Obvious things like power drop were very noticeable, even if expected. When you know the power at your disposal and the gaps you can blat into and overtakes you easily make, it takes some adjustment when you're dropping about 50% in power! I knew this was where I was going to feel disappointed and frankly I was! By the time I got to work I'd had a word with myself and got over it though!
Disappointments aside, there was some (unexpected) pluses! The NC feels like a moped compared to the AT! It is physically smaller by some amount and I'm pretty sure the handlebars are narrower too, or at least are at a height where I'm not constantly waggling the bars about to avoid van wing mirrors and I certainly made much quicker progress through traffic!
The DCT is soooo much smoother than the AT one. At first I was wondering if it was because the bike has a standard exhaust and not an end can with no db killer in, and maybe I just wasn't hearing the engine note change? But I soon realised its just a lot less clunky and Honda have indeed changed and improved things. A lot of the time I see the gear indicator change numbers but never felt the actual gear change. Lovely!
I guess I've replaced power with nimbleness and I reckon I can live with that. I'll still miss the AT though as that was a bike that just worked for me in about every way, but the commute has at least validated my decision to change.
Never paid for valve clearance as it's 24k, bike only on 7k ish. Yep, I suppose it comes down to mileage, my mt was just oil and filter every time. Chain lube and plug in to check fault codes.
Actually, now you mention it... 
