Woah! The planets have all aligned! In the past I bought two boxes of four plugs for my GL1800. I put six, of course, in the Goldwing, leaving two for who knows what. I just checked them, and you guessed it, they're BKR6E-11 plugs!
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NGK spark plug
- Thread starter Old Can Ride
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Woah! The planets have all aligned! In the past I bought two boxes of four plugs for my GL1800. I put six, of course, in the Goldwing, leaving two for who knows what. I just checked them, and you guessed it, they're BKR6E-11 plugs!
HondaTree
New Member
Thank you for your 2 cents. Sounds like valuable information.
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Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
GP06
New Member
Just when I was starting to doubt the informative value of the this forum. Great work gentlemen! Greatly appreciated
StratTuner
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Wow. I hope that's the right one because I just ordered two!
Ruggybuggy
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How about the NGK Iridium IX Spark Plug 3764. It's the Iridium equivalent to the 2756 and costs $10.09 at Napa?
There is also the NGK G-Power Spark Plug 7092.
2756
7092
3764
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Ruggybuggy
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I do have a question. What is the purpose of the diode in the IFR6G-11K?
normanlai
New Member
How about the NGK Iridium IX Spark Plug 3764. It's the Iridium equivalent to the 2756 and costs $10.09 at Napa?
There is also the NGK G-Power Spark Plug 7092.
2756
7092
3764
hey buddy, have you tried any of these? i figured the basic iridium would be equally good as the honda OEM. I figured if Honda lets us leave it in for 50,000 km, which is years for some of us, maybe they trust the iridium to hold up much longer over other material. it doesn't even cost that much!
FYI, my dealer here, handed me a substitute, its also Honda OEM part, but seems they said all measurement are same, and its in stock. FR8bi-11
sorry to wake an old thread.
N97972
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I am coming up on 32,000 on my NC so I found myself here doing a bit of research after I was quoted the high dollars
for the plugs. Happens the same plug is specked for my '05 Element but they're not to be replaced til 110000 miles. Maybe
I should save them for the element?? Kidding. About the same price everywhere on line. What's everybody using at this point
for the plugs. Happens the same plug is specked for my '05 Element but they're not to be replaced til 110000 miles. Maybe
I should save them for the element?? Kidding. About the same price everywhere on line. What's everybody using at this point
BerndM
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I for one have no intention of ever changing my plugs unless I notice a degradation in performance or mileage. I will pull them at service intervals to check and clean them up a bit and back in they go.
In over 50 years of riding. the only plugs I have ever NEEDED to change have been on 2 stroke bikes, back in the day.
My best experiences have always been with Bosch plugs in all my previously owned BMW's, which have all had them installed from the factory.
In over 50 years of riding. the only plugs I have ever NEEDED to change have been on 2 stroke bikes, back in the day.
My best experiences have always been with Bosch plugs in all my previously owned BMW's, which have all had them installed from the factory.
I think that what OCR is referring to is the anode, not the diode. Cupronickel and iridium are the anode (a.k.a. center electrode) material. I don't think you will get equivalent life from it, but if the reach and heat range are the same it should function as well while it lasts.
That plug is a colder heat range than the one that it came with (8 vs. 6). I would not use them.
MZ5
Well-Known Member
Plain copper Champions. Used, from a couple years ago when I tried them for fit & function. Just to get under the skin of the NGK die-hards on here.
All in good fun, you understand, but I'm using the copper Champions and will continue until they either wear out or cause me some kind of trouble. I removed the stock plugs at somewhere around 34k-ish(?) miles.
Finding plugs that fit the hole is easy. It is a 14mm with 3/4" reach. The heat range 6 of NGK corresponds to a 9 or 10 in a Champion and a 6 or 7 in a Bosch. Past that you should make sure that the non-spec plug is also a resistor plug like the original. The "-11" indicates a factory gap of 0.044". You are "giving up" the special firing end construction whatever it is and whatever benefit it allegedly provides. I would tend to wonder why they would bother to go special if there were no benefit. The amount of money that Honda would make by raping a paltry few NC700 owners wouldn't buy lunch for the brass. And in fact, as a special low volume part number, the price may realistically reflect the higher part cost. Who knows? I certainly don't.
