Skinny posts

[SportsterDoc]

Thanks Doc, i actually don't have this issue myself but it occupies my mind and i will follow your suggestion, in the meantime i enjoy the cb just as everyone else here.

Thanks max.

Understood, which is why the suggestion of researching cleaning the IAC for future reference.

I was wondering if the throttle body assembly was replaced under warranty when IAC cleaning or replacement would have solved it. That may be covered by extensive threads, but it is too nice outside to stay much longer on the computer.

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

at times we (we being the moderators and the administrator) have wondered if the CB was too good of a bike to sustain a forum. I even posted a thread about it once years ago. Wondered if we would run out of things to talk about. The bikes start and run pretty flawlessly and there really isn't much to discuss about them. We are coming up on 5 years on the forum in April and in that time there was some minor paint flaking issues (mostly in England it seems), some minor rust issues under rear fender and front fork trees, and the weird high/low idle issue, oh and a couple of squeaky brakes but for the vast majority of us the bikes have not presented us with issues to post about. I guess the latest is the squeaking clutch pivot. Other than that our bikes have been a joy to own, maintain and ride. We have members with 40,000..50,000..even 60,000 pretty much trouble free miles on them now. Typical Honda. They may not be the most exciting bikes on the planet, not the fastest, not the best handlers, but gosh what great motorcycles.

want to read what your experience could be like if you weren't on a CB, go to a Ducati, or Guzzi forum. I have and after visiting those forums and seeing the issues they have on brand new bikes..transmissions locked up, motors locked up, electrical gremlins, fit and finish issues, I am so happy to have my CB1100.

If it gets a little dull around here at times, I can live with that.

Ferret, with all due respect--I know you haven't swept that "weird high/low idle issue" under the rug, meaning you've gone to lengths to help those of us with the issue by cataloging the symptoms and I thank you for that, seriously. I referred Honda to that page in the letter I wrote them, and printed it our for my customer service manager where I bought the bike.

At the same time, we have several long threads with 35 owners experiencing that problem and then to hear it summed up in 5 words as WHLII (can we coin that abbreviation? Weird High/Low Idle Issue) ...well, I don't know, the bike's (and Honda's) rock solid rep takes a merited hit for some of us.

I get it, probably 10, 20? thousand of these sold since '13 across the globe. and for 35 to maybe 50? of us to have the problem worldwide, it is a small number.

Nevertheless, it makes one such as me--who loves the bike otherwise--ask myself whether I shouldn't trade it in for maybe a Triumph Street Twin, or Scrambler, that way I would get to experience a whole different set of problems, I'm sure ; )

I think if the fix for it were found, and it was $100 or 200 part fixable at 1 or 2 hours, then I could stomach that. What's sad is to hear of a few bikes getting repaired--under warranty--at 1300 and even 3000 plus for that throttle body replacment. If I knew the idle thing would never get any worse than it is now (mine doesn't stall, goes back and forth between high and low, comes and goes), I could live with that.

If/when I ever move on from this bike, it will always carry an asterisk by its name in my book. Great bike, but a small--yet not insignificant--number of them suffer from WHLII.

Regardless, I am still thankfull for this site and thanks mods and admins for keeping it going.

Now, if a fix can be found that doesn't cost north of a grand, that would remove the asterisk. Maybe...in time. Fingers crossed.

How's that? Is this thread getting any phatter?:biker:

Ferret, with all due respect--I know you haven't swept that "weird high/low idle issue" under the rug, meaning you've gone to lengths to help those of us with the issue by cataloging the symptoms and I thank you for that, seriously. I referred Honda to that page in the letter I wrote them, and printed it our for my customer service manager where I bought the bike.

At the same time, we have several long threads with 35 owners experiencing that problem and then to hear it summed up in 5 words as WHLII (can we coin that abbreviation? Weird High/Low Idle Issue) ...well, I don't know, the bike's (and Honda's) rock solid rep takes a merited hit for some of us.

I get it, probably 10, 20? thousand of these sold since '13 across the globe. and for 35 to maybe 50? of us to have the problem worldwide, it is a small number.

Nevertheless, it makes one such as me--who loves the bike otherwise--ask myself whether I shouldn't trade it in for maybe a Triumph Street Twin, or Scrambler, that way I would get to experience a whole different set of problems, I'm sure ; )

I think if the fix for it were found, and it was $100 or 200 part fixable at 1 or 2 hours, then I could stomach that. What's sad is to hear of a few bikes getting repaired--under warranty--at 1300 and even 3000 plus for that throttle body replacment. If I knew the idle thing would never get any worse than it is now (mine doesn't stall, goes back and forth between high and low, comes and goes), I could live with that.

