CB1100 Type II Conversion

[jtopiso_imp]

Q: What is the most novel lunch break / diet idea ever?

A: Play with new motorcycle parts instead of eating food, lol.

OK, I was definitely not expecting my delivery from Mr. T (Samurider.com) to arrive so quickly with potential holiday induced interruptions to service, etc.. Which made it all the more surprising when I answered the door this morning only to find our postal carrier waiting for me holding a large box with the Honda logo printed on it. Nice!!

So I just finished running out to the garage to swap seats. It took me longer to snag a few photos than it did to actually swap out the seats. The Japan model seat doesn't look quite as different on the bike in person as I was expecting, but you can tell a difference. Based on the "thumb test", the padding in the new seat feels like it might possibly be just a bit more dense but it's hard to tell. The only other notable difference between the two seats is that the Japan model seat has an "e-cushion" logo on it. More importantly, I can certainly tell the difference when seated on the bike, as I'm now easily able to firmly flat foot both feet. This should come in incredibly handy when dealing with things like uneven surfaces or loose gravel and stable footing is needed while parking the bike, etc.. That's really all I have time to report on for now. Good stuff!

I'm including a couple of photos of the Japan market seat along with the stock seat for comparison, and a couple of shots of the Japan market seat on the CB. Next up will either be the test ride or the installation of the Honda OEM Type II handlebars (followed by a test ride). All dependent upon time/weather constraints.

Special thanks to our good friend Takashi! Like so many others here on the forum, I highly recommend samurider.com to anyone who is looking for aftermarket and OEM parts for their CB1100.


Here is the Japan market seat on the left and the stock seat on the right.


Once again, the Japan market seat on the left and the stock seat on the right.


Side view of the new seat mounted on the CB (in the tight quarters of my limited garage space at the moment).


View of the new seat from the back.

Hi,

1000km with my new bike ('17-RS). Every time I am riding I think "this is perfect: I won't ever modify the seat". Every time I have to reverse to park (and need to walk the bike) I think "I will definitely get my seat lowered ASAP".

It looks easier to lower my seat than stretching my legs but, as my riding position is good for me, I woudn't like to trash a good seat just to improve my "parking ability"...

So I must ask: Any significant drawbacks with the lowered seat? Is riding position much affected? Confort?

thx!

I don't think I'll be able to give you honest answers to those questions until after I've at least taken a test ride, and chances are I'll need to go for a longer ride than I'd normally want to go for during this time of year to really know for sure. In addition, I'm next going to change over to the Type II CB1100 handlebars which are lower than the stock Type I bars. But the overall effect is not quite as straightforward as simply "lowering" the seat and bar heights. The profile of the Japan model seat appears slightly more narrow towards the top of the seat and the Type II bars are definitely more narrow than the Type I bars that came on the bike. No telling how all of this will add up in terms of how it will impact the overall feel of the bike while riding it. After I've managed to swap out the bars and take the bike out for a spin with all of the changes in place, then I'll know exactly how all this add up in an applied way rather than just theorizing about it (which is all that I'd be doing at this point). I'm looking forward to that day.

I've gotten along fine with my CB1100 for almost five years now, but I must admit there have been just a few close calls where I've almost dumped the bike. Not while riding it but while parking it. This is mostly due to the fact that I have short legs. I'm far more comfortable parking my Hawk GT than I am my CB1100. This is due not only to the the Hawk GT having a lower seat height than the CB, but also because the CB1100 is a bit of a porker in comparison to the Hawk — or rather the Hawk is a featherweight compared to the CB. With a full tank of gas I believe the Hawk GT weighs around 410 pounds while the CB1100 is around 540 pounds. That's a considerable difference. When you combine the heavier weight of the CB1100 with the higher seat height the overall effect is huge when it comes to things like needing to back the bike up a bit of an incline or when accidentally setting a foot down in a low spot in the pavement (especially if there's any sort of debris on the ground). I do a pretty good job of avoiding such situations, but every once in a while things like this just can't be avoided.

I really like my CB and I for sure don't want to damage it because I dumped it while trying to park it , or move it around or whatever. Not to mention that I simply don't want to be "that guy", lol. All of this is sort of coming to a head now as I'm truly planning to finally sell my Hawk this spring. So I'm getting my CB1100 ready to be my only / full-time bike. I kind of doubt that I will, but If I find that I simply don't like the new seat or the bars, well I can always change them back. (I never get rid of my good stock parts.) In that case, if worse comes to worse, then maybe someday I'll end up being "that guy". But jeez I sure hope not, lol.

I don't think I'll be able to give you honest answers to those questions until after I've at least taken a test ride, ...
...
I'm looking forward to that day.
...
I look forward to reading your feedback then.

[Guth_imp]

It might be a while, but I will try to get around to it as soon as i can.

[okredneck_imp]

I have short legs and the Japan market seat fits me well. I also installed cb500 bars and mirrors and love the way they feel.

[flynrider]

Good luck with the new seat, Guth.

I also have short legs, but long enough to deal with the stock US seat. What's funny is that I bought a tall Tiros-K seat for long distance comfort. The Tiros-K is one of the tallest seat options for the CB1100, but I've found that the big, wide, flat seat allows me to ride all day long in comfort.

I've taken to swapping seats a lot. Day to day, the stock one works fine, but when it's time to go long distances, I give up the ability to flatfoot the bike in favor of posterior comfort.

A big plus is that by swapping back and forth, I'll probably never wear out either seat.

[Guth_imp]

Hey okredneck, thanks for the feedback on the seat!

I also found [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=5865]this report from a few years ago that I had long forgotten about (even though I had commented in it).

Flynrider, that's a great point. Seat swapping is about as quick & simple as it gets when it comes to changing out motorcycle parts. I'm hoping that I don't have to do so, but I do find the stock saddle plenty comfortable for many hours of riding so your suggestion makes for a great backup plan if needed at some point later on

[wildezt_imp]

Nice mod Guth! The low profile looks sleek .

[Stichill_imp]

Great-looking seat, Guth. The only way I'd see a difference is in a side-by-side. Ergonomics improvements are the very best kind of improvement on a bike.

[Guth_imp]

I finally got around to swapping out the original Type I handlebars on my CB1100 for the Type II bars to go along with my lower OEM Japan market seat. Sadly, I didn't even get in a ride after finishing the swap. Fortunately this evening I managed to roll the bike out of the garage, go for a quick spin and snap a couple of pics. My first impressions (and that's all that I have at this point) are positive. I can certainly feel a difference, but it's not too dramatic. The seat feels firm, yet comfy enough but I won't really know how well it does on a longer ride until sometime later on. The e-cushion material definitely feels a bit denser than the foam in the stock seat. Being able to firmly flat foot the bike is really nice. The bars are nice too, being a bit narrower and lower than the Type I bars. I probably felt more difference from the handlebar swap than I did from the seat swap. I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story. Good stuff!

[Frulk_imp]

Looks good. Hope you get the results you want. What exhaust can is that? looks lighter than the original.

[Guth_imp]

That's a Staintune. I'm reminded just how much I like it every single time I ride my CB — it sounds amazing.