(05-02-2014, 07:11 AM)Tortuga_imp Wrote: [ -> ]At last some conclusion to this whole debacle.
I have to say, if all this expense and drama nets us only around 10 mph, bearing in mind that was on the centre stand, no drag, now wind resistance, no tyre friction or heavy rider to carry.... Is this all placebo and did Honda just get it perfect to begin with?
I can count on no hands the number of times that extra 10mph OVER 112 mph will be essential, or even useful.
Just sayin' 
Tortuga, I've enjoyed your postings, but this one is a bit odd, I must say. Maybe
figures into it?
This is not a debacle and CIP57's post is hardly a conclusion. This blog serves a variety of interests, from curious potential owners to seasoned bike owners and mechanics. To denigrate a mod that has many of us interested is to assume the only proper purposes of the blog is to offer praises and thanks to the gods of Honda who have deigned to favor us with the CB1100, and to trade witticisms and social banter.
Many of us are trying to get our heads around PGM-FI and its amazing ECU. In many important ways, the ECU is the bike. Honda's own promotional materials on PGM-FI make clear that early on they saw the writing on the wall regarding the regulatory trends in its major markets and went all-in to deploy an EFI that would allow them to continue selling vehicles into increasingly stringent markets.
The ECU controls all important parameters of the power train and it doesn't take much digging to discover that most parameters are optimized to limit emissions in general and for efficient operation of the catalytic converter in particular. Ride-ability and engine performance are definitely compromised in the effort to satisfy fedregs.
One good example is complete, abrupt fuel shutoff in deceleration, to prevent excess un-burned fuel flowing through the cat. This "feature" is a definite hazard, and one that can be addressed by flashing the ECU.
Another example is multi-faceted, air-fuel ratio. Efficient cat operation requires an AFR that varies slightly around 14.7:1 (also known as the stoic, or stoichiometric which is the ideal, calculated ratio of air to fuel that results in complete consumption of all the air and all the fuel). Optimum engine performance requires an AFR in the neighborhood of 13.2:1.
The stoich is too hot and causes all kinds of problems, including pre-ignition, shortened engine life, popping on decel. Many "features" of our bike are patches to try and bridge the gap between what the cat needs and what the engine and rider need.
Sorry if my post is depressing to some. Knowing the facts should not diminish enjoyment of a fabulous machine. However I am reminded of the first time I saw photographs in an anatomy book of (how should I put this) certain parts of the female body. (I see you hovering there, ferret) I was gobsmacked, and my pre-adolescent visions of feminine charms forever shattered. But that certainly didn't put me off women!
So we are all law-abiding (though increasingly sorely pressed) citizens and have no desire to defy the (increasingly numerous and increasingly armed) authorities.
These inquiries are merely to satisfy our curiosity and possibly enhance the motorcycling experience when in appropriate situations.
good work fella
Party Time