The Magical Mystery Tour

[johnf514_imp]

Fantastic review, VLJ. I'll go against the grain and recommend better rubber if you want to push a little harder in those corners. The Z8s I have on my 2014 are excellent, and have seen track and hard cornering without fail. The only time I've been able to get the rear to step out was on the track, and it was very predictable with a handful of low gear throttle.

[Nortoon_imp]

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

[Django]

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

Ahem, do you think, that's a good idea? Aspirin is a blood-thinner and could bring you into trouble, when involved in an accident with inner or outer injuries.

jm2c

[the Ferret]

So did you scrape your pegs on this outing? I remember your concern about that, so much so, that you posted pics of a CB and a Bonnie going thru turns and how much more clearance the Bonnie had, and how you had read reports about how early the CB scraped the feelers etc.

Btw I'm headed out the the Kawasaki dealer today ( I was going to stop at the Honda/ Yamaha dealer but I texted the owner this morning and no Wing yet) so I may ride up and see if the Kaw dealer 90 miles away has a Z900RS on the floor yet.

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

Ahem, do you think, that's a good idea? Aspirin is a blood-thinner and could bring you into trouble, when involved in an accident with inner or outer injuries.

jm2c

Ahem, do you think, that's a good idea? Aspirin is a blood-thinner and could bring you into trouble, when involved in an accident with inner or outer injuries.

jm2c
Django, my doctor (also a motorcyclist) recommended taking an ibuprofen (non steroidal anti inflammatory) before a long ride to ward off inflammation and stiffness after a long day in the saddle. Has worked well for me over the years.

[Nortoon_imp]

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

Ahem, do you think, that's a good idea? Aspirin is a blood-thinner and could bring you into trouble, when involved in an accident with inner or outer injuries.

jm2c

According to my doctor Aspirins are also hard on the stomach. So she gave me 1mg hydromorphone pills instead in case I suffer discomfort passing a kidney stone. I could use one of those .....naught!

But unlike the Ferret I only ride once a week during the summer and don't always take a 325mg Aspirin unless my back is bothering me. Fortunately after my last physiotherapy session in the fall my back no longer bothers me, so I don't think I will need them.

[VLJ_imp]

johnf514, yes, grippier rubber would likely help me to corner harder, but as I said in the original post, it wouldn't make too much of a difference. For one thing, it's mostly a perception thing on my part. In general, I trust the bike in the corners. It was only at Skaggs with its sustained high-load corners, in particular those very fast downhill corners, that made me worry about stuffing the front in hard, and it was as much the combination of the weight of the bike and the narrow width of the tires as it was the squirming of the tires that gave me pause. Also, I didn't buy this bike to explore its outer limits of aggressive cornering. I bought it for the exact opposite reason, to stop doing that on public roads, while still enjoying myself at saner speeds.

mickey, nope, I never touched a peg down. I smacked the centerstand once, in a quick-depression righthander, but that was it. I still don't understand how the bike is scraping so badly in so many videos, when I see how little lean angle was needed to produce those showers of sparks. My rides at Mosquito Ridge and Skaggs were much faster and the lean angles far more severe than we see in any of those videos.

I'm at a loss to explain it. All I can come up with is I must really suck, even more than I already think I do.

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

I will not change the bars or add risers to this bike. Just won't do it. For one thing, rasing the bars would increase the windblast on the freeway, necessitating the addition of a windscreen, as was the case when I added bar risers to the XSR.

Not...gonna...do.. it. I will not mar her beautiful face. I'm not touching a thing on her.

Quote:I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.
I take Tylenol, Motrin, Aleve, etc. Yeah. The main thing is just to move around a lot, and sit up to straighten out my back every so often. Anyway, by the second day I was noticing it much less than on the first day. I'm getting used to it. I doubt it will be a continuing issue.

Quote:As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.
One of these days I'll probably just time it so that I coast into a gas station just as the fuel runs dry, as I did on my Street Triple R when I had the same question regarding the fuel capacity on that bike.

Quote:A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake.
No issues so far with the back brake, and the squealing from the front brakes had stopped by the time I arrived back home. We'll see whether it comes back.

