Venting RE: 2014 CB1100

[bvictory_imp]

So, I finally found a 2014 CB1100 in Phoenix Arizona for $6,500 The pictures and the description looked fine. So, I flew in from California on Tuesday and went to pick up the bike. That's when the "not so fun" experience started.

The bike had 8,100 miles and it did look like it was garaged for its whole life but the previous owner did not treat it well. The tank had all kinds of swirls and minor scratches that I think I can buff out. The PUIG windscreen was yellowed with many many scratches and the oil was low. The exhaust was yellowed severely. The dealer added some oil and I took off on the bike to my hotel. As I was riding to my hotel, I felt the throttle grip spinning around the throttle tube. I couldn't get full power out of the bike and felt uneasy. As soon as I got to my hotel. I pulled on the Oxford throttle grip and it slid right off! Strike two for this dealer. I did some research and got some Gorilla glue and reglued it and that seemed to fix it.

So, I head out at 5 in the morning to ride 400 miles back to California. The initial couple hundred miles felt good but I was noticed that the fuel gauge was flashing at me when I had just over a gallon of fuel remaining (haven't read the manual yet but I guess this is how it works on this bike). I had major range anxiety at first because I was riding through the desert where gas stations were about 35 miles apart. I finally got used to the fuel gauge and moved on. However, I also noticed a lot of vibration when I applied the front brake at speeds over 45 mph. Don't know if it's the discs or the pads.

About the last one hundred miles the bike started feeling a little sluggish and it didn't seem like a fueling issue. I made it home safely and got on the ground to look at the chain. Upon inspection the center stand was rubbing against the chain. The bump stop on the Delkevic exhaust had rotated enough to eliminate the gap between the chain and center stand. It must have been doing it for a while because the chain cut a 1/4-inch groove in the center stand. So, the chain could have broken at any time and killed me.

So, the bike is home and safe now and I have a lot of work to do. I need to get a new chain, new sprockets, new brake pads, oil change, brake fluid flush, tightening of exhaust clamps, checking torque values on every nut and bolt, and a full detail. I am going to try the tinfoil and vinegar solution to clean the yellowing exhaust cleaned. I welcome any suggestions on any additional checks I should jump on.

The bike was very fun to ride and I am still really glad I purchased it. However, that was too much excitement for my 55-year-old body and I think I used one of my nine lives on the ride.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[the Ferret]

:hello: howdy and welcome to the forum.

Dang, that's a heck of a start with a new to you bike. Hope you get it all sorted out and have no more drama going forward

 

[Ben70_imp]

Glad you made it OK! Try not to let the bumpy start cloud your perception, this really is a drama free machine when reasonably cared for. Welcome!

Ben

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Sorry about your uneasy introduction to the CB1100. If I read your message correctly, it seems the aftermarket parts on your bike caused you the most grief (it’s not clear if the brake pads are OE or not. I’m guessing they’re not). The bike itself should be very reliable — it’s well engineered and assembled. So much for aftermarket mods!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yikes. Indeed that is much drama.

Glad you can write about it bvic, and may your future excursions be far more pleasurable and rewarding.

 

[Rox_imp]

If this is recent I think I might of seen the listing.

Firstly, it's a used bike. Expect some minor stuff like your centerstand issue. Easy fix though. Just get a Yoshimura stopper.

The fueling thing thing can be a vacuum hose. If the bike is a desert bike there's a change you can have a vacuum hose off or even dry rotted. I'll be sorting out mine soon.

These bikes are VERY solid , overengineered and purposely way underpowered for more reliability. 80hp and like 65-70 lf lbs. A tune, open airbox and full decat exhaust and you're over 100 at the wheel and 75-80 ft lbs. And still plenty left.

Bottom line you may have some petty issues from the fault of a past owner. Sort it out and you'll love this thing. I bought mine with 14k and had some small issues. After sorting it out I have a pretty little beast.

 

[michael1954]

So, I finally found a 2014 CB1100 in Phoenix Arizona for $6,500 The pictures and the description looked fine. So, I flew in from California on Tuesday and went to pick up the bike. That's when the "not so fun" experience started.

