Cb1100 handling (geometry questions)

[Ulvetanna_imp]

For me this is all about riding style. To use movies to illustrate, I'm more 'The Wild One' than 'Easy Rider'. I was at the first showing of Easy Rider in the UK and it was a culture shock to see cool guys riding slowly, laid back and chilling (am I using old man vocabulary ?). We have never had a cruiser culture in the UK, there are a few Harley's now but not many. Here it was all about speed and racing. Ride to work on your bike all week and then race it at the weekend. I read recently that during the development of the Ducati Diavel X the designers were sent to America and made to cruise around for several weeks so they could learn what the cruising culture is all about. I want a retro, cool bike that that can keep pace with modern machinery. The Bandit 1200 I had came close but it wasn't a 'looker'. The CB1100 with new suspension now works for me. I would like 100bhp but I don't want a radiator to achieve it. My perfect bike? Lets see what comes out in the next couple of years.

I have been lurking here for a bit, but am with Paulb in terms of my riding style. I've noticed the large majority of CB1100 owners are mostly into the cruiser or recreational mode but I, like Paulb, am a performance rider, have done for many years, and wanted to get my 2013 CB1100 working as well as possible. I track a high-perf bike and also run a late model literbike (2015 Kawi ZX-10R) on the street so I like the good suspension, grip, and handling of a well-sorted machine.

I mostly rode other bikes and did not really put much time into the CB in the two years or so since I bought it (just turned over 8,000 miles on the clock) and was near ready to trade it or sell it but then made one last effort. Aside from Ikon shocks set up for my specs I also went with your Chip Beck's handlebar modification. That made a huge difference in riding position and control and I found it superb, still very comfy especially compared to the ZX-10R, but much more weight on the front tire and a better angle into the wind as I do a lot of freeway as well as twisting roads.

I noticed straightaway that the vibration lessened in the revolution range I like to ride in. It smoothed out above 70 mph, and in the area of sport riding for the CB1100 it is going to be always above 5000 RPM, or most of the time at any rate. So this mod works really, really well and I highly recommend it as the first thing to do to sport up your CB1100. Next is the shocks for sure, Ikons are the least expensive but yes, they are darn good, a triple-rate spring and plenty of damping and compliance.

Last but not least are the tires and I have been very surprised to see no one on the forum has yet seemed to try the [url=http://www.continental-tires.com/motorcycle/tires/motorcycle-tires/classic-classic-racing/contiroadattack2cr]Continental Road Attack 2 Classic Race tires. These are designed specifically to fit our bike, the CB1100, and use a production or "classic" race compound and special carcass design, but are DOT approved. The rear is a 150/65-18, with all the sidewall the CB1100 could ever use.

These tires are not cheap, they are quite expensive, as I believe I paid about $350 for the set, but they are superb. I would compare them to the Dunlop Q3 as far as a sport tire. The grip is unreal, and the handling very linear and predictable and the compliance excellent. With these tires there will be no call for complaints about grip or handling.

It took me around two weeks to dial in the suspension settings to match these tires. The rear ride height needs to come up a bit to get some weight on the front tire, and the front ride height needs to be tweaked until the handling is balanced. I had to work back and forth, shocks to fork, many times over about 300 miles of riding but I eventually found the right setup and I can say without a doubt this motorcycle handles, and not just OK for what it is. It handles brilliantly, the only real limitation being cornering clearance. I've got very short peg feelers, about 1/3 the length of stock, and I have removed the centerstand to get maximum clearance. I've scraped the pegs with great comfort and no drama.

This bike needs to be ridden like a dirtbike, old-school, square off the turn, give it the stick, because lean is limited, but when set up right I promise it will surprise the daylights out of many riders on much more modern bikes. I have pulled up the front wheel an inch or so coming out of turns, it does have excellent torque, and the brakes are very good as well.

I have no plans to do anything else to the bike, it's completely stock with the exception of a K&N air filter and wants nothing more than to be ridden.

If you love your CB1100 don't give up on the handling. This thing can be a real sleeper and looks the business with the low bars and DOT racing tires.

Don't expect fantastic mileage, BTW, but surprisingly the multi-compound thing Conti is doing seems to be lasting very well. If I get 3K miles out of the rear I will be smiling about it.