'14 CB1100A first ride and some questions

[Banned]

The skies finally parted and I was finally able to take out my new to me '14 CB1100A for its first ride, albeit a short one at just under 200km.

First, before giving my impressions I must preface them by adding that although I have been riding for 31 years and have logged about 250,000km in the saddle, most of that has been on V-Twin cruisers (28 years). Also, when I find something I like I tend to keep it so I haven't owned that many street bikes - '83 CM450E, '82 CB900C, '84 Virgo 1000, '00 Sabre 1100, '03 HD Night Train - so I don't have the wealth of experience of owning 50 different bikes to compare to like some on here.

What can I say about the overall package (ride and presentation) - simply amazing!!! I loved it.

Aesthetics - the bike is absolutely stunning to look at and I honestly can't think of anything that "needs" to be changed. I specifically wanted a 2014 model because I didn't want the blacked out 2016 (I still have my Night Train) and i don't like the spoke wheels, seat or 4 - 2 exhaust on the 2017. Sometimes I think I would like a red one but run into the garage and look at the Spencer Blue, soooo nice. If I were to nit pick, the mirrors seem a little too retro but work good so good enough. Maybe the fork lowers could be powder coated, and the tail light assembly is just strange but none of those things really bother me.

Ergonomics - I bought this bike as a back injury and surgery has made the seating position on my Night Train very painful. The upright position on the CB1100 is almost perfect for my 6'2" 230lb frame, I could use about 1" more leg room but close enough.

Seat - the stock seat looks good (far better than the new 2017 in my opinion) and is reasonably comfortable for what I will use the bike for - short trips on the back roads.

Suspension - far better than my Night Train, I'm sure I can dial it in a little better but need some more seat time first.

Brakes - the front brake is outstanding and takes very little effort to haul the bike down from speed. The back brake is every bit as bad as the front brake is good. Seriously, my HD back brake beats this one by a mile. Is it the ABS that makes it seem weak?

Exhaust - I absolutely love the twisted, discoloured header and 4-1 exhaust and dislike the symmetry of the new one. It gives the bike the look of a brawler. I dislike loud pipes (I put a Q series Vance & Hines on the Night Train, good power without making everyone angry) but it could stand to be a little louder.

Transmission - so smooth you barely even know you have shifted.

Engine - pure work of art, I could look at it all day. I even like the oil cooler as it serves a purpose (I put one on the HD) so is functionally beautiful. I know at big complaint is the power but it has more than enough for me to ride the back roads (highway rides will be rare) and responds remarkably like my HD up to 140km/h but is much faster 140-180kph, which really doesn't matter that much to me. 120-`130kph is a comfortable speed for me and the CB1100 gets there fast enough for me.

Handling - very nimble (again coming from the cruiser world) and required very little input to steer around the corners. I am no racing god and won't be dragging a knee anytime soon but I have touched parts of my HD down on occasion - I don't see it as an issue on the CB.

Overall I can't say enough how much I like this bike and I am ecstatic that I was able to ride more than 10 minutes.

Questions:

Being a V-twin guy the I4 is new to me, what is the best RPM range to cruise in? It seems to be most comfortable in the 2750-3000rpm range but that could be just be because I'm really used to low revving motors.

ABS- I've never had a bike with ABS, is the ABS light supposed to be on all the time on the dash? Mine is. Does the ABS make the brakes feel a little less responsive when stopping fast?

Anyway, that's my $.05 worth - for what its worth.

[The ferret]

Good review and imo very accurate

ok see if I can answer your question:.

Some complained about the weak rear brakes on 13 and 14 models. Most didn't. In those that did, air was found in the rear brake, so maybe yours just needs some bleeding. I have never felt the rear brake to be as strong as other bikes I have ridden.

You will never feel the ABS unless it kicks in and it would take a lot to make it kick in. An ABS equipped CB feels just like a non ABS equipped CB in non emergency use. I have owned both.

The ABS light is supposed to come on when you start the bike and go out at 6 mph (maybe there is an issue with yours I would have a tech check that out.)

It's good that you are feeling at ease with the bike so quickly considering the years you spent riding a cruiser with it's laid back position. If it helps you ride longer, money well spent.

[Lord Popgun]

According to the manual, ABS System, after '13 model.

