Design Disadvantages of the CB1100

[davidsargee_imp]

All I can say is this bike seems like it was personally designed for me. It has more power than a sane person needs, and it can do, or be adapted to do, just about any type of street/road riding one might want.

As for advantages/disadvantages, I am an older, working class stiff, I do not have enough bank account for multiple motorcycles, (God bless you if you do, but I don't). I wanted a bike that not only looks and runs good, but is versatile enough to go for short rides, or to throw a couple of bags on and ride to the Grand Canyon, (plan to do that this spring, 2300 miles round trip). The CB1100 is by far the most suitable bike for my needs. I am going to ride it for years, take a few trips, etc. Once it is paid off, I might cafe it , then buy another bike for trips, maybe, or maybe not.

Disadvantages, I can't really think of any that matter. That's the point, just ride it, and see where you are when you stop.

This bike is what the gentleman from Australia, (among others), stated in an earlier post, it is a Gentlemans bike. Best UJM on the market, for sure.

Cheers

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need. I like my bike, but I definitely wish it had another 20-30hp for getting into the HOV lane without worrying if you're going to get crammed in the butt. On my CBR, that's not any kind of a problem, that thing's a missile. And I don't ride fast, not by any stretch of the imagination. I regularly get 50+mpg on the CB (and 40+ on the CBR). It's just those small occasions when I would really like the confidence of accelerating like I'm entering low-Earth orbit so I know I won't get rear-ended.

Otherwise, the bike is nearly perfect. Except for the hand grips. They suck a special kind of suck.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.

[Dakota_imp]

A couple of points from Taylors book on engine design:

"V engines of 8 cylinders or more have excellent balance and freedom from vibrational problems. ... Two, four, and six cylinder V engines have balance problems. They are used chiefly in small sizes where the resultant shape is appropriate, such as in motorcycles."

Here's my list of design failings of the CB:

1. It's air-cooled. What were they thinking? It's so much easier to control engine heat, and thus provide more power for comparable displacements, with water-cooling.

2. There's no fairing. Riders are exposed to the elements, including wind-blast, rain, and cold. A large, modern fairing would not only resolve those issues, but would also provide a location to install features such as "Infotainment" systems, GPS, satellite TV, etc.

3. No luggage. Where the heck are you supposed to put your hair dryer if you take a road trip? A large top case and side-bags would go a long way here.

4. Chain drive. Are you kidding me? A shaft drive would be quieter, cleaner, and virtually zero maintenance. CB buyers are stuck with cleaning and lubricating chains for the life of the motorcycle.

5. I-4 engine layout. This engine design is simply outdated. A V-4 or horizontally opposed 6 cylinder engine would produce more power and fewer vibrations.

6. Single headlight. Two headlights would provide better visibility for both the rider and surrounding traffic. Shame on Honda for not investing a few dollars more here.

Honda has used a second oil pump/ cooler circuit for engine cooling. It remains to be seen if this is the disadvantage you believe it to be. Honda claims the result to be comparable to liquid cooling. I like the idea of not having to worry about coolant changes, corrosion, or leaks into the crankcase.

A V4 has inferior balance. If you look at what is and has been put under the hoods of vehicles, a V4 is very uncommon. What technical reason do you believe would cause a V4 to produce more power than an I4? A horizontally opposed six wouldn't pay homage to the "CB".
It appears that V4 and opposed 6 engines are so absurd that the tables covering engine balance didn't even bother to include them so I can't give you a comparison of secondary shaking force and moment. It really looks like the design decision to use those configurations is driven mainly by packaging concerns. Is this the type of design compromise you'd rather have?

[calamarichris_imp]

A couple of points from Taylors book on engine design:

"V engines of 8 cylinders or more have excellent balance and freedom from vibrational problems. ... Two, four, and six cylinder V engines have balance problems. They are used chiefly in small sizes where the resultant shape is appropriate, such as in motorcycles."

Here's my list of design failings of the CB:

1. It's air-cooled. What were they thinking? It's so much easier to control engine heat, and thus provide more power for comparable displacements, with water-cooling.

2. There's no fairing. Riders are exposed to the elements, including wind-blast, rain, and cold. A large, modern fairing would not only resolve those issues, but would also provide a location to install features such as "Infotainment" systems, GPS, satellite TV, etc.

