Common Failures Of The Honda NC750X: Problems, Breakdowns And Disadvantages

Common Failures of the Honda NC750X

The 750X’s transmission comes in two packages, a six-speed gearbox over a slipper clutch, for riders who want a dash and auto-turning experience, it features Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission, which offers multiple shift patterns. gears adapted to specific driving conditions.

The Honda NC750X is a mid-size adventure bike with a single drivetrain. Without further ado about its excellent transmission, here are the most common problems with the Honda NC750X:

1. The technician installed an incorrect gearbox sprocket

We’ll start with a problem that unfortunately shows up quite a bit in consumer reports; the good news is that it is easily avoidable with the right information.

One of the most commonly reported problems with the Honda NC750X is the result of technicians replacing worn sprockets with the sprocket intended for the NC700; the two components appear interchangeable but are a different size.

Here’s an example of one of these consumer reports, pulled directly from the NC750X owner forums:

I’ve had the 2013 NC750X DCT running super good since I bought it (currently 32k miles done) until recently, it developed a sticky problem when shifting.

There are three problems that I have been experiencing. They are not happening all the time, but at least twice a day every day:

1. Jerky movement when shifting from 2nd to 1st gear. This happens on D, S, and manual settings. Most of the time when I’m slowing down the shift from 2nd to 1st gear happens around 11 mph occasionally the speed is already 11 mph then the jerk starts for a few seconds until the rate hits 9 or 8 mph and that is when the gear would shift to 1st.
2. When accelerating from a complete stop (either in D, S, or manual), the bike stays in 1st gear and doesn’t shift until I ease off the throttle a bit. I understand that if you accelerate faster the bike will hold that gear a bit longer if it’s in D or S mode, but even when I’m in manual, upshifting doesn’t do anything until I ease off the throttle a bit. This problem is more common than the jerky movement.
3. Slow response to gear changes . This mostly happens in manual mode, but occasionally in D. I’ve always experienced a bit of lag in gear changes when the engine is cold. Even so, after 3 minutes all gears were running super smooth again. Now this problem occurs even when the engine is hot. Sometimes there is a 3 second delay when trying to shift up or down.

If this biker’s descriptions sound similar to the symptoms you’ve been experiencing on your NC750X, especially if like them you’ve recently had a sprocket change, it’s likely the tech installed the wrong size.

• The Honda NC700 uses a 16T sprocket.
• And the 750X, instead, equips a 17T.

Take it back to the mechanic who installed the sprocket and share this information with them.

Now, let’s say you’re sure you’ve installed the 17T sprocket. In that case, they may have accidentally tampered with the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) oil temperature sensor, disconnecting a wire and interfering with the shift process.

However, since the report is so extensive, we lean toward the wrong sprocket size.

Or, as one NC750X rider said in response to the concerned rider quoted above,

” Definitely the front sprocket . A mechanic installed me the wrong one, and when accelerating it would hold until it came loose, just as you describe. I only noticed the problem when accelerating to get onto the highway after wasting time in city and A-road traffic, which led to an argument with a mechanic who has never seen my bike again after he replaced the sprocket.The excuse was that the parts catalog was wrong, and many Most of them are, but I think a decent mechanic should have spotted the size difference and consulted.”

And there you have it; the parts catalog lists the wrong replacement part number.

I’m willing to bet it’s been updated since then; we are doing our part to get this information just in case.

2. Poor fuel programming causes stops

In 2021 this next problem was so common that Honda had to issue a recall. The release specified that any 2021 Honda NC750X that had the DCT (dual clutch transmission) was on the list. The result was the withdrawal of 357 in the United States alone.

What was the problem with the DCT-equipped 2021 model year NC750X? According to the recall documentation posted on various forums and online articles, the fuel injection control module software was the problem.

Simply put, the fuel injection software was not programmed correctly at the factory, resulting in poor fuel injection, both at a stop and when accelerating from idle.

• Insufficient fuel injection can cause the bike to stall suddenly.
• A sudden stop can kill the momentum of the bike and scare the rider; both situations can lead to a collision.
• The issue was first discovered on the Japanese fleet of NC75X motorcycles in early 2021.
• Before the problem was isolated by Honda’s response team, reports of injuries were filed in Europe and the Americas, leading to a full recall in January 2022.

