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+--- Thread: Finally got to actually ride it. (/showthread.php?tid=784)
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Finally got to actually ride it. - Jambo_imp - 09-21-2020
So, the story goes, traded my 2010 VFR and got the 2014 CB1100 August 1. Test ride consisted of around the block essentially, and on an artery just to put it through the paces/gears. 2 miles ridden. Just put a tag on from another Honda to get the inspection done (while I waited). 14 miles round trip. Then had to wait two weeks for my appointment with the Motor Vehicles to get registered and titled.
Bike came already with the Cozy seat, SW-MOTECH engine guards, R&G Radiator Cover, R&G Fork Sliders (not installed), clear plastic tank protector (can't even tell it is there...never saw that before), and a Puig Windscreen, all from the previous owner. The bike looks new and only 5900 miles when bought.
Since then I went hog wild and ordered a ton of stuff for it based mostly on faith and very quick ride impressions: Delkevic full exhaust and CF 14" can, PCV w/ Autotuner, Galfer SS lines front and rear, EBC HH front pads, GIVI chrome rack and trunk (47NN plus backpad, top box rack, and universal Monokey mount), K&N air filter, and some other bits.
Well, then was drowning in work that consumed my nights and weekends. So there the bike sat unrideable as I removed the stock exhaust.
So, finally was able to get the oil changed (it did not need it) and installed a FLO SS reusable filter (using car oil - see debate in another thread), and installed the GIVI trunk system (see review in another thread). And there the bike sat.
I decided to do the exhaust in stages, wanting to ensure everything was right. I first dry fit the full system (just reused the stock exhaust manifold Cu crush washers...on purpose), and just plug in the O2 sensor port. This was a fit check. Of course there was loud sound eminating from the headers connection to ports (expected), and the check engine light (expected) with no O2 connection to the stock ECU. I noticed a pretty good increase in the response of the motor uncorked, and the fueling was actually not that bad with no compensation. And yes, I also had to create a small aluminum bracket to attach the mid-pipe to the stock mount (as the Delkevic has a design flaw there). It basically is about 2: log 1" bar stock with two holes drilled 1" apart. Maybe 10-15 miles.
Lightly browned headers.
Then the bike sat.
LD weekend came and went with my nose buried in the laptop, and well as the following weekend, missing the nicest weather of the year here in MD. The bike crying out for attention with each pass by.
Finally this past weekend got up at 4:00a Saturday and worked to 8:00p, and again on Sunday too.
I was able to disassemble the exhaust completely, Cu crush this time, refit everything. I was able to extract the O2 sensor from the stock headers with some effort. What a PITA. Honda saw fit to surround it with a fairly thick heat shield that prevents a tool from getting in there to remove it. I started out with a Dremel and stone bits, but after going through three bits, I finally decided to get an old 17mm wrench and shave off width to get it in there, a couple squirts of penetration oil and wacks with a hammer and it popped free. The Delkevic comes with a welded port to accept the stock O2, which I installed. Note that the Dynojet add on to the PCV Autotuner comes with its own wide-band O2 that DOES NOT fit the stock thread, but they are nice enough to give you a bung that fits it for you to weld on yourself (yeah, right, more on that later).
I did NOT use RTV, in case I want/need to remove things for the wide-band later. The exhaust look terrific. The sound is enhanced, but not overbearing. It sounds great when you get on it.
I also drained the brake fluid from both front and rear, and installed Galfer SS lines both. I like to use these because they give you much better feel at both levers. I also cleaned up the calipers after removing them and the front wheel with brake cleaner and toothbrush, and installed EBC HH sintered pads for better stopping power and feel. I cleaned up the clips, lubed everything with hi-temp moly-graphite grease, polished the pad caliper pins (surprisingly crusty), and filled and bled with Valvolene DOT 4 full synthetic fluid. While I had the wheel off, I reinstalled with the R&G fork sliders given to me by the previous owner. Nice, but not sure I would bother if it wasn't free.
Cleaned chain and waxed with Maxima chain wax. I have a method I use for this I have to make a thread on that I think makes this unwanted chore pretty straight forward, quick, and not messy.
Installed PCV using stock O2, downloaded map (CB1100 with Yoshimura and stock air filter). Total PITA to remove the tank. Hard to reach and hard on fingertips to pinch the fuel line connector bit (on the 2014 mine has a green clip, not a white one). Took me 20 frustrating minutes to figure that one out. The guy on the Dynojet vid glosses over that and running the harness. It is a pain to fish the harness from the battery compartment to under the tank requiring some screwdrivers and leverage to create just enough room to fish them through. Otherwise installing the PCV is a cinch and just requires that inline 10-connector harness inserted and the PCV grounded to the battery negative terminal. While in there, I put in a Battery Tender cable and fished it to aft of the side cover. Tied everything off with zips.
