Install a 6-speed trans on a 2013?

[1985CB450_imp]

As noted above unless you are racking up lots of highway miles having that 6th gear is not really a factor.

Max tq on this bike is at 5000 rpm so steady cruise at 4000 rpm or so keeps you right under the tq peak which means downshifting is not required in the event you need to quickly accelerate. I’d advise against running around town at 2500 rpm in 6th. If you get in a tight spot and need to accelerate quickly you are gonna need a downshift. Just because the bike will run 6th down low like that does not mean it’s ideal.

All my riding is city in the Dallas metroplex, many times I’ve had to quickly roll on the throttle to avoid distracted drivers. Regardless of speed if the revs fall below 3500 I’m looking for a lower gear.

A lot of bikes won’t tolerate lugging, my Monster 1100 was a 3 speed unless you were doing 50+ Mph

[the Ferret]

Yea, I don't ride anywhere near metroplexes. Been riding 57 years, 48 states, 2 provinces in Canda, 5 countries in Europe and have never needed " immediate escape velocity".

Riding the CB 1100 at 2500 rpms is not lugging it. Any liter class Japanese I-4 will do it with ease. Won't hurt it at all. Either will running it all day at 8,000 rpms. Owners decide how they choose to ride their bikes and anywhere from 2,000 rpms to near redline is aceptable, all day every day.

Euro bikes I have ridden never seem to like to run below 4000 rpms. Just the nature of the beasts. My sons Ducati will not run 3500 rpms in 6th, it WILL lug, chug, buck

Matter of fact my NC 750 DCT was designed by Honda to run in that 2500-3500 rev range per the transmission algorithm and it has nowhere near the hp or torque of a liter class I-4.

[PowerDubs_imp]

As noted above unless you are racking up lots of highway miles having that 6th gear is not really a factor.

Max tq on this bike is at 5000 rpm so steady cruise at 4000 rpm or so keeps you right under the tq peak which means downshifting is not required in the event you need to quickly accelerate. I’d advise against running around town at 2500 rpm in 6th. If you get in a tight spot and need to accelerate quickly you are gonna need a downshift. Just because the bike will run 6th down low like that does not mean it’s ideal.

All my riding is city in the Dallas metroplex, many times I’ve had to quickly roll on the throttle to avoid distracted drivers. Regardless of speed if the revs fall below 3500 I’m looking for a lower gear.

A lot of bikes won’t tolerate lugging, my Monster 1100 was a 3 speed unless you were doing 50+ Mph

This bike isn’t ..that…

These bikes- even stock will run at 2500 all day long.

There is no such thing as lugging a modern CB 1100 unless you are a complete bonehead.




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[Cormanus]

Surely I'm not the only one who prefers 5 speed.
I think with 6 speed your changing gear way to much for very little gain if any.

I'm fairly certain you are, actually.

I'm fairly certain you are, actually.
No. [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=17138&pid=301512#pid301512]Here's at least one example of another. And from a member who owned a 2013 ABS, a 2014 DLX and a 2017 EX.

I'm a 5-speed owner and I wouldn't bother replacing it just for another gear.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Wouldn’t bother /= prefer.

Given both options, same exact bike in every way- AND having rode both to feel the difference- would you still choose the 5?


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[Mixagon_imp]

Surely I'm not the only one who prefers 5 speed.
I think with 6 speed your changing gear way to much for very little gain if any.

I'm fairly certain you are, actually.

I'm fairly certain you are, actually.
There's lots of us especially Ford transit van owners with 6 gears, to many gear changes. A lot of 6 speeders miss gears out to save pointless changes, eg go from 4th to 6th, 3rd to 5th you get the drift.
The problem with bikes is you can't do this so unless your just sitting on a highway in sixth for hours and hours you have to keep going up and down the box and it gets tiresome. Also if you need overtaking power quickly you have to go down two gears at times instead of one.
I don't like sitting on motorways so the journeys I make in the UK are best suited to 5 speeds.

[Tev62]

"I would however trade any pre17 for one of the rare EX. Simply the more fine-tuned model."


Only true improvement in my mind is the front forks, while the gas tank looks goofy. And has a slipper clutch if you care about such things... I own a bike with one and haven't noticed a benefit.

You only notice the benefit of a slipper clutch if you downshift too early like an inexperienced rider. Those who have the natural feel and mechanical sympathy for their bike, which comes from experience, shouldn't notice the benefit.