Like the great philosopher Popeye says...
Like the great philosopher Popeye says...
Popeye the Sailor-man said:
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Old Can Ride
Active Member
I now have over 32,000 miles on a set of BKR6E-11 NGK plugs. Runs exactly the same as the higher priced longer lasting plugs. NO PROBLEMS !!!! You do the math.
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D
Deleted member 1183
I have been wondering about the life of modern plugs. The 32,000 miles recommended interval on the NC leaves me some leeway as yet, as I only have 29,000kms on my bike. My Triumph has 32,000kms on its original plugs and I have to assume for the moment that they are also iridium tipped plugs (I am obviously no expert). The two engines are very different in bore/stroke/rev range and I assume the NC will be easier on plugs because of its slightly higher gearing and lower rev range. The Triumph has a 20,000 mile replacement recommendation. I assume such a recommendation is related to its 9000+ rev range, but I rarely go over 5000rpm anyway. I mention the Triumph as both bikes were purchased around the same time.
Does anyone know what the symptoms are on a modern engine, that would motivate plug replacement ? My own thoughts are a less responsive motor or sluggishness higher up the rev range. I noticed the Triumph hunting very slightly at tickover the other day and immediately thought of plugs but that could also be throttle bodies out of synch. Some views would be appreciated.
Does anyone know what the symptoms are on a modern engine, that would motivate plug replacement ? My own thoughts are a less responsive motor or sluggishness higher up the rev range. I noticed the Triumph hunting very slightly at tickover the other day and immediately thought of plugs but that could also be throttle bodies out of synch. Some views would be appreciated.
Plugs wear. Mostly at the center electrode unless you polarize the coils backwards (as I often find on old BMW's because it is so easy to do). If you polarize them backwards the ground strap wears. The ground straps will lose their sharp edges over time from erosion. Since the sparks like to jump from a sharp edge, they don't work as well with rounded off ground straps. Different electrodes wear differently. Iridium (+rhodium alloy) lasts the longest. Platinum is next, but they are kind of falling by the wayside these days. Cupronickel (copper) is last. Iridiums are the now common long lasting plugs, but they are available in different configurations that have different power and durability characteristics. The OEM style iridiums usually have a thicker center electrode and (on cars) will last over 100,000 miles. The power iridiums have a thinner electrode. They give a slightly better spark but don't last as long (20,000 - 50,000 depending on the design).
As far a plug replacement, they are a bit like shock absorbers. Most vehicles on the road probably need new shock absorbers, but they don't get them because the vehicle runs anyway. Some never get them. Plugs are a bit the same way. The vehicle will run, but not as well as it is capable of. So, again, there are lots of vehicles on the road that could benefit from new plugs but will probably not get them. The performance is lost gradually and like boiling the frog, people either never notice or don't care. Plug construction is a big factor in how long they last. How well the fueling is working is another. If they start getting new conductive paths over the insulator because of fouling they will start running crummy. Lower long term average fuel mileage is a good determinant of normal wear, as is harder starting and a bumpy idle. Acceleration gets more sluggish, but again, since there is not usually a step change you might not notice.
I think changing them on the recommended interval is the best approach. It keeps the performance at a high level and I would prefer to do that than wait until I couldn't bear it any more. There is also a small risk with the long lasting plugs if you wear them too long that the center electrode will wear down so low that it overheats the insulator and it breaks off. Little ceramic bits then go battering around the combustion chamber and hopefully find the door before they do real damage. This isn't much of an issue with the standard life plugs as they quit firing before they get that far gone.
I do shocks on mileage also. Tell me that your shocks have lasted 100,000 miles and I will tell you that you have been running on worn out shocks for 70,000 miles. You may also choose to run cheap plugs forever too. That is fine, and we all get to choose. For me, factory spec plugs at the recommended interval is just part of the cost per mile of keeping the vehicle.