If/when I ever move on from this bike, it will always carry an asterisk by its name in my book. Great bike, but a small--yet not insignificant--number of them suffer from WHLII.

Regardless, I am still thankfull for this site and thanks mods and admins for keeping it going.

Now, if a fix can be found that doesn't cost north of a grand, that would remove the asterisk. Maybe...in time. Fingers crossed.

How's that? Is this thread getting any phatter?:biker:

TEC just released an announcement about o new cam that will open that little Triumph Street Twin up. Claims 30 more HP or 30% more power, can't remember. Either way that a heck of a jump for that 900cc Triumph engine. It certainly turned that bike from a nothing to something to think about.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

at times we (we being the moderators and the administrator) have wondered if the CB was too good of a bike to sustain a forum. I even posted a thread about it once years ago. Wondered if we would run out of things to talk about. The bikes start and run pretty flawlessly and there really isn't much to discuss about them. We are coming up on 5 years on the forum in April and in that time there was some minor paint flaking issues (mostly in England it seems), some minor rust issues under rear fender and front fork trees, and the weird high/low idle issue, oh and a couple of squeaky brakes but for the vast majority of us the bikes have not presented us with issues to post about. I guess the latest is the squeaking clutch pivot. Other than that our bikes have been a joy to own, maintain and ride. We have members with 40,000..50,000..even 60,000 pretty much trouble free miles on them now. Typical Honda. They may not be the most exciting bikes on the planet, not the fastest, not the best handlers, but gosh what great motorcycles.

want to read what your experience could be like if you weren't on a CB, go to a Ducati, or Guzzi forum. I have and after visiting those forums and seeing the issues they have on brand new bikes..transmissions locked up, motors locked up, electrical gremlins, fit and finish issues, I am so happy to have my CB1100.

If it gets a little dull around here at times, I can live with that.

Ferret, with all due respect--I know you haven't swept that "weird high/low idle issue" under the rug, meaning you've gone to lengths to help those of us with the issue by cataloging the symptoms and I thank you for that, seriously. I referred Honda to that page in the letter I wrote them, and printed it our for my customer service manager where I bought the bike.

At the same time, we have several long threads with 35 owners experiencing that problem and then to hear it summed up in 5 words as WHLII (can we coin that abbreviation? Weird High/Low Idle Issue) ...well, I don't know, the bike's (and Honda's) rock solid rep takes a merited hit for some of us.

I get it, probably 10, 20? thousand of these sold since '13 across the globe. and for 35 to maybe 50? of us to have the problem worldwide, it is a small number.

Nevertheless, it makes one such as me--who loves the bike otherwise--ask myself whether I shouldn't trade it in for maybe a Triumph Street Twin, or Scrambler, that way I would get to experience a whole different set of problems, I'm sure ; )

I think if the fix for it were found, and it was $100 or 200 part fixable at 1 or 2 hours, then I could stomach that. What's sad is to hear of a few bikes getting repaired--under warranty--at 1300 and even 3000 plus for that throttle body replacment. If I knew the idle thing would never get any worse than it is now (mine doesn't stall, goes back and forth between high and low, comes and goes), I could live with that.

If/when I ever move on from this bike, it will always carry an asterisk by its name in my book. Great bike, but a small--yet not insignificant--number of them suffer from WHLII.

Regardless, I am still thankfull for this site and thanks mods and admins for keeping it going.

Now, if a fix can be found that doesn't cost north of a grand, that would remove the asterisk. Maybe...in time. Fingers crossed.

How's that? Is this thread getting any phatter?:biker:

Ferret, with all due respect--I know you haven't swept that "weird high/low idle issue" under the rug, meaning you've gone to lengths to help those of us with the issue by cataloging the symptoms and I thank you for that, seriously. I referred Honda to that page in the letter I wrote them, and printed it our for my customer service manager where I bought the bike.

At the same time, we have several long threads with 35 owners experiencing that problem and then to hear it summed up in 5 words as WHLII (can we coin that abbreviation? Weird High/Low Idle Issue) ...well, I don't know, the bike's (and Honda's) rock solid rep takes a merited hit for some of us.

I get it, probably 10, 20? thousand of these sold since '13 across the globe. and for 35 to maybe 50? of us to have the problem worldwide, it is a small number.

