What's to Like about Motorcycles

Oh is that so. So what happened before Water-cooled engine became available.
Actually if anything the Harley V-rod which was originally 1130 cc and water cooled
is Harley's only cruiser that may NEED High test.
Because of it's race-inspired High revving,High compression engine.
My new Honda CB 1100 is an air-cooled 4 cyclinder.The Owner's manual
says recommended fuel octane ... 86 or higher

 

Which is why Harley's are sold and marketed on pure peer pressure.
That their Cruisers Need Premium.To make them appear bigger and
better and more important and powerful,as if an exotic car,like a
Ferrari.Which does impact advertising.Akin to all the juvenile Beer ads.
Which has always been a beef of mine about Harley's.
Harley's were actually sold under the false pretense that they REQUIRE
Premium. That was pure marketing Bunk.
If a manufacturer can't be upfront and honest about something as easy to
prove as that then it's like ... Maybe Obama needs to take over Harley and show
them a thing er two about Real Hype !

 

high octane, low octane, its all the same btu, so its not like you will make more power with a higher octane, higher octane prevents pre ignition knock, nothing more. A low compression engine could need higher test fuel, if it has an aggressive timing curve. Way to many variables as to why one motor may require high test or low test.

Bike snobs suck. you sound like an angry, bitter, mentally defunct old man.

 

More bloviation from the Fool...

You're projecting AGAIN!

No, it is still the case. This is not debatable. I have noticed it on everything from bikes to diesel trucks.

And many do. (I recall the factory fill on my Burgman was synthetic.)

And the engine temperature, and the timing curve, and the fuel mixture!

I have seen a <9:1 engine that needed premium, I have OWNED an all-iron 10.5 compression engine that was fine on 87.

Mostly true...my Burgman's manual warns against holding a steady speed/RPM for long for the first 1000 miles, and not to exceed 6500RPM until then. (You really CAN'T lug a Burgman.)

 

The CB1100 is an inline four and not a V-twin. The rear cylinder on a V-twin tends to run hotter especially when not moving while inline engines cool better.

 

The break-in of the engine always improves mpg. My Fiat 500 increased from about 39 mpg hwy when I first purchased it to about 44-45 mpg hwy by the time I had 10,000 miles on it. It doesn't instantly happen at a specified mileage but it unquestionably improved as more miles were put on the engine and the engine loosened up a bit with bearing break-in.

Of note when I helped build race engines we increased the bearing clearances by a couple of ten-thousands so that the engine started out looser. Race engines don't get a lot of mileage on them. Of course mpg wasn't an issue because we only got about 4 mpg and had to run 105 octane leaded racing fuel that cost $5/gal at the time.

 

What does any of that have to do with octane level.
All Octane level means is an engine is set up { Timed with valves opening and
closing } and the amount of force generated to burn the octane at a given level.
The lower the compression level the more a lower octane is willing to burn.
Detonation occurs when octane is burning at an insufficient level.
Detonation is when there is an explosion within the combustion chamber.
You want a Fire inside that combustion chamber,NOT any explosion.
Therefore the term ... Firing up an engine.
Look at it this way.An engine with a 8.8:1 compression ratio basically
means that when the piston is at around 88 % compressed the octane is
starting to burn because the spark is hitting at that amount of travel.
For a engine with 9.5:1 the spark is set at 95 % of compression by the
piston.When the piston is 95% compressed the spark is set to burn octane.
An 86 octane is meant for engine that compress at around that level or
86% of compression.

 

Race engines are totally another ball of wax.They are broken in very quickly
and a maximum RPM for short bursts.Then cooled down.

 

my mustang ran on c16, about 20 bucks a gallon. My last fast car, ran on e85, soo happy for it too lol. 2.50 or so a gallon.

 

I notice a pattern here.Kinda like what I saw and heard in 5th grade.
When it was SOP to have as homework assignment ,submit a paper on :
- How I Spent My Summer Vacation -
The SOP around this pop stand thread appears to be explaining things
based on PERSONAL experience.Like ... Well that's not what Bobby the
guy down the street says about his Fat Bob.He swears that all last summer he
was getting around 55 mpg on his motorcycle.And the only time it went below
the 55 mpg mark was when he took his girlfriend { Soft Sue } for rides to
Coney Island.Which meant a few hours of riding.Granted she did cause one
shock on the softtail to like sorta decompress really bad.Granted she has gone
on NutriSystem since in order to get under 200 lbs.
But Bobby swore the additional 200 + lbs. only affected { Affectionately } at best
may 1 mpg additional to his gas mileage.
Bobby however was reluctant to give his personal account of what happened
on one of the rides he and Soft Sue rode.It was the Wild Mouse ride and it
seemed Soft Sue got a little excited and started to wiggle her hips a bit more than
the widdle Wild Mouse carriage was able to sustain.Plus she kinda bent something
when she got out of said carriage.
Soft Sue insists she is just crazy about the idea'r of getting her own Motorcycle.
But she done learnt her lesson.She insists it's gotta be one them hardtail hogs.
Because she admits to being hard on items,boyfriend included ... batteries not.

