Smooth power everywhere

[Red Mist_imp]

Some people are saying that you only need a power commander if you are 'opening her up', i.e. airbox mods, non-cat headers, aftermarket pipe etc and that otherwise stock ECU map is fine?

I'm impressed with the throttle response and linear power delivery as it is! You are saying the difference is extremely noticeable? Hmm I wasn't going to get one but now I'm intrigued...

I don't get this. I'm with Aussie. My bike already runs exactly as you described, smooth, seamless, linear power, the throttle is not "jerky", the powerband is as flat as a pancake with a nice kick past 6K.

You got before and after dyno charts?
"No more hesitation at low revs, no jerky throttle in slow roundabots, smooth exits from those tight corners, cruise or play on one machine. Truly amazing."

My bike doesn't do this, never did it. It's stock. I don't sit on the freeway all day, either. It spends a lot of time in the upper third of the tach.

[VicsCB1100_imp]

Hi Red Mist
All I can say is my bike whilst smooth overall did have some hesitation at low speed especially in low gears. It also had a slight hesitation and stutter in 5th at around 2000 revs on a light throttle. This behaviour is similar to several bikes I have had in recent years all put down to fuel mapping by various dealer technicians when I queried or asked for a fix.

A Power Commander fixed it each time. The worst were a Yamaha FZ6 and a Vstar 1300.

The CB whilst being the best out of the box bike I have had . It still had issues that were easily addressed.

Note my bike is 2011 and Aussie spec. There may be differences in tune for each market as emissions standards vary widely between countries and in some countries like the US I believe even between states.

Even without a PCV I could have lived very happily with the bike but after reading various posts on this forum and having previous good experiences with the technology it was a low risk spend of time and money.

Unfortunately I have recently retired from the car company I worked for and no longer have the luxury of free technical support and an emissions lab with a dyno to use after work.
Seat of the pants testing is now all I can give you. So far so good.


Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

[Red Mist_imp]

Hi Red Mist
All I can say is my bike whilst smooth overall did have some hesitation at low speed especially in low gears. It also had a slight hesitation and stutter in 5th at around 2000 revs on a light throttle. This behaviour is similar to several bikes I have had in recent years all put down to fuel mapping by various dealer technicians when I queried or asked for a fix.

A Power Commander fixed it each time. The worst were a Yamaha FZ6 and a Vstar 1300.

The CB whilst being the best out of the box bike I have had . It still had issues that were easily addressed.

Note my bike is 2011 and Aussie spec. There may be differences in tune for each market as emissions standards vary widely between countries and in some countries like the US I believe even between states.

Even without a PCV I could have lived very happily with the bike but after reading various posts on this forum and having previous good experiences with the technology it was a low risk spend of time and money.

Unfortunately I have recently retired from the car company I worked for and no longer have the luxury of free technical support and an emissions lab with a dyno to use after work.
Seat of the pants testing is now all I can give you. So far so good.


Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

What's important is it worked out for ya. Must have been pretty cool to have had that resource available when you did, though!

A PCV is a lot less $$ than any slip-on pipe and will actually DO something besides make noise. However I am considering going to the dark side at some point myself, and outfitting the beast with a slip-on and K&N air filter. I'd go for the quietest slip-on available (heard Staintune is nice and one of my fellow CB1100 owners has one which sounds good in the parking lot).

I haven't spent a nickel on mine yet except to change fork oil to 15wt and new Bridgestones.

I like this bike more and more every ride. It's a keeper.

[Romo1969_imp]

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[The Spaceman_imp]

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

[Red Mist_imp]

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

Couldn'a sed it better and we all know hoomility is my strong suit...speakin' as Breck...

[davidsargee_imp]

Wow, interesting. Is the white wall paint? It makes the tires look entirely different. Our side covers are a lighter silver.

Yes the white walls are painted after some tyre prep. Our side covers are a light bronze colour in a semi matt finish. This is a 2011 model. I believe very similar to the Japanese spec incl low seat height, exhaust with a small flap which creates a burbling sound at idle. Not sure if other markets have this ?
Hi Pterodactyl
I worked in the car manufacturing industry for over 30 years and was able to meet many designers and engineers . The emissions guys were the geeks who had to contend with Govt regulations, marketing departments who want more power but use less fuel and customers who want it all.

They all struggle to meet emissions and fuel economy goals. Today everything is the leanest possible especially at low speeds.

That is why headers blue up so quicly on many bikes. Lean =hot exhaust temps. I have recently polished mine so lets hope the PCV slows it down between cleans.

To answer some of your questions. Yes I installed it myself and wont bother with a dyno tune. It is a simple plug and play and trust the manufacturer on their R&D. The dyno is an expensive exercise when not chasing power or perfection.

