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650 mile review
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justinrhenry Offline
1st Service Completed

Flower Mound, TX
Posts: 52
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #1
650 mile review
While some people were celebrating 4/20 in other ways I was buying a Honda CB1100 in red, the only color they had available. It was the first CB1100 Cycle Center of Denton (in Denton, Texas) sold.

Yesterday they performed their first 600 mile service on a 2013 CB1100. They also cleaned it up for me, but that didn't last long as it rained on me going home. I took it out later last night to thrash it a little now that I'm no longer trying to keep it below 4k rpms.

So here's my quick and dirty list of what I like and don't like about the bike so far. Although it's a fairly heavy bike on paper it doesn't feel heavy at all and it's very nimble. It's pretty quick and, as I found out last night, the gearing is very tall. The engine is probably the smoothest and quietest I've ever heard. I've snuck up on people in the parking garage at work and they don't know I'm there until I'm right next to them.

The bad... the brakes are soft and so is the front end. It's too damn quiet!!! For as much as I love how quiet the bike is I also hate it. It sometimes makes me feel like I'm riding a scooter. I don't like loud bikes, but I like bikes that are loud enough. I like being able to rev my engine to let other cars know I exist and on this bike you just can't do that.

Overall I really like the bike and it's a lot of fun to ride. I'm racking up the miles as fast as I can. I've ordered a new seat and luggage rack which I'm sure will make it that much better, but it's definitely not the perfect bike and it does have it's flaws.

On the showroom floor before I bought it.
İmage

İmage

İmage
05-10-2013 08:23 AM
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Lord Popgun Offline
I find your lack of RLETs disturbing

Virginia Beach
Posts: 10,442
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #2
RE: 650 mile review
For around $900 you can change that sound...

If you come to a fork in the road, take it!
2013 CB1100
2012 ST1300
Holder of the CB1100Forum Secret Decoder Ring
05-10-2013 08:25 AM
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Randy B Offline
Road Warrior

Palm Bay FL
Posts: 2,537
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #3
RE: 650 mile review
Not in CA unless it has an EPA sticker on it. I'm stuck with what I've got for now.
05-10-2013 08:36 AM
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Scoobynut Offline
Running Like a Top

Dickinson, ND
Posts: 497
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #4
RE: 650 mile review
(05-10-2013 08:36 AM)Randy B Wrote:  Not in CA unless it has an EPA sticker on it. I'm stuck with what I've got for now.

The CA nanny state strikes again. I can understand trying to limit super loud exhausts, but the EPA sticker requirement pretty much eliminates any aftermarket exhausts, even the milder ones. A more rational system would be testing aftermarket exhausts for a simple decibel threshold in a yearly inspection. I suppose you can thank the straight-pipe Harley crowd for this law -- probably some of the sport bike squids too.

Myself, I would do whatever I could to figure out a way to have a replica of the EPA sticker on my Staintune, or even get it etched on there. Let them prove it's not authentic. It wouldn't bother me a bit to break that particular law so long as I didn't have an excessively loud exhaust. If that doesn't work for you, I guess your only other option is to move to a more liberty-oriented state...

It might be worth checking the manufacturing date of your bike, Randy. The new CA exhaust law only applies to vehicles built on or before Jan. 1, 2013, though I suspect most if not all CB1100s were built after that date.

Give the brake pads some time to bed in. I think they'll be fine with some additional miles. The few times I have gotten on them hard they seemed more than adequate to me.

I agree with your comment about the front end being too soft. I found the front end of my Hawk too soft also, but a friend of mine who also had a Hawk concocted a blend of two different weight fork oils along with a different fork oil amount and it transformed the front end of that bike -- it resulted in a feel not unlike good, aftermarket springs -- so I may at some point try something similar on the CB. I have the formula written down in my Hawk owner's manual so I do have the specifics, I just don't remember them exactly off the top of my head.

I will say one positive thing about the front end, however. On broken pavement it sucks up the bumps (with no bottoming out noticed so far) almost like a long-travel dual sport bike, at least if you're travelling in a straight line. If all I rode was broken pavement I might be tempted to leave it alone, but there are far more smooth than bumpy roads in most states.
(This post was last modified: 05-10-2013 10:59 AM by Scoobynut.)
05-10-2013 10:40 AM
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Deftquiver Offline
1st Service Completed

Utah
Posts: 72
Joined: May 2013
Post: #5
RE: 650 mile review
(05-10-2013 08:36 AM)Randy B Wrote:  Not in CA unless it has an EPA sticker on it. I'm stuck with what I've got for now.

I made the move from Southern CA to Salt Lake City, UT 2 years ago... Haven't even considered going back. Cheap to live, Skiing is awesome, lots of work, and the canyon riding is spectacular... Oh wait... I meant to say "It sucks here... You can't get a beer anywhere" (We're trying to keep the whole Utah is awesome thing hush hush)
05-10-2013 12:05 PM
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oldyaler Offline
1st Service Completed

Monroe,NC
Posts: 242
Joined: May 2013
Post: #6
RE: 650 mile review
A simple fix for the soft front suspension is to make fork spring preload spacers. You can use a PVC pipe coupling from the local hardware store with an O.D just a little smaller than the I.D. of the fork tube. The spacers fit between the spring and fork tube cap. Depending on how soft the front springs are it'll probably only take about 1/2-3/4 inch spacers to stiffen up the front end sufficiently.