3. No luggage. Where the heck are you supposed to put your hair dryer if you take a road trip? A large top case and side-bags would go a long way here.

4. Chain drive. Are you kidding me? A shaft drive would be quieter, cleaner, and virtually zero maintenance. CB buyers are stuck with cleaning and lubricating chains for the life of the motorcycle.

5. I-4 engine layout. This engine design is simply outdated. A V-4 or horizontally opposed 6 cylinder engine would produce more power and fewer vibrations.

6. Single headlight. Two headlights would provide better visibility for both the rider and surrounding traffic. Shame on Honda for not investing a few dollars more here.

Honda has used a second oil pump/ cooler circuit for engine cooling. It remains to be seen if this is the disadvantage you believe it to be. Honda claims the result to be comparable to liquid cooling. I like the idea of not having to worry about coolant changes, corrosion, or leaks into the crankcase.

A V4 has inferior balance. If you look at what is and has been put under the hoods of vehicles, a V4 is very uncommon. What technical reason do you believe would cause a V4 to produce more power than an I4? A horizontally opposed six wouldn't pay homage to the "CB".
It appears that V4 and opposed 6 engines are so absurd that the tables covering engine balance didn't even bother to include them so I can't give you a comparison of secondary shaking force and moment. It really looks like the design decision to use those configurations is driven mainly by packaging concerns. Is this the type of design compromise you'd rather have?

Thanks for the interesting quote about V-configurations.

I think the oil cooler is a good idea. Suzuki's GSXR's from the late 80's-early 90's were a successful oil-cooled design. BMW's Boxers are another good example. I test rode and rented several of those Boxers, and IMO the oil cooler was effective enough to make the cooling fins on the Boxer's cylinders primarily retro-decorations. The cylinders never really got hot, even after a few hours at highway speed.
The last big air-cooled I4 that I can remember was Yamaha's FJR1200, and that bike had problems with the #2 & 3 cylinders (inside) getting too hot, especially when left with stock jetting to comply with emissions standards.

[Deanohh_imp]

All I can say is this bike seems like it was personally designed for me. It has more power than a sane person needs, and it can do, or be adapted to do, just about any type of street/road riding one might want.

As for advantages/disadvantages, I am an older, working class stiff, I do not have enough bank account for multiple motorcycles, (God bless you if you do, but I don't). I wanted a bike that not only looks and runs good, but is versatile enough to go for short rides, or to throw a couple of bags on and ride to the Grand Canyon, (plan to do that this spring, 2300 miles round trip). The CB1100 is by far the most suitable bike for my needs. I am going to ride it for years, take a few trips, etc. Once it is paid off, I might cafe it , then buy another bike for trips, maybe, or maybe not.

Disadvantages, I can't really think of any that matter. That's the point, just ride it, and see where you are when you stop.

This bike is what the gentleman from Australia, (among others), stated in an earlier post, it is a Gentlemans bike. Best UJM on the market, for sure.

Cheers

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need. I like my bike, but I definitely wish it had another 20-30hp for getting into the HOV lane without worrying if you're going to get crammed in the butt. On my CBR, that's not any kind of a problem, that thing's a missile. And I don't ride fast, not by any stretch of the imagination. I regularly get 50+mpg on the CB (and 40+ on the CBR). It's just those small occasions when I would really like the confidence of accelerating like I'm entering low-Earth orbit so I know I won't get rear-ended.

Otherwise, the bike is nearly perfect. Except for the hand grips. They suck a special kind of suck.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?

[Red Mist_imp]

All I can say is this bike seems like it was personally designed for me. It has more power than a sane person needs, and it can do, or be adapted to do, just about any type of street/road riding one might want.

As for advantages/disadvantages, I am an older, working class stiff, I do not have enough bank account for multiple motorcycles, (God bless you if you do, but I don't). I wanted a bike that not only looks and runs good, but is versatile enough to go for short rides, or to throw a couple of bags on and ride to the Grand Canyon, (plan to do that this spring, 2300 miles round trip). The CB1100 is by far the most suitable bike for my needs. I am going to ride it for years, take a few trips, etc. Once it is paid off, I might cafe it , then buy another bike for trips, maybe, or maybe not.

