High-speed stability off our CB1100

[Riko_imp]

yeah, got the same feeling as well, I checked his profile just after I posted. No problemo.

[itsme67_imp]

Riko I have a feeling this forum member moved on to a different bike. He was only here for about 2 months and the last time he was here was April of 2015

Hey, ferret,

I didn't move away from the forum nor to another bike.
I was mainly active in the German forum and most days on the bike (instead of online )

Since a few weeks I'm a happy owner of a black CB 1100 EX
and rode till now the 1500 km.

The CB runs absolutely great and makes a hell of fun. But I noticed that up to about 140km / h, the bike is great on the road, while above 160 km / h I got the impression that the CB becomes a bit unstable. I drive solo and bring with me 185m about 90 kg on the scales. Reasons could be of course the fork & shock absorber settings. But I also suspect the Dunlop D205 as a source of the problem.

How is it with you? Do you have the fork & shock absorbers adjusted differently? And maybe someone has a direct comparison of other tires with regard stability?

I have the same "issue" as you, dunno if its a real issue or more a point of critique, but I made a topic about this as well, didnt notice you started one before.

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=7935

Whats the nature of your unstability you are refering too? Mine is a slight wobble of the handlebar...

Everything is still stock, except for a Road Comet windscreen with a high Aero touring shield.

And the moment I noticed that at topspeed (171km/h = 107mph) there was a lot of wind, 35km/h = (22mph)


EDIT:
hmmmm, most important, I did forget to mention that I did ride with a huge topcase, 55 litre Givi E55 Maxia 3



I assume this could cause the front to wobble at high speed?

I have the same "issue" as you, dunno if its a real issue or more a point of critique, but I made a topic about this as well, didnt notice you started one before.

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=7935

Whats the nature of your unstability you are refering too? Mine is a slight wobble of the handlebar...

Everything is still stock, except for a Road Comet windscreen with a high Aero touring shield.

And the moment I noticed that at topspeed (171km/h = 107mph) there was a lot of wind, 35km/h = (22mph)


EDIT:
hmmmm, most important, I did forget to mention that I did ride with a huge topcase, 55 litre Givi E55 Maxia 3



I assume this could cause the front to wobble at high speed?

Hey Rikeo,

sorry for the delay in answering.
I think we had contact in the German CB1100 forum regarding another topic.

I have Hey Rikeo,

sorry for the delay in answering.
I think we had contact in the German CB1100 forum regarding another topic.

I have a slight wobble of the handlebar and sometimes even a "rolling" along the axis og the bike. However:

- including luggage and
- Metzeler Z8 tyres

it becomes better. Unfortunately, I have no final solution for the problem.

Best regards

[Riko_imp]

Since a few weeks I'm a happy owner of a black CB 1100 EX
and rode till now the 1500 km.

The CB runs absolutely great and makes a hell of fun. But I noticed that up to about 140km / h, the bike is great on the road, while above 160 km / h I got the impression that the CB becomes a bit unstable. I drive solo and bring with me 185m about 90 kg on the scales. Reasons could be of course the fork & shock absorber settings. But I also suspect the Dunlop D205 as a source of the problem.

How is it with you? Do you have the fork & shock absorbers adjusted differently? And maybe someone has a direct comparison of other tires with regard stability?

describe your unstability issue? wobble at the front wheel I assume?

I had the same issue on my EX at + 160km/h, but not any more.

I think and heard that the spoke wheels are the source.
Somebody told me about spoke wheels that have to 'settle'

I also had mine at 2000km, yours is also brand new I read, so I assume over time your EX will become stable at high speed.

[itsme67_imp]

Since a few weeks I'm a happy owner of a black CB 1100 EX
and rode till now the 1500 km.

The CB runs absolutely great and makes a hell of fun. But I noticed that up to about 140km / h, the bike is great on the road, while above 160 km / h I got the impression that the CB becomes a bit unstable. I drive solo and bring with me 185m about 90 kg on the scales. Reasons could be of course the fork & shock absorber settings. But I also suspect the Dunlop D205 as a source of the problem.

How is it with you? Do you have the fork & shock absorbers adjusted differently? And maybe someone has a direct comparison of other tires with regard stability?

describe your unstability issue? wobble at the front wheel I assume?

I had the same issue on my EX at + 160km/h, but not any more.

I think and heard that the spoke wheels are the source.
Somebody told me about spoke wheels that have to 'settle'

I also had mine at 2000km, yours is also brand new I read, so I assume over time your EX will become stable at high speed.

describe your unstability issue? wobble at the front wheel I assume?

I had the same issue on my EX at + 160km/h, but not any more.

I think and heard that the spoke wheels are the source.
Somebody told me about spoke wheels that have to 'settle'

I also had mine at 2000km, yours is also brand new I read, so I assume over time your EX will become stable at high speed.
Brand new... not really
Just today we collected 100.000 km in total for the CB 1100 EX (2014)

My impression is:

with Metzeler the CB is more stable
with higher load the CB is more stable
with Topcase the CB is more unstable
with bags it depends on their weight
behind a car the CB is more unstable


Unstability normaly occurs beyond 145 km/h

[Riko_imp]

Again, what do you mean with unstable? Front wheel wobble?

100000km? Nice!

[feralchimp_imp]

From Thorsten's list above it sounds like the bike is leaning back on the rear suspension and taking weight off the forks; similar to a steering head wobble under high acceleration on a track. The symptom that doesn't fit that theory is instability behind another vehicle, except that buffeting between intense vacuum and intense wind blast is likely to upset the chassis on anything softly sprung/damped.

Any aftermarket suspension on your CB, or service to the factory boingers over those 100,000 kms, Thorsten? If you ride regularly at those speeds I would definitely stiffen up both ends and go to heavier fork oil.

[Frulk_imp]

Interesting topic. I'll come clean here and state up front that the type of riding I'm discussing shouldn't be the norm. I ride out west. On roads that are long, straight with exceptionally unimpeded sight distances, well maintained surfaces in most cases, and very little traffic. About 7 weeks ago I completed a solo loop of the Wind Rivers Range in south western Wyoming going counterclockwise. Between Farson and west of South Pass I spent a lot of time basically laying on the tank at triple digit speeds. Same north of Fort Washakie and coming south from Daniels Junction to Kemmerer. On that last stretch I spent well over half an hour above 100. I'm running a stock front tire and a Michilin Pilot Road 3 on the back. Soft luggage on the rear with MAYBE 20 pounds total in them. A Dart Fly Screen on the front with front shocks set on whatever they were when they came from the dealer (I've never adjusted them, nor felt the need to) and rear shocks on the 3rd preload setting. I'm currently 239 pounds . The CB ran like an anvil on rails at those speeds for the duration. No wobble, nothing other than confidence inspiring, dead neutral handling and feedback. But, as discussed, a lot of things can come into play that may end up impacting the quality of your ride. Hope you resolve it to your satisfaction.

[the Ferret]

Well over 100 for over 1/2 hour? GEezalou I think I've briefly over 100 twice in the last 20 years lol. Once in Montana and once in Utah on some of those roads you speak of.

[Frulk_imp]

Ferret, Not all in one unbroken 30 minute stretch but multiple times combined. I "lingered" at 85-95 in that area.

[LongRanger_imp]

Back in the day of "reasonable and prudent" daytime speed limits on Montana interstates, my buddy (VFR800) and I (K1200RS) sat at 110-120 mph for over an hour on I-90. No one bothered us. A few years before, on lonely, wide open US 50 across Nevada, I had my Concours 1000 WFO for about an hour. I was fortunate to make it to Ely without running out of gas. I've since lost the appetite to ride like that.