[jmc]

As I leaned into a slowish turn yesterday I realized that the lean angle would need to be increased a little (and I wasn't going fast enough to raise my pulse). Immediately the little post below the peg started scraping, as did the heel of my boot, and the peg itself along with my boot was pushed up. That was not a good time for all that to happen as it destabilized the bike and did increase my pulse.

It's beginning to look to me as though the CTX is not a machine designed to be ridden at even a moderate pace through twisties, and in fact could be a little dangerous if done so.

Has anyone else had this experience? Has anyone sawed off the little posts below the pegs?

 

[Qwerty2000]

Same here, my shoe actually has actually touched the road...since I wear docksiders maybe I should be more worried.

The posts look like they unscrew....anyone done so yet ?

Had a near spill when my u-turn went wide apexing into the gutter, in which lay sand. The bike slipped a few inches, then regained composure.

 

[Billnoroville]

I ride the same curvy road in my area all the time and have never scraped them curb feelers yet. Now most of the time I am doing 45-55 around turns cars take about 35-40. This is the same road I have rode over 9 different bikes on in the last 3 years and I test myself to go faster from time to time. A friend has a xr1200x Harley and we pretty much stay together no mater who leads. He pulls the ctx uphill because he has more torgue. Downhill I catch him. In fact, last night on my Super Magna he told me it corner as well as the CTX and he couldn't gain on me uphill. I think if I had Michelin timres instead of Chinco tires that came on it, I could have felt better at a faster pace.

Ok so I am 64 years old and and granted I am not riding at CBR600, F1, or RC51 sportbike at speeds where I almost drag my knee. The CTX does not have their suspension. Bottom line, I think the CTX clearance if fine to have some corning fun on and those feelers are there for a reason.

Cut em off is you like, they are telling you something about your riding. Remember the CTX is NOT a sport bike.

 

[Sevastopol]

I noticed those posts the other day. Why are they so long? I was thinking that maybe there was something that would scrape before the foot-pegs, necessitating longer posts.

 

[vulcan]

Same here, my shoe actually has actually touched the road...since I wear docksiders maybe I should be more worried.

Riding with Docksiders.....might as well use flip flops.....duh!
Never know what the blacktop will do to feet/toes without boots.
If you have never seen the result of such foolishness keep doing it.....you will eventually.

 

[Billnoroville]

Like that comment Vulcan.

I wear boots or I don't ride. (gloves and long sleeve something or other with jeans) My Big 5 boots with high tops, lace front and zippered sides fit nice and cost me all of 29.95. I wonder it that is cheaper than Docksiders?

 

[JWW]

If any riders pulse rises due to his own actions and the increase was not intentional it by no means can be the fault of the motorcycle.
Have I scraped the pegs.......yep. Wanted to, tried to, and succeeded in doing so.
Agree with Bill, if I had done so without intending to do so i was not in control of the bike.
The CTX700 is sweet in the switchbacks!
Happy Motoring

 

[Longbow13]

My limited understanding of motorcycle physics is that a lower center of gravity bike will have to lean over more to make the same corner at the same speed as a higher CG bike. So the CTX will require more lean angle than a bike with a more conventional (higher) CG to make the same turns.
Obviously this is something to consider if you like to do a lot of high speed cornering....but this bike isn't really intended as a pure performance bike.
A plus though, with a lower CG, is that transitions (entering a turn) are much quicker and easier than with a high CG. Though this is also affected by steering geometry and other factors.

I happen to also own a HD XR1200...a bike with a much higher CG than the CTX. Huge difference between the two. The CTX is like a tame little pony (in a good way) compared to the XR being a bucking bronco.
The CTX is much more flickable, but does seem to require more of a lean for the same turns. I have hit my boot and the peg feelers a few times, and I've never done it on the XR (though I'm sure the XR allows more lean angle before it begins to drag parts as well).

 

[Billnoroville]

My limited understanding of motorcycle physics is that a lower center of gravity bike will have to lean over more to make the same corner at the same speed as a higher CG bike. So the CTX will require more lean angle than a bike with a more conventional (higher) CG to make the same turns.
Obviously this is something to consider if you like to do a lot of high speed cornering....but this bike isn't really intended as a pure performance bike.
A plus though, with a lower CG, is that transitions (entering a turn) are much quicker and easier than with a high CG. Though this is also affected by steering geometry and other factors.

I happen to also own a HD XR1200...a bike with a much higher CG than the CTX. Huge difference between the two. The CTX is like a tame little pony (in a good way) compared to the XR being a bucking bronco.
The CTX is much more flickable, but does seem to require more of a lean for the same turns. I have hit my boot and the peg feelers a few times, and I've never done it on the XR (though I'm sure the XR allows more lean angle before it begins to drag parts as well).

My take on lower or higher center of gravity(CG) to me means easy (low) and hard (high) effort needed to get the weight to transfer from straight up to leaned in turn angle. The CTX being much lower CG means more flickable with ease, I agree. I also think Fork angle impacts easy or hard turning in the corners too. The CTX seem neutral here. My Magna and HD 1200C (heavy cruiser) having more rake, takes much more effort where my VFR(sport touring) did not.

