with an option of an automatic with dual clutch transmission (not like a scooter with CVT, but an automatic with real gears, with the options of sport mode and manual shift only clutchless) for only $500 more than the starting price of the Street 750. The base model with a manual transmission and clutch comes in @ $6,999 MSRP.
2014 CTX700N Overview - Honda Powersports
Honda also offers this same power train with a faring model and added grab handles starting @ $7,800 and the automatic for $8,700. I've got the CTX700 (fairing model). Before taxes and registration, I paid only $7,199 with no accessories by shopping different dealers. Bought a Madstad screen for $270 and strapped a large 55-liter tool box to the seat for only $62, and I've got a great, new ride with lots of luggage space. It's got a rev limit of only 6500 RPM, and that makes it alot different than most MCs. It's tuned more like a car engine, but it's got car-like efficiency too. I'm averaging 72 mpg. It's got good torque mid-range and it has a very low center of gravity; very smooth engine and very smooth ride for this size of bike.
2014 CTX700 Overview - Honda Powersports
Negatives of the Honda. Alot of plastic as compared to the Street and chain drive is sort of a hassle, it's so quiet that most can't even hear the engine on the highway, but the choice of an automatic is very appealing to some people, especially those with physical limitations and this CTX700N is very much a direct competitor of the Street 750 in so far as size, weight, power, features, blacked-out look, price, etc. The main reason I bring this up is that you mention your physical limitations (the fact that you may find not having to clutch and shift a plus), that you've shown no brand loyalty (kind of like me), and the fact that this is a very similar bike in alot of ways to the Street 750, so I feel you may have some interest if you've not seen that bike. It just came out last spring as a 2014 model, and Honda doesn't do alot of marketing in the U.S., so it could be easily missed by consumers.
I'm attracted to the HD Street 750 mainly due to the fact that I think it looks much better than the Honda CTX700N with all that steel and black (except for the shocks); the fact that it's a belt drive; and the fact that it will be (finally) an American-made choice in a smaller street only, cruiser-type bike, which are all similar to my Honda CTX but to get this in a HD would be really cool as a second bike?
