You engine chatter or personality.

[woppyvac]

Hello folks - this is my first post! I just bought a 2013 and so far have been very much impressed. I've had a few other bikes in the past and so far this bike has topped them all for my style of riding / needs. But I wanted to ask if you have noticed the engine gives a chatter below 3,000rpms and under load in top gear - almost 'grindy' like she simply doesn't want to play in that range. She smooths out once I start building her revs yet it's definitely different from any other engine rumblings I've encountered. Every engine I've ever owned had it's own personality/character and some kind of 'chatter' to learn. So I want to ask if anyone else has anything similar in their ride. I don't believe it's a defect since she still hauls tail down the road and who knows she may simply want an oil change with a different weight etc. - but looking to see other riders inputs. TY

 

[dduelin]

Yes, the 270 degree crankshaft and uneven valve timing give plenty of character. Embrace it, there is nothing wrong.

 

[670cc]

The oil is fine, assuming you put in the recommended type. The engine is fine. That's the nature of the beast. You won't hurt it riding between 2k and 3k rpm. That's where I ride mine most of the time, and that's where Honda often puts it with DCT drive mode.

Some people experience more roughness than others at low RPM, but it seems to smooth out as it breaks in. Be sure the final drive chain is not too tight, as that can aggravate some vibrations.

Welcome to the forum! Congrats on the bike purchase!

 

[ST13Fred]

I run my DCT in manual mode 'cause the NC will short shift, lugging the motor more than I like. In Sport mode it shifts too late. Shifting to 6th gear at 40 MPH on level road the bike takes on a whole new sound feeling 'luggy' until I get up to 45 MPH.

This and your NC is normal. Be sure to check tire pressures regularly as these wheels tend to lose air more than normal IMO. I run only the Honda oil in my DCT. Good luck with your new ride.

 

[sawride]

Have you seen this thread over in the technical forum? It helps explain some of the engine design. I recently purchased a new 2014 NC700XD (DCT) and am trying to accept that Honda knew what it was doing making it shift into 6th at 40 mph.

 

[dduelin]

Have you seen this thread over in the technical forum? It helps explain some of the engine design. I recently purchased a new 2014 NC700XD (DCT) and am trying to accept that Honda knew what it was doing making it shift into 6th at 40 mph.

Yes, it goes against what most of us are comfortable with but Honda knows what it is doing. Your owners manual gives minimum speed shift points far lower than most of us would do manually. (37 mph for 6th for instance). I had a 2012 NC and I'd never load it up under 25-2600 rpm as a rule and not under 3000 in 6th. Now with almost 10,000 miles on my 2015 DCT the rpm range from 2000 to 3000 doesn't bother me at all.

 

[woppyvac]

Thanks all! I anticipated it being a characteristic of the bike that was just foreign to me.

 

[ST13Fred]

I don't know how true this is but I've heard bikes are designed/built around 160# riders. I'm 220#. My NC engine works much harder pushing me around and would be lugging adversely on level ground in 6th gear @ 37 MPH. 40 MPH is my target speed.
BMWs are geared high. On any demo ride they will tell riders not lug the engine spin it up. Lugging will wear an engine more than the added RPMs of revving the engine.

 

[dduelin]

I don't know how true this is but I've heard bikes are designed/built around 160# riders. I'm 220#. My NC engine works much harder pushing me around and would be lugging adversely on level ground in 6th gear @ 37 MPH. 40 MPH is my target speed.
BMWs are geared high. On any demo ride they will tell riders not lug the engine spin it up. Lugging will wear an engine more than the added RPMs of revving the engine.

Maybe it's different in different parts of the country but on any BMW demo ride I've been on no one said anything about lugging the engine but this tale is rooted in BMW heritage. When the Slash 5 and later bikes (1969) demonstrated serious oil burning problems it was determined that the people buying them were afraid to really ride them for fear of breaking their new $$$$$$ motorcycle. After shelling out the dough for the most expensive production motorcycles on the planet their gentlemen owners never rode them hard enough to break in the piston rings. When the oil burner was brought in for a warranty repair the techs were instructed to take the bike out of eye sight and ear shot, rev it very high in neutral for 30 seconds or so then take it out for an "Italian tune-up" - a very fast run at high rpm to blow out the carbon and seat the rings. This would break in the rings and cure the oil burning with replacing a dime's worth of Bavarian metal.

 

[scotseam]

I agree with dduelin once you get used to it the low revs feel alright. This is a low revving engine. Power comes on quickly. Ride on and be safe!

 

[frozenpoet]

With almost 22,000 miles on the ncx, I still don't like to run that low. I'm sure it's fine, I just like it closer to 4k rpm.

 

[MZ5]

Honda's recommended 5->6 shift point is 37 mph. That puts the engine at close to 2k rpm after the shift. In fact, all their recommended shift points, possibly excepting 1->2, put the engine at about 2k rpm after the shift. This engine is designed around car-like rpm ranges, rather than more traditional Japanese-bike-like rpm ranges. Most cars' engines these days are turning under 2k rpm even at 70mph. It's perfectly proper and normal. Just saves some fuel vs shifting at 4k.

I don't particularly notice the shake/vibe unless I make the engine work down below 2k. If I open the throttle at 1500, it vibes strongly, but it still pulls and runs well.

 

[ST13Fred]

On any BMW demo ride I've been on no one said anything about lugging the engine...

I attended many Honda Hoot rallies in Ashville, NC and Knoxville, TN during the 90s. Every BMW demo ride had the same instructions by the road captains, rev the engines.

Moto Man speaks to the advantage of revving a green engine to get the rings seated early. Spinning the engine up and down under load several times to about 3/4th red line with cool down between sessions ending with oil/filter change is his procedure. The key is not to baby a green engine.

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

 

[woppyvac]

Man - it is insanity (really brilliance on Honda's part). I pushed a 150mile ride yesterday to work on 'retooling' my shift points. Not to sound old school - but it feels unnatural to be shifting under 3,000/4,000 rpm into higher gears. BUT damned if that isn't what she wants. Also - my mpg's just blossomed to about 70mile per freaking gallon. This bike is steadily leaving my fond memories of previous bikes in the proverbial dust.

 

[Akar.Zaephyr]

That's the NC's characteristic
I leave it in D because I love the low-rev grunt, and to be perfectly honest - it doesn't sound as nice at high rpm. It doesn't sound at all.
For now, NC's acceleration is perfectly fine for my inexperienced self and I just like the D shifting points, always making the engine sound like a V2

I can easily understand though, how people with much more experience riding other bikes find these gears/engine combination awkward at first.
Still, the best commuter bike on Earth (see my signature ).

 

[TigerDude]

The bike will ride fine at 2000 rpm but doesn't have much go when you twist the throttle. That's no issue for the DCT - it'll just drop a gear or two. I ride mine at 3000 rpm up to 55 mph. 3rd gear at 25 (it's lower than 3k, but ok at such a low speed), 4th at 35, 5th at 45, and 6th at 55 and up. Downshift from 6th for passing.

 

[jtkirk]

When my bike had fewer miles, it would lug when running 50 in 6th. With three years and going on 18,000 miles it's not as bad but I still don't like running below 50 in 6th very much.