Now Sport bikes built for handling can have low or high CG (like your XR) but what makes them go around corners so fast is ground clearance ( as you said in the last line, lean angle). Your XR simply has parts up higher, better suspension, and better tires and it was designed like that. Riders will have to understand the CTX was not designed like that.

 

[gregsfc]

Hasn't been a problem for me. I wasn't in the market for a sport bike and have never really leaned a bike the way many enthusiasts do.

 

[wheels]

Ditto what the experienced posters wrote.
This bike is a finally a 'keeper' for me there is no perfect bike.
I looked at the shock adjustment (sag seemed to much for my weight 170lbs) but it was already screwed to the hardest setting. Somewhere down the road I will replace with an aftermarket improved unit.

 

[Jfkingd]

Since this is my wife's first bike, I don't want her to freak out if the peg feeler or her heel touches down (I have talked to her about this at length).

I intentionally leaned it over pretty hard around the neighborhood. Low speed, not high speed.

Nothing touched down.

At that point I felt like the bike has sufficient clearance; and to me, is not as low as it looks.

I don't she'll be leaning over this thing hard enough to touch for quite some time.

 

[Jfkingd]

One more thing, sport bike riders consider it a badge of honor to have their peg feelers ground down. Shows everyone what a fast rider they are (not to be confused with good rider).

A word of caution. If you're a new rider and are scraping your peg feelers (especially when going fast), you are riding pretty close to the edge and you might want to back it down a little (or a lot). You're using most of your tires andhesion, and if you come up on something in/on or about the road that causes it to have a little less traction... Suprise!

Ask any rider who has been riding for years or decades how often they scrape something on a bike while cornering. I'll bet the vast majority will say they never scrape anything.

If you're riding that fast regularly, you might want to consider a different bike. They call these things cruisers for a reason.

Be careful out there.

 

[Longbow13]

The CTX is not a sportsbike. But I think it is a great bike for what it is designed for. Comfortable, easy to ride, capable, efficient, and fun.

It won't be the fastest bike through a mountain road, but for me, it is just as much if not more fun as other faster bikes I have ridden....the one exception maybe being that I would like more power on occasion, but this is a compromise I can live with for the gas mileage.

 

[Qwerty2000]

"You're using most of your tires adhesion"

Excellent point, thanks

 

[jmc]

If any riders pulse rises due to his own actions and the increase was not intentional it by no means can be the fault of the motorcycle.

A friend of mine rode to the ST Owners Club meet in Taos, NM with a pulse monitor on his finger. He said it jumped up every time he saw a LEO on the highway!

 

[jmc]

A word of caution. If you're a new rider and are scraping your peg feelers (especially when going fast), you are riding pretty close to the edge and you might want to back it down a little (or a lot). You're using most of your tires andhesion, and if you come up on something in/on or about the road that causes it to have a little less traction... Suprise!

I'm an experienced rider and my point was that I wasn't within hailing distance of fast; I just asked it nicely to adjust the line a bit, and when I did it was a little rude to me.

Ask any rider who has been riding for years or decades how often they scrape something on a bike while cornering. I'll bet the vast majority will say they never scrape anything.

Honestly, in the 15 years or so of riding I don't think I ever met anyone who hasn't scraped. Somewhere in David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling he says the same thing.

If you're riding that fast regularly, you might want to consider a different bike. They call these things cruisers for a reason.

Uhmm, where does Honda label the CTX700 a cruiser? And if it is, why are those non-cruiserly sports-bike tires mounted on the wheels?

Be careful out there.

Thanks - I appreciate the good wish. Back at 'cha.

Jim

 

[Billnoroville]

To JMC,

wide bars, low seat, forward controls, tires that grip well on straight and twisty roads. Honda didn't have to give the CTX (especially the naked version) the "cruiser" label, Most riders did. in my opinion.

 

[Saimerej]

Uhmm, where does Honda label the CTX700 a cruiser?

Jim

The Fairing model is in Touring to be fair. But it is not to be confused with a Sport Bike either way.

 

[jmc]

Holy crud on a cracker, you guys are right, maybe; Honda calls it a Cruiser . . . but Mr. Honda also calls it "Touring" when you add some plastic, and motorcycle.com calls it a "Sports Tourer."

http://www.motorcycle.com/specs/honda/sport-touring/2014/ctx/700.html

Man, I'm all confused.

Another cruiser hint: In the doc "Fuel-efficient 670cc Engine"

http://www.honda-geneve.com/catalog/2012/Integra/116052.pdf

Honda keeps using the phrase “a ride to suit cultivated tastes” to describe its design goal. Apparently they could have had a really smooth engine, but "...in order to achieve the emotional comfort of a slightly rough throb and satisfy the development concept of a “ride to suit cultivated tastes,” the team made a deliberate decision to keep the vibration and go with the uniaxial primary balancer instead of its vibration-eliminating biaxial cousin."

In other words, they wanted it to feel like a Harley.

BTW, when did Harley riders acquire "cultivated tastes"?

Good Grief.