Does the CB1100 motor become smoother over time?

V

VLJ_imp

Road warrior
Thread starter
Maybe I'm going crazy, but for the life of me I could swear my '17 EX was noticeably less buzzy today on the freeway. Normally, I tend to hover around 70 mph on her, because 75 mph equates to 3,500 rpm, which is precisely where the buzziness kicks in, and it stays relatively buzzy until 5K. Once the tach hits 5K, it's smooth sailing again.

Today, 75 mph was as smooth as glass. This was the first time I've ever locked in on 75 mph and remained there, intentionally. I wanted to see if this new smoothness would stick, and it did. I never felt any need to back it down a skosh, in order to get out of the buzzy zone. This time, there really wasn't any buzzy zone. Honestly, between my last ride and this one, it was like hitting a light switch. The difference was that pronounced.

I only have a little over 7k miles on her. She hasn't had any recent servicings. The damnable brake squeal is still there. Nothing has been touched or changed.
 
This is possibly of no help at all, but I relate it for what it's worth.
Back in '76 I had a Suzuki 750 water-cooled (we called them 'Kettles' or "Water Bottles"!) and the engine, straight from the workshop, was like an electric motor it was SO smooth. And then, suddenly, it would take on a little 'buzz' - this was when one of the three carburettors would go slightly out of tune. A quick visit to my mate in the workshop and the turbine-smoothness was back.
Could the 'buzziness' with the CB be an inlet or tuning imbalance, perhaps? I just don't know how FI controls airflow and such. But perhaps that's where the source of "buzziness" lies? And VLJ, yours has just slipped INTO tune?
 
If there is any worth to be mentioned buzziness in the CB engine, it is there, because the Honda engineers have constructed unnecessary buzzes for a more retro and old feel. They could have left this gimmick out, but they didn't. It seems to be a bit like a very good picture that someone afterwards modified to look a bit more worse for a certain kind of retrocharme. So this valvedisplacement and the so caused buzzes will stay with the CB as long as it will run. Other than that may smooth out. After 5 years and 50.000km my CB still runs the same buzzwise. Though, her buzzes, if ever noticeable that much, don't bother me. It's per se a very smooth running engine right from the first start.

Wisedrum
 
VLJ_imp said:
Maybe I'm going crazy, but for the life of me I could swear my '17 EX was noticeably less buzzy today on the freeway. Normally, I tend to hover around 70 mph on her, because 75 mph equates to 3,500 rpm, which is precisely where the buzziness kicks in, and it stays relatively buzzy until 5K. Once the tach hits 5K, it's smooth sailing again.

Today, 75 mph was as smooth as glass. This was the first time I've ever locked in on 75 mph and remained there, intentionally. I wanted to see if this new smoothness would stick, and it did. I never felt any need to back it down a skosh, in order to get out of the buzzy zone. This time, there really wasn't any buzzy zone. Honestly, between my last ride and this one, it was like hitting a light switch. The difference was that pronounced.

I only have a little over 7k miles on her. She hasn't had any recent servicings. The damnable brake squeal is still there. Nothing has been touched or changed.
Click to expand...
I guess your buzziness was more tyre related than anything else. I don't think anything else on the bike can make so dramatic changes just by wearing off.
 
The CB is a charm for sure. However, it could be luck of the ride conditions (e.g. air pressure, temperature, fuel, load conditions, etc.), psychological or both. I found myself saying that about pretty well every bike I owned. Some days the machine was butter smooth (compared to its usual behaviour), other days, just tolerable.
 
Thread starter
Definitely wasn't due to any change in tires or road conditions. Same tires, same stretch of I-80 that I ride every day. Yesterday, the motor was simply less buzzy than it ever had been at 3500k/75 mph. It felt the same at 75 mph or 65 mph, which had never been the case before.
 
VLJ_imp said:
Definitely wasn't due to any change in tires or road conditions. Same tires, same stretch of I-80 that I ride every day. Yesterday, the motor was simply less buzzy than it ever had been at 3500k/75 mph. It felt the same at 75 mph or 65 mph, which had never been the case before.
Click to expand...
Tailwind?
 
