How To Bleed 2012 Honda NC700X Motorcycle Brakes

How to Bleed the Brakes on a 2012 Honda NC700X

What You Are Working With on This Bike

The 2012 Honda NC700X stops with hydraulic disc brakes at both ends. The front brake is applied by the lever on the right handlebar and works a caliper at the front wheel, while the rear brake is applied by the foot pedal on the right side and works its own caliper at the rear wheel. Because both ends are hydraulic, both get bled, and each has its own master cylinder reservoir — the front one up on the bar, the rear one down near the pedal assembly. That is the single most useful thing to understand before you start: you are not bleeding one system, you are bleeding two separate ones, and each needs its own supply of fresh fluid and its own careful attention.

Honda sold the 2012 NC700X in both ABS and non-ABS forms, so look at your own machine before you assume. If your bike carries an ABS badge or an ABS indicator on the dash, treat it as ABS-equipped. On an ABS bike, a routine flush through the caliper bleeders is still the normal way to refresh fluid, but if the reservoir has ever run dry, or the ABS unit or its lines have been off the bike, air can be trapped inside the modulator where a hand bleed will not reach it. That situation needs a dealer-level procedure or diagnostic tool, and it is covered again at the end of this article.

Symptoms That Mean It Is Time to Bleed

The classic warning is a lever or pedal that feels soft or spongy, or a front lever that now comes noticeably closer to the grip than it used to before the brakes bite. A pedal that sinks slowly under steady pressure while you hold it is another red flag. Pull the reservoir cap and look at the fluid: dark, cloudy, or contaminated fluid is past its useful life even if the brakes still feel acceptable.

Any job that opened the hydraulic system also calls for a bleed afterward — new brake lines, a caliper that came off for service, or master cylinder work. Beyond that, brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air over time, and moisture lowers the fluid's boiling point. A bike that never sees a track day can still benefit from a periodic flush, because fluid that boils under hard, repeated braking turns to vapor in the lines and gives you a lever that goes soft exactly when you need it most.

Tools and Supplies to Gather

• Fresh brake fluid of the type printed on your master cylinder reservoir cap, from a sealed container. Do not substitute a different type.
• A box-end wrench that fits the bleeder valve on each caliper snugly.
• A length of clear tubing that fits tightly over the bleeder nipple, plus a catch bottle to hang it in.
• Rags or shop towels, and a syringe or turkey baster for pulling old fluid out of the reservoirs.
• The correct driver for the reservoir cap screws on both the front and rear master cylinders.
• Optional but helpful: a one-way check-valve bleeder or a vacuum bleeder, which makes a solo job much less fiddly.

Setting Up Before You Open Anything

Get the bike held securely upright on a stand so it cannot tip while you are leaning on the lever. For the front circuit, turn the handlebars until the front reservoir sits level — a reservoir that is tilted will spill the moment you crack the cap. The rear reservoir is usually tucked in behind a body panel or beside the frame near the pedal; make sure you can reach it comfortably and see the fluid level inside.

Brake fluid attacks paint and many plastics on contact, so drape rags over the bodywork, the instrument cluster, and anything below the reservoir before you loosen a screw. If a drop does land on a painted surface, wipe it up immediately and rinse the area with water rather than waiting until you finish.

The Bleeding Procedure, Step by Step

1. Start with the front circuit. Remove the reservoir cap and diaphragm, then use the syringe or baster to draw most of the old fluid out of the reservoir. Leave a little in the bottom so you do not push air into the master cylinder.
2. Top the reservoir up with fresh fluid from the sealed container.
3. Push the clear tubing onto the front caliper bleeder nipple and route the other end into the catch bottle, with the bottle positioned so the tubing runs upward away from the bleeder.
4. Squeeze the front lever slowly and hold it against the grip.
5. With the lever held, open the bleeder about a quarter turn with the box-end wrench. Fluid and any trapped air will push out through the tubing.
6. Close the bleeder fully before you release the lever. Releasing with the bleeder open draws air straight back into the caliper.
7. Repeat the squeeze–hold–open–close–release cycle, checking the reservoir level every few strokes and topping it up so it never runs low enough to pull air in.
8. Keep going until the fluid coming through the tubing is clean and free of bubbles, then close the bleeder snugly.
9. If your bike has two front calipers, bleed them one at a time, finishing the second caliper the same way. As a general practice, start with the caliper farthest from the master cylinder and work toward the closest.
10. Move to the rear circuit and repeat the same sequence at the rear caliper, using the pedal instead of the lever: press and hold the pedal, open the bleeder, close it, then release.
11. Watch the rear reservoir level just as carefully as the front — it is smaller and empties faster than you expect.

Finishing Up and Checking for Leaks

Once clean, bubble-free fluid is coming through at both ends, tighten each bleeder snugly. Snug is the goal, not gorilla-tight; overtightening can damage the seat and cause a leak. Fill each reservoir to the level marking on the body, reinstall the diaphragm and cap, and wipe down every surface you touched. Then inspect the bleeder nipples and the banjo fittings at both calipers and both master cylinders for weeping or dampness. A dry paper towel wiped around each fitting will tell you quickly whether anything is seeping.

Confirming the Job Before You Ride

The front lever and the rear pedal should both feel firm and consistent, and neither should creep toward the end of its travel while you hold steady pressure. Spin each wheel by hand and listen — the brakes should not drag or rub. Then take the bike to a quiet, safe area and test the brakes at low speed before riding normally. If anything feels vague at that first gentle application, stop and go back through the bleed rather than telling yourself it will improve.

When This Job Belongs in a Shop

If the lever will not firm up after several honest bleeding attempts, if it only firms up after you pump it, or if bubbles keep appearing no matter how long you work, something else is wrong — a worn master cylinder seal, a pinhole in a line, or air trapped somewhere a hand bleed cannot reach. Fluid weeping from a master cylinder or caliper is the same signal. On an ABS-equipped NC700X, any event that let air into the modulator itself should go straight to a dealer. And if your bike turns out to have a combined braking system with extra bleed points and a required sequence, and you are not fully confident you can follow that sequence correctly, hand it to a professional. Brakes are not the place to guess.

Related Shopping Categories

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Shop Brake Tools for a 2012 Honda NC700X Motorcycle.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your motorcycle's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.