According to the dyno tests I´ve seen, it´s about 50 crank hp for the NC700, and about 70 for the Versys, DL650 and 650GS twin. The Transalp 700 was just about there in the middle, with about 60 hp.

These bikes are NOT about power, but 50 or 70 is still quite a big difference.

Fair enough, I was writing in very broad terms - having owned both a Blackbird (about 160 HP from memory) and a Fazer 1000 (150 HP?) all of these 650s feel much the same to me.
As you say, none of the 650s are about horsepower and the torque characteristics are more relevant.

I've just looked at the Versys handbook and the figures stated therein are:-
Power = 47 kW (64 PS) at 8K rpm
Torque = 61 N-m (45 ft lb) at 6.8K revs

I very much doubt that I have ever been near 8000 rpm on my versys (but I have on the inline 4s!)

Off Road Review
 

Finally an off road review of the NC700X.
RideApart Review: Honda NC700X | Hell for Leather Hell for Leather

I have a uk honda 700 dct . If i cruise at 60 mph i can get 83 mpg and have spoken to anothere owner with the manual gearbox who got 94 mpg on one occasion . Its more than capable of beating most cars but then i didnt buy it to do 100 mph everywhere

I have had my NC700X for 6 months in that time I have done 9000 miles some of them on easy pistes/unsealed roads in Morocco.
It carries it weight so low that it is not as bad as you would think offroad.With the right tyres it would/might be transformed.
i have consistently got in the high 70s to low 80s imperial mpg.Range 220 miles/350km
it has had one chain adjustment in 9000 miles (chain oiler from new)
the tyre life looks like it will be in the region of 10k rear 12/15k front.
it has,nt used a drop of oil in 9000 miles.The service intervals are 8k and the valve clearance adjustment are screw and locknut adjustment with good access once the radiator is moved out of the way.
it is plenty fast enough for RTW duties and being a low stressed Honda unit probably capable of a 100k.
Finally low mileage examples can be had quite cheaply in the UK.

The 700 is now replaced with a 750

Media reviews at Honda 2014 NC750X and Honda's NC750X in SA | Wheels24

Nc700x
 

Heh Wallace, Well I think you can't go wrong with the NC700X. I've had mine now for 2 Years. 40,000 K's. No problems. After market parts are now becoming more available. Just now installing stiffer springs front & rear. Should make a differene especially on rough roads. When loaded down with camping gear. Recently installed 1" fork extensions ( from VTX extreme ) made a nice change in short radius turns & a bit more ground clearance. Over half the K's on the bike are off the beaton track. ( gravel roads logging roads ) I live in BC Canada so there are lots of those. Love the low centre of gravity, easy to pick up when it's laying on it's side.

I've just finished a long road trip with my 2012 NC700X, from Gibraltar to Kazakhstan, 29'000 km without any single problem (except the steering column retightened in Ukraine). The shocks and wheels are not really made for heavy duty (I will not take this bike in Mongolia for example, or in tough offroad), but even on russian and kazakh roads and tracks they have done the job !
And it's a very cheap bike, to buy and to use, with a 4.5 liters/100km max fuel consumption fully loaded.

6 years later, I think it's time to share a few more pictures of this trip, where the NC700X has worked perfectly, in conditions not really done for such a bike ;)
Now I have a Ténéré 700, which is waaaay better offroad, but frankly the small NC did it well ! I would change one thing though : soft luggages (Enduristan like) instead of heavy and expensive panniers :)

Pictures :
- Bardenas desert, Spain
- Ukraine
- Kazakhstan
- Russia (Oural)
- Ukraine again (I succeded to repair my Touratech pannier, thanks to my hammer/U-lock ;) )

- Romania (Transfarragasan)
- Ireland
- then Morocco