It's been a day, and here is how it has gone so far:
I've put 110 miles on it and I'm happy to report that the NC450 is a very smooth running engine. Also quite torquey, compared to the RX3's NC250. And like the NC250, it likes to rev - the powerband sits about 1000 RPM's lower than that engine, starting at 4500 RPM and still pulling at 7000 RPM, which is as high as I've spun it, so far. CSC's engine break-in instructions call for no more than 5000 RPM's initially, but I've never been one to baby my engines during break-in, and I'm not about to start now. Engine power is more than adequate for
any task now. The NC450 has plenty of power for passing, I had it up to 85 MPH passing a car doing 65 MPH and had no problems, whatsoever. This was in 6th gear; I did not need to downshift. In fact, that is kind of the story of the RX4, no need to row the gears anymore. Just roll throttle, and it does whatever you need it to do. No fuss, no muss. Power delivery is very smooth and linear, no sudden surges; just very predictable response to your throttle inputs. Power level-wise, it slots in between my RX3 and Versy 650 very nicely. You can crank the throttle and, unlike the RX3, something happens and happens promptly; while you don't find yourself doing felony speeds in 3 or 4 seconds, as I do on my Versys 650 when I get on the throttle.
It has a very smooth transmission, and neutral is easy to find at a stop. Clutch lever reach is long, however, and those with short fingers may have issues. The clutch lever throw is not adjustable, like the front brake lever's is, unfortunately. The clutch action is light and smooth though, and it doesn't take more than slight pressure to get it to release for shifting. The real story however, is how easy clutch-less shifts are. The engine's power allows them in all gears above 1st, with just a quick throttle roll off. I only used the clutch a couple of times on that first ride, mainly at stops; otherwise it was clutch-less shifts all day long. I did not have any false neutrals, I did hit neutral a couple times accelerating (9000 RPM comes quick, let me tell you!), but that was on me, not the bike's fault.
The fit and finish matches any thing coming out of Europe and Japan, apart from the super high end stuff. Most fasteners are stainless or chromed, the wire looming is very neat and visually appealing. The paint job quality is the same as my Versys 650's. Welds are smooth and spatter free, including the crash bars (which work well, by the way). Even the aftermarket A1/A2 and ABS cutoff switch brackets that CSC has available are OEM level. Way better than anything that I was able to find online. They replace the rear half of the brake/clutch lever clamps and look factory, when installed.
The ergos are similar to the RX3's. Same super soft seat foam and rubber cover. If you have long legs, you'll want the Seat Concepts seat, to raise you up an inch and get your knees at less of a bend angle. I was feeling cramped after the 2 1/2 hours I spent on the first ride with the stock seat on, and I only have a 29" inseam. Since I'm keeping my RX3, with it's Seat Concept Seat, I'll need to either get another one, or buy some higher density open cell, or maybe even some closed cell foam and rework one of the two stock seats that I have now. I'll also pick up some marine grade vinyl and ditch the rubber cover. Mounting the bike will be an issue if you like to climb on via the foot pegs, due to the short side stand and substantial lean angle that it imparts to the bike. Right now, I'm using the right side peg to get on exclusively, the left side is a total no-go; it definitely needs either a longer side stand, or a thicker pad for the side stand foot, in order to stand the bike up more upright. It may not be an issue for those of you who just throw your leg over, though you will feel the bike's greater weight when you lift it up off the stand to get going.
Handling is not as fast as the RX3, which is not surprising in any way. It weighs more and rolls on a larger (19") front wheel than my 2015 RX3, with it's 18" front wheel. The fuel tank is definitely larger than the RX3, although I can't say by how much exactly. I can't give any fuel economy numbers yet, since what I did yesterday was nothing but full throttle roll on's and off's most of the ride, to help break-in the engine. So no idea on normal fuel consumption at this point in time.
The brakes are better than the RX3's, but not as good as my Versys 650's. I was able to use only one finger though, unlike the RX3, and stop with out issue. I suspect that upgraded aftermarket pads will improve it even more, same as the RX3. The pads are different than the RX3's, however, based on CSC's parts pages; I don't know if the pads are compatible with any other Japanese or European models. Hopefully the answer is yes, if not, maybe CSC can get some sourced from EBC, DP Pads, or some other aftermarket pad supplier. The brake lever is adjustable for reach, with 4 settings. The rear ABS works well, it doesn't let the rear step out of line and upset the bike in any way. I was not able to get the front ABS to engage; I rode all pavement for the first ride. I'll try to hit some gravel on my next ride and see how well it handles it.
This is all I know so far; I'm going to take it out tonight to evaluate the headlight and check on the speedometer accuracy with a GPS. Once I get that information, I'll let everybody know what I find out.