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2017 EX Front End Vibration
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2017EX Offline
Running Like a Top

U.S.A.
Posts: 413
Joined: Jul 2017
Post: #1
2017 EX Front End Vibration
I previously posted about a front end vibration problem with my 2017 EX. The original dealer I took it to TWICE, whom I purchased the bike from new out of the crate, and does not have a Honda trained and certified mechanic, tried to make the symptom go away without fixing the problem and basically told me I was imagining the problem. You can read back through my original thread if you want to see what they did, or said they did. Lesson learned number one: use a dealer that has a Honda factory trained and certified mechanic. I took my bike to a second dealer that has a factory trained mechanic. The standard CB1100 has cast wheels, so a front end vibration problem is probably going to be caused by an improperly mounted tire, tire out of round and/or flat spot/s, wheel assembly out of balance, defective or damaged front wheel bearing from over torque of the front axle bolt during set up, steering head bearings improperly torqued, or a combination. That said, my EX has spoke wheels, so wheel out of true or out of round is thrown into the mix of possibilities. This second dealer pulled my front wheel and put the wheel assembly on a high speed wheel balancing machine. The assembly was found to be out of round, so next the tire was removed, and the rim spun at speed without tire. The rim was out of round by roughly 1/8" whereas spec run out is about 1mm! To my knowledge all spoke rims are hand trued, as I do not know of any machine that will true a spoke rim. At the moment, I do not know if Honda will tell the dealer to true the rim, or authorize a new rim. I told the dealer that after all I had been through with a brand new bike, I wanted a new rim, but we shall see. In any case it has been my experience over all the years, that Honda motorcycles just do not have any front end vibration, and if vibration ( some have described it as a rhythmic vibration ) is felt, something is wrong that needs to be addressed, and should be addressed before the factory warranty expires. For clarification, I am not talking about a slight buzz felt in the grips, I am talking about an up/down front end vibration, and in my case was enough to shake my arms at 40 mph.
10-14-2017 12:14 PM
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Nortoon Offline
High Mileage

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,409
Joined: Jan 2015
Post: #2
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
That's a bummer!

My EX rides smoothly and the front suspension is good. My problem are the brakes. The front squawks when coming to a stop. The rear disk and pads were replaced by Honda Canada because the pads rubbed and discoloured the disk with heat. The rear pads still drag and now the rear brake is mushy.

I will have to have a look at them when the season is over.

2017 CB1100 EX
10-14-2017 12:38 PM
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HondaJon Offline
Running Like a Top

Riverview FL
Posts: 376
Joined: Jun 2013
Post: #3
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
Truing a spoke wheel is an art, and it is becoming very hard to find a shop that can do it right. I would insist on a new wheel and tire. My 2013 had a shimmy, front tire had a flat spot. Dealer replaced it no problem/no hassle.

2013 CB 1100:
Motogear Cat Free Titanium Header
TSR Air Funnel
Staintune Muffler
Power Commander V (running TSR map)
K&N air filter
Argas fork brace
Dart Flyscreen
K&H seat
Honda chrome grab bar
Baren Classic Mirrors

2008 Suzuki B-King:
Factory stock

2016 CRF 450X:
JD Jetting Needle - K&N Filter
10-14-2017 02:51 PM
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2017EX Offline
Running Like a Top

U.S.A.
Posts: 413
Joined: Jul 2017
Post: #4
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
I finally got my bike back, and it is now smooth as glass. The cause of the front end vibration was two fold: First, the front rim was about 1/8" out of round, and has now been trued to within .004, which is even better than spec. Second, while the front tire was supposedly within the run out spec for being round, apparently sitting in the crate for roughly 5 months caused a flat spot. After truing the rim, vibration was reduced, but still there. It was only after putting a new front tire on as well and balancing, that the vibration was eliminated. This was a legit warranty situation, and I had to be very patient and persistent to get it taken care of fully. Any Honda warranty claim requires that the problem first be verified by a Honda trained and certified mechanic, and not all Honda dealers have one. Go to http://powersports.honda.com/?cid=main_r...rts_pmt_be , click on "find a dealer", and enter your zip code. You will get a list of all Honda dealers in your area, and each has a bunch of symbols next to their respective listings. What you are looking for is the wrench symbol surrounded by a red square with "Factory Trained". All dealers are independently owned, and are apparently not required to have a Honda trained mechanic, as dealers have to pay to send their mechanics to Honda schools to be certified. The dealer I bought my bike from new in the crate, did not have a Honda trained mechanic ( who knew?), and aside from not being qualified to verify a warranty problem did nothing to fix my vibration problem after two trips to the service department. My bike is the CA (EX Deluxe) model with spoke rim, so the rim being out of true was a factor. The SA (Standard) model has a cast mag wheel, so it is unlikely that the mag wheel out of round would be a source of vibration, leaving the tire and balancing as the likely source. In any event and from my experience: Use a Honda certified mechanic, make any warranty claims promptly within the 1 year warranty period, and be prepared to be patient and persistent with a legit warranty claim. Hope the info helps the membership avoid the heartburn I experienced. All that said, and now that the bike is right, I love my CB1100 EX.
11-17-2017 09:37 AM
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Cormanus Offline
Moderator

Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,660
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #5
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
Glad you got it sorted, 2017EX.
11-17-2017 11:26 AM
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SportsterDoc Offline
High Mileage

New Mexico
Posts: 1,447
Joined: Nov 2017
Post: #6
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
(11-17-2017 11:26 AM)Cormanus Wrote:  Glad you got it sorted, 2017EX.

+1

In the seventies, my CB750F was parked on an extended "sidewalk" in front of the electric motor rewind shop that I managed. It required riding up over a fairly high curb...which may have affected the front wheel spokes. As much as I worked on snugging loose spokes and truing the wheel, it was not safe past 110...too much oscillation. Not that I needed to do 110 (rarely past 90 and then for short bursts), but high speed oscillation does not usually improve and can occur at lower speeds.

That was my last street bike with laced wheels/tube type tires.

(11-17-2017 09:37 AM)2017EX Wrote:  Any Honda warranty claim requires that the problem first be verified by a Honda trained and certified mechanic, and not all Honda dealers have one. Go to http://powersports.honda.com/?cid=main_r...rts_pmt_be , click on "find a dealer", and enter your zip code. You will get a list of all Honda dealers in your area, and each has a bunch of symbols next to their respective listings. What you are looking for is the wrench symbol surrounded by a red square with "Factory Trained".

Good info. Glad to see that my local dealer is factory trained.

23 Guzzi V7 SE 23 Yam XT250
18 Yam Bolt 22 Triumph St Twin 20 CanAm Ryker
14 Honda CB1100 18 Yam XT250 16 Guzzi V7II
17 Yam TW200 12 Triumph Bonnie 02 Sportster 1200S
03 Sportster 883 76 Honda CB750F 75 Honda CB360
70 Yam CT1 72 Yam CT2 72 Yam AT2
70 Honda SL350 70 Honda CL350 67 Honda CL160
67 Honda CB16062 Honda CA110
(This post was last modified: 11-18-2017 11:12 AM by SportsterDoc.)
11-18-2017 11:09 AM
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SpamJ Offline
Break-In Period

Minnesota
Posts: 24
Joined: Apr 2014
Post: #7
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
Thanks to 2017EX, I have this exact same problem and he reached out to me and told me about it, when the bike goes in for Spring Service, I will be bringing his notes.

Sam J St. Cloud, MN '17 CB1100EX Not Insane
11-20-2017 09:48 AM
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Rocky Offline
Been There

Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 3,397
Joined: Apr 2014
Post: #8
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
Interesting topic. You don't hear of this problem about a Honda very often.
Glad you got it sorted Thumbs Up Thumbs Up

Still rockin', rollin', and ridin' after all these years
'67 BSA 441 VR, '70 Triumph Tiger 100, '02 Honda CB900F, '06 Triumph T100 Bonneville, '14 Honda CB1100A
11-20-2017 10:05 AM
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2017EX Offline
Running Like a Top

U.S.A.
Posts: 413
Joined: Jul 2017
Post: #9
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
Thought you guys might find this interesting: I pulled out my copy of the warranty repair invoice the dealer sent Honda to get reimbursed. The rim had a hop of .028, which was corrected down to .005, and .015 left to right which was corrected down to .002. Those final numbers are better than spec, but when my bike was test ridden after the wheel true, there was still vibration traced to a flat spot on the tire. The addition of the new tire completed the fix. I have owned and ridden Honda spoke wheel motorcycles, as well as other brands of spoke wheel bikes since the early 70s, and have never had this kind of problem before. As Rocky commented, a very unusual and seldom seen problem for a Honda motorcycle. The purpose here is the exchange of information so that if others encounter a similar situation it can be recognized and dealt with, definitely not to bad mouth Honda.
11-20-2017 10:33 PM
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use2b Offline
High Mileage

Perdido Key Florida
Posts: 1,040
Joined: Aug 2016
Post: #10
RE: 2017 EX Front End Vibration
thanks for the update , good info

The best part about growing up in Florida is i didn't have to move here when i got old.
former owner of the baddest 2013 CB1100 ever ;] now a plush ride -2014 Goldwing Valkyrie GL1800C
11-21-2017 12:23 AM
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