Need Help 2012 nc700x clutch issues

[INTHEWIND]

I believe that I may have found the issue. Thank you so much for posting the pictures from the service manual! I measured the friction discs that were in the clutch already and they are at about 2.8mm. Service manual stated it should be between 2.3mm (absolute minimum and replace immediately) to 2.78mm. The new discs I ordered are about 3.2 to 3.4mm.

That should solve it, with everything else looking fine. I’ve inspected the push rod and lifter rod to make sure there’s not any gouges, wear or other abnormal things and everything there looks fine.

I will be ordering some oem Honda friction discs. Where do you all prefer getting yours from? I have been looking at Revzilla, hondapartshouse, and motosport. Any others you prefer or recommend? Or have the fastest shipping?

So the thicker discs took up all the the adjustment? Good catch.

 

[762x54]

The aftermarket strikes again!!! Glad you figured it out.

 

[670cc]

What puzzles me is why any clutch work was being done on a motorcycle that had traveled only 6400 miles. I would expect an unabused clutch should easily last 100,000 miles.

 

[Duff1234]

What puzzles me is why any clutch work was being done on a motorcycle that had traveled only 6400 miles. I would expect an unabused clutch should easily last 100,000 miles.

I also was curious about that. Never got an answer from the prior owner on that. And looked up the vin check after the fact. I’m the 5th owner so there is a lot of information lost or willfully omitted along the way, I’m sure. But apart from the clutch issues, everything else has been great with it so far.

 

[Duff1234]

I have ordered the new oem friction discs and metals just to be sure it’s all back to original. And I should be getting those sometime this week. I will report back after the install.

 

[the Ferret]

I also was curious about that. Never got an answer from the prior owner on that. And looked up the vin check after the fact. I’m the 5th owner so there is a lot of information lost or willfully omitted along the way, I’m sure. But apart from the clutch issues, everything else has been great with it so far.

you are the 5th owner in 6400 miles? What is with people?

 

[The Phoenix]

I believe that I may have found the issue. Thank you so much for posting the pictures from the service manual! I measured the friction discs that were in the clutch already and they are at about 2.8mm. Service manual stated it should be between 2.3mm (absolute minimum and replace immediately) to 2.78mm. The new discs I ordered are about 3.2 to 3.4mm.

That should solve it, with everything else looking fine. I’ve inspected the push rod and lifter rod to make sure there’s not any gouges, wear or other abnormal things and everything there looks fine.

I will be ordering some oem Honda friction discs. Where do you all prefer getting yours from? I have been looking at Revzilla, hondapartshouse, and motosport. Any others you prefer or recommend? Or have the fastest shipping?

Mainly I have purchased parts and lubricants from Partzilla.com and RonAyers (hondapartshouse and motosport dealer). I do look at Revzilla for reference and comparison purposes. HTH.

 

[MZ5]

Since my last non-Ride-Now local gave up trying to be competitive, I'm back to using Ron Ayers as well.

 

[Duff1234]

you are the 5th owner in 6400 miles? What is with people?

I’m not sure. Maybe people didn’t know how to look things up and didn’t like the lower 6500 rpm rev limit? Or some of the registrations were dealers taking it in on trade? The whole thing baffles me a bit.

 

[wheel_of_steel]

Hello everyone! I purchased a used 2012 nc700x manual version. It only has about 6400 miles so a lot of this just seems crazy to me with so few miles.

When I have the clutch lever adjusted (using the adjustment on the side casing and at the lever) with the correct specs of free play, it drags and the clutch won’t fully disengage. So the bike will start walking with the lever fully pulled to the handlebar. I can adjust the clutch tighter without any free play, to get it to work like a normal clutch and fully disengage, but then it’s partially disengaged all of the time and will surely burn out the discs in no time and slips during moderate acceleration.

I ordered a new clutch cable, friction discs, metal discs and went to change it. After putting in the new discs I have to tighten the side case adjustment to its tightest setting and the tightest setting at the handlebar and it’s still not disengaging the clutch.

I have pulled up the parts diagram at Revzilla parts diagram and every part in the clutch is present, all washers, everything. I’m at a loss and can’t seem to figure it out.

Just looking for any advice or suggestions. Also, when I put the clutch center rod into the shaft in the clutch outer guide, there’s nothing in that shaft, it’s just empty straight through to the other side. Should there be anything in that shaft that the clutch center rod pushes against?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

Hi Duff, I have been through this nightmare with the 2012 nc700s clutch system. I never fully resolved it, by the way.

Long story short, what solved it was spending $$$ on a new OEM set of fibres, steels, judder spring and seat, and springs, and paid a mechanic to install it. Also installed a new OEM cable later. That solved about 70% of the adjustment issue, but I find it still tends to drag more than other bikes, especially when the oil is anything but brand new. I had no luck with "EBC" clutch parts off ebay due to the taller stack height, and I may have installed the judder spring/seat backwards or in the wrong order. It's really hard to tell the correct order from the service manual and/or parts diagram.

