2014 DLX vs. 2017 EX

[SportsterDoc]

Smooth up to 110 MPH!
I had right hand tingle on several recent bikes, but not on the CB...even on 460 mile days.
Not particularly comfortable, even with Dart Msrlin flyscreen, at sustained speeds over ~90 MPH...but that is from wind, not vibration.

[LongRanger_imp]

Motorcycle Consumer News... Is Hilgendork still the editor? If so, they no longer conduct objective, comprehensive motorcycle tests like they did when Dave Searle was running things. I'd take their opinions with a grain of salt. The CB is a very smooth bike at highway speed!

[Bighonda14_imp]

Many thanks to Apex, SportsterDoc, and LongRanger for helpful comments on smoothness of the CB, and to LR for your comments on MCN. Yes, Hilgendorf is still the editor. Their review of the 2017 CB was in the April 2018 issue, under his tutelage. I know from personal experience how silky smooth my 2014 DLX was, and I can see that 2 of you also own 2014's. Have you had a chance to ride the 2017 to get a sense of any different performance characteristics? One of the first responders to my post described those changes in pretty strong terms.

Regarding price . . . KBB lists a 2017 CB1100 in excellent condition at a dealer as worth about $9,300. Does that sound about right? Any sense of what others have paid for a used one, or are most of the present owners those who have bought them new? I know 2 of my local dealers here in NJ have new ones. Will find out how much they are discounting them . . .

[VLJ_imp]

Motorcycle Consumer News had a thorough review of the 2017 CB1100EX last year. In their review of the bike they say there is tons of vibration about 65 mph. Said it was so significant it gave the tester a headache. Is that the experience others have had? With my 2014 DLX the bike was silky smooth as fast as I ever got it. Zero vibrations.

Thanks for the insights and comments from owners or other who have ridden the 2017 EX.

I'm about as anal as it gets when it comes to motor vibration on the highway, and the '17 EX is the second smoothest I4 I've ever ridden, behind only the CBR1100XX Blackbird. It's equally smooth as the '14 DLX, and you know how smooth those are. My EX (and the '14 DLX) gets a bit vibey between 3,500-4900 rpm, but those are not the rpm you're running while droning on the highway, and even when you do find yourself in that 1,500 rpm window the vibration isn't bad at all. Rather, you just notice it a little because the thing is so dead-nuts smooth below 3,500 rpm, and from 5K to redline.

100%, don't sweat the vibration question. The bike is hilariously smooth, even with the slight bit of lumpy "character" the Honda engineers intentionally added by altering the cam timing. I often do 500-mile days on the EX, including heavy doses of freeway droning, with zero vibration issues. Additionally, I do so without the supposed benefit of a windscreen. My bike is bone stock, and I'm perfectly comfortable at freeway speeds. Due to the lack of a windshield the windflow is not only nice and smooth, it's also very quiet. Between the smooth motor and the turbulence-free windflow, the EX makes for a wonderfully serene freeway slogger.

[alprider]

if i want go for extra soft lazy sunday afternoon ride i take my 14 EX (DLX) and if i want more "somehow" sporty or with passenger so i take the 17 EX....just bcos the real other suspensions and slip clutch.....

vibrations ? with my drivestyle , what ? wehere?......99.9999 % i am still between 2-3000 rmp ....speedlimit outside villages 80km/h and for something i have a 6 speed...and for rolling in town is the 6th also enough....

and if i am in our hills for some sporty fun cornering so i am realy concentratet of the curves and never of any vibrations....

[Nortoon_imp]

The one thing I did not like about either of my CBs was the small diameter hard as a rock handle grips. My hands would cramp up within an hour. But slipping foam Grip Puppies over them fixed that problem. They may also eliminate any buzz in the bars.

I am 6'2" tall and prefer a straight up riding position. I found the EX handlebars pulled me forward somewhat. I believe the fork yoke is different on the EX than earlier CBs. I installed GenMar pull back risers and found my riding position better.

[LongRanger_imp]

Many thanks to Apex, SportsterDoc, and LongRanger for helpful comments on smoothness of the CB, and to LR for your comments on MCN. Yes, Hilgendorf is still the editor. Their review of the 2017 CB was in the April 2018 issue, under his tutelage. I know from personal experience how silky smooth my 2014 DLX was, and I can see that 2 of you also own 2014's. Have you had a chance to ride the 2017 to get a sense of any different performance characteristics? One of the first responders to my post described those changes in pretty strong terms.

Regarding price . . . KBB lists a 2017 CB1100 in excellent condition at a dealer as worth about $9,300. Does that sound about right? Any sense of what others have paid for a used one, or are most of the present owners those who have bought them new? I know 2 of my local dealers here in NJ have new ones. Will find out how much they are discounting them . . .

I've not ridden a '17 EX.

[Capo]

One of the primary reasons I sold my CB was the, to me, very annoying high frequency buzz from 3000- 4500 RPMs. As in, my man bits and hands being made quite uncomfortable. I felt similar discomfort on a Z1000 Ninja, at higher rpms. Smoothness of an I-4 is fine, but if you’re susceptible to the I-4 kind of buzzing, and don’t like to short shift at 2500 RPM’s, the CB can be less than optimal. Peruse the XR1000 BMW forums if you want to see debates over a similar topic.

But the bottom line is, there is no debate. It bothers you, or it doesn’t. Every rider has different thresholds. I have zero issues with L2’s or Triples. Of the dozen bikes I have/ had in my scuderia, or the 20+ I’ve ridden on the past few years, including every engine config save for a boxer, the CB’s high frequency buzz was the most bothersome. So, be sure you ride one, across all rpm’s, before taking the plunge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[the Ferret]

I'm bothered V twin vibes, but I-4 vibes don' bother me at all, at least in the rpm ranges I ride in. The worst for me besides early 650 Yammies and British P2's from the 60's and 70's is the new Yamaha FZ-07 P2. Ridden one on 3 different occasions and all 3 times the vibes just drive me nuts. Hands, feet, seat man parts. Don't know how anyone rides one. Now my 2003 Triumph Bonneville P2 w/360 motor with balancer was pure silk, but my brothers 2016 Bonneville with 270 motor has a throb that also drives me nuts. Moto Guzzi's "character" vibes drive me crazy too.

[GoldOxide_imp]

I had a 2500 to 3500 RPM buzz (annoying) until I wrapped all the wire connectors inside the headlamp from buzzing against the shell. Maybe my bits felt it, but it could have been psychological.