Just a reminder to gain "muscle Memory" as to the location of your "Kill Switch"

Just a reminder to gain "muscle Memory" as to the location of your "Kill Switch"

I just caught this thread on the NC700 site concerning malfunctions on a DCT African Twin. The bike starts revving up toward red line while the bike is in "D", without any input from the rider. The thread covers two cases where this happened where the bikes were stopped and as the rider started accelerating, and the rpms just shot up to near red line. Honda purportedly is currently studying the problem.

I raised the issue, because in my case I would have to think and look for the Kill switch in a similar occurrence.
http://nc700-forum.com/forum/nc750-general-discussion/10826-anybody-ordering-dct-better-reconsider.html

Scary experience for sure.
Not a bad idea to spend a minute looking at the kill switch and remembering what it's there for. So if/when you need it all you do is react and not even look for it.
I read the post in the link and a thread in another link from the first one.
Seems like the left switch could be the culprit on the Africa Twin.
Not sure though how control of the cable actuated throttle can taken away from the rider.
I'm thinking multiple factors stemming from the switch damaged by water intrusion, improper dealer servicing, and rider confusion.
Just out of curiosity, I will follow both threads to see what Honda comes up with.

ofdave said:

Scary experience for sure.
Not a bad idea to spend a minute looking at the kill switch and remembering what it's there for. So if/when you need it all you do is react and not even look for it.
I read the post in the link and a thread in another link from the first one.
Seems like the left switch could be the culprit on the Africa Twin.
Not sure though how control of the cable actuated throttle can taken away from the rider.
I'm thinking multiple factors stemming from the switch damaged by water intrusion, improper dealer servicing, and rider confusion.
Just out of curiosity, I will follow both threads to see what Honda comes up with.

Click to expand...

There were a lot of things in the posts that I didn't understand. Firstly, what is that left switch that they are talking about? Do we have one on the CTX700 D? Secondly, does the African Twin (AT) have an electrical (non-cable) throttle which is referred to in the industry as "Ride by Wire"? In any event, the posts have brought to light the inherent dangers of relying on electronics for critical elements of your motorcycle.

I have had a similar experience as the AT posters with my first bike, a BSA Victor 441 Special. I didn't really know how to ride. All I had ever ridden was a Harley Scat. I went to the dealer and bought the high torque bike and rode away. At the first traffic, light while at a complete stop, I gave it a little throttle when the light turned green. The torque overwhelmed me as I wheelied into the car in front of me. Once you have an unplanned wheelie, you get thrown back with such force that you end up giving the bike even more throttle.

I believe the AT has the next upgrade DCT with some more rider options. That with the our DCT tranny being rumored as one of the most reliable trans. in Honda's stable I'm not worrying.

As for the AT problem it does not have fly by wire so you can eliminate that as the problem. It's my understanding the AT's DCT is an upgraded version of our DCT with added rider selection compared to our DCT so I don't think we should worry.

As I read the riders the high rev can be explained while on the throttle when the tranny went into neutral. That would cause the high revs as the rider was still on the throttle. So I'd speculate it's the going into neutral the problem not the high revs. Then the rider says the clutch dumped, I take that to be one of the clutches engaged into gear. What could cause that? I'd had and if anybody ever has had a slipping clutch, the bike responds exactly what happened to this rider. Your on the throttle, the clutch slips, and RPM's skyrocket you get off the throttle and the clutch re-engaged.

If that was the problem, Honda will find out one way or the other why the clutch slipped or disengaged. But I know Honda from Wings (I had one) in the early 2000 overheating and how they did everything they could to keep it under raps. I'd be surprised if we every find what caused this guys problem. Let's hope I'm wrong.