Disadvantages, I can't really think of any that matter. That's the point, just ride it, and see where you are when you stop.

This bike is what the gentleman from Australia, (among others), stated in an earlier post, it is a Gentlemans bike. Best UJM on the market, for sure.

Cheers

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need. I like my bike, but I definitely wish it had another 20-30hp for getting into the HOV lane without worrying if you're going to get crammed in the butt. On my CBR, that's not any kind of a problem, that thing's a missile. And I don't ride fast, not by any stretch of the imagination. I regularly get 50+mpg on the CB (and 40+ on the CBR). It's just those small occasions when I would really like the confidence of accelerating like I'm entering low-Earth orbit so I know I won't get rear-ended.

Otherwise, the bike is nearly perfect. Except for the hand grips. They suck a special kind of suck.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again? You always have a way of bringing us back to Earth, and I thank you for it...whew!

Strange that Honda has been dominating Motogp with a V4 to everyone's surprise.

Nothing to do with the CB1100 of course but Honda dominated Superbike racing with V4s for years and dominated Formula 1 GP with V4s as well, in the 1980s. F1 GP is of course what is now called MotoGP, which is pretty well-known but I'm clarifying anyhow. Can't begin to list how many races and champeenships have been won on Honda V4s but it's plenty.

Back to the OP, is this a search for a reason not to buy the bike due to longevity, durability, reliability, comfort, driveability, or other issues? Normally those concerns are mostly related to finances, so if one is looking for the best bang for the buck, the CB is NOT the bike of choice. For sure a liquid-cooled machine is a better choice if you are wanting to go over 50,000 miles without any issues. Personally I have never put quite that many miles on any one bike. I've come close with a few but spreading the miles across two or more bikes, and ultimately wanting something new and/or different, has kept my max single-bike mileage to 43,000, that being an air-cooled BMW. Had one Honda V4 that saw 37,000 and a few others that got into that range. Never had any problems with any of these bikes.

Honestly if you are looking for long valve-adjustment intervals and ultimate power, durability, and reliability, Honda's CB1000R is the bike to look at. As good as the CB1100 is, it's still rooted firmly in the past.

The Yamaha FZ8 and FZ1 are also much better long-term, high-mileage choices.

And let's not forget that Lorenzo and Marquez pretty much split the wins between them last year; Honda's victory was hardly a home run.

[Dakota_imp]

An SAE paper which commented on the CB1100's method of hybrid cooling: http://articles.sae.org/12639/

[calamarichris_imp]

Cool stuff, Dakota, thank you!
Glad to see Harley freezing hell over like that, and interesting to see The Motor Compay embracing the idea of catering to exports. With a radiator that big, those cooling fins are pretty much for decorative street cred.

[davidsargee_imp]

All I can say is this bike seems like it was personally designed for me. It has more power than a sane person needs, and it can do, or be adapted to do, just about any type of street/road riding one might want.

As for advantages/disadvantages, I am an older, working class stiff, I do not have enough bank account for multiple motorcycles, (God bless you if you do, but I don't). I wanted a bike that not only looks and runs good, but is versatile enough to go for short rides, or to throw a couple of bags on and ride to the Grand Canyon, (plan to do that this spring, 2300 miles round trip). The CB1100 is by far the most suitable bike for my needs. I am going to ride it for years, take a few trips, etc. Once it is paid off, I might cafe it , then buy another bike for trips, maybe, or maybe not.

Disadvantages, I can't really think of any that matter. That's the point, just ride it, and see where you are when you stop.

This bike is what the gentleman from Australia, (among others), stated in an earlier post, it is a Gentlemans bike. Best UJM on the market, for sure.

Cheers

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need. I like my bike, but I definitely wish it had another 20-30hp for getting into the HOV lane without worrying if you're going to get crammed in the butt. On my CBR, that's not any kind of a problem, that thing's a missile. And I don't ride fast, not by any stretch of the imagination. I regularly get 50+mpg on the CB (and 40+ on the CBR). It's just those small occasions when I would really like the confidence of accelerating like I'm entering low-Earth orbit so I know I won't get rear-ended.

Otherwise, the bike is nearly perfect. Except for the hand grips. They suck a special kind of suck.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?
The subject is advantages and disadvantages of the CB1100. Many of us feel that the bike has plenty of horsepower, the designers certainly do. You are more than free to mod it, go buy a faster bike, whatever you want. Doesn't make either of us right or wrong.

