Considering a 2014 leb'n hundit

[the Ferret]

Ooops I meant bike lol. Guess spell check failed me. I will fix it.

[ChipBeck_imp]

http://world.honda.com/CB1100/engineer-talk/

What a great read. Thank you for posting that link?

Chip

[rboe]

I sent that link to myself to read later; and I ended up reading it all in one sitting anyway. I think more bikes (for the street anyway) should be designed this way. The real world experience with real limitations like traffic laws, traffic, pot holes, deer, weather etc. It does give me a new appreciation of the machine.

[Leb'n Hundit_imp]

You want a Moto Guzzi. Heads are out in the breeze making them easy peasy to get to, no tupperware to remove (save the Norge) and they are screw and lock nut. Old school air cooled (oil cooled on some, still mostly air cooled) and they are shaft drive.

No dealer network to speak of so you'll do most of the work yourself although you may have a dealer near you. Parts are fairly easy to get except for this time of year when Italy goes on vacation.

They are almost Honda reliable out the door, but sometimes they need some sorting. Once sorted 250,000 miles is duck soup.

So you want a Moto Guzzi. If in doubt, take one for a test ride. A nice long test ride (they take a while to warm up to you).

The CB is a nice bike too.

That is most interesting.

Now, is that pronounced "Guzzy" as I learned about 100 years ago in jr high? Or, is it pronounced "Goochy", or is it "Gootsy".

If it's affordable, I shall look into one of these.
.

That valve adjustment is pretty spendy if you have the shop do it, you're right.
I hear that doing it yourself isn't necessarily that hard, but takes a bit of time.

That's probably the one feature I wish they'd put on this bike like the old Nighthawks, the hydraulic valve lifters so you in theory never have to service the valves. I've read (possibly a comment on this forum, don't remember where though!) that the Japanese manufacturers believe the bucket/shim to be the superior setup in terms of tolerance/performance. I wouldn't have minded sacrificing a little bit of performance for that, though, given that I don't use 100% of the bikes available power anyhow... that's just me though.

Either way, I've had nothing but a good time on this bike! Kept everything stock so far, too.

Yes, "spendy" at 700, for sure.
But I will always question Honda's desicion as to why they 'did' this.

I think Japan could have come up with a far superior way to adjust valves,
by now. I know they used to use a more conventional way.
I think the only thing here is motivated by their greed.

Cheaper to build 'this way', and rake in extra bucks at the service dept.

I alerted my local jap bike dealer to this fact, and I've never seen a service tech, look up anything on his computer, and say "WHAT? !?"
.
Dear Honda,

You need to redo the valve system on this bike.
Your sales on this bike, will suffer. Or, they'll be lower than expected. OR you'll not ever have seen the true potential of what it could bring you.
Yes, I know you have made more internal combustion engines than anyone else on the planet, but you make them for the same people, the majority who need such a minimal break, like the valve system issue.
.
I was about to write a check for this bike, but thankfully I was alerted to this 'problem', and I stopped. Especially after the service tech was alarmed at the news I brought to them today. This is as bad as the Sportster losing the trap door in 2003, for easier tranny access. Then, in 2004, they added rubber mount engines. COME ON HARLEY! What's the problem? Not enough money?
.
Why are motorcycle companies behaving like this? Is it really about the true greed involved? Streamlining the assembly line?
.
Mr. Leb'n Hundit
.

Mr. Hundit,

Honda is a public company whose primary mission is to make the best return on investment possible for their shareholders. They are not a charitable public service organization. They make money by building products that people choose to buy in a marketplace crowded with other very capable competitors.

Honda does not make one single dime off of valve adjustments. Their dealers are independent businessman who perform that service and are paid for it. None of the service dollars go back to the Honda parent corporation.

All motor vehicles are built with many design compromises that try to satisfy competing objectives. Unless you are a world-class engineer specializing in air cooled engine design you can't possibly understand all of the data and testing that resulted in the choices that Honda made when building the CB1100 engine.

There are hundreds of different motorcycle models available for you to choose from thanks to the miracle of our free market system. If you don't like one, you have many others to choose from. A letter expressing your opinion to a manufacturer is welcome feedback to them as well.

Honda has the resources necessary to design and build these amazing modern machines because they have been successful competing in the marketplace. People chose to buy their products because they thought they were the best available for the amount of money they were willing to spend.

