Thanks for posting. If anyone else does their own inspection, can you also post pics? Especially if you have not done modifications in this area.

 

Excellent! Thanks Rebel.

 

These pics may not be any easier to see (great job Rebel) but here they are. From what I can tell, this one is good! I can see what looks like white silicone sandwiched in between the black plastic case.

 

Randy checked mine and said it is just fine. Yay. He also said "thanks" for this thread. It was very helpful.

 

Very helpful, thank you.
You can clearly see that it is resin, if you take a pic with your smart phone (iPhone, in this case).

 

howdy, my starter balks on first and sometimes second try but eventually cranks. would that be indication of problem in this thread?
ken

 

Yours can very well be a failed one. If I where you I would pull it out and take a close look at it for even spread and/or other abnormalities. Or just go to the dealer and they may just swap it out under the recall.

Another way to test in your situation:
If you can jump both of the large positive leads together (While the bike is on, but not running!)on the relay and it starts the first try every time unlike what you are experiencing, then that relay is bad!

 

@Rebel13
You are such a wealth of information and so willing to share it. I just wanted you to know you are very much appreciated. Thank You.

 

You all are welcome. I like being involved in my interest.

 

So, would you ride the bike if you knew you needed the relay switch replaced - is it too dangerous, in your view? Curious to get your thoughts. The dealer that sold me my bike just informed me of this yesterday while I had the bike in for other service. They checked it and said I need it. They called Honda about the part, and they said Honda could not provide an ETA when they part would be available to them.

 

Personally, do I think it is dangerous? Low odds for a dangerous fail scenario. But, the possibility of being stranded is far more risky.

 

If I'm understanding this correctly the starter switch on the handle bar controls this relay which presumably tells the starter motor to engage. Releasing the starter switch would disengage the starter motor once the engine is running. At this point is the starter relay doing anything productive? If not a person could carry a short piece of heavy gage wire under the seat to 'jump start' the bike as mentioned above...

 

If I'm understanding this correctly the starter switch on the handle bar controls this relay which presumably tells the starter motor to engage. Releasing the starter switch would disengage the starter motor once the engine is running. At this point is the starter relay doing anything productive?

This is true, but the relay has two parts.

If not a person could carry a short piece of heavy gage wire under the seat to 'jump start' the bike as mentioned above...

If only starting was the issue, than this would do the trick.

However, the relay does more than allow starting. There are added safteys on your bike like the side stand switch that also runs to the relay. If all the safety switches are closed, than the that circut is complete and the relay allows the starter circut to operate if it is engaged. If any of the saftey switches are open, the starter circut cannot complete cause the relay is open for that circut(it is not energized).

The other issue to this relay besides starting is operational fails. Even though your not starting it, the other circuts are still hot/active. The issue is bad insulation/weakend contacts. weakend contacts thins out the internal lines of the relay. This increases resistance. Increased resistance makes heat. When a circut is hot it gets weak. When it gets weak enuff it will break or burn, thus causing the problems. It's a slow process at first, but once it gets to a certian point, it will happen very quick. Chances are, if you have been riding the bike in all weather for thousands of miles now, you will probably never have an issue with it.

There are 6 wires on these relays:
1 Large - Positive wire to the relay from the battery positive side.
1 Large - Positive wire from relay to the starter.
1 small - Ground-from frame/negative battery
1 small - Positive-from starter button
1 small - Saftey Circut
1 small - Added ground or positive (depends on manufacture which)to support the saftey circut

 

As I found out! I would add if you try the jumper trick, make sure you are in neutral or in gear with the clutch engaged because it does in fact bypass both the side stand switch and the clutch lever switch. That led to an interesting few seconds...

 

for us Canadians, you can go to Honda Canada's site, enter your VIN and it lets you know if your bike is part of the recall:

Honda Motorcycle

 

Those pesky recalls! My 2006 FJR1300 had a recall like this related to the ignition. I ignored it due to a long trip I was leaving on, and sure enough, when I was in the middle of nowhere Missouri, pulled over for a photo op, it wouldn't start! My wife ended up having to call a flatbed from a rehab center, and follow bike (with me in the truck) as it was towed about 30 miles to a mechanic that could rig up a bypass switch, until I could make it back to Florida. Just an inconvenience and stay overnight in a bad motel for us, but at least I was a able to make it home. Moral of the story is, don't ignore those recalls!

 

Just wanted to thank you all for this thread, and for this link: Recall Information - Honda Powersports

Input your exact VIN, and it will return any open recalls on your bike. Handy.

 

Bump

I pulled my relay off another bike today to do some custom wiring. Doing so, reminded me to bump this subject.

Remember to check your relay physically or your vehicle identification number (VIN) against the recall list at the very least. Now that the cold weather is here and riding is at a minimum, now is the perfect time to get it done if you haven't done it already. New bikes being sold now at dealers should be cleared of this before they leave, but it wouldn't hurt to check to make sure. If you bought your bike used, be sure to check it!!!