Quote:The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.
100% accurate, on all points. I prefer higher revs in the corners, for precisely the reason you stated.

Quote:A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.
I am loathe to switch tire models on this bike. Reason being, this bike turns better than any bike I have ever owned. Or, to put it more accurately, I prefer the steering of this bike to that of any other bike I've ever ridden. It's preternaturally intuitive. It's so easy, so consistent, and so accurate.

I couldn't love it more, and I don't want to do anything to alter it. I fear that switching to stickier rubber will also mean a different profile, which might change the characteristics of the beautiful steering I have now.

I also don't want to sacrifice the mileage just so I can corner harder, not on this bike. I'd rather retain this steering, and pile up the miles.

Quote:As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far
Good to know, and EmptySea says the same. Hopeful news, indeed.

Quote:To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.
Ordering some up right now. I already use "non-fling" chain wax, but I'll try your stuff.

Quote:Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.
I have ProtectAll. Once it runs out, I'll see if I can find some Honda polish. That stuff was the best on the market, until Honda was forced to stop producing it, at least for the California market. If it's available again here, I'll stock up on it for sure.

[nhawk7504_imp]

Wow. Great story VLJ. Yeah on those straps I'd use the luggage tabs built into the bike. Couple of bungees nice and snug and you're good to go. - That twisty road reminds me of my brother's rides on the Dragon in TN. My old VFR750 would gobble that road up for sure. - Good to hear that the tires gave you some warning and that you noticed it. It's the bad news about 18 inch rims and narrow tires. But as everyone says, back off the throttle sooner and she's good to go. Keep up the ride reports. Really enjoyable reading here in the freezing Northeast!

[VLJ_imp]

nhawk7504, I tried using the bungee-hook mounting spools on the bike, but they didn't offer enough distance from the straps to provide the necessary tension. Using the bungee net I just bought, I find that the front set of bungee spools work well, but the rear set doesn't provide sufficient break angle for this application. Instead, I mount the rear hooks to the grab rail, behind the rear bungee spools.

Bit by bit, I'm getting there.

[CA200_imp]

Just to clear the air on tires on the new bike, it does come with radial tires. In some
cases it is ok to run radials with tubes. I lost count of all the motard tires I have mounted but they do have some tubes that used just for that purpose. I am running
the Z8s and like them.

[johnf514_imp]

johnf514, yes, grippier rubber would likely help me to corner harder, but as I said in the original post, it wouldn't make too much of a difference. For one thing, it's mostly a perception thing on my part. In general, I trust the bike in the corners. It was only at Skaggs with its sustained high-load corners, in particular those very fast downhill corners, that made me worry about stuffing the front in hard, and it was as much the combination of the weight of the bike and the narrow width of the tires as it was the squirming of the tires that gave me pause. Also, I didn't buy this bike to explore its outer limits of aggressive cornering. I bought it for the exact opposite reason, to stop doing that on public roads, while still enjoying myself at saner speeds.

mickey, nope, I never touched a peg down. I smacked the centerstand once, in a quick-depression righthander, but that was it. I still don't understand how the bike is scraping so badly in so many videos, when I see how little lean angle was needed to produce those showers of sparks. My rides at Mosquito Ridge and Skaggs were much faster and the lean angles far more severe than we see in any of those videos.

I'm at a loss to explain it. All I can come up with is I must really suck, even more than I already think I do.

I found the slouch a little hard on the back at first. I am 6’2” tall and rode a CB500XA for 3 years before trading it in on my 2017 CB1100 EX. The CB500 had a very upright riding position.

There is a [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11719]thread on the GenMar bar risers. They raise the bars 1” and set them back 1 3/8” to provide a more upright riding position. I just bought a pair, but won’t be able to test them until May.

I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.

As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.

A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake. When turning the rear while lubing the chain, I noticed the rear wheel did not turn freely. After a number of day rides the rear disk discoloured. Honda Canada had my dealer replace the disk and pads under warranty. Unfortunately now the rear brake is totally useless. I think the brake line was not bled properly.