So now after 20 hours, it is getting late, and starting to look like I might not get to ride it again. Finished up and all tools away, shower, and suited about 5:00p. Rolled out bike and guess what? It would not start! Damn! So just so happens due to time limitations, I left off the side covers and after nearly draining the battery, said to myself, what did you do wrong? It was then that I realized I failed to reconnect the injector connector. Snap, and the engine fires.
So after seven weeks of delays and wrenching, I am finally on my way.
So now, this is actually my FIRST RIDE. So I took to the back roads and had them mostly to myself. Only a scant few passes needed to own the road. Well, when overtaking, I always wave after so people don't get PO'ed.
Got the bike through the gears, redlined in safe spots, cornered hard and put the new, improved motor/exhaust through the paces.
Just saw a thread about how the CB tamed others down and found themselves going 5 under. Uhmm. I know this bike is not meant to be an open class SB, and that is not why I bought it. BUT, this bike is supremely capable, and an absolute hoot! The roar from the exhaust from 3K rpm up is intoxicating. The fueling using the PCV with that map and stock O2 is actually VERY GOOD. I think I only noted one fart on one rolloff. It did not take long for the pads to bed, and the feel was superb. The bike pulls greatly from 3K up in every gear. While it did not feel like it was threatening to wheelie, it definitely feels like at least mid-90's hp on my butt dyno. It is definitely enough to have mostly unlimited fun.
The only drawback I see, after these upgrades, is the suspension is somewhat lacking. Nothing $400 can't solve out back, but to do Gold Valves and springs in the front, what with drilling and total disassembly is a total pain! I am not as worried about the cost, which is likely going to run $3-400 in the front, it just the work required.
This bike is a keeper! I have a Superhawk, about the same hp and slightly lighter, I am selling now. This bike can give me all the fun I need. If I want to cruise, it will do they easily. If you want to get on it, it is surprisingly a capable ride. Some notable vibes in the bars, but nothing that numbed me.
I did get the autotuner, and I have yet to install the K&N. I am wondering if it needs it, and if it will ruin the otherwise very good fueling. I really don't see any significant deficiencies with the full Delkevic (left baffled), and the PCV with the Yosh map and stock O2. It has me wondering whether it is going to be worth it to put in the K&N and Autotuner. Now that the PCV is in, it does not look like too much effort to put it in, and I already own it and the K&N, but will have to see.
One other thing. I abandoned the USB port harness because the Otter RAM does not really fit the bars, and the phone would block gauge visibility. There is not much room unless I get some kind of tower. I will have to investigate that.
Overall, I am very happy with this bike. It might look old school, but it has a very modern feel injected and all the power you need for the street. Once underway, the pork dissipates in typical Honda fashion. I am glad I got this bike!
Anyway, hope you liked my first ride report. It was a long time in coming. On abandoned back roads, I was in heaven to really be able to finally ride the bike.
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - peterbaron - 09-21-2020
Yeah...but kind of lengthy...mostly about mods, etc
Are you going to beat MM bike #93
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - Jambo_imp - 09-21-2020
(09-21-2020, 07:36 AM)peterbaron_imp Wrote: Yeah...but kind of lengthy...mostly about mods, etc
Are you going to beat MM bike #93
Don't get the reference.
Yeah, long post mostly about mods, but that was what kept me from riding plus too much work to be able to do them.
Hope it entertained you for the 3 minute read...
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - peterbaron - 09-21-2020
, yes you did 
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - pekingduck - 09-21-2020
Jambo, nice work. One thing I noticed was the O2 sensor - you have to be very careful not to touch anything but the nut and the wire, or oils in your fingers could contaminate it. Also, only an Anti-Seize paste (or a specific O2 sensor lubricant should be used on the threads.
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - Houtman_imp - 09-21-2020
A nice report but I think that you went trough a lot of "pain " to get what you wanted , hopefully you will be happy with all the result for a long ride/time.
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - Lord Popgun - 09-21-2020
Paragraphs. They’re a thing.
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - PowerDubs_imp - 09-21-2020
Always wanted to try a VTR
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - Cormanus - 09-21-2020
Good to hear you finally got on the bike, Jambo. After all that effort, it's just as well you really liked it.
