The true beauty of this motorcycle. (another LONG read)

[the Ferret]

Any idea what tunnel that is? It has impressive length considering how long the rider was sustaining WFO.

I don't know but according to my stopwatch he was in the tunnel for 1:06.75 starting at 120 kph and reaching 180 kph and the limiter

That should be enough speed to pass a line of cars without down shifting I would think lol

I honestly don't have that much call where I live for passing a line of cars, a single slow car occasionally, but I just zip around it without downshifting thanks to the abundant torque at the rpms I run, but in my case I'm usually approaching the car between 55-60 and the car is usually doing 35 or 40 (in a 55 zone) so it's not a high speed over take. Even if I did have to downshift, what is wrong with downshifting? That's why they make lower gears and a buttery smooth clutch and transmission lol

[Nortoon_imp]

The problem is that many of these things are simply too subjective and there are very few people that are totally pleased with every single aspect of this bike (or any bike for that matter).

You guys are talking about a lot of different variables, yet even those of us who really like the CB1100 can't agree about something as simple as the seat. Some of us are perfectly fine with the seat that came with the bike from the factory, while others are ready to bin the thing before they are even able to make it all the way home from the dealership the first day of ownership. Jeez, I'm almost surprised that we haven't had someone who trailered their CB home from the dealer report that their butt hurt from just looking at the seat in their rear view mirror, lol. Similarly one man's smooth, refined, engine is another man's buzzing nightmare, and so on, and so forth. It's almost a miracle that we can all manage to hang out here together and still get along after all this time. The reality is that we all typically have a few things that we are willing to compromise on and other things that we simply aren't willing to compromise on. Those things will vary for each and every one of us.

Most all of us here like the CB1100 quite a bit. However, if someone were to conduct a study I'd imagine that they would likely determine we tend to like this motorcycle for a wide variety of reasons and those reasons would probably differ a fair amount from one person to the next (but with a few key reasons that are practically universal among us).

Having owned a dozen motorcycles during my 27 years of riding, I agree that there is no perfect motorcycle. The reasons for choosing a particular motorcycle also changes as we ride down the road of life. I certainly would not have a appreciated a Goldwing in my twenties. Now however I consider it to be the "Cadillac of Motorcycles".

When I returned to motorcycling after a 25 year hiatus, I bought a CB500XA. That decision was based on price and a straight-up riding position. I thoroughly enjoyed the three summers I rode it. But, there's always a but, the seat and handle grips were uncomfortable after a couple of hours riding, and it created a lot of wind noise at highway speeds. Grip Puppies, a MadDog seat pad, California Scientific wind screen, and 3M ear plugs fixed all those annoyances.

One year into riding I saw pictures of the 2014 CB1100 Deluxe and was immediately captivated by its looks. The perfect motorcycle I thought. Unfortunately it was not available here in Canada, and importing one would have been too expensive. But I never stopped looking.

Then in 2017 CB1100 EX became available in Canada. Not as pretty as the Deluxe and twice the price of my CB500XA, but I just had to have one. A beautiful motorcycle with the easiest to operate motor I have ever encountered because of it's wide torque band. Smooth, quiet and strong at highway speeds, or when tapped down a gear for a rapid pass. Accidently start off in second, no problem.

But it didn't take long before the little niggles like the uncomfortable handle grips and seat began to get noticed. Again Grip Puppies and the MadDog seat pad fixed those. It also took a while to get use to a top heavy motorcycle that was 115 pounds heavier than my light and nimble CB500XA. But I adjusted and learned to enjoy the extra power at highway speeds.

Do I enjoy my CB1100 EX? Absolutely! Would I ever trade it in? Maybe... Motorcycles are like girl friends, there is always one that comes alone that appeals to you more for what ever reason. Like the 2018 650cc twin-cylinder Royal Enfield Interceptor. Is this a better bike than the CB1100? It depends on what floats your boat.

I have always like the looks, sound and feel of the late-60s British motorcycles, particularly BSA Lightnings. The Interceptor has that look and sound. And silly things like nut and bolt valve adjusters, rather than cans and shims, appeals to me.


Has nostalgia (a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations) affected my good sense. Probably. But a test ride may bring me back to my senses. As I have often said, "Old motorcycles are like old girlfriends. You always wonder why you gave them up, until you meet them again. Then you say to yourself, now I remember."

[VLJ_imp]

mickey, in an earlier post you mentioned that I would need an awfully long straight to see the top end of the CB's RPM range. I don't know why that would be so. On any freeway I can roll along at 75 mph and with a quick flick of the wrist zing up to 11K and 100+ mph in just a couple of seconds. We're talking just zipping past a car on my way into the next lane. It happens in the blink of an eye. It doesn't take a forever-long straight.

