Honda NT700VA difficult selecting neutral

Trebor

Joined
Aug 1, 2026
Messages
9
Location
UK
Bike
Honda Deauville NT700V
Hello

I’m a new member and have really enjoyed looking through the various posts on the forum. I bought a 2007 Deauville 700 about 6 months ago which has 20,000 miles on the clock and have begun to find it very difficult to select neutral when stationary. I have to sit with clutch lever pulled when waiting at junctions/ traffic lights which isn’t ideal. When I finish my journey and want to leave the bike in neutral for starting again, I have resorted to pulling clutch lever, turning ignition off, turning back on again, selecting neutral without engine running then turning ignition off. Apart from clutch cable adjustment, I wondered what other things I could try to improve things.
Thanks for any advice you can offer.
 
Usually gear selection problems of any sort are rare though the gear change can be quite agricultural..... Clutches do seem to last indefinitely and certainly would need to have been seriously abused to give an issue at 20K miles. Clutch cables can seize/corrode internally and so be not releasing properly so, if adjustment OK, then a new cable (the old one is probably 20 year old remember!) would be a good place to start. Oil type can also affect gear changes so make sure correct recommended oil in place, but shouldn't really affect neutral selection too much. Cable issues in some form (any bar risers fitted as this can affect the cable) would be my first port of call. Happy fiddling!!
 
moriniman above has good advice to start.
It sounds like clutch drag. Can you feel the bike wanting to creep forward when stopped, in gear and clutch pulled all the way back to the grip?
Any mods done?

Arknt
 
Thank you very much moriniman2011 . The bike appears to be in really good condition and well cared for by previous owner including main dealer service history, so it is good to infer from your reply it is unlikely to be a clutch issue. The bike had been stood unused for about 18 months when I got it so I think I’ll remove the clutch cable and try giving it a good lubrication as a first step. The bike does not have bar risers.
 
ARKNT said:
moriniman above has good advice to start.
It sounds like clutch drag. Can you feel the bike wanting to creep forward when stopped, in gear and clutch pulled all the way back to the grip?
Any mods done?

Arknt
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply. The bike doesn’t feel like it is trying to creep forward when I’m stopped. When I stop in first gear say, then try to push gear shift up to put in neutral, it clunks in to second gear instead, I then try to push down in to neutral and it clunks in to first gear. At this point I usually then just hold clutch lever in until I am able to proceed.

The bike appears to be stock - the only mods I can see are one of the previous three owners has installed an after market digital gear indicator.

I have noticed there does seem to be a bit of lateral movement/ play in the gear shift linkage arrangement and wonder if this might be contributing to the problem.
 
Definitely lubricate the clutch cable, then adjust per the manual. One thing I had to do with the NT, and also with my NC700, was give a a couple of quick revs with the throttle, in 1st and clutch in, and then I could slide it into neutral; not sure why this works.
 
Since you mentioned it, look at pivot shifter bolt. A number of them have fallen off while riding and reported here. Make sure it's tight, there is a thin washer on each side
 
Woodaddict said:
Since you mentioned it, look at pivot shifter bolt. A number of them have fallen off while riding and reported here. Make sure it's tight, there is a thin washer on each side
Click to expand...
Hi thanks for the reply. So I have lubricated the clutch cable and removed pivot shifter bolt for inspection. The grease on inside of bolt was very sticky so cleaned that out and applied new grease. There was a rubber dust seal either side of the lever where the pivot bolt passes through it. There was also a metal washer on the in board only end of the pivot bolt. I checked the microfiche diagrams on the CMSNL website and my pivot bolt parts seems to be as per the microfiche. Just a case now then of getting an opportunity to test it out , the weather having taken a turn here today.
 
Interesting issue. I have had minor versions of this on many bikes. Mostly at a complete stop. Sometimes its easier to find neutral from first and sometimes its easier to find it from second.
So, if you are at a complete stop, and in first gear, does it want to go right to second gear? Conversely, if you are in second does it want to go right to first?
During hot weather which we have out west in the US, I find the 15W40 or even 20w50 works best for transmisions. If the clutch is working properly, without ripping down the tranny, this could be a tough one.
 
Coyote Chris said:
Interesting issue. I have had minor versions of this on many bikes. Mostly at a complete stop. Sometimes its easier to find neutral from first and sometimes its easier to find it from second.
So, if you are at a complete stop, and in first gear, does it want to go right to second gear? Conversely, if you are in second does it want to go right to first?
During hot weather which we have out west in the US, I find the 15W40 or even 20w50 works best for transmisions. If the clutch is working properly, without ripping down the tranny, this could be a tough one.
Click to expand...
Hi Coyote Chris - thanks for response. To answer your questions,.. yes, if I am at a complete stop and want to get neutral it goes straight to second, I then push down and it goes straight to first, I push up and it goes back to second …
It’s very interesting you mentioning about the weather. I’ve had the bike since December but only began riding it around February, it was cool in UK at that time. I don’t seem to recall the bike being problematic at that time. I have a few other bikes so hadn’t used the Deauville again until recently and as it happens in hot weather (UK heat wave). The problem becomes more evident the hotter the bike gets. If I start the bike from cold I can immediately put it in first gear at standstill and get back in to neutral. I can’t do this however as soon as the bike begins to warm up.
I changed the engine oil about 3 weeks ago . The owner manual specifies API SG or higher, SAE 10w-30, JASO MA. I put in API SL/SJ, 10w-30, JASO MA/MA2.