The bike had 8,100 miles and it did look like it was garaged for its whole life but the previous owner did not treat it well. The tank had all kinds of swirls and minor scratches that I think I can buff out. The PUIG windscreen was yellowed with many many scratches and the oil was low. The exhaust was yellowed severely. The dealer added some oil and I took off on the bike to my hotel. As I was riding to my hotel, I felt the throttle grip spinning around the throttle tube. I couldn't get full power out of the bike and felt uneasy. As soon as I got to my hotel. I pulled on the Oxford throttle grip and it slid right off! Strike two for this dealer. I did some research and got some Gorilla glue and reglued it and that seemed to fix it.

So, I head out at 5 in the morning to ride 400 miles back to California. The initial couple hundred miles felt good but I was noticed that the fuel gauge was flashing at me when I had just over a gallon of fuel remaining (haven't read the manual yet but I guess this is how it works on this bike). I had major range anxiety at first because I was riding through the desert where gas stations were about 35 miles apart. I finally got used to the fuel gauge and moved on. However, I also noticed a lot of vibration when I applied the front brake at speeds over 45 mph. Don't know if it's the discs or the pads.

About the last one hundred miles the bike started feeling a little sluggish and it didn't seem like a fueling issue. I made it home safely and got on the ground to look at the chain. Upon inspection the center stand was rubbing against the chain. The bump stop on the Delkevic exhaust had rotated enough to eliminate the gap between the chain and center stand. It must have been doing it for a while because the chain cut a 1/4-inch groove in the center stand. So, the chain could have broken at any time and killed me.

So, the bike is home and safe now and I have a lot of work to do. I need to get a new chain, new sprockets, new brake pads, oil change, brake fluid flush, tightening of exhaust clamps, checking torque values on every nut and bolt, and a full detail. I am going to try the tinfoil and vinegar solution to clean the yellowing exhaust cleaned. I welcome any suggestions on any additional checks I should jump on.

The bike was very fun to ride and I am still really glad I purchased it. However, that was too much excitement for my 55-year-old body and I think I used one of my nine lives on the ride.

Thanks for letting me vent.

I have one for sale that is an awesome ride and ready to ride!
https://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/mcy/d/odem-2013-honda-cb1100must-see/7319048183.html

 

[max]

Think you have the right approach and a chance to feel good about your work afterwards.
About the sluggish last bit of the ride, i would check if the brakes are dragging before you do anything to them, you may find an issue, both wheels should rotate freely and without any noise of the disks, if there is a noise it still could be corrosion/sediment on the disks, the pulsing in the front tire points to such a situation so after all those years with the condition it's in that could be a concern, these bikes are very good but they don't like a salty/ moist environment.

If all is working ok the brake systems should be ready for a flush and that would show up any issues with stuck pistons and master cylinders etc., i would clean the pistons with brake cleaner and a brush before compressing them to expel the maximum amount of fluid that can be replaced and thereby checking free and equal movement of the pistons ( They do have different diameters ).

Maybe have a look inside the fuel tank to see if there are things in there that shouldn't be, if there was ethanol stored in the tank for an extended period which we have had a case of recently.

Most bikes have a stainless exhaust ( 4 into 1 ) and the pipes are normally yellow and shiny if looked after, they clean up well with autosol polish and 1600 grit wet and dry if the dirt is a bit stubborn, chrome systems are 4 into 2 dampers and you may want to be careful with the chrome, it may not be a heavy coating, try a small area out of sight first to see if the method works.

Also inspect the tires for any defects, you get the idea, it's like a pilot's pre-flight check, good to hear the story and to have you on the forum.

 

[pekingduck]

So, I finally found a 2014 CB1100 in Phoenix Arizona for $6,500 The pictures and the description looked fine. So, I flew in from California on Tuesday and went to pick up the bike. That's when the "not so fun" experience started.

The bike had 8,100 miles and it did look like it was garaged for its whole life but the previous owner did not treat it well. The tank had all kinds of swirls and minor scratches that I think I can buff out. The PUIG windscreen was yellowed with many many scratches and the oil was low. The exhaust was yellowed severely. The dealer added some oil and I took off on the bike to my hotel. As I was riding to my hotel, I felt the throttle grip spinning around the throttle tube. I couldn't get full power out of the bike and felt uneasy. As soon as I got to my hotel. I pulled on the Oxford throttle grip and it slid right off! Strike two for this dealer. I did some research and got some Gorilla glue and reglued it and that seemed to fix it.

