How much hp do you actually use?

[Stichill_imp]

I'm actually not on many on/off ramps. My street is 7/10 mile long with a 25 mph speed limit. Once I leave my street I am immediately in 45-55 mph country curvy roads. There are some straight sections you could open it up in, but truthfully I have no desire to test limits anymore. Tested the upper limits on every bike I rode for maybe 30 years...and survived, and in some situation that outcome was questionable. Guess I got it out of my system.

Wisdom.

The essence of motorcycling is not strapping a rocket between your legs and hanging on for dear life...

Motorcycling is about the curves. Proper entry speed, smooth application of brakes (if required), optimal gear selection, picking a good line, keeping the chassis settled, looking through the turn, smoothly rolling on throttle, exiting smartly, setting up for the next change of direction...

Conservation of momentum and fluidity of operation should be the goal and the pleasure of motorcycling.

[ChipBeck_imp]

Power is fun - would take more of it if was there. A bit of a confession perhaps. But, that's not why most of us bought this bike. It's altogether possible that if there was a 750 version of the CB available, I might have picked that instead.

Other bikes have power that is almost beyond comprehension. Just read a review of the Kawi H2R - a bike with 326HP (almost 4X the HP of the CB!) and weighs less. Even if the price tag was the same, the CB still gets picked.

DAC,

You have nailed it here but you fail to see the most important power measurement that the CB1100 dominates in. A more important measurement than horsepower or torque. A measure of power that leaves that H2R wheezing helplessly behind the conquering CB11. And it is this. I can get on my CB1100, thumb the starter, ease out the clutch, and it will rocket me from 0 to 1969 in less than 5 seconds.

The H2R doesn't have that kind of power. CB1100 wins. Cheers.

Chip

[Headbanger02_imp]

Power is fun - would take more of it if was there. A bit of a confession perhaps. But, that's not why most of us bought this bike. It's altogether possible that if there was a 750 version of the CB available, I might have picked that instead.

Other bikes have power that is almost beyond comprehension. Just read a review of the Kawi H2R - a bike with 326HP (almost 4X the HP of the CB!) and weighs less. Even if the price tag was the same, the CB still gets picked.

DAC,

You have nailed it here but you fail to see the most important power measurement that the CB1100 dominates in. A more important measurement than horsepower or torque. A measure of power that leaves that H2R wheezing helplessly behind the conquering CB11. And it is this. I can get on my CB1100, thumb the starter, ease out the clutch, and it will rocket me from 0 to 1969 in less than 5 seconds.

The H2R doesn't have that kind of power. CB1100 wins. Cheers.

Chip

DAC,

You have nailed it here but you fail to see the most important power measurement that the CB1100 dominates in. A more important measurement than horsepower or torque. A measure of power that leaves that H2R wheezing helplessly behind the conquering CB11. And it is this. I can get on my CB1100, thumb the starter, ease out the clutch, and it will rocket me from 0 to 1969 in less than 5 seconds.

The H2R doesn't have that kind of power. CB1100 wins. Cheers.

Chip
Dang... 0 to 1969 in less than 5 seconds, I had better be careful before I end up eleven years old again.

[Django]

Sometimes in the twisties I wished, I had a little bit more performance at the outcome of curves. My ol' BMW K1100 with 100 hp definitely pulled harder in the high revs compared to the CB.

However, I enjoy the smooth ride and like to be capable by myself (no assistants) to handle this bike without low or highsiding out of the corner, caused by a helpless spinning rear wheel from too much power.

I'd say, if your are not a really experienced track racer, you need some electronic assistance, to handle more power than lets say 120 hp, without wheeling or lowsiding. And that's not what I want. I want to have a direct link between myself and the bike. Back to the basics, but these technical as good as possible, like the CB.

And for my capabilities the Honda is good enough, better a little bit too less power as a little bit too much.

[CIP57_imp]

Sometimes in the twisties I wished, I had a little bit more performance at the outcome of curves. My ol' BMW K1100 with 100 hp definitely pulled harder in the high revs compared to the CB.

However, I enjoy the smooth ride and like to be capable by myself (no assistants) to handle this bike without low or highsiding out of the corner, caused by a helpless spinning rear wheel from too much power.

I'd say, if your are not a really experienced track racer, you need some electronic assistance, to handle more power than lets say 120 hp, without wheeling or lowsiding. And that's not what I want. I want to have a direct link between myself and the bike. Back to the basics, but these technical as good as possible, like the CB.

And for my capabilities the Honda is good enough, better a little bit too less power as a little bit too much.

We'll said::

I could always use full power on the CB without the fear of killing myself. My new N1K although only makes 127HP ATRW is a torque monster. Out of the hole with traction control off will flip you over in 1st and 2nd gear. Thought i would be safe the other day in the #2 setting, first was fine keeping the wheel up and bouncing, when i banged second the front started rise with very little intervention from the traction control, had to back off to 3/4 throttle to get it back down.

[the Ferret]

Man CIP, you really put the SPORT in sport touring.

[specialist8]

Guth, your quote: "Either way it just goes about it's business without complaint" sums up the CB11 perfectly. The CB is more than capable of overtaking vehicles at high speeds "without complaint".

[kevbroce_imp]

You guys need to go out and let her rip for a while! I'm not claiming to be a good rider, but I push her pretty hard at times on the freeway and in the canyons. These CB's have low compression ratio and rev limiter, I certainly don't hesitate to spend time in the upper rev range. I always notice that the day after a good flogging the engine feels peppier than usual, see what you think.

[Cormanus]

There used to be a view that many things responded to a good flogging. Seems to be discredited these days.

[Toddman_imp]

"I can get on my CB1100, thumb the starter, ease out the clutch, and it will rocket me from 0 to 1969 in less than 5 seconds. "

That's what a flux capacitor will do fer ya.