This coming Spring I intend to purchase the deluxe model of the 2014 CB1100. This will be my first NEW bike purchase and I want to make sure that I don't get screwed by the dealer due to my own naiveté.

I went to a local Honda dealer earlier this week and put down a $500 deposit on the bike. The salesman walked me through what the OTD price would likely end up being when the time comes and I was shocked to see that they were expecting me to end up paying somewhere around $13,500... for a bike with an MSRP of $11,899!? That seems pretty ridiculous to me. There was, of course, tax, title and reg fees but, on top on those, there were freight and setup charges that tacked on another $700 or so. Am I being jerked around? Should I try to negotiate those fees out of the OTD or is that an exercise in futility? If they won't budge, should I take my money and go elsewhere? What is normal?

Any advice on this would be very welcome. Thank you!

Anyone else see a happy face in this official photo from Honda?

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/image_zps48fb159d.jpg.html]

Hi folks - the following is part 1 of a 'brief' description of the customisation of my CB1100. The aim was to create an 'old school' style cafe racer from this modern retro bike. You see I love the styling of vintage japanese 4cyl cafe racers however I also wanted the convenience and reliability of a modern bike ... that's where the Honda CB1100 fits in! Clearly this all about my taste in machinery and is not trying to please anyone else. My bike is not a very complex specimen and it is built with practicality and economy in mind. Never any intention to be a 'no holds barred' custom bike but rather just something that would give me pleasure and satisfaction in owning and riding a bike built to my taste. It's not finished yet, probably about 95% of stage 1 of the transformation but more about that later. Here goes my story ...

In Australia the CB1100 was not a big selling bike, it was way overpriced in comparison to other bikes from the Honda camp. Further, in Australia the modern retro bike scene was very well supplied by triumph with their Thruxton and Bonnieville models leading the popularity race. I test rode the Thruxton and although it is a beautiful bike it just didn't have the 'wow' factor for me and the power plant wasn't very 'punchy'. In the middle of 2013 Honda decided to 'run out' the CB1100 so they reduced the cost of a new bike by about 30% which made them very good value for money. Now that the cost was low enough it was worth investigating the potential for this bike as a platform for what I wanted it to be and that's where my evaluation began.
The positives were:
1. Engine - magnificent aircooled stump pulling 1970's style work of art. It's so torquey and I love that slightly lumpy idle that reminds me of '70s CB750 plus very pleasing to ear especially with the 4 into 1 system.
2. simple and classic chassis with basic suspension just begging for some aftermarket rear shocks and a for brace.
3. Honda reliability, enough said!
The negatives were:
1. Fuel tank is not the right shape for a 70's style cafe racer ... damn, why didn't they just remake the 1970 CB750 tank!
2. Comstar style wheels not my taste, I would much prefer the wire wheels of the 2014 model (anyone want to swap?)
3. Weight, this bike is heavy and I can only dream how nice a 170Kg (370Lb) would feel in comparison.

So now to the decision was made to buy the bike and within a couple of weeks the project kicked off with my good friends Mick and Wayne. Mick knows bikes inside out and is a very accomplished fibreglasser and painter, Wayne is a very handy engineer and competent mechanic, and I am the 'ideas guy' who is good at pouring drinks and moderately handy with electrics ... that's the whole team (aka three stooges). Here's what we did to my new CB over a two-three month period fueled by several bottles of bourbon ...

Bike on the show room floor. The last one and I had the pleasure of personally putting the 'SOLD' sticker on it!


Seat removed and Michael crafting up a fibreglass base frame for the rear deck.


Making an inner rim for the base frame so it can hang below the frame rails creating a horrizontal appearance.



Foam blocks glued together ready for shaping a rear deck then glassing


End of part 1

Part 2

Fibregalss rear splash guard moulded from the original rear fender


Custom latch enabling the rear deck to be removable using the standard key system, i.e. fitting the dual seat lieterally takes 30 seconds.


The tail lamp and number plate holder on the splash guard. Note the relief in the rear deck for the lamp and the indicator stalks.




End part 2

Part 3

The body filler and undercoat stage


The inexpensive KSY exhaust required custom made aluminium flange gaskets to resolve leakage issues.



The KSY exhaust outlet was very 'agricultural' until Wayne machined up an aluminium end cap to tidy it up.


End part 3

Part 4

Some bolt on goodies ...
Agras Fork brace


Sport levers and bar end mirrors fitted to clubman handlebars.



Morwaki frame sliders (Oggy knobs) ... which I hope I never need to use!!


End part 4

art 5

Painted and ready to ride. The original bike was blue which I liked but wanted to customise the colour using a darker blue pearl with large blue metal flake plus a couple of silver frost stripes. In all but bright sunlight the bike looks black but under bright light you can see the blue flick.





So that's where the bike is at today which I metioned earlier to be at about 95% of stage one. To complete stage one the side covers will be repainted with a new CB1100 decal fitted, braided brake and clutch lines, and a fibregalss shortened front fender (with the two stripes). Stage two will simply be the wire wheels off a 2014 model.
Who knows what stage three will be however I am sure that something will come to mind ... maybe new rear suspension, any suggestions?

Love to see some of your bikes and share ideas.

Cheers
Aussieflyer

Hello, we had one nice sunny day two weeks ago, took a few pictures with the mountains surrounding Grenoble (France)

Riding through some pine forests south of Gaffney SC. Temps in the low 60s and cloudless sky. You hear my half of the conversations Charley and I have. Love those G4 headsets. Working on getting both sides of the conversations. Play in HD, don't know why YouTube doesn't start videos that way. You have to click on the little wheel on the bottom right.

http://youtu.be/BaUeB7Y-k0s

Any personal experience with installing or using hyperlites or similar product?

All information welcome.


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