Vote with your dollars and write all the letters you want and it's all good. But when one starts using language that indicates that Honda has malicious intent and evil motives for an engineering decision they made then things start to come off the rails.

The CB1100 would be a less desirable motorcycle to me if it had self adjusting hydraulic lifters. The most desirable 1960s Ford Mustangs are the rare and special models with solid (not self adjusting) lifters. Why is that?

What you like and don't like about the CB1100 is all fair game. Making derogatory comments using inflammatory words such as greed is counterproductive. Cheers.

Chip

Mr. Hundit,

Honda is a public company whose primary mission is to make the best return on investment possible for their shareholders. They are not a charitable public service organization. They make money by building products that people choose to buy in a marketplace crowded with other very capable competitors.

Honda does not make one single dime off of valve adjustments. Their dealers are independent businessman who perform that service and are paid for it. None of the service dollars go back to the Honda parent corporation.

All motor vehicles are built with many design compromises that try to satisfy competing objectives. Unless you are a world-class engineer specializing in air cooled engine design you can't possibly understand all of the data and testing that resulted in the choices that Honda made when building the CB1100 engine.

There are hundreds of different motorcycle models available for you to choose from thanks to the miracle of our free market system. If you don't like one, you have many others to choose from. A letter expressing your opinion to a manufacturer is welcome feedback to them as well.

Honda has the resources necessary to design and build these amazing modern machines because they have been successful competing in the marketplace. People chose to buy their products because they thought they were the best available for the amount of money they were willing to spend.

Vote with your dollars and write all the letters you want and it's all good. But when one starts using language that indicates that Honda has malicious intent and evil motives for an engineering decision they made then things start to come off the rails.

The CB1100 would be a less desirable motorcycle to me if it had self adjusting hydraulic lifters. The most desirable 1960s Ford Mustangs are the rare and special models with solid (not self adjusting) lifters. Why is that?

What you like and don't like about the CB1100 is all fair game. Making derogatory comments using inflammatory words such as greed is counterproductive. Cheers.

Chip
Relax, OK? I think I've made my final decision. I just needed enough insight to proceed with my pricey purchase, which may not take place until I see what's in for 2015.

[xNE0x_imp]

No offense, but if you can't cough up the coin or know how to read the fine print before buying something, tough luck friend.

I knew what I was getting into when I signed on the dotted line.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

^^^^^. And remember, as me mate Gordo said, "Greed is good". Otherwise we would all be riding two wheel Trabants.

Cheers.

[Cormanus]

Couldn't be all bad.

http://www.peasanttuning.com/wp-content/...01_006.jpg

[Leb'n Hundit_imp]

No offense, but if you can't cough up the coin or know how to read the fine print before buying something, tough luck friend.

I knew what I was getting into when I signed on the dotted line.

Well, did the paragraph before the dotted line explain to you that there are much better values to be had?

[emptysea]

No offense, but if you can't cough up the coin or know how to read the fine print before buying something, tough luck friend.

I knew what I was getting into when I signed on the dotted line.

Well, did the paragraph before the dotted line explain to you that there are much better values to be had?

Oops. Gotta call you out on this one. "Value" is in the eye of the one signing on the dotted line. I'm quite sure I could have found a cheaper bike, but the CB was the better value for me.

I have read your posts and believe strongly that the CB1100 is NOT a good value to you. Check out the FZ09 maybe.

[Firstfour_imp]

No offense, but if you can't cough up the coin or know how to read the fine print before buying something, tough luck friend.

I knew what I was getting into when I signed on the dotted line.

Well, did the paragraph before the dotted line explain to you that there are much better values to be had?

Oops. Gotta call you out on this one. "Value" is in the eye of the one signing on the dotted line. I'm quite sure I could have found a cheaper bike, but the CB was the better value for me.

I have read your posts and believe strongly that the CB1100 is NOT a good value to you. Check out the FZ09 maybe.

Oops. Gotta call you out on this one. "Value" is in the eye of the one signing on the dotted line. I'm quite sure I could have found a cheaper bike, but the CB was the better value for me.

I have read your posts and believe strongly that the CB1100 is NOT a good value to you. Check out the FZ09 maybe.
I suppose if HP per dollar is the definition of "value", the FZ09 might fit the bill. But remember it reportedly also comes equipped with crummy throttle response, brakes and suspension. The FZ07 is a grand cheaper and apparently better sorted out. And if bucks are really tight, the new CB300F looks potentially interesting at only $3995.