I haven't had this problem doing clutches on other hondas, kawasakis, and suzukis. All were road bikes, all used random aftermarket clutch components just fine. I think it's just a characteristic of the nc700, perhaps they have a high mechanical advantage leverage ratio on the clutch lever for an easy pull, but that might limit the amount of pushrod travel down at the engine cases?

 

[Duff1234]

Well, my new kit came with all of the correct oem discs. Measured and in spec. But it didn’t solve the issue at all. It’s still something else.

I should clarify, the drag/creep (with my clutch properly adjusted to have a slight free play at the lever and when fully pulled to the handle bar) that I’m referring to isn’t just a really slow creep. I’ve not just tested it to see how fast if I just let it get up to speed that way, but it would probably be a slow walking speed if I didn’t use my brakes.

I’m at a loss as to what it might be. Oil is not overfull, and is brand new.

New clutch cable is the same also.

 

[762x54]

I feel your frustration! At this point you may want to examine the clutch lifter plate and the pressure plate for wear or warpage. You might check to see if the arm
where the lower end of the clutch cable attaches is pulled fully forward when the clutch lever is against the hand grip. Good luck.

 

[Duff1234]

I feel your frustration! At this point you may want to examine the clutch lifter plate and the pressure plate for wear or warpage. You might check to see if the arm
where the lower end of the clutch cable attaches is pulled fully forward when the clutch lever is against the hand grip. Good luck.

I didn’t see any obvious issues or warping with anything. I feel like I’m at the point where I will have to just create a list and just replace each and every part, one by one, until I find the issue.

I’m not sure what “fully forward” should look like in a properly functioning machine. But tonight I will take 2 pictures. One showing the sidecase lever with the handlebar lever out and the clutch engaged. And another with the handlebar lever fully pulled to the handlebar to show how far it travels and if that looks the same or different from anyone else who can confirm what theirs does.

 

[Duff1234]

Here is a picture with the lever having slight free play at the handlebar and the lever at the handlebar fully out:


This is pulling the lever at the handlebar fully down to the handlebar:

 

[762x54]

I measured the travel of the actuator lever on the right crankcase cover on my bike; it is .625-.750 inch depending on how you measure. If yours doesn't move that far it might be the problem. Also, I reviewed the pics you posted on 28 July, and it looks like there may be two of the judder spring washers on the clutch center. If so, that might be a problem.

 

[Duff1234]

I measured the travel of the actuator lever on the right crankcase cover on my bike; it is .625-.750 inch depending on how you measure. If yours doesn't move that far it might be the problem. Also, I reviewed the pics you posted on 28 July, and it looks like there may be two of the judder spring washers on the clutch center. If so, that might be a problem.

The diagrams show it is supposed to have two. One is flat (judder spring seat) and the other is conical (judder spring). That’s what mine has, the flat one on the bottom side in that picture and the conical judder spring at the top.

But I will measure the distance of travel at the side case to be sure of what mine is doing.

 

[Duff1234]

Also, I reviewed the pics you posted on 28 July, and it looks like there may be two of the judder spring washers on the clutch center. If so, that might be a problem.

Actually I see what you mean. From what I remember when I inspected that part, it was just a raised ridge and didn’t come off, but it appears that might be something to investigate and take a look at again. That would fit the symptoms with it always being tight and causing extra friction.

 

[Duff1234]

As it turns out, there was an extra judder spring seat on the inner basket. Taking that off completely solved rhe problem and the clutch functions as it should now with no issues!! Thank you all for your help, especially @762x54 for noticing that from my pictures and making the comment/suggestion!

 

[INTHEWIND]

As it turns out, there was an extra judder spring seat on the inner basket. Taking that off completely solved rhe problem and the clutch functions as it should now with no issues!! Thank you all for your help, especially @762x54 for noticing that from my pictures and making the comment/suggestion!

I measured the travel of the actuator lever on the right crankcase cover on my bike; it is .625-.750 inch depending on how you measure. If yours doesn't move that far it might be the problem. Also, I reviewed the pics you posted on 28 July, and it looks like there may be two of the judder spring washers on the clutch center. If so, that might be a problem.

Good catch.

 

[adrianhettich]

In the similar boat
Assembled as per diagram and now I do have around 10mm play between the push rod/pin and clutch itself. I did checked and everything is as should.
Friction and metal plates are the same thickness.
After putting the cover back on, fully pressed clutch lever doesn’t even reach the spring feedback?? What to do now?
And I do have one more question,
762x54 mentioned that the extra washer might be the cause of clutch drugging and apparently it worked as should when removed? is it the number 22 from diagram with the marking “outside”??
Because that’s even more confusing - I’ve watched the only one video available on YouTube (Arabic?) when the guy removed the cover, that very washer was placed on a bearing 24, but when he putted everything back together, he placed it as per diagram between 20 and 19?
Any ideas?

took everything apart and assembled it again, same result...... no idea what i did wrong.