My review of the CB1100 (2018 EX)

Tev62

Road warrior
Thread starter
Hi guys and girls, I have had the CB for a few weeks now and I like to muck about with YouTube so I posted a review of my bike and what I thought about it. You don't see too many owner reviews I will say. These are just my thoughts, you might not agree with them of course. Spoiler alert, I do like the bike :D .


 
Good show, nice and clean bike. Congrats!!
Got a little dizzy while riding due to L-hand traffic but you get use to it... :)
A few questions:
That iron gate where you parked your bike, is an entrance to a private property or cemetery??
In the corner, is it your yellow Bug..seems 60's???

Thanks for sharing, stay/ride safe...:biker:
 
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That iron gate where you parked your bike, is an entrance to a private property or cemetery??

In the corner, is it your yellow Bug..seems 60's???

Thanks for the kind words. That is the entrance to the cemetery but for service vehicles so it would normally be locked.

The "yellow bug" is actually my 1952 MG TD which has had a severe lack of use this year due to the pandemic. :(
 
Thanks for the video , at least I could very well understand you , better than one of my all time favorite racers Joey Dunlop.
 
Enjoyed the video. Not much traffic where you live is there? Anyhow, turning 52 next year so the bikes I find most attractive are the mid to late 70's and early 80's stuff when I was a kid. They were the bikes I saw and heard walking to school everyday. The CB as both EX and RS version hits the spot (so do the latest Royal Enfield 650's as it happens). I don't see that many youngsters on motorbikes nowadays, and I mean by that people in their 20's and 30's. I don't think they are that interested TBH. Congestion is a big thing, speed cameras, idiot car and van drivers, pedestrians looking at their phones as they step out on you. I think you have to look for a pleasure in riding, a 'oneness' with your bike and not just focus on speed or absolute dynamic ability. That why I guess the majority of CB owners and forum members 'get' these Honda's.
 
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Jfro5687_imp said:
Enjoyed the video. Not much traffic where you live is there? Anyhow, turning 52 next year so the bikes I find most attractive are the mid to late 70's and early 80's stuff when I was a kid. They were the bikes I saw and heard walking to school everyday. The CB as both EX and RS version hits the spot (so do the latest Royal Enfield 650's as it happens). I don't see that many youngsters on motorbikes nowadays, and I mean by that people in their 20's and 30's. I don't think they are that interested TBH. Congestion is a big thing, speed cameras, idiot car and van drivers, pedestrians looking at their phones as they step out on you. I think you have to look for a pleasure in riding, a 'oneness' with your bike and not just focus on speed or absolute dynamic ability. That why I guess the majority of CB owners and forum members 'get' these Honda's.
Thankyou, glad you liked it. Not much traffic due to the lockdown of course but yes, this location was rural. There is a lot to challenge the youngsters getting into motorcycling these days, so I am not surprised it is a waning pastime. I don't see it as their fault though. My 18-year-old would not mind getting into bikes but it is cost prohibitive for him. I left school (and home) at 16 and got an Engineering apprenticeship, when I turned seventeen, I purchased a new Suzuki 250X7, it took half my wages to make the payments, but I could afford the petrol, tax and insurance and still live. Even if my lad, who lives at home, found a piece of junk motorcycle it would cost him €2,500-€4,000 to insure. As a school goer and hopefully University next year he will never have the earning power that I had at his age to afford this. The rampant compo culture, cost to litigate and large pay-outs has priced him out of the market in terms of insurance. I always remember my premiums being “normal” but not so anymore.
 
Absolutely brilliant, thanks! I love your thoughtful reflections and spontaneous comments, spot on and with a bit of humour too. Also I'll definitely try your suspension adjustments, as my RS behaves as you describe. You made my otherwise dull grey Tuesday much more enjoyable!
 
Olof, yes, a bit of extra pre-load on the back (even if you leave the front alone) has always worked for me. It just puts the bike on its nose that bit more and does improve cornering feel and poise. Try it.
 
