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12-26-2019, 04:50 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-30-2026, 09:50 PM by Cormanus.)
Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks 
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Welcome aboard E11even_Hunnit.
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our CB is a cruiser for relaxt easy roĺling......its NO POWERbike..!
like chopper with short fork...
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(12-26-2019, 04:50 AM)E11even_Hunnit_imp Wrote: Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks
Welcome E11even_Hunnit!
Point of clarification: I believe the two options for year '14 in the U.S. were Standard (black) and DLX (Deluxe) (red with dual exhaust). I'm assuming you mean the DLX.
(12-26-2019, 04:50 AM)E11even_Hunnit_imp Wrote: Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks
If "screamer that puts a grin on one's face" is high on the list, I'm thinking you will be disappointed in the Honda CB1100. If "nice, smooth accelerating ride that puts a grin on face" is acceptable, then you should be OK.
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 Howdy and welcome to the forum
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Hello E11, and welcome to the Forum.
You should be able to find most of your answers by searching the Forum. However, I suspect the fine folks would be happy to share some experiences again.
My two cents: It is a confident performer. Not a screamer, but a great, well mannered friend.
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Hi hunnit, there is an excellent search function on the top of the page if you get stuck, there are several different size tanks so it depends, cheers.
Ha, beat me to it GO.
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(12-26-2019, 06:45 AM)pdedse_imp Wrote: (12-26-2019, 04:50 AM)E11even_Hunnit_imp Wrote: Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks
Welcome E11even_Hunnit!
Point of clarification: I believe the two options for year '14 in the U.S. were Standard (black) and DLX (Deluxe) (red with dual exhaust). I'm assuming you mean the DLX.
(12-26-2019, 04:50 AM)E11even_Hunnit_imp Wrote: Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks
If "screamer that puts a grin on one's face" is high on the list, I'm thinking you will be disappointed in the Honda CB1100. If "nice, smooth accelerating ride that puts a grin on face" is acceptable, then you should be OK.
Welcome E11even_Hunnit!
Point of clarification: I believe the two options for year '14 in the U.S. were Standard (black) and DLX (Deluxe) (red with dual exhaust). I'm assuming you mean the DLX.
(12-26-2019, 04:50 AM)E11even_Hunnit_imp Wrote: Holiday greetings all,
I recently came across a '14 ELX for sale and will be going to see it this weekend to determine if it's a worthy upgrade of my current bike, an 81' CB900F, with that said, I did have a few questions for you current owners..
My first impression: I love the looks of the bike, for the most part anyway. The bike carries that classic CB style and offers modern day technology to an extent. The downside for me, the powerplant upgrade support/options are lacking when compared to the old CB- I was planning a 985/1123 rebuild and modern 17" suspension setup to get the old F where I'd really like it to be, but my lack of spare time to wrench these days seem to be pushing that vision further and further away.
I love the character and raw power that the old F offers, and I'm not 100% sure the newer FI ELX is the screamer that puts a grin on my face every time, the bike looks the part, but does it play the part?
With the understanding that some of these areas are very subjective, I'll do my best to stick to factual questions:
Where is the bike lacking?
-Whats the common consensus on the overall powerband? Paper says the bikes down to ~89HP despite of the 1140CC engine(when compared to the 95HP/985CC 900F) But how is it really in motion?
-6th gear advantage but how well is the bike really geared with the factory ratios for city/hwy riding? Any common F/R sprocket swap upgrades?
Handling
-<5Yr old forks/cartridges are expected to perform and feel better than 40yr old stocks but how responsive is the stock suspension and what's the front tire feedback at higher speeds? Stabilizer/fork brace options? Any common front end/fork swap candidates? Are the OEM rear shocks any good?
Stopping power
What's the breaking feedback for STD owners and ABS owners? I personally wish the bike was a non-ABS version but it is what is is..
Call me weird, but I'm just not a fan of the ABS feel on my bikes. For context, my old '14 crossplane R1 stopped on a dime with non ABS when compared to same generation GSXR1k/Fireblade1kRR's(both equipped with ABS)
Misc./commonly asked questions
-Any worthy performance upgrades?
-Full range on a full tank?
-Handle bar diameter?
-Best tire offerings/setups on the stock 110/140 18"s?
-Common Rear-set options?
-Common issues to address/upgrade from the factory?
-Anything in particular to look out for when considering a '14 ELX?
-What would be considered "cheap" for a bike under 10k miles?
Any and all insightful input is welcome, thanks in advance folks
If "screamer that puts a grin on one's face" is high on the list, I'm thinking you will be disappointed in the Honda CB1100. If "nice, smooth accelerating ride that puts a grin on face" is acceptable, then you should be OK.
My mistake, I'm certain that I dont 100% know the differences between trims nor the 13/14+ differences
The bike in question is a black 6speed with ABS, so I'm thinking the non-base model?
Thanks to all who have taken the time to chime in, I appreciate all the feedback I can get before I see it in person 
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E11even_hunnit, I'd be a little surprised if a black 2014 had ABS. As pdedse said, the standard 2014 came in black without ABS and with a 4 into 1; the DLX came in red with ABS and a 4 into 2. There is a sensor ring on the rear wheel that looks like ABS, but it is actually for the speedo. Only if there's a sensor ring on the front wheel does it have ABS.
Got any photos? If not, post some when you have a look at it.
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(12-26-2019, 07:37 AM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: E11even_hunnit, I'd be a little surprised if a black 2014 had ABS. As pdedse said, the standard 2014 came in black without ABS and with a 4 into 1; the DLX came in red with ABS and a 4 into 2. There is a sensor ring on the rear wheel that looks like ABS, but it is actually for the speedo. Only if there's a sensor ring on the front wheel does it have ABS.
Got any photos? If not, post some when you have a look at it.
I'm going strictly by the little bit of info on the ad. Explicitly mentions ABS but the pictures seem to show a 4-1 stock exhaust...then again I know CA bikes tend to be rather odd specimens when ordered sometimes. I would be completely happy with the bike being the non-ABS kind.
In the meantime, can someone confirm the factory handle bar diameter on these? and if the stock cables would allow for clubman bars/clipons?
TIA
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