Not a problem for me because I seldom use it. I down gear to slow down and then use the front brakes to stop. An old British bike habit I have never broken.

The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.

A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.

As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far. My tail bag looks to be lighter than yours. It is used to carry clothes: rain gear, down-filled long sleeve vest, extra gloves, etc. I have the Honda rear rack being delivered. I will probably fasten my tail bag on it, as I do have some semi-soft saddlebags that I might use.

To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.

Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.

I will not change the bars or add risers to this bike. Just won't do it. For one thing, rasing the bars would increase the windblast on the freeway, necessitating the addition of a windscreen, as was the case when I added bar risers to the XSR.

Not...gonna...do.. it. I will not mar her beautiful face. I'm not touching a thing on her.

Quote:I have also used the Ferret method of taking an Aspirin before starting out.
I take Tylenol, Motrin, Aleve, etc. Yeah. The main thing is just to move around a lot, and sit up to straighten out my back every so often. Anyway, by the second day I was noticing it much less than on the first day. I'm getting used to it. I doubt it will be a continuing issue.

Quote:As Cormanus has mentioned, the EX fuel tank and gas gauge question has yet to be solved. However you could try my test method on your next ride. You will have to do the math to convert from liters and kilometers, and use your average gas mileage.
One of these days I'll probably just time it so that I coast into a gas station just as the fuel runs dry, as I did on my Street Triple R when I had the same question regarding the fuel capacity on that bike.

Quote:A number of us have complained about the front brakes squealing when the EX comes to a stop. I had a further problem with the back brake.
No issues so far with the back brake, and the squealing from the front brakes had stopped by the time I arrived back home. We'll see whether it comes back.

Quote:The EX motor will coast in 6th gear when the throttle is rolled back. Less so in the lower gears. I take advantage of the slipper clutch and downshift before entering a corner. I also find adjusting the line easier with the lower gears and slightly higher revs.
100% accurate, on all points. I prefer higher revs in the corners, for precisely the reason you stated.

Quote:A number of CB1100 riders have found Michelin tires better when cornering. I found the same thing when I installed them on my CB500XA. Unfortunately running tubes in radial tires is not recommended, although many riders do.

The Dunlop tires used on the EX are not presently available in North America. I spoke to the Dunlop Motorcycle Tire representative in Dayton to confirm this. So far I have found people with similar spoke wheeled motorcycles are using the Avon AM26 Roadrider and Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 Sport Touring Tires. I believe some of the members of this forum have used the Bridgestone tires on their earlier model CBs.
I am loathe to switch tire models on this bike. Reason being, this bike turns better than any bike I have ever owned. Or, to put it more accurately, I prefer the steering of this bike to that of any other bike I've ever ridden. It's preternaturally intuitive. It's so easy, so consistent, and so accurate.

I couldn't love it more, and I don't want to do anything to alter it. I fear that switching to stickier rubber will also mean a different profile, which might change the characteristics of the beautiful steering I have now.

I also don't want to sacrifice the mileage just so I can corner harder, not on this bike. I'd rather retain this steering, and pile up the miles.

Quote:As I ride alone, I have my Nelson-Riggs tail bag strapped to the passenger peg area. None of the four straps have chaffed on the shock springs so far
Good to know, and EmptySea says the same. Hopeful news, indeed.

Quote:To lessen the cleaning of the rear rim and spokes, change to Tirox Synthetic Chain Wax. It goes on white, dries clear, and won't fling like change lube. Because it dries to a wax, it tends not to pick up road grime.
Ordering some up right now. I already use "non-fling" chain wax, but I'll try your stuff.

Quote:Using Honda or Ipone Cleaner and Polish to clean the rim and spokes helps keep the road grime from sticking as well.
I have ProtectAll. Once it runs out, I'll see if I can find some Honda polish. That stuff was the best on the market, until Honda was forced to stop producing it, at least for the California market. If it's available again here, I'll stock up on it for sure.

Fair point, this bike does entice a certain dial-it-back feeling while riding. Not for like of capability, more to enjoy the essence we've spoken about here often.