Jfro5687_imp said:
Olof, yes, a bit of extra pre-load on the back (even if you leave the front alone) has always worked for me. It just puts the bike on its nose that bit more and does improve cornering feel and poise. Try it.
Don't mind me if I add, although pumping up the preload is ok for raising the back, suspension will work mostly in top of it's travel, thus not optimally. Try dropping the the triple clamps for 1cm, it will have the same effect on geometry, but the shocks will work in the mid-travel where it's supposed to be

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed
 
@Tev62
any chance you could put your findings concerning the suspension into a few lines for easy reference ? The user manual says the standard position for the front suspension is when the 3rd groove is aligned, for the back it's position 2. So how is your bike now set-up (using the nomenclature of the UM) ?
Text and pictures on page 88/89 in my manual.
Thanks
 
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Just to frame why I did this. With my gear on I weigh 115Kg or 252lbs, so I’m much heavier than average and would use a lot more of the suspension travel, and it would mostly be at the rear, as is natural. This has the effect of raking out the bike and increasing the trail. It is this increase in trail that slows steering down, so much in my case I had to apply a bit of opposite lock (counter-steering) to help me get around the corners.

So, I needed to bring the back end of the bike back up and/or the nose down. I chose to mainly bring the back up (no choice on a lot of bikes) and dropped the front a little. This still leaves me with a little more adjustment should I load up with pillion or luggage. The picture details my new settings, hope that explains it a little.

 
Very nice Mr Tev62. Wish I could ride and talk at the same time! I think I understand what you mean when you say its "not a touring bike". So yes, its not outfitted as a tourer, BUT it is an awesome bike to tour on. During the summer, I ride 4000-6000+ mile rides on my 2014 CB1100DX outfitted with a windscreen and soft luggage. Its a very comfortable long distance ride at any speed (up to 110mph). But yeah, I envision a ST1300 or FJR1300 outfitted with hard luggage might be more convenient and maybe look prettier. Just my opinion :)
 
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bflint_imp said:
Very nice Mr Tev62. Wish I could ride and talk at the same time! I think I understand what you mean when you say its "not a touring bike". So yes, its not outfitted as a tourer, BUT it is an awesome bike to tour on. During the summer, I ride 4000-6000+ mile rides on my 2014 CB1100DX outfitted with a windscreen and soft luggage. Its a very comfortable long distance ride at any speed (up to 110mph). But yeah, I envision a ST1300 or FJR1300 outfitted with hard luggage might be more convenient and maybe look prettier. Just my opinion :)
No, you are dead right. I think most people understand the bikes limitations and I wasn't trying to say you couldn't tour on it more like there are better bikes to do it on. Judging by peoples signatures I think most people know this too. I am so glad I have one in my garage though, I love the simplicity.
 
The CB1100 is a fine and dandy bike to tour on if it’s all you have. Sadly—or not—life’s circumstances force some of us to be one-bike people.
 
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Cormanus_imp said:
The CB1100 is a fine and dandy bike to tour on if it’s all you have. Sadly—or not—life’s circumstances force some of us to be one-bike people.
True and the same for many of us. I have been a one bike owner for all of my life until last year. I came across my old bike, a 1995 Daytona which I bought new but sold in '96. Twenty plus something years later I stumbled upon it quite by accident and had to buy it back but it was quite cheap, these old Triumph's don't really hold their value. The CB purchase was a whim and I had hankered after one for quite a while. I had to wait for the right one to come along before I could import it to Ireland and when it did I had to strike. That Tiger 1200 will be the next bike to leave the stable in a few years but it won't be replaced.
 
Tev62_imp said:
Cormanus_imp said:
The CB1100 is a fine and dandy bike to tour on if it’s all you have. Sadly—or not—life’s circumstances force some of us to be one-bike people.
True and the same for many of us. I have been a one bike owner for all of my life until last year. I came across my old bike, a 1995 Daytona which I bought new but sold in '96. Twenty plus something years later I stumbled upon it quite by accident and had to buy it back but it was quite cheap, these old Triumph's don't really hold their value. The CB purchase was a whim and I had hankered after one for quite a while. I had to wait for the right one to come along before I could import it to Ireland and when it did I had to strike. That Tiger 1200 will be the next bike to leave the stable in a few years but it won't be replaced.
That must have felt really good Tev. Congratulations.
 
Nice video, enjoyed listening to your comments and the bike humming along rather than music dubbed over the top. Would be fun to ride left side some day.
 
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