My biggest gripe with the NT...

I could get Dudley on the centerstand pretty easy until I lowered him. Then losing 90 pounds of weight made the maneuver almost impossible for me.
 
NewTo700V said:
Far from it. My current other bike(s) is a Honda sports bike.

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I do like my 8th Gen VFR side stand peg. As I age and my sense of balance goes, I look down at my FJR's behind the foot rest, look back up, make sure I am leaning to starboard, then feel for the peg and lower the stand. I then look down to make sure its deployed and lower the bike. An FJR is a handful of a bike.
 
Chuck - I just drop the wheel through the hole for the removable panel on my Harbor Freight lift. It takes some wiggling but still a lot quicker than removing exhaust & rear fender.
 
If we ever meet up I will tell you a story about putting it back on using that method, of what happened to me. Funny now, not then.
 
mechahayai said:
I was expecting to see another complaint about getting the key in and out. That’s my main frustration. I have a gps mounted down there, so that doesn’t help things.
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I've installed the OEM Honda GPS bracket (P/N 08B40MEW80001, Bracket Navi MT) on my GF's NT, but it turned out not to be the culprit why she occasionally couldn't wiggle the key in...
It's her habit of having the ignition key & the smaller key for the topcase on the same ring: small Givi key falling downward, resting tip on handlebar-clamp, blocking insertion of ignition key ;)
Checked the lock 3 times, blew some graphite in, works perfect...
 
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ST1100Y said:
Oh-yeah... been there... :sneaky:
Enlarged the bore above passenger peg in the RH footrest plate to ease future access to the notorious heat-shield bolt hidden there right during my very first [rear wheel procedure(TM)] ;)
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I didnt find taking off the rear wheel that bad. I took off the tail which was just a bit of wrench spinning, loosened up the muffler bolts, and pulled the muffler to Starboard a bit and jammed it there. Thinking back, I may have built a quick and dirty 2x4 platform so the front and the center stand could be on 2x4s and I had a removable section in the rear.
 
I've no idea why some insist on messing with the muffler for a rear tire change. Is it simply because Honda said to? The caliper stop bolt can be removed enough to free the caliper by backing it right up against the exhaust. I loosen and tighten it using the two spanners interlocked for added torque.

The axle nut I approach with a combination axle wrench that I pass a 14mm Hex bit socket through attached to ratchet or torque wrench depending on if I'm loosening or tightening.
 
I've been using a simple method to torque the rear axle nut. First, make sure the axle is free of any crud, corrosion and lightly grease, then insert through the final drive and swingarm. At this point there is nil drag on the axle. Install the nut, then hold it with a large wrench and torque the axle from the left side.

Normally you always torque the nut and not the bolt because there could be drag on the bolt shank caused by tight clearances to the pieces being joined. On the NT, the axle goes through two axle bearings and the swingarm on the right side. The hole in the swingarm is a metal-to-metal contact but if its pinch bolt is loose, that hole is actually a tiny bit oversize so there isn't any drag there.

I bought the bike new in Dec 2009 and in the early-spring of 2010, I was planning to take a multi-state trip so I wanted to check that the drive & driven flanges had plenty of Moly 60 and was glad I checked. I've been using this method since that time.
 
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Yes, all good methods. What ever works for you is OK. I finally solved my issues with the 2010 NT700V and sold it, and my aging 2003 ST1300, for a 2014 FJR type III. And have never looked back. Both Hondas were good bikes, but the FJR has proven itself to be far superior in the last six years. Both in performance and in ease of / minimal maintenance. As of yet after 45k miles and 6 years, no unscheduled repairs other than a battery. Sold my NT to my neighbor riding buddy. Here is a picture of the two bikes together out on a ride we took.

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Chucksklrst said:
Sold my NT to my neighbor riding buddy. Here is a picture of the two bikes together out on a ride we took.
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I recognize those big pannier lids. They're in Spokane, WA, now at Empire Cycle. Empire is waiting on a break in their new bike prep and sales to get into prepping the only 138,000 mile bike in their used inventory. :cool:

I bought the lids from Chuck's neighbor Gary Nowlen. He hadn't had the NT very long when he decided to quit riding.
 
ST1100Y said:
Didnt want to damage the crush-rings sealing the down-pipes on the heads on this, back then unknown to me motorsickle... :sneaky:
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I took the muffler off once. IMHO, there is alot more damage going on trying to remove that blankety blank muffler by twisting and warping and pulling than just moving it over a bit:)
 
Chucksklrst said:
Yes, all good methods. What ever works for you is OK. I finally solved my issues with the 2010 NT700V and sold it, and my aging 2003 ST1300, for a 2014 FJR type III. And have never looked back. Both Hondas were good bikes, but the FJR has proven itself to be far superior in the last six years. Both in performance and in ease of / minimal maintenance. As of yet after 45k miles and 6 years, no unscheduled repairs other than a battery. Sold my NT to my neighbor riding buddy. Here is a picture of the two bikes together out on a ride we took.

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Buying a left over 2014 FJR was a great idea for me, although I freely admit that the straw that made the camel buy the bike was its beauty. It has stayed as if you are going to eat miles up in all kinds of weather, its hard to beat. Its fun to tour on my V strom and VFR too and they are staying here also. But they are fun in different ways. The left over 2010 NT is gone to a good (I hope) home. I am not sorry I bought it and owned it for all those years.....but I am not sorry that it is gone. There is one very big indication that it is time for a bike to go. If you have three bikes and the third bike is an NT and you hardly ever pick it to go for a ride, And feel you have to ride it to keep it in good condition, then its time to look for another bike.
 
One of the ways to get around having to take the muffler off again was to reverse the rear axel. If I remember correctly, slide it in to the swing arm and pumpkin from the Left Side of the bike. Them it can be removed much easer with out having to take the muffler off. Worked for me.
 
Chucksklrst said:
One of the ways to get around having to take the muffler off again was to reverse the rear axel. If I remember correctly, slide it in to the swing arm and pumpkin from the Left Side of the bike. Them it can be removed much easer with out having to take the muffler off. Worked for me.
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Errrr....that is the way the bike came from the factory. Axel in from the left (pumpkin)
 
Yeah, the Rear Axle nut goes on the muffler side. If a NT is acquired with the axle nut on the left side of the bike, someone along the chain of ownership goofed big time.
 
When I removed the rear wheel in early-2010 to add Moly 60 to the splines before my long trip, I thought about reversing the axle then realized it would requiring removing the muffler for tire changes. I've had the muffler off once and it wasn't fun getting it back on!
 
Coyote Chris said:
IMHO, there is alot more damage going on trying to remove that blankety blank muffler by twisting and warping and pulling than just moving it over a bit:)
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Can't confirm, silencer slipped off the pipes easily with minimum force required... :unsure:
I also had (and studied) the workshop manual prior working on the NT, hence was I prepared with new packings for the job, with copper-slip applied the installation was also smooth...
 
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