Electronic speed limiter worldwide applied? European CB1100EX owner here

[Riko_imp]

Today I rode some highways
For the first time since december when I got the bike I got to ride the highway in DRY conditions from start to finish.

It gave me a chance to really test my Road Comet with the aero touring screen.
It makes a lot of wind noise and I will be ordering the normal size screen to compare, I've also read a lot of comments this is the size to go in terms of wind noise.

That said. When tuck down I can reach top speed of my CB
2 things I noticed:

1. The front end was very wobbly at the front end, it made me scared.
I reached 171-171 km/h in 6th, thats about 106mph.
Dunno why it became so wobbly at front...was it caused by the fairing, or the wind cause there was a lot of wind today, about 25mph according to the forecasts.

2. when reaching top speed it sometimes felt jerky as if the fuel got cut off all of a sudden and than it would suddenly reapply power wich was a bit of a surprise when you regain power at such high speeds.

I assume that was the Electronic speed limiter kicking in?
Do all bikes have it?
I read a topic here stating its because of Japanese law, but this is not Japan.
So do you guys in America have it too?

Do the fellow Europeans here have it?
Mine is a 2014 EX model btw.


Thx a million!

EDIT:
hmmmm, most important, I did forget to mention that I did ride with a huge topcase, 55 litre Givi E55 Maxia 3 :blush:

I assume this could cause the front to wobble at high speed?

 

[Cormanus]

Riko, the Americans certainly have it. I'm not sure about Australian bikes as I don't go that fast. A couple of members have reported doing better than 180kph (112mph) which is where it's said to cut in. Search the forum for 'speed limiter' to see endless complaints and find out about it. The US also has a bloke—Don Guhl—who can reprogram the ECU to remove it.

There's also a video on the site of a bloke in a tunnel hitting the speed limiter.

 

[jedd_imp]

on my 2nd day of owning this bike, I accelerated to 110 mph and kept it at that speed for about a minute on a wide open interstate with this touring windscreen on:


Bike felt very stable, unshaken, rock solid at triple digits. I was very, very impressed with its high speed stability.

I didn't even know that the bike had a rev limiter back then, otherwise I'd have gone faster to trip it to see what it would do.

 

[kmoney_imp]

I've never had any problems with the stability at speed. In fact the bike is serene enough that I've actually run into the limiter almost by accident doing full power jaunts (the limiter is what ~6k rpm in 3rd gear?). This is with nothing but a standard Dart flyscreen.

 

[fruno_imp]

Riko:
I drive "naked" and at 180 kmh the speed limiter kicks in like you describe.

But the bike still feels stable, no "wobbling" or so.

I always keep care of my tire pressure, especially before I get on the autobahn. Might that be the reason?
fruno

 

[Riko_imp]

Riko, the Americans certainly have it. I'm not sure about Australian bikes as I don't go that fast. A couple of members have reported doing better than 180kph (112mph) which is where it's said to cut in. Search the forum for 'speed limiter' to see endless complaints and find out about it. The US also has a bloke—Don Guhl—who can reprogram the ECU to remove it.

There's also a video on the site of a bloke in a tunnel hitting the speed limiter.

Thx, I meanwhile did some searching and I found this:

Regardless of whether or not I buy into this, here is the text from the July 2013 issue of Motorcycle Consumer News mentioned by Mike:

"Its top speed is governed, bouncing off a soft limiter between 108–110 mph. The engine will only pull 6900 rpm in top gear, and fourth won’t make it go any faster. The reason, we are told, is to reduce engine temperatures, so as to insure the reliability of its air-cooled engine."

Will try to remember those figures next time...

BTW, I do not care at all about the limited topspeed of this bike.
I was only testing how far I could go with it :blush:
107mph is as fast as I am willing to go on a naked bike, anything faster would be, for me, too discomforting.

If I would be riding a BMW 1600GT that topped out at 107mph, than I'd be complaining

 

[Wisedrum]

Same for my bike, it always stays stable at whatever speed I'm driving.
The preload of the fork has an impact on the way the Honda feels at higher speed.

Maybe youre front tire has run out of rubber or doesn't
have the right amount of air in it. All that my cause some instability at high speeds.

Also the way you sit on the bike and grab the handlebars or the cloth, that may wave in the air,
can cause some problems, which don't appear at lower speeds.

If the speed limiter is bothering you, there are not so expensive ways to overcome it.
But are there many occasions, where you you really drive faster than the speed limiter
comes into play, without riskin` your driving license?

Wisedrum

 

[Riko_imp]

Riko:
I drive "naked" and at 180 kmh the speed limiter kicks in like you describe.

But the bike still feels stable, no "wobbling" or so.

I always keep care of my tire pressure, especially before I get on the autobahn. Might that be the reason?
fruno

will look into that

when tucked away behind my windscreen there seemed more wobble than when I was trying the more upright seating position, but try that at 107mph

I get the impression the more upright you sit ,the more downforce I create.
Dunno if my screen has something to do with it..

Could those heavy winds cause front wobbling?

Anyhow, I'll check tire pressure first thing tomorrow

 

[Django]

Rico, isn't legal top speed in Belgium 120 km/h?

Speed limiter kicks in at 190 km/h at the clock, which is real 180 km/h.

The wobbling at higher speeds could be caused by the aerodynamics of your Road Comet.

 

[Riko_imp]

uhu, just like in the rest of Europe more or less....except for Germany :biker:

 

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

Check the air pressure in the front tire.