EDIT: After looking at an exploded view of the front forks the spacers would go between the spring and spring seat.
(This post was last modified: 05-10-2013 12:31 PM by oldyaler.)
05-10-2013 12:19 PM
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jamboa Offline
1st Service Completed


Posts: 169
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #7
RE: 650 mile review
I blame the Harley crowd a lot more cause of their sheer numbers and some with extremely loud pipes. Yea they really believe Loud Pipes Saves Lives!
(05-10-2013 10:40 AM)Scoobynut Wrote:  
(05-10-2013 08:36 AM)Randy B Wrote:  Not in CA unless it has an EPA sticker on it. I'm stuck with what I've got for now.

The CA nanny state strikes again. I can understand trying to limit super loud exhausts, but the EPA sticker requirement pretty much eliminates any aftermarket exhausts, even the milder ones. A more rational system would be testing aftermarket exhausts for a simple decibel threshold in a yearly inspection. I suppose you can thank the straight-pipe Harley crowd for this law -- probably some of the sport bike squids too.

Myself, I would do whatever I could to figure out a way to have a replica of the EPA sticker on my Staintune, or even get it etched on there. Let them prove it's not authentic. It wouldn't bother me a bit to break that particular law so long as I didn't have an excessively loud exhaust. If that doesn't work for you, I guess your only other option is to move to a more liberty-oriented state...

It might be worth checking the manufacturing date of your bike, Randy. The new CA exhaust law only applies to vehicles built on or before Jan. 1, 2013, though I suspect most if not all CB1100s were built after that date.

Give the brake pads some time to bed in. I think they'll be fine with some additional miles. The few times I have gotten on them hard they seemed more than adequate to me.

I agree with your comment about the front end being too soft. I found the front end of my Hawk too soft also, but a friend of mine who also had a Hawk concocted a blend of two different weight fork oils along with a different fork oil amount and it transformed the front end of that bike -- it resulted in a feel not unlike good, aftermarket springs -- so I may at some point try something similar on the CB. I have the formula written down in my Hawk owner's manual so I do have the specifics, I just don't remember them exactly off the top of my head.

I will say one positive thing about the front end, however. On broken pavement it sucks up the bumps (with no bottoming out noticed so far) almost like a long-travel dual sport bike, at least if you're travelling in a straight line. If all I rode was broken pavement I might be tempted to leave it alone, but there are far more smooth than bumpy roads in most states.

13 Honda CB11
17 Triumph T-120 Bonnie Gloss Black
13 Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer


04 Triumph T100 Bonneville SE Light Crusier Touring Modded 904cc
(This post was last modified: 05-10-2013 12:24 PM by jamboa.)
05-10-2013 12:22 PM
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PowderToastMan Offline
Running Like a Top

California
Posts: 294
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #8
RE: 650 mile review
Sweet! I bought mine on the same day, but I haven't had a chance to go on any long rides, mostly been just to work and back.. I'm only at 250 miles so far. Pretty soon I expect that to change Smile

Personally, I'm perfectly happy with the stock exhaust, and pretty much everything else as well.

EDIT:
By the way I agree with you about the not feeling heavy part. I was riding effectively a Nighthawk 550 last year, which is supposed to be about 100 lbs. less than this, I think, but the 1100 really doesn't feel even the slightest bit heavier. And it handles much better, with all the modern upgrades.
(This post was last modified: 05-10-2013 12:34 PM by PowderToastMan.)
05-10-2013 12:32 PM
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Scoobynut Offline
Running Like a Top

Dickinson, ND
Posts: 497
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #9
RE: 650 mile review
(05-10-2013 12:19 PM)oldyaler Wrote:  A simple fix for the soft front suspension is to make fork spring preload spacers. You can use a PVC pipe coupling from the local hardware store with an O.D just a little smaller than the I.D. of the fork tube. The spacers fit between the spring and fork tube cap. Depending on how soft the front springs are it'll probably only take about 1/2-3/4 inch spacers to stiffen up the front end sufficiently.

EDIT: After looking at an exploded view of the front forks the spacers would go between the spring and spring seat.

Thanks for the info. oldyaler. Good to know these things.
05-10-2013 01:04 PM
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justinrhenry Offline
1st Service Completed

Flower Mound, TX
Posts: 52
Joined: Apr 2013
Post: #10
RE: 650 mile review
(05-10-2013 12:32 PM)PowderToastMan Wrote:  Sweet! I bought mine on the same day, but I haven't had a chance to go on any long rides, mostly been just to work and back.. I'm only at 250 miles so far. Pretty soon I expect that to change Smile

I've been commuting on my to/from work too, but I also take it out for rides at night and on weekends. I'm trying to ride as much as I can before it gets too hot here. It's 82 degrees today, which is warmer than I like.

(05-10-2013 12:19 PM)oldyaler Wrote:  A simple fix for the soft front suspension is to make fork spring preload spacers. You can use a PVC pipe coupling from the local hardware store with an O.D just a little smaller than the I.D. of the fork tube. The spacers fit between the spring and fork tube cap. Depending on how soft the front springs are it'll probably only take about 1/2-3/4 inch spacers to stiffen up the front end sufficiently.

EDIT: After looking at an exploded view of the front forks the spacers would go between the spring and spring seat.

Thanks for the tip. I might try that.
(This post was last modified: 05-10-2013 01:17 PM by justinrhenry.)
05-10-2013 01:16 PM
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