Nevertheless, it makes one such as me--who loves the bike otherwise--ask myself whether I shouldn't trade it in for maybe a Triumph Street Twin, or Scrambler, that way I would get to experience a whole different set of problems, I'm sure ; )

I think if the fix for it were found, and it was $100 or 200 part fixable at 1 or 2 hours, then I could stomach that. What's sad is to hear of a few bikes getting repaired--under warranty--at 1300 and even 3000 plus for that throttle body replacment. If I knew the idle thing would never get any worse than it is now (mine doesn't stall, goes back and forth between high and low, comes and goes), I could live with that.

If/when I ever move on from this bike, it will always carry an asterisk by its name in my book. Great bike, but a small--yet not insignificant--number of them suffer from WHLII.

Regardless, I am still thankfull for this site and thanks mods and admins for keeping it going.

Now, if a fix can be found that doesn't cost north of a grand, that would remove the asterisk. Maybe...in time. Fingers crossed.

How's that? Is this thread getting any phatter?:biker:

TEC just released an announcement about o new cam that will open that little Triumph Street Twin up. Claims 30 more HP or 30% more power, can't remember. Either way that a heck of a jump for that 900cc Triumph engine. It certainly turned that bike from a nothing to something to think about.

Right, they sure did. Only real problem is that chassis is not up to handling 70 HP. Nor is the drive train. I wouldn't want even one more HP added to my Street Cup, that thing starts to get quite squirrely approaching the "ton".

Anyone who wants more performance from the Triumph, just pay the extra money for the Thruxton, even the base model. The chassis is built to take the power as is the suspension and drive train. By the time one spends the money tearing apart the engine and paying for the cams, the difference is about even money.

Ironically, I find myself reading more about the Z900 Kawasaki and the new Triumphs on this forum than about the CB1100! Even Pterodactyl returned to the fold briefly...only to broach the idea of selling his, after 100,000 km.

I liked the bike and still like to read about others who have them and ride them. Maybe everyone is out riding?:huh:
Oh yeah...almost forgot.

Happy Holidays.:beerchug:

 

[peterbaron]

Lol yes I understand, it's got to be extremely aggravating for those of you with the WHLII, but on the plus side, they are not leaving you broken down on the side of the road like a Ducati with a locked transmission, or a Moto Guzzi with a locked up motor, or a BMW with a blown final drive. They are idling + or - 400 rpms too high or too low. Would you rather there was an issue that when you took off in the morning, that there was a reasonable chance that you'd be coming home in the cab of a tow truck with your bike on a flat bed?

You know, if it were up to me, none of you would have an issue with your bikes, ever, and I wish that those of you that do find a reasonable solution.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

+1
....and believe me, the solution will come....more proper & professional info leading to correct diagnosis will pay back..or perhaps Honda will come up with solid solution before forum members find the cure.

pb

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

To close out my take on the anorexic condition of the forum, I'd say first of all that the CB1100 was so well-made that any problems were simple and easily resolved. It's also a bike that has a very narrow market; Honda's new CB1000R (and the smaller 150 and 300cc versions of that model) pretty clearly show that the air-cooled CB900 I was hoping for will likely never be made.

The CB1100 is a serious one-off for a modern bike. Mine was absolutely stone-reliable. I never had a single issue with it. The valves were still in perfect adjustment at 8,000 miles when I opened it up for that procedure (took a day), and the inside of the engine was clean as a whistle.

All other major marques but Royal Enfield have adopted liquid cooling in their retro lines, with the exception of BMW, who've continued the air-oil cooled boxer. But the R9T is still a modern design with "retro" styling. Like BMW, other makers are using an existing modern standard like the FZ-09 or CB1000, or Z900R, etcetera, as a basis for a retro design. But those bikes aren't retro. Mono shock, aluminum frames, inverted forks...those items don't say "traditional".

I think bikes like the R9T, the new CB1000R, Z900RS and the like are similar to movies that disclaim the authenticity of the story line by stating:

"Inspired by True Events"

in the opening credits.

In my view, the CB1100 is the only machine not only inspired by true events, but also built using most of the technologies (albeit with modern manufacturing methods) of the 1970s.

But it's expensive, heavy, comparatively slow, and won't attract too many buyers given the wide number of choices out there now.

Another problem Honda's got with that bike is most of the people who own them only have room for one or two bikes in either the garage, the budget, or both. So in getting people to lay their money or credit on the line, a really powerful argument has to be made.

Gorgeous? Yep.

Reliable? Yep.

