Looks like the speed limiter is still on the '14.

[davidsargee_imp]

Would be interesting to know what it will really do in the quarter mile as well, Cycle World topped it out in their quarter mile runs, and managed an 11.7 second E.T., I have to think that it would do better than that without the limiter.

[pcypert_imp]

Not a bike I want to go higher speeds on. I appreciate using the power smoothly throughout the range of usable speeds...particularly naked. Besides gives me a mental excuse to have a "speed" bike as well

[Red Mist_imp]

Oh yea, remember them well. Joan Claybrook, head of US dept of Trans or something, thought if the speedos only went to 85 no one would go faster than that. I remember riding a CBX once with the 85 speedo. Was coming down a 2 mile straightaway and approaching a bend, down shifted 3 times and never did get the needle to move off the peg. Stupidest thing ever. Nearly got me killed. Wonder how fast I was really going?

Don't ride like that anymore!

I knew you'd remember those...what a bone-headed idea. She also proposed seat-belts for motorcycles.

Oh yea, remember them well. Joan Claybrook, head of US dept of Trans or something, thought if the speedos only went to 85 no one would go faster than that. I remember riding a CBX once with the 85 speedo. Was coming down a 2 mile straightaway and approaching a bend, down shifted 3 times and never did get the needle to move off the peg. Stupidest thing ever. Nearly got me killed. Wonder how fast I was really going?

Don't ride like that anymore!

YOU did THAT! "Old Slow and Steady" well into the triple digits on a CBX? So not all of us here are "without sin", LOL!

[Mike Bee_imp]

I'd like to find out how the CB handles at 110 or so. My DL1000 started geting a nasty headshake around 100. The Interceptor was just hitting its stride. I reckon the CB would be stable and smooth, but it'd be a cuss to hold on. Maybe not with one of those nifty Comet fairings...

I've bounced off the limiter a time or two. The CB felt rock solid at that speed. Other than the landscape passing by a bit faster, it felt just like it does at 75 mph. Caveat : Without a windshield you really have to hang on tight above 100 mph.

Since the speed limiter and the oil cooler are insurance against an air-cooled, lean running engine from overheating, I see no reason Honda would remove either one.

~ The Bee

I've had a lot of air cooled lean running bikes that didn't require a speed limitation. While higher speeds equate with more power output (hence, more heat), there is also increased airflow over the engine and oil cooler to carry away heat. The fact that the CB11's limit is exactly what the Japanese domestic standards require of all vehicles makes me think it's presence has more to do with that rather than cooling issues.

My guess is that they didn't bother to modify the programming for such a small volume of bikes (i.e. export CB11s).

The limiter doesn't really bother me, but it would be fun to see what it can really do without artificial restrictions.

I've bounced off the limiter a time or two. The CB felt rock solid at that speed. Other than the landscape passing by a bit faster, it felt just like it does at 75 mph. Caveat : Without a windshield you really have to hang on tight above 100 mph.

Since the speed limiter and the oil cooler are insurance against an air-cooled, lean running engine from overheating, I see no reason Honda would remove either one.

~ The Bee

I've had a lot of air cooled lean running bikes that didn't require a speed limitation. While higher speeds equate with more power output (hence, more heat), there is also increased airflow over the engine and oil cooler to carry away heat. The fact that the CB11's limit is exactly what the Japanese domestic standards require of all vehicles makes me think it's presence has more to do with that rather than cooling issues.

My guess is that they didn't bother to modify the programming for such a small volume of bikes (i.e. export CB11s).

The limiter doesn't really bother me, but it would be fun to see what it can really do without artificial restrictions.
Heat control is Honda's stated reason for the limiter and oil cooler. This subject has been covered at length in previous threads.

~ The Bee

[Red Mist_imp]

I'd like to find out how the CB handles at 110 or so. My DL1000 started geting a nasty headshake around 100. The Interceptor was just hitting its stride. I reckon the CB would be stable and smooth, but it'd be a cuss to hold on. Maybe not with one of those nifty Comet fairings...

I've bounced off the limiter a time or two. The CB felt rock solid at that speed. Other than the landscape passing by a bit faster, it felt just like it does at 75 mph. Caveat : Without a windshield you really have to hang on tight above 100 mph.

