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Author Topic: Honda Deauville V's X9?  (Read 10172 times)
blueflame
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« on: July 30, 2009, 07:57:28 »

Hi all,
I've only had my X9 since March, it's been great for commuting through the London traffic - comfortable, a decent kick to get out of the way of things when i need to, and no tiring gear changes in the midst of the mayhem! However, it looks like i'll be relocating up north for a few months and as i seem to struggle on the motorways with buffering from the wind on the X9 I'm considering changing it for a Deauville.

The X9 is my first bike for 4 years, my last bike being a sports tourer - Triumph TT600, and a Kawasaki ER5 before that. I don't really have any biker mates whose brain i can pick. I've read the reviews and the Honda Deauville gets really good feedback.

However, as there may well be some of you who've ridden the X9 and the Honda Deauville I would really value your opinion on how they compare.

At the moment the buffering on motorways concerns me and i find i get quite uncomfortable after an hour of riding - possibly due to not being all that relaxed as i wait for the next gust of wind! Now i don't know if the wind is caused by the top box or just generally by the high screen - i've never previously ridden a bike with either of these! It's highly likely that whilst i'm commuting between the north and the south i'll have a top box on no matter which bike i have!

Keeping in mind i've had a fair bit of work done on the X9 and i know i'll lose money on it if i sell it in favour of the Deauville. I keep meaning to come down to the Ace Cafe to pick peoples brains, but just can't seem to find time and moving in a couple of weeks! ARGH! Oh and the other thing i frequently carry a pillion and they love the X9 - very comfortable - not sure how the Deauville compares in that area either....??

Thanks very much, apologies for the essay!!!

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Dave Milnes
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« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2009, 08:58:20 »

Having ridden a 'proper' bike for only a week or so (Kwak GTR) I soon decided scooters were far superior.
In warm weather your legs (and the rest of you when stationary) get overheated from heat soak from the engine.
When wet your legs get soaked from road spray from other vehicles.
All that palaver selecting neutral, swapping which foot you put down, engaging gear in readiness to stall it when the lights change etc...
Having nowhere to store items for quick access under the seat.
Didn't feel much safer on blustery motorways than the X9, and less safe in town due to the X9's totally reliable point and squirt ability without having to forward plan too much.

Goto the Ace if you can and pick Spannermans brains. He's had all sorts of machinery but likes his Tmax as much as any. Maybe it's just the X9 isn't for you, not that all scooters are as unsuited. Try a Burgman or Tmax.
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2004 X9 500 Evo in YELLOW - 2016 Maxsym 600i Sport
Anderton 2004, Pen-y-cae 2005, Matlock 2006, Hay on Wye 2007, Minehead 2008, St Florence 2010, Newent 2011, North Kyme 2012, Betsw-y-coed 2013, Hardraw 2014, Parkend 2015, Whitby 2016, Mundesley 2017, Derby 2018, Telford 2019, Loch Doon 2020, Cumbria 2021.
Huskyteer
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« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2009, 10:46:45 »

AndyDV9 (that should be a link to his profile) doesn't post much these days but has had both an X9 and a Deauville - drop him a PM or email and pick his brains!
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Alice Dryden
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blueflame
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« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2009, 11:11:27 »

Thanks Huskyteer i've dropped him an e-mail and blamed you!
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Huskyteer
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« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2009, 13:21:42 »

Everyone always does
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Alice Dryden
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Allan Crawley
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« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2009, 07:43:34 »

Hello Blueflame. I have both an X9 and a Deauville and use both regularly, in excess of 9k miles last year on both bikes. 
The X 9 is great for weather protection as Dave said together with the terrific storage ( i have a top box as well) capacity.  One of the downsides i find with the X9 is the tank capacity and the frequency of drive belt change .  I have all my maint work done by a dealer rather than my self.  I have always found the road handling Ok and no major  problems with wind buffetting usually, no more than the DV.

So why did i buy a DV? It has much greater storage than the X9 with touring panniers ( built in) and a top box, weather protection isn't as good as the X9 but pretty good and probably better than most bikes. Tank range is at least 40 miles per fill better, not much perhaps but very useful on a tour in France or Spain ( particularly on Sundays).  Handles well and is a well proven machine developed over a number of years and used by almost all emergency services at soem time or other.  Dealer ships are more prolific than X9 ones, and more convenient here in East Kent.

Gears versus auto? Yes frequent gear changing can be a nuisance as i found out on the Surrey Lanes ride out a few weeks back! A lot of my riding is boring motorways with a regular 45 mile each way commute.  Other times its just lanes or B roads and i dont find it a problem, in fact it forces you to learn a lot more about handling and anticipation so a good thing maybe?  My only concern? when the top box is on i sufffer from wind buffetting but i dont know whether this would be affected when carrying a pillion as i always ride solo.
you might want to check on the DV owners site http://www.deauvilleuk.org/forum/ to pick up any other experiences, good or bad.


Hope this helps
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Dave Milnes
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« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2009, 08:02:22 »

That's a good point about dealers. There's loads of Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki ones and very few Piaggio ones, none is some areas. You will always find a mechanic somewhere who can fettle minor problems on something like the Deauville, but wouldn't know where to start on an X9.
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2004 X9 500 Evo in YELLOW - 2016 Maxsym 600i Sport
Anderton 2004, Pen-y-cae 2005, Matlock 2006, Hay on Wye 2007, Minehead 2008, St Florence 2010, Newent 2011, North Kyme 2012, Betsw-y-coed 2013, Hardraw 2014, Parkend 2015, Whitby 2016, Mundesley 2017, Derby 2018, Telford 2019, Loch Doon 2020, Cumbria 2021.
loonymoon
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« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2009, 09:41:22 »

I've briefly flirted with thinking about getting a Deauville after I've finished with the X8 too. Not that I'm anywhere near to finishing with the X8, but I haven't done a thing about it.

I would need a test ride, todays ride into work on the X8 reconfirmed what a capable machine it is, filtering easily to the front of a road block on the M25 with two sportsbikes ahead (riders with rucksacks, my stuff kept safely under the seat). After they let us all go we did ahem take off at rather a pace, and though I was behind the sportsbikes I was always in their mirror at ahem slightly at illegal speeds on the empty road, of course if they'd decided to they could have gone even faster and left me for dust, but I still think I surprised them by being there a couple of hundred metres back and not going away.

 Of course the Deauville would be capable of similar and more peformance wise but may have been more of a handful for filtering in the gridlocked traffic - I don't know, it's also more expensive and heavier which is an issue as I found the X8 rather weighty when I first got it.
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« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2009, 15:12:32 »

The Deauville forum Allan quoted is a good place for finding out information, are you thinking of a DV700 or a NT650? The early models earned the reputation for reliability before the days of PGM-FI, HECS3, CBS C-ABS, HISS and EURO-3 were added to the bike after 2002.
The more I look at the forum, the better value the good condition older bikes are, take a look at this one on ebay for example:- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-White-Honda-DEAUVILLE-Very-Low-Miles-SUPERB_W0QQitemZ200369145396QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motorcycles?hash=item2ea6ee8634&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
That would make a good mile muncher IMHO.
 A few one owner Deauville's (1998-2002) cherished and lightly used by their 60+ owners come up for sale from time to time and would make good bikes for DIY'ers, servicing is simple, screw and locknut tappets, 2 plugs per cylinder. etc.
The later examples may need dealer servicing. 2008+ models have a fully adjustable screen, which you push forward into position on sliding rails and lock into place by pushing it back
   
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Dave Weller, Chatham VespaGTS250, Royal Enfield 350 HNTR. NC750X
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