Practical? Hmmm....$12 or $13K will put a buyer in easy range of a T120-range Triumph, and a Street Twin can be had for much less. A good friend and riding buddy of mine just acquired one of those this summer (2017 model) and it's a great machine which can be had OTD for under $10K.

Looks like Honda sees what's up and is going to be supplying its buyers with the new CB Retro line in the foreseeable future, which naturally does not suggest a livelier discourse on a model which has been discontinued in many regions and for which some versions are not available in others.

Still and all, I may start looking around for a very clean, used 2017 in the next year or two. I can't speak for other former owners, but for me there was definitely something about that bike that takes hold of the imagination.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I think Paul Simon said it best: "One man's ceiling is another man's floor." I don't consider the CB to be expensive but I can appreciate how others might.

 

[use2b_imp]

considering i got mine for $9,600 with $12,000 in upgrades it will never be considered anything but fantastic with zero problems

 

[Guth_imp]

Additional random thoughts...

niche bike = niche forum

There have been a lot of guys here on the forum that have sold their CB1100s. It only makes sense that a majority of them would choose to move on.

When these bike were (are) sold new we end up with a percentage of those buyers here on the forum. As those bikes are sold off some of the new owners will check out the forum and decide to participate, but there is no way that everyone purchasing a used CB1100 is going to sign up here. So our number of active members is bound to decrease. Unless Honda starts selling a lot more of these bikes in 2018 and beyond this trend is bound to continue.

The only other way that I see this changing is if there is some sort of “air-cooled renaissance” that occurs at some point in the future causing an increase in demand for these machines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Houtman_imp]

I for one will never sell my 3 CB 1100's , they will be probably the last bikes I will own unless I am too weak to put them on the center stand.

 

[use2b_imp]

I certainly agree with Guth and never see any CB1100's in Pensacola at all. but there is something special about riding or driving what others do not have.
my daily driver is a model A Ford truck and the only one around. almost all my machines are the only examples in my area and all attract attention everywhere i go. the CB1100 is no exception and makes it even more special

 

[rotor]

I for one will never sell my 3 CB 1100's , they will be probably the last bikes I will own unless I am too weak to put them on the center stand.

If one is 80 kg body weight and can walk up the stairs, he or she can lift this bike on the center stand. (Either that, or the force on the stand lever is not applied directly down).

 

[LongRanger_imp]

My DLX is my second-heaviest bike and will probably be the second bike to be sold, for that reason. But hopefully not for a few more years.

 

[the Ferret]

My DLX is my second-heaviest bike and will probably be the second bike to be sold, for that reason. But hopefully not for a few more years.

My DLX is also my second-heaviest bike and will probably be the second bike to be worn out for that reason. But hopefully not for a few more years.

 

[Spiderwatts_imp]

Hang in there guys! I absolutely love this forum and all the great info and ideas.
Right now I am sleep deprived and running to the door every time I hear what sounds like a UPS/mail truck.
My Comet 2 fairing, black of course, is hopefully being sprayed and boxed up and sent here to “God’s country.”
Buying a “leftover” 2014 for 6600 was a great deal but I’m slowly getting to point where I’ve spent about a grand in accessories.
I likely would not have done so without the research from this forum.
I think the low traffic is just because of small amount of sales but hopefully since Honda is still making the same similar bike more people will join.
I thought I was an older rider but I think many of you are my elders, no offense, and like to talk about your heydays from the 60’s or early 70’s. I’m 55 and try not to ramble about my glory days as most younger people don’t really want to hear it just like I didn’t and you likely did not in your youth.
I think the moderators here are probably trying to keep the posts organized by topic and keep them on point. But I see some of the threads start off as a certain topic but then wander off into glory days yawns.
I think if some of these grizzled veteran riders/owners would focus on the now and keep planning for future they would be interesting and might find they are happier. It’s never too late to change, forgive, or keep a promise. I respect all the experience of an older rider but
It’s better to hear their plans and current activities.
Just my two cents.
Ok......I have to get back to being on delivery man alert. I’ll likely jump into his lap as he is bringing my box up to door

 

[2017EX_imp]