As far a plug replacement, they are a bit like shock absorbers. Most vehicles on the road probably need new shock absorbers, but they don't get them because the vehicle runs anyway. Some never get them. Plugs are a bit the same way. The vehicle will run, but not as well as it is capable of. So, again, there are lots of vehicles on the road that could benefit from new plugs but will probably not get them. The performance is lost gradually and like boiling the frog, people either never notice or don't care. Plug construction is a big factor in how long they last. How well the fueling is working is another. If they start getting new conductive paths over the insulator because of fouling they will start running crummy. Lower long term average fuel mileage is a good determinant of normal wear, as is harder starting and a bumpy idle. Acceleration gets more sluggish, but again, since there is not usually a step change you might not notice.
I think changing them on the recommended interval is the best approach. It keeps the performance at a high level and I would prefer to do that than wait until I couldn't bear it any more. There is also a small risk with the long lasting plugs if you wear them too long that the center electrode will wear down so low that it overheats the insulator and it breaks off. Little ceramic bits then go battering around the combustion chamber and hopefully find the door before they do real damage. This isn't much of an issue with the standard life plugs as they quit firing before they get that far gone.
I do shocks on mileage also. Tell me that your shocks have lasted 100,000 miles and I will tell you that you have been running on worn out shocks for 70,000 miles. You may also choose to run cheap plugs forever too. That is fine, and we all get to choose. For me, factory spec plugs at the recommended interval is just part of the cost per mile of keeping the vehicle.
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My experience with a car and a truck having worn plugs or bad ignition coil pack is that they misfire at low RPM/high load (although there are surely other possible symptoms). In the case of the NC, that would be most likely be accelerating in 6th gear from 2000 RPM. The engine may buck and sputter as you accelerate slowly or try to maintain steady speed against a hill or wind.
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Or, when passing a car where the NC really doesn't have that much oomph to spare.
OCR said:
The math is that factory plugs at factory intervals is $0.0018 per mile - the equivalent of losing 3 miles per gallon in fuel economy. It would not be uncommon to lose 5% fuel economy from worn plugs. In fact, 10-30% is possible. This raises the possibility that some people are riding around costing themselves more in lost fuel economy than it would cost to change plugs.
Replacing plugs before they're worn makes perfect sense. However, when would that be? NGK says:
"A traditional IX iridium plug such as NGK ZFR6FIX-11 has an iridium Center Electrode, however the ground electrode is a traditional nickel construction. Therefore, the ground electrode will wear out first. NGK gives them a life expectancy of 40-50k miles. But they have to temper their projections as driving conditions and motor modifications differ. Typically we have found you can expect 60,000 to 80,000 miles on an unaltered motor." https://www.ngk.com/learning-center/article/202/how-long-do-iridium-plugs-last
Honda says 32,000 miles. While you can't go wrong with that, I think Honda is being a bit wasteful in their recommended plug change interval.
"A traditional IX iridium plug such as NGK ZFR6FIX-11 has an iridium Center Electrode, however the ground electrode is a traditional nickel construction. Therefore, the ground electrode will wear out first. NGK gives them a life expectancy of 40-50k miles. But they have to temper their projections as driving conditions and motor modifications differ. Typically we have found you can expect 60,000 to 80,000 miles on an unaltered motor." https://www.ngk.com/learning-center/article/202/how-long-do-iridium-plugs-last
Honda says 32,000 miles. While you can't go wrong with that, I think Honda is being a bit wasteful in their recommended plug change interval.
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Maybe. Maybe they are considering emissions performance. Maybe motorcycle use is more severe duty. Also, life is different for different iridium plugs based on the electrode tip diameter. Another factor if you run them to the grizzly end-of-life is that the combustion chambers start to carbon up from incomplete combustion. The amount of money you are "throwing away" is so small. I see it the same as trying to see how long motor oil will run. Lots of people do it. The smarter ones submit samples for used oil analysis to have a scientific basis for their decisions. Others simply guess and gamble. I guess the smart "plug-lifers" will remove and inspect them for electrode and ground strap wear. Don't re-gap an old iridium plug. The ground strap can become brittle from use and may break off in the engine. The iridium tips are also fragile and can get damaged in the process.
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