In top gear my bike is doing 4800 rpm at 70 mph. It zings to 11k and Ludicrous Speeds in the time it takes to twist the throttle, or very nearly so. Definitely no downshifting necessary to instantly vaporize a long row of mobile homes on a steep grade, at high elevation.

Point being, I have a feeling you're underselling the CB's acceleration. While it surely won't do Instant Warp Mode like my bike does, I'll bet it doesn't require any stretch of road at all to zip right on up to 100 mph.

[the Ferret]

I will be riding my CB this afternoon. Going to get some pics for the photo contest. Roads are a bit wet but maybe I will try and run it up past 5000 rpms in 4th and 5th and see. Never revved it that high, and never been to 100 mph on it, Don't think I've been to 90. I have been to 85 I'm pretty sure. Think I took a pic of it in that spped vs rpm thread.

Heck I think 4 grand in first is something like 60 mph, and I'mnot one to tempt the law much (not worth it to me), but I will see what I can do

I don't think I'm selling the acceleration short, these are heavy flywheeled bikes with a low redline and they don't have the top end hit of a light flywheeled high revving bike with high redline like most sport bikes. There is no zip in the upper rpms, just steady stronger pulling. I had a 125 hp (crank) Gen 1 FZ-1 Yamaha that was like lighting a fuse once you hit 8 grand and it rocketed all the way to a quick 13 grand. It was plenty powerful below 8K, but past that it was just a maniac. Like riding a 2 stroke. Even though they are both liter I-4's they have nothing in common as far as I am concerned. Like a fast punching lightweight boxer and a slow but jarring heavyweight boxer. Sugar Ray Leonard, VS George Foreman. I believe the same analogy can be said for the XSR and CB1100.

I think you would be fine on the freeway, I don't think you will care for it much as you ride in the canyons. Just be honest with yourself. The CB 1100 is a great motorcycle, but it would not be a So Cal canyon carvers tool of choice.

[rotor]

Any idea what tunnel that is? It has impressive length considering how long the rider was sustaining WFO.

I don't know but according to my stopwatch he was in the tunnel for 1:06.75 starting at 120 kph and reaching 180 kph and the limiter

That should be enough speed to pass a line of cars without down shifting I would think lol

I honestly don't have that much call where I live for passing a line of cars, a single slow car occasionally, but I just zip around it without downshifting thanks to the abundant torque at the rpms I run, but in my case I'm usually approaching the car between 55-60 and the car is usually doing 35 or 40 (in a 55 zone) so it's not a high speed over take. Even if I did have to downshift, what is wrong with downshifting? That's why they make lower gears and a buttery smooth clutch and transmission lol

Interesting.

On any bike I ever had, overtaking any number of vehicles with any number of wheels required two preliminaries:

1) look in the mirror.
2) downshift.

(Since this is something my uncle thought me when I was 17, I always thought it is some kind of a Galactic Imperative .

[VLJ_imp]

mickey, yes, if you can, please check to see whether you're able to rev past 5k in fourth gear. I'm nearly certain that fifth and sixth are limited to 5K, but I can't remember whether fourth is neutered too.

[alprider]

I meant : Not the rpm is the matter the speed of max 180km/h is the matter

[the Ferret]

OK just in from 111 smile ride (see what I did there? lol)

Yes 4th and 5th will both rev past 5K. I took both to 6K. 6 K in 4th is exactly 95 mph.

6K in 5th I have no idea how fast I was going I was afraid to look but, I was going REALLY fast lol. Over 100. Fastest I have ever been on this motorcycle by a bunch.

Wasn't about to try 6K in 6th, but (like the video) I'm sure you'd be against the speed limiter at those rpms.

Like I said, a really slow revver and it takes a lonnngg time to get there if you start at a normal cruising speed of 3500 rpms in either gear. Not so much if you jump it up in the lower gears and then keep banging away on the shifter. I thought to myself you don't time 60-100 with a stopwatch on this bike, you time it with a sundial lol.

But that matters not to me, I had a great ride, reaffirmed my love affair with her..and had new Pilot Road 3's leaning against my garage door when I got in from my ride. Life is good.

I also thought while riding, this is unequivocally the WRONG bike for VLJ, but the RIGHT bike for me.

VLJ...do yourself a favor, keep the XSR.

[flynrider]

I occasionally ride in a more spirited manner than The Ferret. If you want spirited acceleration, you wind it up to around 7K rpm in each gear (well below any rev limiter kicks in). According to the dyno charts I've seen, the HP peak is at about 7,300 rpm .

Occasionally, I'll get a wild hair and do this on an empty freeway onramp. If I wind it up through the gears, I'll hit the speed limiter (not the rev limiter) in 4th gear long before I reach the end of the onramp.

[the Ferret]

flyn..do you know how high you can rev in 4th and 5th?