VLJ_imp said:
Definitely wasn't due to any change in tires or road conditions. Same tires, same stretch of I-80 that I ride every day. Yesterday, the motor was simply less buzzy than it ever had been at 3500k/75 mph. It felt the same at 75 mph or 65 mph, which had never been the case before.
Click to expand...
I guess you'll have to ride that same stretch a few more times to determine whether it has less a buzz than before. If--or as soon as--you notice that the buzz is back at 75, maybe you could ID something that's different. If no buzz comes back over time, then perhaps the CB does "settle down" with higher miles.

I haven't really noticed much buzz on my '17ex with 4500 miles but I may be riding the majority of miles differently than how you do.

If the buzz is gone, some much the better! My breaks still squeak as well...but then again, I never tried to get rid of the offending noise.
 
Maybe we should start a thread when our CBs running too smoothly? :D



(maybe there is sumthin' wrong?)


(maybe needs RLETs - oh my goosh - how did that come out?)
 
VLJ_imp said:
Definitely wasn't due to any change in tires or road conditions. Same tires, same stretch of I-80 that I ride every day. Yesterday, the motor was simply less buzzy than it ever had been at 3500k/75 mph. It felt the same at 75 mph or 65 mph, which had never been the case before.
Click to expand...
What do you keep under your seat? Could that have changed or how it's packed?
 
Thread starter
KiowaEagle_imp said:
VLJ_imp said:
Definitely wasn't due to any change in tires or road conditions. Same tires, same stretch of I-80 that I ride every day. Yesterday, the motor was simply less buzzy than it ever had been at 3500k/75 mph. It felt the same at 75 mph or 65 mph, which had never been the case before.
Click to expand...
What do you keep under your seat? Could that have changed or how it's packed?
Click to expand...
What do you keep under your seat? Could that have changed or how it's packed?
Just the toolkit and owner's manual. No change.

Anyway, I'm only talking about the motor vibration. It was always reasonably smooth, even in its buzziest patch between 3,500 and 4,900. Above and below those two numbers, it's glass smooth...eerily smooth. Between those two numbers, it had the typical I-4 buzz. Not overwhelmingly so, but enough to be noticeable.

Yesterday, that buzzy patch was gone. The usual transition I feel when crossing from 3,000 rpm to 3,500-4,000 was absent.

Not complaining, mind you. I'm just wondering if others have noticed something similar with their CB1100 motors. For years and years people on the BMW forums have described their Boxer motors as taking a decent while to "break in," in terms of engine smoothness, and I always dismissed such talk as wishful thinking. When you ride the same bike every day, you aren't going to notice those sorts of gradual changes, assuming they occur at all.

Now, though, after yesterday's ride, I'm not so sure. My bike felt Goldwing smooth yesterday, even in its buzziest patch, and it never did before. So, maybe there is something to the notion of an engine breaking in and becoming smoother over time.
Houtman_imp said:
Is the Buzz in your head getting less....
Click to expand...
Worse, I'd say.
 
Can't help ya as I've never felt the buzz lol
 
all the bikes i've owned before this were twins or significantly lower quality bikes than the CB, so to be quite honestly i really don't know what anybody's talking about when they mention a buzz or vibration. i quite often run at 80 on my way to and from work, and that feels like butter to me. so does 75, so does 70, so does basically every speed.
 
Thread starter
Nope, same ugly Aerostich Darien Light suit, Alpinestar boots, and Dainese gloves as usual. Same Arai helmet.
 
It's very strange, VLJ. I'm going to be interested to hear whether it continues to be smoother or it was just an aberration. I can't say for sure, but I do think mine is buzzier some days than others and I find it buzzier on the lower gears in the buzzy range. But maybe I'm imagining it.

I hope you figure it.
 
VLJ: Check back with your buzz in late June / early July when the heat is on.

With most bikes, I find they tend to run their smoothest in and around 10C (50F). Don't know why, but just a stat that I seem to often observe.
 
Thread starter
I hope it stays just the way it is now. No more changes for me, thank you.

:D
GoldOxide, will do.

You sound rather ominous, btw.
 
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