 

Dude...seriously...WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU BABBLING ABOUT?!

 

Know of where you speak. Enough already of all this Provincial
local logic as if in Translvania and Dracula has been seen trying on
bow ties in London at Harrod's before closing.
I'm not impressed by stories of what Hot Rod Johnny down the street
says his motorcycle can dr may do,will do,maybe can or maybe will do
depending on the weather and the Tides and if a full moon.
What IS ... is.You can't polish a Harley outside on a snowy winter day no
matter how much polish or buffing.
Try and stay focused on Facts and reality on the ground.
One thing is certain and not urban myth. To many a Harley owner
their bikes are a virtual godsend and can do no wrong.
In fact,a Saint Christophers medal has to have special dispensation
before being placed anywhere on a Harley Hog.
Because Harley's ARE HoGs.

" Oh,Mama,how is it you don't understand that the
Holy Father,who has the right to dispensations. "
-- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

 

Seriously...SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP!

 

Practicing medicine without a license,again ... are we.
Must be those Scooter fumes.
Get thee to a scooter shop.
before the scoot develops a cough.

 

The "octane" level relates to potential pre-detonation before the spark. It has nothing to do with the fuel burn per se but instead it has everything to do with preventing pre-detonation before the spark ignites the air/fuel mixture. Predominately it relates to compression but engine load and heat also increases the likelihood of pre-detonation. Detonation before the piston is close enough to top-dead-center to roll over the top before the gas expansion begins can blow a hole through the piston.

 

Dumped my friggin bike this morning...

I was in the parking lot a work, sitting on my bike, waiting for it to warm up... I stretched my left leg out, accidentally clipped the gear shift... and the damn thing took off out from underneath me. The clutch lever, shifter, and left front blinker took the damage. Clutch lever and blinker will have to be replaced, shifter is a light enough metal that I could bend it back in to place. By the way... how much play should your shifter (left to right) have?

What's worse is that there were witnesses, can't wait for the (*)(*)(*)(*) I'll catch when I go in to work tonight.

 

Chalk it up to learning experience.Personally I do not follow the book on this.
Supposedly at a stop light you are taught to keep the bike in gear and hold in
the clutch.In case of getting rear ended.However that puts added stress on the
clutch especially with a cable clutch vs. hydraulic clutch.I prefer a hydraulic clutch
over a cable clutch. There is no adjusting necessary with a hydraulic clutch.
However the downside with a hydraulic is that sportbike guys and racers
don't have the necessary Clutch feel with a hydraulic.
I fell over with my very heavy Rune about 6 years ago in my driveway.
It was around 4 o'clock in the summer and there were no clouds.Just straight
blazing sun.I rounded the corner heading onto my street and got a blast of summer
sun in my face.I even had sunglasses on.As I pulled into my driveway and
hopped off my Rune real quick like,I entirely misjudged and thought for a split
second I had made sure to kick the sidestand down.I dint. Luckily I was next to my
car as the bike and I went heading sideway into my car.It broke the fall.
The Rune has really massive chromed engine guards.So I was able to
scoot out from under the bike which was laying sideway on the ground.My Shoulder
and back took the brunt of the fall.And it put a noticeable dent in my car door.
I had to get my neighbor to help me lift the Rune back up.
There's a guy on YouTube who demonstrates how Goldwing Owners caught
in that situation { The heavy Goldwings tipping over } can by themselves right
the bike.It's simple but trickey.You gotta use yer back and legs and leverage
and the right angle and where to grip the handlebars to do it.
Kinda like using a Sidestand.

 

We? Got a mouse in your pocket?

 

My shifter doesnt have any play, but this could be different from bike to bike, i would replace it as soon as possible. Glad you were not hurt, sounds like an easy fix too.

