Gearing and highway speeds?

[SL70_imp]

So I have test ridden the CB11 and really liked it, didn't get to spend much time at higher freeway speeds though. How do you like the 5 speed and the final gear ratio, is it relaxed at 65-70, or is it revving kind of high? Any buzziness/vibration issues?
I would want this bike to do everything from short trips around town to the once or twice a year week long tour.

 

[Obliviontoad]

Around 4000 rpm at 70? Is that right? I dunno, my vision was blurry from the grin under the helmet. And I was watching for cagers trying to help with the bodywork. Oh, and I only went that fast for short time, just to get it to operating temperature...

I am looking at all kinds of options for storage. Wish they made the NX700 style clip on panniers for the CB1100. At least ones that fit the look.

 

[Guth_imp]

Feels plenty relaxed to me at those speeds, but the only other street bike I've ridden for comparison is my '88 Hawk GT.

 

[SL70_imp]

Around 4000 rpm at 70? Is that right? I dunno, my vision was blurry from the grin under the helmet. And I was watching for cagers trying to help with the bodywork. Oh, and I only went that fast for short time, just to get it to operating temperature...

I am looking at all kinds of options for storage. Wish they made the NX700 style clip on panniers for the CB1100. At least ones that fit the look.

I'm thinking some basic soft generic luggage will be fine for the occasional trip. I have a cruiser duffel bag that will fit nicely on the passenger seat, that plus some soft throw-over saddlebags (wait. do they need some kind of brackets?) and I'll be set for my annual one week trek. I can't see this bike with hard bags attached. JMTC.

 

[INTP_imp]

I am thinking about going up one tooth on the front sprocket, but I only have 50 miles on the bike.

 

[flynrider]

So I have test ridden the CB11 and really liked it, didn't get to spend much time at higher freeway speeds though. How do you like the 5 speed and the final gear ratio, is it relaxed at 65-70, or is it revving kind of high? Any buzziness/vibration issues?
I would want this bike to do everything from short trips around town to the once or twice a year week long tour.

I've found that the lack of vibration cues is going to take some getting used to. Twice I've found myself going down the freeway at 75 in third gear, happy as a clam. Only when I looked at the tach did I realize that 4th or 5th might work better.

I'm used to my CB750 which runs at 5000 rpm at 75 in top gear. The CB11 is only turning about 4200 rpm at 75. I actually stick to 4th gear on the highway unless I'm planning on spending a lot of time around 75 or higher. Although the engine pulls nicely from the low rpms, I prefer to keep it in the sweet spot on the power band that kicks in around 4800 rpm.

The gears are nicely spaced and there's no need for a 6th gear as far as I'm concerned.

 

[redReno_imp]

So I have test ridden the CB11 and really liked it, didn't get to spend much time at higher freeway speeds though. How do you like the 5 speed and the final gear ratio, is it relaxed at 65-70, or is it revving kind of high? Any buzziness/vibration issues?
I would want this bike to do everything from short trips around town to the once or twice a year week long tour.

I've found that the lack of vibration cues is going to take some getting used to. Twice I've found myself going down the freeway at 75 in third gear, happy as a clam. Only when I looked at the tach did I realize that 4th or 5th might work better.

I'm used to my CB750 which runs at 5000 rpm at 75 in top gear. The CB11 is only turning about 4200 rpm at 75. I actually stick to 4th gear on the highway unless I'm planning on spending a lot of time around 75 or higher. Although the engine pulls nicely from the low rpms, I prefer to keep it in the sweet spot on the power band that kicks in around 4800 rpm.

The gears are nicely spaced and there's no need for a 6th gear as far as I'm concerned.

I've found that the lack of vibration cues is going to take some getting used to. Twice I've found myself going down the freeway at 75 in third gear, happy as a clam. Only when I looked at the tach did I realize that 4th or 5th might work better.