RE: Finally got to actually ride it. - Jambo_imp - 09-21-2020
(09-21-2020, 09:25 AM)pekingduck_imp Wrote: Jambo, nice work. One thing I noticed was the O2 sensor - you have to be very careful not to touch anything but the nut and the wire, or oils in your fingers could contaminate it. Also, only an Anti-Seize paste (or a specific O2 sensor lubricant should be used on the threads.
Peking,
Should have thought of that. I did wipe the soot off the O2 sensor and probably with my fingers too. I know it is always best to wipe off halogen bulbs or tubes for amps so the oil doesn't create hot spots that can damage them. Did not consider that. I did not use anti-seize either. You got me wondering if I should pull the mid-pipe and clean it and put it back with anti-seize. It would not take long to do. Can you clean the sensor with IPA? The anti-seize also probably makes sense. The sensor is on top with the backshell facing up, and SS will rust too. I did not use teflon tape either and wonder if I should to keep moisture out of the threads. I bet those sensors are $100.
Again I am wondering if the Autotune and K&N is really needed. Putting on the K&N is likely going to lean it further where you would need the tuner then. I will put the K&N in and see how it is, and you could tweak some setting richer to compensate, but there are so many that would be total hit or miss and likely to mess up the map. The K&N can be taken back out. I have a friend who is a professional welder. My welding sucks and I would likely ruin the nice mid-pipe. I am also wondering if the right way to do that is to drill a hole next to the existing sensor enlargening as I go until the wideband sensor bung fits in there, and then take it to my friend to do a proper job, and just cap off the stock O2 with the supplied plug.
I studied the tuner directions and do not think it would take any time to install that part. The real time will come from the computer learning, downloading, uploading, and repeating that iteratively.
(09-21-2020, 09:28 AM)Houtman_imp Wrote: A nice report but I think that you went trough a lot of "pain " to get what you wanted , hopefully you will be happy with all the result for a long ride/time.True, but not unusual. I also expected it. Even on my quick ride, and coupled with this Forum I took too reading and studying some (big help) about peoples experience with the exhaust mods and the gains achieved. The CB1100 makes a nice platform for mods. Sure it is not bad stock. But, for the unheard of price for the full Delkevic and the surprising quality, it is really hard to beat. That CF pipe is hardly retro, but on the black/chrome scheme, it really looks good. The Delkevic system is an incredible value. The gains achieved are unusually high. Most slip ons or even full systems don't generally result in much more than 3-4% hp gains, with manufacturers gains to be taken skeptically. To get what feels like 15% is unusual, and the quality of the kit is very high. Not unusual to pay $3-400 for just a can.
It really wasn't that much pain. What was painful was taking the exhaust off before it was even registered, and then getting consumed in work while the best weather zipped by.
(09-21-2020, 10:03 AM)PowerDubs_imp Wrote: Always wanted to try a VTR
I love the V-twins as much as the inline fours, having had a Hawk GT, RC51, SV1000S, and TLR1000, and even a VTR250. A whole bunch of vertical twins too. I love the baritone sound. The VTR is underrated. The is a lot of value there and fun/cost ratio. I think the look is timeless too with great lines you don't tire of looking at. For a 17 yo bike, only the old style single large trapezoid headlight lens looks dated. The suspension is not the best, and I don't love the rearsets, but it is a terrific all around street sport.
(09-21-2020, 09:28 AM)Houtman_imp Wrote: A nice report but I think that you went trough a lot of "pain " to get what you wanted , hopefully you will be happy with all the result for a long ride/time.
One more reply to your reply. I pretty much knew what I was getting. If you consider I got the bike that really looked cherry, had already $700 in usable mods, and for only $5700, that left money in the budget for improvements. The previous owner clearly took impeccable care of it.
This will probably spin people up, and perhaps mistakenly lead people to believe I might have been thinking I was getting something I wasn't. I knew what this bike was and who it targeted. I had a GS1000e that had a ton of mods it reminds me of, only the CB is just worlds way better and modern/retro. But in this day and considering what Honda can do with a 1000cc inline four, getting 75-80 hp out of it is kind of pathetic (let the gasps begin), "tuned for torque" and all. Clearly Honda did not set out to cannibalize their CBR with this. It was meant to honor the heralded 750, and to appeal to nostalgic geezers (more gasps). BTW, I am one of them and part of the target. But for not that much money, adding another 10-15 hp and another boost to the torque turns this machine into a real sleeper.
Cue up all the responses that I bought the wrong bike....
I don't think so. I sold the VFR because it was simply too much. I am of the opinion that 160-180 hp is too much for the street in that weight class. But 100 hp and around 70 lb-ft is like Goldilocks.