Your presuming to know everything about what I or anyone else thinks is out of line though, and having sex with your bike is a personal matter you should keep to yourself.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

[Deanohh_imp]

Now you are the one jumping to conclusions. I do fondle my CB a little from time to time but that's as far as I go.

[Cormanus]

All I can say is this bike seems like it was personally designed for me. It has more power than a sane person needs, and it can do, or be adapted to do, just about any type of street/road riding one might want.

As for advantages/disadvantages, I am an older, working class stiff, I do not have enough bank account for multiple motorcycles, (God bless you if you do, but I don't). I wanted a bike that not only looks and runs good, but is versatile enough to go for short rides, or to throw a couple of bags on and ride to the Grand Canyon, (plan to do that this spring, 2300 miles round trip). The CB1100 is by far the most suitable bike for my needs. I am going to ride it for years, take a few trips, etc. Once it is paid off, I might cafe it , then buy another bike for trips, maybe, or maybe not.

Disadvantages, I can't really think of any that matter. That's the point, just ride it, and see where you are when you stop.

This bike is what the gentleman from Australia, (among others), stated in an earlier post, it is a Gentlemans bike. Best UJM on the market, for sure.

Cheers

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need. I like my bike, but I definitely wish it had another 20-30hp for getting into the HOV lane without worrying if you're going to get crammed in the butt. On my CBR, that's not any kind of a problem, that thing's a missile. And I don't ride fast, not by any stretch of the imagination. I regularly get 50+mpg on the CB (and 40+ on the CBR). It's just those small occasions when I would really like the confidence of accelerating like I'm entering low-Earth orbit so I know I won't get rear-ended.

Otherwise, the bike is nearly perfect. Except for the hand grips. They suck a special kind of suck.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?

That's not true and I really wish people would stop saying it. Whatever your reason for thinking so doesn't mean it has more power than anyone would ever need.
You are confusing "wants" with "needs". I live in the DFW area, if the bike can accelerate into HOV lanes here, it will anywhere. I have driven in Phoenix, very similar there to here.

While an 11.7 second E.T. in the quarter mile may not be "smoking" anymore, it is nothing to sneeze at either. Considering the bike is hitting the speed limiter at the end of the quarter, it has impressive acceleration.

You shouldn't have a problem entering the HOV lane, unless traffic exceeds 110mph, I could see a problem then.
According to the way you guys think, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex if you wanted it... only when you needed it. If that were the case I'd never get anything at all. At least I can have all the horsepower I want when I want it, if I'm willing to pay for it. What was the subject again?
The subject is advantages and disadvantages of the CB1100. Many of us feel that the bike has plenty of horsepower, the designers certainly do. You are more than free to mod it, go buy a faster bike, whatever you want. Doesn't make either of us right or wrong.

Your presuming to know everything about what I or anyone else thinks is out of line though, and having sex with your bike is a personal matter you should keep to yourself.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

And in a first for this forum, the shout went up: "NO PICTURES!!"

Here's my list of design failings of the CB:

1. It's air-cooled. What were they thinking? It's so much easier to control engine heat, and thus provide more power for comparable displacements, with water-cooling.

2. There's no fairing. Riders are exposed to the elements, including wind-blast, rain, and cold. A large, modern fairing would not only resolve those issues, but would also provide a location to install features such as "Infotainment" systems, GPS, satellite TV, etc.

3. No luggage. Where the heck are you supposed to put your hair dryer if you take a road trip? A large top case and side-bags would go a long way here.

4. Chain drive. Are you kidding me? A shaft drive would be quieter, cleaner, and virtually zero maintenance. CB buyers are stuck with cleaning and lubricating chains for the life of the motorcycle.

5. I-4 engine layout. This engine design is simply outdated. A V-4 or horizontally opposed 6 cylinder engine would produce more power and fewer vibrations.

6. Single headlight. Two headlights would provide better visibility for both the rider and surrounding traffic. Shame on Honda for not investing a few dollars more here.

Goddamnit, Spaceman, you forgot the most important:

7. Two wheels. The thing'd be far more stable and safer in dangerous corners if it had another couplea wheels.