To be honest I was slightly nervous before testing Honda's new NT700 Deauville.  I was a bit intimidated by how big this bike looked on pictures I saw of it beforehand but was surprised when I walked up to the showroom and saw the NT standing outside - not that intimidating at all.  In reality the bike is actually quite narrow, thanks to the compact 680cc 52° V-twin.  Getting its roots from the ST1300 Pan-European, the NT looks very solid and streamlined, with integrated indicators as well as integrated side panniers.  Nothing looks like it has been added as an afterthought.
 
The first thing you notice when you climb onto the bike is the seat height - being only 805mm meant that I was able to put both my feet flat on the ground.  This eliminates quite a bit of the weight factor you have on some bikes and thus makes manoeuvrability a lot easier.  With both hands on the handlebar your arms are almost fully extended, like on a cruiser, with absolutely no strain on your wrists whatsoever.  The rear-view mirrors are mounted way in front on either side of the windscreen which means that you can easily see past your shoulders.

The large dash in front of the handlebar accommodates all the necessary, easy to read, analogue gauges.  In the middle are all the warning lights and on top of that is a small LCD screen for the onboard computer on which you can choose to see the odometer, trip 1 meter, trip 2 meter, average fuel consumption or the current fuel consumption.  On each side of the fairing you will also find a little cubbyhole, one of which is lockable - perfect for storing your wallet and cellphone.
 
Driving through traffic is a breeze.  Weighing in at about 236 kg dry, the bike is easily flicked from one side to another.  The neatly integrated side panniers results in the bike being almost just as wide at the back as it is in the front, so you don't have to hesitate when going for a gap between two cars.  The V-twin isn't really a high revving engine and there is quite a bit of vibration when you reach 6000rpm, not that you really need to rev it that high.  With 62.2 Nm of torque there's more than enough grunt in the lower part of the rev-range although the 48.3 kW of power is only achieved at 8000RPM.  Gear changes are somewhat stiff and I occasionally found myself stuck in the same gear after releasing the clutch lever.  This could however easily be avoided by a more precise shift with the left foot.  Overall the power delivery is very smooth thanks to the NT being shaft driven.
 
Hitting the open road is where this bike really starts earning some points.  With its nice large adjustable windscreen at the highest setting you can effortlessly cruise at 140kph+ without a hint of wind on your upper body.  The NT is the perfect option if you want to travel long distances in absolute comfort.  The seat is comfortable for both rider and pillion and you should be able to eat up the kilometres without having to waste precious riding time by stopping every now and then to relieve the backside of some numbness.  Because of its 19.7l fuel tank you shouldn't have to stop for fuel very often either.  You can even buy a topbox, as well as extended side pannier lids which should make the available luggage space more than enough for you and your pillion.

If you often dream about touring in style and comfort without having to sell your house to cover the payments, the new NT700 Deauville is the bike for you.