I could not help but add my thoughts on this one. Yes, I have had some hiccups with my new bike, but then I have rarely had a new car or motorcycle over the years that did not have a few bugs to iron out initially. I think it somewhat goes with the territory in any mass produced machine, and to some extent that is what warranties are for. My particular problem was not mechanical, it was a spoke rim out of true, combined with a flat spot on the tire, probably related to shipping and the length of time it was crated, not quality control. So far, I have been impressed with the level of interest and participation on the Forum, contrary to some other impressions. At the moment with a combination of the Holiday season requiring more of our attention, and cold weather putting a damper on saddle time for many of us, it would not surprise me that posts might drop off somewhat. For my part I have, and will continue to enjoy the exchange of information, and the camaraderie opportunity the Forum provides. As to the CB1100 itself, I think it is a home run for what it is intended to be, and what I wanted in a bike to enjoy riding. I started riding sleek naked bikes in the late 60s. As time went on, they all but disappeared, replaced in large part by the popularity of "Crotch Rockets" more suited for the track than road trips, commuting, and everyday enjoyment. I remember thinking 15 years ago that Honda would have a winner if the CB750 was brought back in a modern version. I had a 1974 CB750 I bought new in that year, and it was an all time favorite of mine. For the past 10 years I rode a Harley, but the 750+ pounds it weighed, plus getting older ( I am 65 now ) got to be more than I wanted to wrestle for everyday riding. It handled like a tank for around town riding, and I have seen more than a few Harley riders lay the bike down trying to do a simple U turn. By comparison the CB1100 is easy to handle and a joy to ride everyday. Judging from the posts here, Honda hit exactly the market the CB1100 was aimed at, the Baby Boomers. Our segment grew up with naked bikes that were just plain fun to ride, and now we can afford the price tag if we choose to. Speaking of which, the cost of a new CB750 back in 1974 was about $1500, which for back then was a lot of money. Then too, the Boomers are now a major segment of the population, and consequently the market. Allowing for inflation of the cost of a CB750 since 1974, does not put the current MSRP for a CB1100 out of the realm of reason either.
Lastly, I think we should remember what Honda intended the CB1100 to be. It was intended to evoke nostalgia for us older riders, and it does. It was intended to deliver a smooth ride with power, and it does. It was intended to be easy to handle and "forgiving", and it is. Is it super fast, no, but it was not intended to be a "Crotch Rocket". That said, I have not found it to be lacking in get up and go either. Getting it up on the center stand is largely a matter of technique plus reasonable strength, and I dont have any problem doing it. All things considered, I think we will see the nostalgic naked retro bike segment in general, continue for some time to come. The other day I saw a write up on a naked retro Kawasaki KZ900 that we may see in 2018. I dont think Honda or Kawasaki would go this route without the market research to back it up. In any event, in doing all the pre purchase research on the CB1100, I remember reading that Honda wanted to create a machine that would let the rider focus on the pleasure of the ride. Whether an older rider like me, or a new rider, I think Honda achieved what the bike was intended to do, and did it quite well.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

This thread started because there was less activity on the forum. Which makes sense as it is winter in North America and many of us have stopped riding and have switched over to winter pastimes.

When it comes to the CB1100, not much has changed over the years, except perhaps the new RS model which is not available here. But even if it was, its café racer style may not appeal to the majority of owners who already own the bike they like. So if there is nothing new, there is less to talk about except maybe Triumphs and Kawasakis.

I posted a long story of days gone by with the intention of adding something to read during our winter hibernation. Yes I am older than dirt and like to yap about the early years of motorcycling and the fun my buddies I had during the decade of decadence. But I still look forward to adding a few accessories to my CB1100 EX this winter and next year's riding season in the spring. If you don't have something to look forward to, life can get pretty dull. As one of my vintage riding buddies use to say, "If you don't enjoy life, what's the point of living?"

In any sport or hobby I have enjoyed over the years, people have come an gone. My wife and I belonged to a 150 member motorcycle touring club in the early 80s. It was not unusual for 20 to 30 people to leave each year. But there was always new people to take their place.

 

[Obleo]

I started this post to note the absence of numerous posts Not to knock this forum .I lurked here for over a year before buying my cb1100 2013 standard. This forum played a major factor in my purchase, lots of great people here and lots of great information? I hope this forum will continue to grow . I don't post much ,but that doesn't mean iam not reading and learning .

 

[Lord Popgun]

It always gets slow this time of year. Everybody just don’t panic!!

 

[emptysea]

Here in US...

Bike Show season is upon us.
Fall is retreating rapidly in our mirrors.
We know that spring is just beyond the horizon.
And with it, questions and answers about maintenance and modifications, and prose and pictures about destinations will restock the hold of this wonderful ship.

 

[pdedse]

Dang MTC, that's downright poetic.

how's about a haiku being that our bikes are Japanese made:

leaves long departed
murmurs of snows groan louder
CBs sleep for some