 

Starter Relay Recall in Progress

Was up in Gatlinburg with my CTX700 DCT ABS 2016
Bike has just over 9000 miles
Turned off bike with ignition key not kill switch
Gassed up
Bike would not start
Just "click" "click" "click"

Battery fully charged
Kickstand not down
Nothing to blame

Took off seat and right about at right knee position is the starter relay
Jumped across the high amperage end connectors
Bike started up
Bike continued to start up from then on

Looked up starter relay CTX700 found this
https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles...-ar170627.html

Lots of other links

Went to my local dealership today and they said
"Your Vin is not included in Recall"
"If it is not totally failing we cannot fix/replace on just your word"
Got pissed
Bought the relay for just under $70
Put it in my self in about 2 mins
Moving on....​

 

Starter Relay Recall in Progress

Was up in Gatlinburg with my CTX700 DCT ABS 2016
Bike has just over 9000 miles
Turned off bike with ignition key not kill switch
Gassed up
Bike would not start
Just "click" "click" "click"

Battery fully charged
Kickstand not down
Nothing to blame

Took off seat and right about at right knee position is the starter relay
Jumped across the high amperage end connectors
Bike started up
Bike continued to start up from then on

Looked up starter relay CTX700 found this
https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles...-ar170627.html

Lots of other links

Went to my local dealership today and they said
"Your Vin is not included in Recall"
"If it is not totally failing we cannot fix/replace on just your word"
Got pissed
Bought the relay for just under $70
Put it in my self in about 2 mins
Moving on....
​

Unfortunately relays can fail on their own. Its good you went ahead and replaced it. The recall of the starter relay was due to the manufacturer of the relay using too much sealant around the edges. The sealant could come into contact with the electrical wiring causing a short or fire. Only those relays made by the specific manufacturer installed on various models of Honda motorcycles were required to be replaced. Owners of the CTX were actually lucky since the majority of the bad relays were installed in other models of bikes. The CTX recall amounted to roughly 600 bikes of various years.

 

What is the listing on Ebay? for $7 I will buy one and stick it in the saddlebag.

Kim

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/STARTER-SO...D-2014-2018/292006452044?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

Relay failed to start bike all day long on multi stop ride...
Had to jump (short across starter side) to start bike...


On going saga....
Suspect voltage drop from ageing battery going into 3 yrs...but if that is so...why would it cure itself....
intermittently...


First opportunity (non rain day) will digitally go through fuse box and check accessory induced voltage drops
(running lights, usb, back-off jack tail light flasher, stereo...etc)


Stay tuned...


Honda say's it it ain't broke they won't fix it...
Honda say's vin not on list...too bad....


Will find it eventually....

 

Did you ever find the problem? I have been out of pocket for a while on a multimillion dollar project at work and no time to get on the internet and only yesterday rode for 200 miles or so. It felt good. Thanks for the heads up on the relay. Have you tried roll starting the bike? that has go to be easier than jumping the solenoid.

Kim

 

If it's a DCT @Regularman, you can't roll start those.

Sometimes you have to do **** yourself when the manufacturer and or dealer want to play the hear no evil see no evil game.
If he were closer i'd help out, starter problems are usually not complicated. My CTX OE battery started showing signs of failure at the 2 year mark, failed by the 3rd year. First place I'd start diagnosing is the battery and relay, starter failures are pretty rare. Beyond that, the starter clutch can go but never seen any issue with it in the CTX, I ran mine pretty hard before I sold it.

 

Oh, good point. I wasn't thinking about those. I have been looking at how those work for a while and was not ready to go that route. I wonder how the DCT actually does when you stop? Does it just keep the throwout bearing engaged (clutch disengaged) the whole time you are stopped, or does it have something else?

Kim

 

No recalls on my CTX or my F6B.
Woo Hoo!

Doug

 

Ya'll are making way to0 big a deal of this. There have been 2 voluntary recalls involving the CTX700. The first one involved less than 235 CTX's due to a faulty ABS modulator. The problem was caught at the factory days before its initial release. Only 14 bikes had been sold by the time the recall had been announced and all bikes were corrected. The second recall involved less than 1300 2014 - 2015 CTX's due to an improperly sealed starter relay switch. Too much sealant was used on the switch. Again the problem was discovered at the factory. Motorcycles effected but still in dealer inventory were required to be corrected by the dealer before being sold. Those already sold should have been brought back and corrected. If you bought a used bike, then by all means check the recall list to make sure. If you bought a new bike, you should have nothing to worry about.

 

Ya'll are making way to0 big a deal of this. There have been 2 voluntary recalls involving the CTX700. The first one involved less than 200 CTX's due to a faulty ABS modulator. The problem was caught at the factory days before its initial release. Only 14 bikes had been sold by the time the recall had been announced and all bikes were corrected. The second recall involved less than 300 CTX's due to an improperly sealed starter relay switch. Too much sealant was used on the switch. Again the problem was discovered at the factory. Motorcycles effected but still in dealer inventory were required to be corrected by the dealer before being sold. Those already sold should have been brought back and corrected. If you bought a used bike, then by all means check the recall list to make sure. If you bought a new bike, you should have nothing to worry about.

I obtained my CTX from my deceased brother.
I had no clue if any recall notifications were sent to him or any recalls performed.
Thus,I checked.

Doug

 

Here's the list of effected CTX's. Note that no 2014 N models are effected.

 

I don't have a N model.
It is a 2014 CTX700 (fairing model)
Irregardless,it happens to not be on the list.

Doug