[1985CB450_imp]

As noted above unless you are racking up lots of highway miles having that 6th gear is not really a factor.

Max tq on this bike is at 5000 rpm so steady cruise at 4000 rpm or so keeps you right under the tq peak which means downshifting is not required in the event you need to quickly accelerate. I’d advise against running around town at 2500 rpm in 6th. If you get in a tight spot and need to accelerate quickly you are gonna need a downshift. Just because the bike will run 6th down low like that does not mean it’s ideal.

All my riding is city in the Dallas metroplex, many times I’ve had to quickly roll on the throttle to avoid distracted drivers. Regardless of speed if the revs fall below 3500 I’m looking for a lower gear.

A lot of bikes won’t tolerate lugging, my Monster 1100 was a 3 speed unless you were doing 50+ Mph

This bike isn’t ..that…

These bikes- even stock will run at 2500 all day long.

There is no such thing as lugging a modern CB 1100 unless you are a complete bonehead.




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This bike isn’t ..that…

These bikes- even stock will run at 2500 all day long.

There is no such thing as lugging a modern CB 1100 unless you are a complete bonehead.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Any machine can be lugged, technically if you cannot quickly accelerate away in gear you are lugging the motor. The CB does not protest as it’s in a very mild state of tune.

What happens when you quickly open the throttle from 2500rpm in 6th gear? Nothing as you have the acceleration capability of a Nissan Sentra for the first few seconds until the motor spools up.

Now do that again in 4th at 4000 rpm…huge difference in response

"I would however trade any pre17 for one of the rare EX. Simply the more fine-tuned model."


Only true improvement in my mind is the front forks, while the gas tank looks goofy. And has a slipper clutch if you care about such things... I own a bike with one and haven't noticed a benefit.

You only notice the benefit of a slipper clutch if you downshift too early like an inexperienced rider. Those who have the natural feel and mechanical sympathy for their bike, which comes from experience, shouldn't notice the benefit.

You only notice the benefit of a slipper clutch if you downshift too early like an inexperienced rider. Those who have the natural feel and mechanical sympathy for their bike, which comes from experience, shouldn't notice the benefit.
So slipper clutches are for inexperienced riders….now I’ve heard it all.

Slipper clutches are designed to release clutch back pressure when doing high rpm downshifts, this prevents the back wheel from locking up. Why do you think every ultra high performing machine today has one?

I realize this is a grandpa bike and most are ridden as such but regardless that’s just a silly uninformed statement
Bottom line is if you ride the bike hard enough you will notice the benefits

[Cormanus]

Wouldn’t bother /= prefer.

Given both options, same exact bike in every way- AND having rode both to feel the difference- would you still choose the 5?


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It’s a good question, Dubs. Given when I ride distances I like winding roads, I’ve no real need for 6 gears. When I do have to take a freeway, I’d probably appreciate the extra gear. But, if I had a chance to trade mine for a 6-gear model (unlikely, as I don’t think there are any in Australia) I wouldn’t take it unless the deal was just too good to pass up.

[1985CB450_imp]

Yea, I don't ride anywhere near metroplexes. Been riding 57 years, 48 states, 2 provinces in Canda, 5 countries in Europe and have never needed " immediate escape velocity".

Riding the CB 1100 at 2500 rpms is not lugging it. Any liter class Japanese I-4 will do it with ease. Won't hurt it at all. Either will running it all day at 8,000 rpms. Owners decide how they choose to ride their bikes and anywhere from 2,000 rpms to near redline is aceptable, all day every day.

Euro bikes I have ridden never seem to like to run below 4000 rpms. Just the nature of the beasts. My sons Ducati will not run 3500 rpms in 6th, it WILL lug, chug, buck

Matter of fact my NC 750 DCT was designed by Honda to run in that 2500-3500 rev range per the transmission algorithm and it has nowhere near the hp or torque of a liter class I-4.

I appreciate your worldly experience but considering this is an old man’s bike many of us here have decades of riding experience on many types of machines.

The NC 750 is an undersquare twin so the comparison is more aligned with something like a H-D. My 103ci Street Glide will run happily all day at 2000 rpm in 6th

That’s a no brainer as anytime you have a greater stroke vs bore I’d expect it to make buckets of tq down low and run happily at low rpm.