So, I head out at 5 in the morning to ride 400 miles back to California. The initial couple hundred miles felt good but I was noticed that the fuel gauge was flashing at me when I had just over a gallon of fuel remaining (haven't read the manual yet but I guess this is how it works on this bike). I had major range anxiety at first because I was riding through the desert where gas stations were about 35 miles apart. I finally got used to the fuel gauge and moved on. However, I also noticed a lot of vibration when I applied the front brake at speeds over 45 mph. Don't know if it's the discs or the pads.

About the last one hundred miles the bike started feeling a little sluggish and it didn't seem like a fueling issue. I made it home safely and got on the ground to look at the chain. Upon inspection the center stand was rubbing against the chain. The bump stop on the Delkevic exhaust had rotated enough to eliminate the gap between the chain and center stand. It must have been doing it for a while because the chain cut a 1/4-inch groove in the center stand. So, the chain could have broken at any time and killed me.

So, the bike is home and safe now and I have a lot of work to do. I need to get a new chain, new sprockets, new brake pads, oil change, brake fluid flush, tightening of exhaust clamps, checking torque values on every nut and bolt, and a full detail. I am going to try the tinfoil and vinegar solution to clean the yellowing exhaust cleaned. I welcome any suggestions on any additional checks I should jump on.

The bike was very fun to ride and I am still really glad I purchased it. However, that was too much excitement for my 55-year-old body and I think I used one of my nine lives on the ride.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Welcome, and sorry to hear about your unhappy experience. That hardened chain will saw through the frame and engine before it breaks from wear on the edges of the plates. The edges may have lost its coloring, but I doubt it has any measurable wear, or any weakening. Or any resulting damage to the sprocket. I would happily put that chain and sprocket on my bike.

I once rode a GL1800 from Nevada to LA, and noticed late in the ride the fuel gauge needle was dropping quickly and the bike was feeling sluggish. When I stopped, I realized I had been riding into a heavy headwind.

 

[Cormanus]

bvictory, welcome to the forum. Not such an auspicious start, but I'm sure you'll get it all sorted soon and will then be able to enjoy the bike. I understand you won't be at all impressed with the dealer whose pre-sale checks leave a great deal to be desired.

 

[Scotty_imp]

Hi. Not sure where in CA you are, but I'm happy to help out if needed. I'm in Julian (San Diego county). Working on these bikes is a pleasure, relatively speaking, and once you get it sorted it'll stay that way. I flushed my brakes once a couple months back, and I'm going to do it again soon because there was enough residual old fluid to already contaminate the fresh stuff. Some crystals were forming inside the front brake reservoir!

 

[Scoot_imp]

Glad you and the bike made it home. By reading your post, its clear you know something about bikes and no doubt will have the CB in top shape soon.

 

[bvictory_imp]

Update: Thanks for all of the responses. I have always done my own work on previous motorcycles. So, I don’t anticipate any issues getting the bike into shape. Have now gone through everything except brakes (and fluid) and fork oil. The oil looked like it had not been changed in years. It foamed up a ton and was more like dark syrup than typical oil. I didn’t see any metal shavings or flakes. Surprisingly, the air filter looked pretty good for 8k miles. So, no change there. I checked the spark plugs and they were definitely original. So, I ordered a set of oem plugs. So, I think the mild sluggishness can be attributed to the chain grinding into the center stand and old plugs. The finishes have been cleaning up well so far. Used some high quality polish to get swirls and scuffs out of gloss black parts (tank, side covers, etc). I have the bump stop issue sorted. Just waiting on some Delkevic gaskets. I am really disappointed that the entire bar weight parts are gone. The previous owner probably tossed them when installing Oxford heat grips. There was enough buzzing in the bars at 65mph to make me want to put the parts back in. I will probably be ordering the Honda weight system that originally came with the bike. Finally, the sprockets and chain had some surface rust but nothing that would affect performance. So, I will clean them up and lube everything. Brakes are on the agenda for tomorrow.

