New owner- just a few questions

[Reconrokon]

Probably already asked and answered many times over.

1) As a new owner of a 2012 NC700X, with 8600 miles, is running 89, 91 or 93 octane worth the cost? I read that anything 86 octane or higher is fine.
2) How often are you all adjusting chain tension and lubricating the chain? (I haven't owned a chain driven machine since my dirt bike days)
3) Oil change intervals and oil viscosity? (I have many cases of Honda GN4 10W40 and Honda full synthetic 10W40) I usually change the oil on my previous machines every 3000 miles. Any recommendations on oil filter? (Brand) I normally use HiFloFiltro (They make K&N and many factory branded filters BTW)
4) Any other maintenance info or advice that I need to know is much appreciated. I need to get a factory service manual if anyone has one they want to sell, let me know. I am famous for "over servicing" my machines, but the peace of mind is worth it to me. I normally go through any used machine I buy and replace all fluids, new plugs, air filter, fuel filter, ect.... It gives me a baseline to start my own schedule from.

Thanks in advance, Jay from Virginia (Reconrokon)

 

[davidc83]

1. All you need is 87 octane....anything else is a waste of money. We do not have performance engines which need the higher octane to eliminate engine knock. 2. I only adjust the chain when needed and I spray with lubrication when it needs it. 3. Oil changer per Honda, 8000 miles or so. 4. Honda states to check valve adjustment for the 2012-2013 every 8000 miles, but I check mine (2013) every 16,000 miles or so (what Honda changed it to for the later models.

 

[Rabbit]

Agreed with davidc83. Only 87 for my machine per Honda specs with no problem. Check the chain every 1000-1500 miles and adjust when out of spec (I usually go until it hits 45mm slack then adjust back to 35mm). Once you do the first adjustment though the chain will start stretching more rapidly. Yes, oil change every 8000 miles with 10w30 oil and I just use the OEM filter at this point. Do they cost 20$? Yes. Do I know they work, yes I do. As with all things your bike your choice.

 

[dduelin]

Regular grade gas is all that is needed. The type of chain installed on your bike and where you live will influence it's maintenance requirements. Modern chains are not fussy and don't require much. I keep mine cleaned with a rag wetted with WD40 and then apply a miniscule amount of 80w90 gear oil/ATF mixture and do this when it looks dirty or dry. This might be at 300 miles or a 1000 miles depending on the conditions. It stays in adjustment for thousands of miles until toward the end of it's life which for me is about 15 to 18,000 miles. I tend to stay with Honda GN4 10w30 motorcycle oil but any 10w30 or 10w40 motorcycle grade oil is fine. 10w30 car oil likely is not compatible with wet clutches like the one in the NC. Honda says change the oil at 8000 miles but I can never seem to wait that long and have a 5 or 6,000 mile habit. Mostly I'm bored on a stormy weekend and am looking for something to do so I change the oil in one of the bikes. OEM filters work for me. Davidc83 mentioned it and I second the 16,000 mile valve checks. The 2012-2013 NC700 service and owners manual gives an 8000 mile interval but in 2014 and up bikes the interval was lengthened to 16,000 miles and that is what I use. That said, I bought my current 2013 with 7300 miles on it and I baselined every fluid and checked the valves when I bought it. Going forward the interval will be 16,000 miles or as long as I can stand stormy weekends.

 

[670cc]

I can't add much, but mostly echo what has been written so far.

1) 87 octane (what I have around here) is fine (87 as per R+M/2 rating used in the USA, otherwise known as pump octane). Up to 10% ethanol is allowed. Don't waste your money on higher octane gasoline.
2) Chain maintenance is highly dependent on the chain brand/model, and the environment it runs in. I will say this, leave the chain slack set to the loose end of the spec, and the chain will be quieter and last longer. Do not clean it with a brush, in fact you want to barely even clean it at all. In my opinion most chains that lived short lives were damaged by over cleaning. The less you mess with the chain, the longer it will last.
3) Oil change interval is 8000 miles. You can change it more often, even daily if you want to, but the engine will last just fine at 8000 mile change intervals. Honda owner's manual recommends 10w-30 motorcycle oil, but the early NC700 service manuals also say that 10w-40 is acceptable, so you can use the 10w-40 oils you have.
4) Follow Honda's advice on other maintenance. I find that Honda is ultra-conservative in some of their recommendations. Some of us are seeing that the stock iridium spark plugs easily last 60,000 plus miles, and air filters can go 2-4 times Honda's intervals if you ride in a dust free environment. However, I think many people tend to ignore brake fluid and fork oil changes, so don't forget about them.

 

[Reconrokon]

Thanks for all the replies! Great information. I've been out of town for several days and will go for my first real ride tomorrow. Only been doing short rides so far due to time constraints. Best regards to everyone.

 

[Oldbear]

87 works great in the NC. You’ll have no issues. If your fortunate enough to have real gas vs the ethanol blend so much the better.

 

[mzflorida]

2) Chain maintenance is highly dependent on the chain brand/model, and the environment it runs in. I will say this, leave the chain slack set to the loose end of the spec, and the chain will be quieter and last longer. Do not clean it with a brush, in fact you want to barely even clean it at all. In my opinion most chains that lived short lives were damaged by over cleaning. The less you mess with the chain, the longer it will last.

I had no idea this was the case regarding using a brush on the chain. I use the grunge brush about every other time I clean a chain. I never noticed advice suggesting we shouldn't use a brush.

 

[Klap]

As 670 said, one important thing to look at, especially on a 10 year old bike is the brake fluid. If it has not been changed, it’ll be brown as coffee, and full of water!