On reflection considering how hot it’s been here on some days this summer, 10w-40 may have been more appropriate. Furthermore David Silver (Honda parts specialist supplier ) oil offering for this bike is 10w-40. Perhaps I ought to try changing the oil again if a test ride after having lubed cable and shifter pivot bolt shows I still have a problem (temperature is dropping here to seasonal norms).
Thanks once again for your help
 
You said that has aftermarket gear indicator? Is it a box or something attached to shift lever interfering with shifting?
 
Woodaddict said:
You said that has aftermarket gear indicator? Is it a box or something attached to shift lever interfering with shifting?
Click to expand...
Hi the digital gear indicator is a first generation Heal Tech Gipro DS-Series. Although I have not traced the wiring on the bike, it appears from supplier documentation I have seen online that it is wired in to the diagnostic port.
 
Change the oil. The NT700 Deauville's gearbox like fresh, good quality oil. Mine would go very clunky as the service interval approached.
 
Hi bit of an update. So following lubing/ adjustment of clutch cable and greasing of pivot bolt I have now test ridden the bike.
It is still difficult to select neutral at standstill.
Initially I said that the bike does not attempt to creep forward when selecting first gear but I realise now that I had my hand on the brake lever when stationary. If I don’t have brake applied, indeed the bike attempts to lunge forward when I put in gear.
I am also finding when attempting to go from 3rd to 4th or 4th to 5th , it isn’t always successful and often taking a second attempt. I have noticed this before and should have raised it as it could be relevant.
I don’t know if other Deauvilles sound like mine when putting into gear but it is very clunky (must sound to nearby pedestrians as if I’m crashing the gearbox without even pulling clutch lever in).
I suppose this is beginning to point to the clutch not disengaging fully when clutch lever operated
 
Based on your new info and based on the statement that the bike sat up for quite a while. I would guess the clutch plates might be sticking together. Thus not releasing fully. Might have to replace the clutch plates.
 
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Unless I missed someone mentioning it, make sure the clutch lever free play is correct. I always set mine where I can leave my pinky and ring finger under the lever on the grip and get the clutch to release when it reaches that point. Still sounds like it's not releasing. As noted by several, oil type can make a difference. I've never run anything but the Hondaline 10W40 and have never had a problem with that in over 107K miles. Hope you get it figured out.
 
WVRider said:
Unless I missed someone mentioning it, make sure the clutch lever free play is correct. I always set mine where I can leave my pinky and ring finger under the lever on the grip and get the clutch to release when it reaches that point. Still sounds like it's not releasing. As noted by several, oil type can make a difference. I've never run anything but the Hondaline 10W40 and have never had a problem with that in over 107K miles. Hope you get it figured out.
Click to expand...
Thanks WVRider I will try your suggested clutch lever adjustment. Ive just looked at history of this bike and perhaps lack of use maybe contributing to the problem. First registered in 2007 but had only done 2500 miles (9 years) by 2016. The bike then did a further 15000 miles (3 years) by 2019 but then remained off the road until 2024. It then did 200 miles and stood idle until I obtained it at the beginning of 2026.

I have just adjusted clutch as your setting. I put the bike in first gear , engine not running then attempted to push it. The bike only began to move as the clutch lever contacted my pinky/ ring fingers. I will road test the bike in the morning and see if there is any improvement.

If no improvement, I will swap the recently installed 10W30 for 10W40. If still no improvement, I guess I will have to open the clutch up and inspect it. Considering its lack of use, I wonder if I ought to try and give it a good run before opening clutch?.
 
Trebor said:
Thanks WVRider I will try your suggested clutch lever adjustment. Ive just looked at history of this bike and perhaps lack of use maybe contributing to the problem. First registered in 2007 but had only done 2500 miles (9 years) by 2016. The bike then did a further 15000 miles (3 years) by 2019 but then remained off the road until 2024. It then did 200 miles and stood idle until I obtained it at the beginning of 2026.

I have just adjusted clutch as your setting. I put the bike in first gear , engine not running then attempted to push it. The bike only began to move as the clutch lever contacted my pinky/ ring fingers. I will road test the bike in the morning and see if there is any improvement.

If no improvement, I will swap the recently installed 10W30 for 10W40. If still no improvement, I guess I will have to open the clutch up and inspect it. Considering its lack of use, I wonder if I ought to try and give it a good run before opening clutch?.
Click to expand...
I would run the bike a bit before getting into the huge job of getting to the clutch. You have already adjusted the clutch, so there is some free play in the cable at the handlebar end. With the clutch released, make sure the cable isn't tight at the clutch lever end. The cable should have a little wiggle there also, or the cable is binding up In the sleeve. I've had that happen to me.
 
cliffh said:
I would run the bike a bit before getting into the huge job of getting to the clutch. You have already adjusted the clutch, so there is some free play in the cable at the handlebar end. With the clutch released, make sure the cable isn't tight at the clutch lever end. The cable should have a little wiggle there also, or the cable is binding up In the sleeve. I've had that happen to me.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for advice. I’ll see how things go over coming weeks before rushing in to open clutch up.
 
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