My review of the CB1100 (2018 EX)

[tod.branko_imp]

Mate that tip about the suspension worked wonders for my bike, much appreciated

Excellent!

Olof, yes, a bit of extra pre-load on the back (even if you leave the front alone) has always worked for me. It just puts the bike on its nose that bit more and does improve cornering feel and poise. Try it.

Don't mind me if I add, although pumping up the preload is ok for raising the back, suspension will work mostly in top of it's travel, thus not optimally. Try dropping the the triple clamps for 1cm, it will have the same effect on geometry, but the shocks will work in the mid-travel where it's supposed to be

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

Yes, a very common mod people make on bikes to sharpen up the steering because you have just shortened the trail of the bike but this should only be necessary if you run out of preload adjustment to achieve the same thing on a standard unmodified bike.

I have to disagree with you a little on setting the preload at the mid point of your travel. A general target for where the suspension should sit in its stroke is about 25-30% when you are sitting on your bike when fully clobbered up. Having it mid stroke is too much use of that travel, the compression forces on the road will always be greater than the effects of a dip in the road. At 50% sag you are losing overall suspenstion travel.

Here is my take on preload when I got new suspension on my Daytona. I can be a little long winded so apologies for the length in advance!
https://youtu.be/hx6ExYqls9E

Excellent!

Olof, yes, a bit of extra pre-load on the back (even if you leave the front alone) has always worked for me. It just puts the bike on its nose that bit more and does improve cornering feel and poise. Try it.

Don't mind me if I add, although pumping up the preload is ok for raising the back, suspension will work mostly in top of it's travel, thus not optimally. Try dropping the the triple clamps for 1cm, it will have the same effect on geometry, but the shocks will work in the mid-travel where it's supposed to be

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

Yes, a very common mod people make on bikes to sharpen up the steering because you have just shortened the trail of the bike but this should only be necessary if you run out of preload adjustment to achieve the same thing on a standard unmodified bike.

I have to disagree with you a little on setting the preload at the mid point of your travel. A general target for where the suspension should sit in its stroke is about 25-30% when you are sitting on your bike when fully clobbered up. Having it mid stroke is too much use of that travel, the compression forces on the road will always be greater than the effects of a dip in the road. At 50% sag you are losing overall suspenstion travel.

Here is my take on preload when I got new suspension on my Daytona. I can be a little long winded so apologies for the length in advance!
https://youtu.be/hx6ExYqls9E I'm not saying to set the sag on 50% but to allow sag to be normal and the suspension to work in the mid range, pumping up preload for geometry rather than to offset the weight increase so that the sag will be, again normal, it a horrible idea when it comes to ride comfortable, you will end with way too much rear end chatter, and bouncing off imperfections in the road and speed bumps. I know that because I'm a lazy rider in a sense that when I have a bike on which I'd take the Mrs out more frequently, I'd pump up the preload and leave it like that even when I'm riding alone, horrible idea, especially for my riding style

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed