first thrash on my CB

[Kawiboy_imp]

I took my CB out for its first hard ride in the canyons today. It performed really well . I managed to overheat the shocks in about 3 miles of hard twisties and it still felt decent. Engine pulled well and the frame is super solid. Well done Honda!

[TINK_imp]

Throw some suspension upgrades at her Kawiboy and you'll really be impressed > http://www.photosbytink.com/cb1100forksprings/
Chased a kid on a 450 Super Motard up The Snake just beyond The Rock Store one day recently. He gave me a thumbs up at the end after he figured out he couldn't get away from me. Old age has thought me a thing or two about the quickest way around a tight corner... SMOOTH is fast, a Sir Jackie Stewart would say.

[Henrik_imp]

There is no doubt that if you take your CB11 to a track, you will quickly find the suspension to require an upgrade. However, this bike was not built to be taken around a race track, but to cruise around on regular roads.

Last year I took a group of friends out on an enthusiastic ride around some amazing twisty roads in the French Jura mountains. I know the roads well, and they are great fun to ride on but can be a bit iffy at times. Real world roads if you like. My friends were on bikes that normally would be considered far more competent road machines than the CB11, such as a GSXR750, a BMW R1200R, Honda Crosstourer, a CB1000R etc. Although they were all able to keep up with me most of the time, at the end of the day they were all exhausted, whereas I was ready to go another round.

During the ride, I did sometimes find the suspension to be lacking a bit while pushing hard, but I realized that I was actually going much faster than what I thought, and all this in considerable comfort and remaining very relaxed all the time. My conclusion is that the suspension on the CB11 is actually perfect, and is an integral part in making this bike so perfectly balanced for what it was designed to do. I have thought about changing to Ohlins and stuff, but have finally come to the conclusion that anything I do will just upset this balance. Better to leave it as it is, and use the bike as it was intended.

[Johnboy_imp]

Well said Henrik!

[treytexag_imp]

There is no doubt that if you take your CB11 to a track, you will quickly find the suspension to require an upgrade. However, this bike was not built to be taken around a race track, but to cruise around on regular roads.

Last year I took a group of friends out on an enthusiastic ride around some amazing twisty roads in the French Jura mountains. I know the roads well, and they are great fun to ride on but can be a bit iffy at times. Real world roads if you like. My friends were on bikes that normally would be considered far more competent road machines than the CB11, such as a GSXR750, a BMW R1200R, Honda Crosstourer, a CB1000R etc. Although they were all able to keep up with me most of the time, at the end of the day they were all exhausted, whereas I was ready to go another round.

During the ride, I did sometimes find the suspension to be lacking a bit while pushing hard, but I realized that I was actually going much faster than what I thought, and all this in considerable comfort and remaining very relaxed all the time. My conclusion is that the suspension on the CB11 is actually perfect, and is an integral part in making this bike so perfectly balanced for what it was designed to do. I have thought about changing to Ohlins and stuff, but have finally come to the conclusion that anything I do will just upset this balance. Better to leave it as it is, and use the bike as it was intended.

Interesting report - not, I guess, what I would have expected you to say. Why do you say they were able to keep up - being that they all had very solid road worthy bikes - as you said? (I guess I would have expected the opposite report - that YOU [on the CB], struggled to keep up!) Is it because your skill set is so much better, or are you suggesting the CB1100 is very competent, at least in as much as your recent Jura Mountain trip was involved?

Thanks for the report, appreciate it - good to hear from riders on their CB's!!

[Henrik_imp]

My conclusion is that the CB1100 is surprisingly competent in real-world road conditions. Granted, I am quite familiar with the roads we were on, and I am a decent rider with many years of experience and much track time, but I certainly expected the CB1000R to leave me in the dust. I have tried that bike before, and I also know that my friend on that bike is a good rider. To be honest, if he would have wanted to he could have gone faster but it would have taken a lot more effort. For me, more than the fact that I was able to keep a very strong pace for the day, was the fact that I was not at all tired after the ride whereas all the other guys were exhausted.

When riding on the street, one of the most important things to reduce risks is to be relaxed and at ease with the bike. It allows you to keep well within the safety margins, and prepare for the unexpected. The fact that the CB11 allows you to do this, all the while actually keeping a fast pace, shows how well designed this bike is.

[DGShannon_imp]

My conclusion is that the CB1100 is surprisingly competent in real-world road conditions. Granted, I am quite familiar with the roads we were on, and I am a decent rider with many years of experience and much track time, but I certainly expected the CB1000R to leave me in the dust. I have tried that bike before, and I also know that my friend on that bike is a good rider. To be honest, if he would have wanted to he could have gone faster but it would have taken a lot more effort. For me, more than the fact that I was able to keep a very strong pace for the day, was the fact that I was not at all tired after the ride whereas all the other guys were exhausted.

When riding on the street, one of the most important things to reduce risks is to be relaxed and at ease with the bike. It allows you to keep well within the safety margins, and prepare for the unexpected. The fact that the CB11 allows you to do this, all the while actually keeping a fast pace, shows how well designed this bike is.

Same here. My previous street bike was a KTM SuperDuke brimming over with top of the line components. Lot's of street time, and track time, on it to compare to the CB1100.

My conclusion is that the CB1100 is surprisingly competent in real-world road conditions. Granted, I am quite familiar with the roads we were on, and I am a decent rider with many years of experience and much track time, but I certainly expected the CB1000R to leave me in the dust. I have tried that bike before, and I also know that my friend on that bike is a good rider. To be honest, if he would have wanted to he could have gone faster but it would have taken a lot more effort. For me, more than the fact that I was able to keep a very strong pace for the day, was the fact that I was not at all tired after the ride whereas all the other guys were exhausted.

When riding on the street, one of the most important things to reduce risks is to be relaxed and at ease with the bike. It allows you to keep well within the safety margins, and prepare for the unexpected. The fact that the CB11 allows you to do this, all the while actually keeping a fast pace, shows how well designed this bike is.

I find exactly the same. In fact, I am amazed at it's performance, as it seems that it just shouldn't be that good. It is excellent at holding a line, as well as letting you change that line mid-corner. Trail braking is excellent. The only thing I really notice is that it is slow to transition. If you are sweeping in one direction, and need to suddenly change fully over to the other, it takes deliberate effort and time. No doubt that if I took it to the track it would show greater weaknesses in comparison. But, that is not what it is for, and for spirited street riding, it is VERY capable, as is. So far, I am not compelled in the slightest to pursue all the high end shocks and suspension changes that keep getting detailed here on the forum.

[NightRider_imp]

Nor me. I bought her because of the way she is.

[flynrider]

Let's not forget the wonderfully linear power delivery and generous torque in just about any rpm range. I've noticed that it results in a lot less shifting required in the twisties compared to sportier rides.