Since the speed limiter and the oil cooler are insurance against an air-cooled, lean running engine from overheating, I see no reason Honda would remove either one.

~ The Bee

I've had a lot of air cooled lean running bikes that didn't require a speed limitation. While higher speeds equate with more power output (hence, more heat), there is also increased airflow over the engine and oil cooler to carry away heat. The fact that the CB11's limit is exactly what the Japanese domestic standards require of all vehicles makes me think it's presence has more to do with that rather than cooling issues.

My guess is that they didn't bother to modify the programming for such a small volume of bikes (i.e. export CB11s).

The limiter doesn't really bother me, but it would be fun to see what it can really do without artificial restrictions.

I've bounced off the limiter a time or two. The CB felt rock solid at that speed. Other than the landscape passing by a bit faster, it felt just like it does at 75 mph. Caveat : Without a windshield you really have to hang on tight above 100 mph.

Since the speed limiter and the oil cooler are insurance against an air-cooled, lean running engine from overheating, I see no reason Honda would remove either one.

~ The Bee

I've had a lot of air cooled lean running bikes that didn't require a speed limitation. While higher speeds equate with more power output (hence, more heat), there is also increased airflow over the engine and oil cooler to carry away heat. The fact that the CB11's limit is exactly what the Japanese domestic standards require of all vehicles makes me think it's presence has more to do with that rather than cooling issues.

My guess is that they didn't bother to modify the programming for such a small volume of bikes (i.e. export CB11s).

The limiter doesn't really bother me, but it would be fun to see what it can really do without artificial restrictions.
Heat control is Honda's stated reason for the limiter and oil cooler. This subject has been covered at length in previous threads.

~ The Bee

Heat, my eye! China limits all vehicles to 105 but that's bound to change.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I believe the limit is mostly non-technical and more for consumer safety. It would be interesting to learn if German released CBs has the same impediment.

I have ridden other imported bikes (actually via the U.S. market) that had the 180 km/h limit and they were liquid cooled. In all cases, getting to 200 takes too much effort. One has to literally punch through 180 downhill. It is not sustainable at all and the computer fights you quite noticeably.

At limit, speed wobble, uncomfortable vibrations and similar have not been detected. The CB appears solid, and I believe it could do more. Most are happy with the limitation. Besides, the trade-off is a strong, confident, and rev-less pull-off from stop. For an inline-4, I value that.

While other bikes sit and rev at the red light to maintain a pulse, or other wild cats to anticipate "take-off", I just release and go. Never disappoints.

[Bigskyorbust_imp]

Cracked the ton( just for the sake of having done it ) one time on a trip to Memphis when I had about 2000 miles on the clock. Bike felt totally fine and stable at that speed ..... It was more me that was uncomfortable . Top end speed has never really been the draw for me. I guess my need for speed is more acceleration and working the gear box based in slower settings.

My thoughts are that the speed limiter was simply left the same as the Japanese models . I am sure that overheating protection was certainly the engineering goal, but quite frankly it did not sell all that great here and that had to be a factor in my opinion.



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[the Ferret]

6 years and 51,000 miles on 2 CB's and I have still not seen the ton .... or 6,000 rpms for that matter. When I was 30 years old, I would have seen the ton and redline the first week lol. No longer interested.

Btw I did see the ton (indicated) on my ST at my wife's request in Montana one year, on a tour of the north west, but not redline, and I've seen neither on my FJR in 9000 miles and unlikely to in it's lifetime. We shall see. I've found 85 to be plenty fast for me these days.

[Bigskyorbust_imp]

Agreed on the 85 but I bet that ST could cruise real fine at higher speeds .

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[LongRanger_imp]

Agree on the 85 too. In fact, in my case it's more like 70-75 max. In my younger days, I'd frequently see 120-130 mph on my K1200RS, and once had the nerve to take it to 155 indicated in Death Valley, CA. The fact I never felt compelled to repeat that stunt is a good indication of how much I enjoyed it. Today, with my diminishing vision and reaction times, the stock performance envelope of the CB is just about perfect.