 

[flynrider]

I was one of the first ones on the forum to test the speed limiter back in 2013 :

Yes Virginia, there is a speed limit.

Since then I've bounced off it a few times. I've found the bike to be quite stable at top speed, both naked and with the small National Cycle Deflector windshield.

I suspect that 25 mph wind may have had something to do with the instability you felt. Particularly if it was a crosswind.

 

[Riko_imp]

Riko:
I drive "naked" and at 180 kmh the speed limiter kicks in like you describe.

But the bike still feels stable, no "wobbling" or so.

I always keep care of my tire pressure, especially before I get on the autobahn. Might that be the reason?
fruno

Check the air pressure in the front tire.

exactly 250kPa at the front, so its in spec

I was one of the first ones on the forum to test the speed limiter back in 2013 :

Yes Virginia, there is a speed limit.

Since then I've bounced off it a few times. I've found the bike to be quite stable at top speed, both naked and with the small National Cycle Deflector windshield.

I suspect that 25 mph wind may have had something to do with the instability you felt. Particularly if it was a crosswind.

thx!

today is again a day without rain, so, that means riding time since the next few weeks they forcast rainy days here :dodgy:

Unfortunatelly there is still a high wind for today, so I fear I will get the same wobbly steering wheel feeling.

Same for my bike, it always stays stable at whatever speed I'm driving.
The preload of the fork has an impact on the way the Honda feels at higher speed.

Maybe youre front tire has run out of rubber or doesn't
have the right amount of air in it. All that my cause some instability at high speeds.

Also the way you sit on the bike and grab the handlebars or the cloth, that may wave in the air,
can cause some problems, which don't appear at lower speeds.

If the speed limiter is bothering you, there are not so expensive ways to overcome it.
But are there many occasions, where you you really drive faster than the speed limiter
comes into play, without riskin` your driving license?

Wisedrum

Tires are from a bike with 2001 km on it and the color code was still on it, so its as new as they can get.
Preload, hmm its at the stock setting.

I assume its the high crosswind that makes my steering wheel wobble at those speeds.

Dunno, I would have to ride in a calm day to feel the difference.

 

[CB4ME_imp]

Above 100mph, the front starts to feel a little light to me but the bike is stable.

 

[Riko_imp]

yeah, thats the feeling I have as well, light, but stable..but not very confidence inspiring.

Perhaps what I observed is exactly the same as what you all observed at those speeds, but we each give another label on the whole experience.

I rode a Burgman 650 that has a huge stock windscreen, and the max speed was 160km/h = 100mph and the front feeled planted and handlebar felt solid, not wobble no nothing.

In my observation the handle bar literally wobbled.
Perhaps you all have the reflex to hold the handle bar with a much firmer grip than at lower speeds?
I did not, and I noticed an undeniable slight wobble, nothing disturbed but enough for me not to continue at that speed.

Again, this could be due to the strong winds (35 km/h)...

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Mate, I've had mine flat out and no wobble. Maybe you've got a lemon with a twisted chassis or something. That's all it can be if the tyres are ok and everything else is in spec. Either that or the screen. Trade it in, or if you get a fright, roll of the throttle and slow down.

Cheers

 

[Lord Popgun]

Maybe check the head bearing torque (yeah I said it already) and loosen all the triple tree bolts and axle bolts and re-torque. Wouldn't that be something to try before trading it in?

Possible defective or out of balance tire?

 

[soulmachine_imp]

How's that grip on the bars at higher speed?

Keep that grip loose and I'll guarantee those wobbles go away...

 

[redbirds_imp]

Running at an indicated 90 mph on the super slab a while back, I experienced some front end wobble when approaching semi's. This wobble would stop when I cleared the turbulent air behind the trucks. This was with my Puig screen installed. Had not felt this wobble when in similar situations sans screen.

 

[Riko_imp]

I had the fork boots intalled, and I stood by the mechanic and he had an expensive torque wrench and all is in spec

So there is nothing wrong with torque settings in the forks or tripple tree.

Twisted chassis, hmm I doubt the issue is that extreme Pterodactyl.
I should actually let somebody ride my CB that has also a CB and tell me that its normal what I perceive as a wobbling handle bar.

I'll ask asap 2 fellow countrymen what their experience is with high speed riding.

Head bearing torque I have not checked yet...I dont even know the torque setting, so if somebody could tell me that I can check that out, meanwhile I can do a search on the board.

I suspect the crosswinds, or me being extremely nitpicking.
But if you all say no wobble at all, thats clear and leaves no room for interpretation....
Than again, have those who say that ever ridden at those speeds with a lot of crosswinds??

But lol trading in, you guys really go for a worst case scenario huh

Running at an indicated 90 mph on the super slab a while back, I experienced some front end wobble when approaching semi's. This wobble would stop when I cleared the turbulent air behind the trucks. This was with my Puig screen installed. Had not felt this wobble when in similar situations sans screen.

hm hm, that shines another perspective with more details concernikng my small issue.
With or without screen, does make a difference and you talk about turbulence as well, similar to my windy conditions.

How's that grip on the bars at higher speed?

Keep that grip loose and I'll guarantee those wobbles go away...

lol, what do you mean exactly with "keep that grip loose" ?

at high speed?

shouldnt you be holding your grips firmer than ever as you increase speed :dodgy:
aha, I don't seem to be the only one here
High-speed stability off our CB1100
I realize now that there are 2 kinda big weights sitting on the front around each spoke, maybe its an issue of tire balance as well.

Are spoked wheels more sensitive to changes in balance, (since they need adjustment from time to time)?