The gears are nicely spaced and there's no need for a 6th gear as far as I'm concerned.
I am very happy with the gears, almost want to say I don't need a 4th or 5th gear haha

 

[PowderToastMan_imp]

Yeah, or with all the gears, you can seriously get by without even going over 4k RPM.
I have only barely started to go over that, that's where the bike feels like it's about to really take off, and you get a little bit of vibration on the handlebars. I don't want any speeding tickets, so that's where I decided to hold off

 

[Lord Popgun]

Is there a hp/torque curve somewhere for our bike?

 

[OldF7Guy_imp]

Is there a hp/torque curve somewhere for our bike?

Try this. Its at the bottom of the page.

http://oneveryotherstreet.blogspot.com/2012/08/r-gear-classic-for-honda-cb-1100.html

I am kinda hoping one of you hot rodders will dyno test a CB11 as well.

 

[Lord Popgun]

I've never seen a plot like that. Maybe we can find a "normal" one.

It is interesting though, I'll have to study it some.

Thanks.

 

[Gypped_imp]

I've never seen a plot like that. Maybe we can find a "normal" one.

It is interesting though, I'll have to study it some.

Thanks.

You may want to email Staintune in Australia and see if they'll share their dyno charts. Supposedly they have a before and after dyno for the CB11 for their slipon.

 

[the Ferret]

I find myself "discovering" I have another gear quite often. Really doesn't feel much differently in 4 th or 5 th at the speeds I run ( generally 45-60 on back roads )

 

[flynrider]

I've never seen a plot like that. Maybe we can find a "normal" one.

It is interesting though, I'll have to study it some.

Thanks.

I've seen that chart before. I believe the red plot is supposed to be for the stock bike and the blue for the aftermarket 4 into 4 pipes.

 

[the Ferret]

Is there a hp/torque curve somewhere for our bike?

Try this. Its at the bottom of the page.

http://oneveryotherstreet.blogspot.com/2012/08/r-gear-classic-for-honda-cb-1100.html

I am kinda hoping one of you hot rodders will dyno test a CB11 as well.

Try this. Its at the bottom of the page.

http://oneveryotherstreet.blogspot.com/2012/08/r-gear-classic-for-honda-cb-1100.html

I am kinda hoping one of you hot rodders will dyno test a CB11 as well.

From my experience, that kind of gain in HP would be nothing short of miraculous for just a set of pipes. Most pipes will give less than a 6 hp gain, often less than 4 and sometimes a custom pipe will actually lose HP compared to stock. According to that chart those pipes gave a 13 horsepower gain or roughly an 18 % gain in HP with just some pipes. Kinda unbelievable to me.

 

[Randy B]

I'd bet there was a tune involved.

 

[Red1100_imp]

Honda should have put a gear indicator on the instrument panel. I can't feel the difference between 4 and 5. I have to notch it up occasionally to make sure I'm in fifth. Eventually I'll be able to tell with a glance at the tach. Right now I only have a 100 miles on the bike.

 

[Randy B]

I always keep a mental note as to what gear I'm in. I have been doing that since I started riding over 20 years ago and it worked well for me.

 

[Brentj84_imp]

I've done about 400+ miles of highway/interstate riding. At 70 mph you're sitting at 4k on the tach. Nothing buzzy about that.

I've never felt the need for a 6th gear on the CB11. With a power band as wide as this bike gear selection is almost a preference when it comes to daily riding. You can squeeze a little more out of the engine to make a pass by down shifting, or you can simply twist the throttle & make the same pass easily. On the interstate in 5th gear making a pass on someone is quick & effortless. The RPMs are really at the bottom end of where the engine really starts to pick up so throttle response is excellent. You can easily (too easily?) go from 70 mph to 95mph without any fuss.

The best fuel economy I've returned was when I would consistently run 60 mph in 5th gear at about 3400 rpm. At those speeds the power is still present & pleasent for every day riding.

 

[CA200_imp]

Like Red1100 when I am just going along at 45-60 I some times forget to shift to 5th. It must be old age.