The ABS control unit performs a pre-start self-diagnosis to check whether the ABS functions normally until the vehicle speed reaches 10 Km/h (6mph). After pre-start self-diagnosis, The ABS control unit monitors the ABS functions and vehicle running condition until the ignition switch is turned OFF (ordinary diagnosis).

When the ABS control unit detects a problem, it stops the ABS function and switches back to the conventional brake operation, and the ABS indicator blinks or stays on. Take care during a test-ride.

There is another note that says: If the ABS indicator does not come on when the ignition switch is turned ON, or the ABS indicator stays on after the pre-start self-diagnosis is completed although the ABS system is normal, the ABS indicator circuit may be faulty.

That from the manual. I'm with Ferret on this. Take it to a dealer and have them fix this. ABS parts are EXPENSIVE and you want Mother Honda paying for them!

I was one of the main group that found air in my rear brake. A lot in my case. Now the brake is good. Not awesome, but it works now.

---

Here is one example of lower pegs: http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....1#pid30281


Here is another. There are more. http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....1#pid27251

[Cormanus]

What to say W/R? So glad you enjoyed it. Ferret doesn't agree, but the seat becomes harder and harder as the day progresses!

By the way, when you need a master class in discoloured pipes, let me know!

[enterlance]

I have owned a supersport (Kawasaki zx 6r) and a cruiser (Yamaha vstar 1100) and I agree with you that the rear brake isn't the strongest. But it works for me as I use them to adjust cornering, u turns and stuff. When coming to a complete stop, it usually not an issue.

[Flynrider]

(05-16-2017 12:54 PM)W/R Wrote:  Being a V-twin guy the I4 is new to me, what is the best RPM range to cruise in? It seems to be most comfortable in the 2750-3000rpm range but that could be just be because I'm really used to low revving motors.

It's a personal preference. Many I4s that are tuned for peak horsepower tend to be somewhat anemic at lower rpms. The CB11 has a remarkably linear power band that produces usable power from a few thousand rpm to redline. As such, you can pretty much run it wherever it feels most comfortable to you.

I'm an old school I4 guy and am used to cruising at higher rpms. I've found that the CB feels right cruising at 5K rpm (like my CB750). At that rpm, the buzz in the bars disappears and I get better acceleration when I roll on the throttle. Even though mine is a '13 with only 5 speeds, I rarely use 5th gear anymore.

Try out different gears in cruise and use whatever feels best for you. The CB11 is happy to run wherever you like it.

[Banned]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

You are right, my ABS light goes out after I am underway. I was waiting for it to go out during the stationary warm up, forgot to check it during riding and when I turned the bike back on there it was still on. I think it will just take me awhile to get used to the ABS, whenever I get a new bike (as rare as that is) I always take it to an empty parking lot to do emergency braking tests (as you don't want your first time braking hard to be in emergency situation under extreme stress) and it definitely does not react like I am used to.

I think the ease I had in transitioning to the CB1100 from the cruiser world can be attributed to a few factors:
1. I ride dirt bikes (or used to) so I am not unused to an upright position

2. a lot of people bash Harleys but have they ridden the more performance oriented models? Certainly the huge land yacht touring models and anything with the current craze of huge fat tires don't handle that well but my Night Train with the 21" front tire and drag bars is quite responsive when riding "spiritedly". It has some performance upgrades over stock but the power is very similar to the CB1100

3. most importantly I think it is a testament to the neutral design of the CB1100, everything about it is neutral - power band and delivery, seating position, handling - and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. It is this neutrality that makes it a truly great motorcycle and while I personally think that it is too much bike for a beginner, its easy going nature certainly makes it an excellent bike for any experience level.

Hmmm, I don't know if I could get used to running at 5000rpm - I would always think that the bike is about to blow up.

[Lord Popgun]

So I typed all that ABS stuff for nothing. Thanks dude!

I never ride around at 5K rpm either.

[The ferret]

[MM300]

(05-17-2017 09:13 AM)W/R Wrote:  Hmmm, I don't know if I could get used to running at 5000rpm - I would always think that the bike is about to blow up.

Some people like to ride that way...I'm not one of them.

One of the best things about the CB, especially for those of us who own, have owned or love HD, is that this bike cruises as good as any hog. Personally, I like to putt around in the low to mid 2K rpm range and the CB does it well.