Honda rectified the problem by notifying all owners whose bikes are suspected of being misprogrammed and having them go to their local Honda dealer for a fuel injection software update, as well as a full DCT systems update.

If you are experiencing random stalls on your Honda NC750X, go to your regional dealer as soon as possible for a free software update that should fix the problem.

3. Engine overheating (requires valve adjustment)

One of the common failures of the Honda NC750X can be summed up as consumers experiencing poor engine performance after not performing routine valve adjustments.

Valve adjustments on a Honda NC750X are performed per the Honda specification intervals listed in the motorcycle’s owner’s manual.

Not setting the valves on your 750X to spec can cause poor engine performance and eventually overheating.

Symptoms of an overheated engine include:

• unconventional engine noise
• Smell of burnt oil
• Oil foam in the crankcase
• Engine overheating
• shaky gear changes
• Clutch lagging/change in clutch cable free play

First of all, don’t drive your NC750X if the engine overheats. Valve adjustment is a complex procedure. If you doubt your knowledge of home mechanics, there’s no reason not to shell out the money to have a Honda technician fix your 750X overheating problem. If your bike is still under warranty, making adjustments may void the warranty.

1. On a Honda NC750X, the first troubleshooting to perform on an overheating engine is a valve clearance check . You may want to remove the cam chain tensioner before you begin to avoid forcing it during the procedure. To be clear, I have never done a valve check on a 750X. Consult the service manual for the proper process.
2. Inspect the spark plugs . They do last a while, but it’s not unheard of for a spark plug to go prematurely for some reason, causing an irregular firing. In a dark environment, look for signs of arcing around cables and plugs. One or two cases of this have been reported. It is easier to see the arc in a dark environment; consider the dangers of operating a motorcycle indoors.
3. Perform an ECU reset by disconnecting the battery for half an hour. Then reinstall the battery terminals and start the bike without touching the throttle until the fan comes on. Hit the kill switch, I turn the ignition off, reset the kill switch and you should reset the ECU. Let the bike cool down, this is the perfect time to inspect and clean the battery connections.
4. Make sure the oil level is correct; not too low, but not too full either. The oil should never be above the maximum mark.
5. Inspect the drive chain and sprockets . Original chains used to be thicker, and this could cause excessive friction. If you suspect the problem is the sprocket, or if you have recently changed the sprocket, see section 1.

To be clear, it’s difficult to diagnose a bad engine based on a list of symptoms. If you are not a fully capable and equipped home mechanic, there is no shame in taking your bike to a trusted mechanic with knowledge of Honda who can perform these somewhat complex tests for you in a fraction of the time.

The NC750X is a reliable and durable bike with an industry leading efficiency based engine. That being said, all motorcycles require routine maintenance. It is part of responsible ownership.

Not adjusting the valves on your Honda’s engine can cause a drop in engine performance that can lead to overheating.

Make sure you perform standard maintenance according to Honda’s specified service schedule listed in the motorcycle’s owner’s manual.

General advantages and disadvantages of the Honda NC750X

Here are the general pros and cons of the Honda NC750X:

What do the reviews say?

Despite its decidedly adventure-bike look, Honda intends your NC750X to wear several hats. Sure, the ADV angle is obvious, but there are subtleties to consider. The first is the expansion of the storage space under the tank lid. It’s a liter bigger for a total storage capacity of 23 liters, shaped like an adventure cube, and this year, it comes with a USB-C socket that will power/charge your mobile devices on the go so you can arrive charged and ready to go. go out.

The NC750X’s tubular steel elements give the new diamond-shaped frame its strength, and the factory took full advantage of the variable thickness material to reduce 2.6 pounds of overall frame weight as part of an overall light-weighting effort. An effort has also been made to lower the trim, using the same liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine from the NC750X, but with some important differences.

The single overhead cam comes with a new honing that differs between bores and the mill can now be rolled a bit tighter up to a 7mil. Peak power is at 6,750 rpm, with 58 horsepower backed by 51 pound-feet of torque at 4,750 rpm. It drops 1.2 inches to 31.5 inches off the deck for a little more confidence when you have to put your feet down at a stop.