Getting The X Hauled Down at Speed in Tight Twisties!!!!!!!

[Mike Barone #123]

CBX handling is like golf i guess....many parts have to be right to do it right........some relate to the cbx and some relate to cbxers

One thing i have noticed that relates cbxers is that most of us can reallllly twist the throttle on straights but some of us have a real hard time getting the x slowed down from speed for tight turns in the twisties and as such are going way tooooo slow into the turns and through the apex

Given the cbx brakes some of this caution is justified but below are a couple of things to try to offset the fear of the cbx brakes not getting the cbx hauled down enough to enter tight turns in the twisties at the speed you want

1. downshift and use the engine as part of your braking system.

yeaaaa... i know what keith codes says......... but his and most other racers and race school owners reference is the latest and greatest 400lb/130hp new high tech 600 and not the cbx.

I cant say what works for these new wonders and frankly we should not accept as gospel things they say about new bikes applying to cbxs when infact most of these people have never put one mile on a cbx.

Bottom line is i can say for certain after 100k miles on an x that shifting down going before entering a turn down does help get the cbx hauled down to the right speed for entering a turn......plussssssssss if you get do it right and end up in the right gear......you will be at the right rpm coming out of the turn. right?

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2. A second help on getting the cbx "hauled down" coming into turns in the tight twisties at speed is to put on the cbx rear brake first (ever so first...not seconds) apply pressure gradually but fast and with force (dont lock the back brake now...this is a no no on any bike) ....then just after you start doing this.... feed in the front brake.

Again this goes counter to new bikes high theory, but the point again is the cbx back brake does realllly work we should use anything we can to haul the x down since it 200 pounds heavier than these new bikes.

Using the back brake per above also works getting the cbx hauled down on the straights or emergencies. basically experiment with this and see if it works for you. practice makes perfect here

Also using this this both brakes approach vs just rear brake on the cbx.....dramatically cuts the stopping distance of the cbx and can be the diff between stopping vs riding through an object/obstacle like the back of a semi trailer on/in the road

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3. Another thing that is easy on the cbx and helps braking for turns a weinie bit is you can have both brakes applied per above yet start feeding the gas in at the apex (not after the apex) ............at the same time!!!! this works because the CBX has such modest power.

Now this does require some practice and is not for all turns all the time....but does fit into overall scenerio of "riding the ride" in the twisties on a cbx which i think might be one thing honda might have had in mind for the cbx vs winning bike shows..........butttt what do i know

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Again none above two items apply to semi-long or long fast sweepers.........what it does apply to is a place like deals gap, morganton and marlinton twisties and ofcourse any track days on the cbx where you are coming into a tight turn at a fast pace and want to enter/exit the turn at the right speed.........not too fast and not tooooo slow

Let us know how it works for you


Mike







mike

[BASTOK]

4 years later!! Here goes my answer

- I agree that if WE don't use the engine to reduce speed in heavy desceleration we are in problems. The CBX brakes are nothing compared with new bike ones.

- Using the rear brake a little befor is a very good technique to balance the big honda braking behaviour. Otherwise, only front brake, would leave her too lightweight in the rear.

- Something good is that if sometime we have to apply front brake a lot, it's unprobably for the bike to loose front tire drive, the heavy engine and mass translation works for us. In new bikes, too much front brake....and you are maybe flying in the other second.

Rgds all

George

[Mike Barone #123]

Hello George

Six months later......I saw your reply.

Thanks. Based on your response I went back and adjusted a few things in this post and actually put caps at the beginning of most paragraphs.

Can you do a post on how it is to ride a CBX where you live...maybe some pictures.

Thanks


Mike

4 years later!! Here goes my answer

- I agree that if WE don't use the engine to reduce speed in heavy desceleration we are in problems. The CBX brakes are nothing compared with new bike ones.

- Using the rear brake a little befor is a very good technique to balance the big honda braking behaviour. Otherwise, only front brake, would leave her too lightweight in the rear.

- Something good is that if sometime we have to apply front brake a lot, it's unprobably for the bike to loose front tire drive, the heavy engine and mass translation works for us. In new bikes, too much front brake....and you are maybe flying in the other second.

Rgds all

George