From experience over many years with my own bikes and watching mates pull their hair out with changing pipes, home made mods to airboxes etc. I figure that stock is best in many ways. Small fiddle with a simple black box is a safe and cost effective way to go. Otherwise you are continually chasing each mods effects on the system.

I know how the warranty department works. Obvious mods to an engine is usually a simple NO to any warranty claim. In many cases they are actually justified because of the stresses caused by more power or just poor backyard mechanics. I dont like helping those mean SOB'achieve their budget.

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

Wow, very intrigued. Thanks for the information VicsCB1100.

I sometimes think that I want to do a couple of mods, but when pondering the idea, I always come back to the conclusion that I am happy with the bike's performance as is and really have nothing to gain, at least not enough to justify the high cost. Reading this post sort of confirms that for me, except now I am wondering if a PCV might be of some benefit...........

Thanks again.

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Red Mist
All I can say is my bike whilst smooth overall did have some hesitation at low speed especially in low gears. It also had a slight hesitation and stutter in 5th at around 2000 revs on a light throttle. This behaviour is similar to several bikes I have had in recent years all put down to fuel mapping by various dealer technicians when I queried or asked for a fix.

A Power Commander fixed it each time. The worst were a Yamaha FZ6 and a Vstar 1300.

The CB whilst being the best out of the box bike I have had . It still had issues that were easily addressed.

Note my bike is 2011 and Aussie spec. There may be differences in tune for each market as emissions standards vary widely between countries and in some countries like the US I believe even between states.

Even without a PCV I could have lived very happily with the bike but after reading various posts on this forum and having previous good experiences with the technology it was a low risk spend of time and money.

Unfortunately I have recently retired from the car company I worked for and no longer have the luxury of free technical support and an emissions lab with a dyno to use after work.
Seat of the pants testing is now all I can give you. So far so good.


Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

What's important is it worked out for ya. Must have been pretty cool to have had that resource available when you did, though!

A PCV is a lot less $$ than any slip-on pipe and will actually DO something besides make noise. However I am considering going to the dark side at some point myself, and outfitting the beast with a slip-on and K&N air filter. I'd go for the quietest slip-on available (heard Staintune is nice and one of my fellow CB1100 owners has one which sounds good in the parking lot).

I haven't spent a nickel on mine yet except to change fork oil to 15wt and new Bridgestones.

I like this bike more and more every ride. It's a keeper.

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

Guess I'm not the only one that feels that way about this bike!

[CBXBob_imp]

Has any one looked at an O2 sensor trimmer like FASTDUC has for ducati's.
Has any one looked at an O2 sensor trimmer like FASTDUC has for ducati's.

[Dakota_imp]

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!
The more important question: is the OEM filter flow deficient; not whether or not the KnN flows more? Unless someone has tested the OEM, nobody really knows and these decisions are based fully on beliefs and hope. I doubt that Honda engineers would have designed in an air filter that doesn't meet flow requirements.

[Red Mist_imp]

I tell ya. I usually modify almost every vehicle I own. This bike does stuff so well and the little diff I would really get makes me really love the idea of leaving this one as is. She just seems to work well on her own. I even abandon the idea of a k&n which I've put in every bike I've owned and almost every car. I bought the filter the 1st week and just realized I'd be better off returning it than bothering. Plus it was expensive.

I do like this lil girl. As is. And for me that is extremely rare.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I didn't like the way it fit, I didn't like the lack of gaskets on either end like the OEM has, and overall, the Honda part simply looks and feels like a better engineered part to me.

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!

So what if the K 'n N flows more air, did I really buy the CB to wring every nit of power I can out of it? Once I really thought about it, I realized no, the CB is about something else all together. Besides, it'll cruise at 90 to 100 mph for hours on end without breathing hard, so WTF more do I need?

K 'n N for sale, cheap. You take my seminar!
The more important question: is the OEM filter flow deficient; not whether or not the KnN flows more? Unless someone has tested the OEM, nobody really knows and these decisions are based fully on beliefs and hope. I doubt that Honda engineers would have designed in an air filter that doesn't meet flow requirements.

K&N always flows more than stock, as a baseline. Quite a lot more as the design is different and much less restrictive. It filters not by simply having pores that are smaller than the smallest destructive dust particle (direct filtration, so to speak), but instead by a process similar to absorption, where the particles are "trapped" after being attracted to the filter media. The actual passages through the K&N filter are quite large but have many twists and turns (on a microscopic level), and combined with the sticky oil, block and trap dust.

A K&N filter can make quite a difference if the fuel map is able to accommodate it. My understanding is that generally, an EFI motorcycle or car is able to easily cope with the new filter within the range of adjustability of its system.