 

Motorcycle shifters have no play. At least not that are adjustable.
Whatever play goes with the production of the bike is set as standard.
Now if one decides to change over to more forward controls,then the
shifter linkage would be more wiggly.
Hopefully not as wiggly as if Marilyn Monroe walking down the sidewalk
in summer and shakin' dat booty.
BTW ... the other day I was out on my CB1100 to run an errand.And just about
a half mile from my house out on the main drag at a stop light was this 3 wheeled
thig-a-ma-jig.One them New Motorcycle trikes.I haven't followed those models at all.
I think it might have been the Can-Am { Spyder } because it had a v-twin growl of
sorts.The guy riding it was like an older guy with long white hair and a beard.
I keep thinking a Vietnam vet.Well I was next to him at the light and he took off
like a bat out of hell.Don't forget I was about a mile from home and my bike was
not fully warmed up. At the next light the same thing happened,the guy
goosed it and sped off,only I let him until I got into 2nd gear and then blew past him
almost to red line.I left him behind as if he was sitting still.However this was at
a point that was right in front of the small city hall bldg. and where they park
cop cars.Plus I sped off so fast I was trapped behind a car in front of me in the left lane
and that white haired dude just keep up and whizzed past me in the right lane.
That dude had no helmut and was wearing shorts.I think he was having the time
of his life.I dint know them Trikes had that much grunt.However I bet that dude had no
idea'r my Red sorta smallish CB 1100 had such power either.
Don't forget I waited until 2nd gear to blow his pants off.

 

I got to looking at the shifter, it looks like the pin that runs through the shifter and attaches to the linkage is offset. There are a couple set screws that hold the pin in place, I'll try loosening them, tapping the pin flush on both sides... see if that cures what ails me.

 

The new CB1100 is a sweet bike. I like how Honda managed to keep the standard look, but modern as well. I wish Kawasaki would reintroduce the KZ1100. Is yours all stock, or have you got some aftermarket stuff?

 

Yes,all stock.There was only like 4 or 5 aftermarket items being offered by Honda
as of just a few months ago.They did run another production year.
The CB 1100 was all new in 2013.The 2014 model now has Dual exhaust
and is a 6 speed.ABS is around $1,ooo option.
Go to the - Honda CB 1100 Forum - and get a better idea'r.
I got banned from that forum because I dared to speak the truth.
Seems the Owner of the site and one moderator do no like any negative
comments about the CB 1100.I still swear by analysis that the CB 1100 is NOT
a touring bike.In fact,it could be dangerous on the Interstate.It is TOO narrow
a bike.Too easy for big tractor trailers to blow by and cause instability.
It is however almost THE perfect bike for around town and nice back roads.
It is a gentlemans bike.Very easy to ride,and shift.It shifts like butter,
Has fantastic brakes.But having owned really great straight line bikes like
the VTX 1800 and the Rune where they own the road in straight line
stablilty,do not expect anything like that from the sprightly CB 1100.

 

I've been on motorcycle forums before and foolardi is just someone we would call "opinionated."

Motorcycles bring out the best and worst in everyone.

My opinion is, if it's got 2 wheels and an engine it beats any car.

 

Having found in my scattered pile of motorcycle mags a nice feature {cover }
article on the newly released V-Rod.Dated September 2001.
The mag was Cycle World { a monthly }.
It seemed that The V-Rod { which was in direct response to the Spring release
of Honda's VTX 1800 } was in a bit of a bind." Harley's engineering dept. was
up to it's eyeballs at the time finishing the development of the Twin Cam 88
Alpha and Beta engines.
So they decided to outsource the project to Porsche of Germany.
Porsche ran a large contract engineering business,designing and developing
anything from engines to transmissions to full car chassis.
In the late 70's early 80's Porsche developed the never produced NOVA V-4
For Harley. Thus Harley went back to the well for VR based " revolution " engine.
Based on the race driven specs of the VR engine which was limited to 1,ooo cc
by racing rules,the Revolution was sized { 1130 cc } in order to achieve the
impressive 115 crankshaft horsepower.After all the Honda VTX 1800 which
was booked as a 2002 year model and the V-Rod a 2001 model,the Honda
came out First in spring of 2001.I oughta knowed,I was one of the first at my
Honda dealer to take delievery of the monster V-twin Honda.
I think Honda did in fact pull out all the stops in the Motorcycle bragging
rights world of V-Twins.Advertising the VTX 1800 as The Biggest and most
Powerful V-Twin from a major motorcycle manufacturer.Of course the clone
market was barely even noticed at that time.
It wasn't long before the Clone Custom market { exclusive to V-Twins }
sprang up like hotcakes,last decade. Even Indian got into the act.They hired
Dave Hansen as it's official historian to add necessary hype and the fact
Indian came before Harley and also how Indian managed to knock off
Harley's Bonnesville Salt Flat record set in the 1930's on a factory-tuned
knucklehead.Indian managed with an old Flathead Indian Chief.
This was in 2000 and Indians new entry of the Scout. A $18,900
1442cc { 45 degree } 2 valves per cylinder.With such noble colors
Yellowstone,Bonneville,Mojave and Red Rock.2001 was Indians
100th anniversity.
yes,Hog boys ... Indian did come first.
I wonder if anyone bothered to tell John Holmes { original porn star }