 

[clearviewx]

I would of brought it back to the dealer.

 

[Ninemeister_imp]

bvictory,
For me, going through and sorting out a new bike is part of the fun of ownership, in that the more you put in, the more you get out. I bought a 2014 K10 with 55,000km on he clock which had a "service" from the supplying dealer, but still had to replace chain and sprockets in addition to my planned visual enhancement. It's all part of the journey.

As for your journey, try to focus on the fact that the bike got you home and forget about what might have happened. You still have 9 lives, nothing bad really happened and should you continue thinking about the worst case scenario the end result would be that you will never ride a bike again. Just think positive and enjoy your new ride.

 

[bvictory_imp]

Hi. Not sure where in CA you are, but I'm happy to help out if needed. I'm in Julian (San Diego county). Working on these bikes is a pleasure, relatively speaking, and once you get it sorted it'll stay that way. I flushed my brakes once a couple months back, and I'm going to do it again soon because there was enough residual old fluid to already contaminate the fresh stuff. Some crystals were forming inside the front brake reservoir!

Thanks for the offer, I have the Honda shop manual and all the tools I need address current issues. Julian is a great place. Before the pandemic I was riding out there 2-3 times per year from my home in Yorba Linda. I always pickup some apple pie of course.

bvictory,
For me, going through and sorting out a new bike is part of the fun of ownership, in that the more you put in, the more you get out. I bought a 2014 K10 with 55,000km on he clock which had a "service" from the supplying dealer, but still had to replace chain and sprockets in addition to my planned visual enhancement. It's all part of the journey.

As for your journey, try to focus on the fact that the bike got you home and forget about what might have happened. You still have 9 lives, nothing bad really happened and should you continue thinking about the worst case scenario the end result would be that you will never ride a bike again. Just think positive and enjoy your new ride.

I agree it is fun. Nothing beats the satisfaction of doing everything yourself. I am not as much of a fan on painted surfaces like I used to be. This bike needs a lot of polishing. I am doing a little bit at a time so I don’t feel overwhelmed.

Sorry about your uneasy introduction to the CB1100. If I read your message correctly, it seems the aftermarket parts on your bike caused you the most grief (it’s not clear if the brake pads are OE or not. I’m guessing they’re not). The bike itself should be very reliable — it’s well engineered and assembled. So much for aftermarket mods!

I still loved riding the bike 400 miles. I will get all warts and mechanicals taken care of so I can enjoy some riding here in the near future. Should be ready to go by next weekend. I need to get a higher seat. The Japan folks don’t have one. I had a Corbin on my last bike and it was great. It did raise the seat height though. So, I am going to call them to see if they can customize one of their standard seats. I have a 35 inch inseam. So, it’s a bit tight but not as bad as I thought it would. I am putting some Knight Design pegs on and that will lower the pegs down and forward about 40 mm.

 

[Randy B]

You could ride up to Hollister and have them custom make one to your liking. I did that and it was an awesome experience and it didn't cost any extra.

 

[rboe]

The bar end weight may have jumped ship on their own. Mine have worked loose several times and just tonight I had to tighten the screws again.

Something you look for, if you have big feet it is way too easy to ride the rear brake pedal. I tweaked mine just a wee bit by bending the arm in a bit. It will warp the rear disc if not caught. Done did it twice.

There seems to be other minor oddities that some folks have experienced but there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to them. Your mileage will vary.

Oh, when you replace the battery DO reuse the cheap plastic strap that should be there. Otherwise pulling the battery is a huge PITA.

Samurider.com is a great place to order farkles.

Enjoy!

 

[bvictory_imp]

You could ride up to Hollister and have them custom make one to your liking. I did that and it was an awesome experience and it didn't cost any extra.

Thanks for that info. I don’t know you could go to their location. I am definitely going to do that.

 

[2017EX_imp]

Bvictory, If you are going to do a flush on your brakes, you might want to check out this thread on the problems I had with dragging front brakes and vibration. It concerns a tiny hole in the bottom of the master cylinder that is underneath a stainless splash cover. I did not even know it was there, but it was clogged. Once cleared my front brake did not drag anymore.

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=15316