Honda NC700X, CTX700 and NM4 Key Replacement

Quick answerHonda's 670 cc twins sold in the US, the NC700X, CTX700, CTX700N and NM4, all start with a plain cut key. Their US manuals from 2013 to 2018 have no immobilizer section. What sets them apart is where the key goes: these bikes hide the fuel filler and storage in unusual places, and each model does it differently.

Honda NC700X, CTX700 and NM4 key quick facts

Honda's US manuals for the NC700X (2013 and 2015), CTX700N (2014), CTX700 (2016) and NM4 (2018) have no HISS or immobilizer section.
On the NC700X one lock does two jobs: key counterclockwise releases the rear seat, key clockwise releases the luggage box lid.
The NC700X fuel fill cap is under the rear seat and has no lock of its own.
On the CTX700 and CTX700N the fuel fill cap is under a shelter lid and is removed with the ignition key.
On the NM4 the key works the front seat lock, the left front utility box and the rear utility boxes; the fuel cap sits under a lock cover.

Honda NC700X, CTX700 and NM4 key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2013-2015	NC700X, NC700X DCT ABS	mechanical cut key	no	Key number plate supplied. Ignition with steering lock, plus one body lock for the rear seat and the luggage box.
2014-2018	CTX700, CTX700N, with or without DCT	mechanical cut key	no	Key number supplied with the original keys, on a key number plate in the 2014 CTX700N manual. Ignition, fuel fill cap under the shelter lid, and seat lock.
2018	NM4	mechanical cut key	no	Two keys and a bar-coded key tag. Ignition, fuel cap, front seat lock, rear seat backrest lock, left front utility box and rear utility boxes.
Varies	NC700 series sold outside the US	transponder key (HISS)	varies	Manuals for other markets include a HISS section. Check an import for a HISS light on the dash.

Same engine, four different lock layouts

Honda built a whole family around its forward-leaning 670 cc parallel twin, with or without the automatic dual clutch transmission. The NC700X is the adventure-styled one with a storage box where the fuel tank would normally be. The CTX700 and unfaired CTX700N are low cruisers. The NM4 is the futuristic one with the tall front fairing. In the US every one of them uses a conventional key; the later NC750X carried that on, and it has its own page on this site.

The interesting part is how each bike uses that key, because fuel and storage are not where you expect.

Need a key for your NC700X?

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Where the key goes on each model

Honda's manuals show the ignition key used as follows.

NC700X luggage box: key clockwise in the body lock, then lift the front of the lid; it holds a helmet, the tool kit and the owner's manual box
NC700X fuel: key counterclockwise in that same lock, lift the front of the rear seat, and the filler cap unscrews underneath
CTX700 and CTX700N fuel: open the shelter lid on top of the dummy tank, put the key in the cap and turn clockwise to remove it
CTX700N luggage box: a small compartment reached through the shelter lid
CTX700 seat: key clockwise in the seat lock; the helmet holder and document bag are underneath
NM4 front utility boxes: the left one locks with the key (turn clockwise, hold, press the release button); the right one does not lock
NM4 rear utility boxes: key clockwise, then lift the lever
NM4 fuel cap: under a lock cover; the key stays in until the cap is locked
NM4 seats: key counterclockwise in the seat lock to remove the front seat, which covers the tool kit, helmet holder and document bag; the rear seat folds up into a backrest with the key held counterclockwise in its own lock

Fuel-stop lockouts and other regular calls

The NC700X layout produces a specific kind of trouble. You need the key at every fill-up to raise the rear seat, and both the seat and the luggage box lid latch on their own when pushed down. Honda's manual warns not to lock your key in the compartment under the rear seat, and gives the same warning for the luggage box. If your only key is shut inside, the box can be opened without damage and a spare cut the same visit.

On the NM4, Honda's manual says not to turn or remove the key forcibly while pulling up the rear utility box lever, and the key cannot be taken out until the lid is locked and the lever is back in place. Forcing it there is how a key gets bent.

If the last key is lost

On an NC700X a lost key also means no fuel, since the filler is behind the seat lock. We confirm ownership from your ID and registration or title, then work from the bike's locks to produce a key, and run it through the ignition and every body lock on your model. The key number plate, if you still have it, speeds things up. There is no chip on US bikes, so nothing has to be registered afterwards.

Where to find the key code

NC700X: on the key number plate supplied with the keys. CTX700 and CTX700N: a key number provided with the original keys (the 2014 CTX700N manual shows a key number plate), which the manual asks you to record. NM4: on the bar-coded key tag. The NC700X manual box inside the luggage box is a common place to find a previous owner's record of it.

What to have ready

Have this ready when you call or text

Year, make and model of the bike
Where the bike is parked
Whether you have any working key, a broken key or a key code
Photo ID and registration or title (we verify ownership before making a key)

Honda NC700X, CTX700 and NM4 key FAQ

Does the US NC700X have HISS?

No. Honda's US manuals for 2013 and 2015 have no immobilizer section. The NC700X sold in Europe does, so an imported bike is the exception.

I locked my key in the NC700X luggage box. Can it be opened?

Yes. The lid latches by itself when pushed down, and Honda's manual warns about exactly this. A locksmith can open it without marking the bodywork, and can cut a spare from the key once it is out.

Why is there no lock on my NC700X gas cap?

The cap is under the rear seat, and the seat is what locks. The key releases the seat and the cap simply unscrews.

Does a DCT model use a different key?

No. The manuals cover manual and DCT versions together and describe the same key and locks for both.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Honda HISS Immobilizer: Keys, Lost Keys and the Warning LightHISS, the Honda Ignition Security System, is Honda's chip-key immobilizer: the engine only starts when the bike recognizes a coded chip in the key.

More Honda models

Services for this bike

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BMW Motorcycle Case and Top Case Keys: One-Key CodingBMW's rider's manuals say the cases and top case can be fitted with locks that open with the same key as the ignition, and on some tourers the panniers and top case already share the vehicle key from the factory.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.