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+--- Thread: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life (/showthread.php?tid=984)
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Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - ohiorider_imp - 10-13-2019
I purchased the 2014 leftover in April of 2017. After some suspension mods, and nearly 12,000 break in miles, this has become the favorite of my three bikes.
1991 R100GS with 160,000 miles. Love this old bike. I've owned since 1991, and we've made several long trips together, as well as 200-300 mile day rides through NE Ohio. She's getting a bit too tall for me, at 76 years old. But the rides are still enjoyable.
2008 Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport. Almost at 69,000 miles. The last of the Guzzi 'big block' two valve per cylinder bikes. This has been an unexpectedly good ride over the past 11 years, but is absolutely getting too top heavy for me. Suspension is supple, the engine revs effortlessly, the 6 speed tranny shifts smoothly. One would think the v twin would be a low revving torque monster, but it simply likes to spin up. Normal shift point is approx 4000-5000rpm. Love this bike, but she's really top heavy, especially if I fill up with 6 gallons of fuel.
2014 CB1100. Almost to 12,000 miles. Gets better by the mile. Although this bike weighs more than the GS, and approximately as much as the Guzzi, she feels a hundred pounds lighter than either. Great engine, super brakes, and soooo easy to ride. This is my bike of choice whenever I simply want to 'go for a ride.' I'm stunned by the fact that this bike, without exceeding 4000 rpm in the first 3-4 gears, is really hauling!
The CB is the easiest of the 3 bikes to ride (for me.)
Bob
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - GoldOxide_imp - 10-13-2019
Many Forum members would not disagree.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - the Ferret - 10-13-2019
Euro bikes are just made to run differently. They are revvers and not luggers. Never ridden a European bike that liked/ ran smoothly below 4000 rpms. I' ve ridden Beemers, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, KTMs. All liked to be run from 4K up. The CB will run cleanly / pull smoothly all day at 2500 rpms. Euros and Japanese just build to a different performance standard.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - Cormanus - 10-13-2019
Unlike so many of you, who have ridden many different kinds of bike, my experience is limited. But, after more than 100,000 kilometers on my CB1100, I have no desire to change it for something else.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - Django - 10-13-2019
(10-13-2019, 12:24 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Euro bikes are just made to run differently. They are revvers and not luggers. Never ridden a European bike that liked/ ran smoothly below 4000 rpms. I' ve ridden Beemers, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, KTMs. All liked to be run from 4K up. The CB will run cleanly / pull smoothly all day at 2500 rpms. Euros and Japanese just build to a different performance standard.
Hm, have you ever ridden a BMW K model (flying brick)? They run very seemly from idle to max rpms, efi since the early 80ies.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - tinboatcapt_imp - 10-13-2019
like OhioRider, I too use the CB1100 "when I just want to go for a ride". It is just a pleasure to ride. Also like him, I have found my long time friend becoming burdensome at low speeds as I age. The ST1100 is a wonderful long distance ride so instead of parting with her, I will be sending her off to be converted to a sidecar rig. That big tub will hold a lot of camping gear.
I had, in the past two K100's; an '86 RT and a '90 LT. Django is right about low end torque but I remember that they were much smoother, and livelier once they revved above 5000RPM. It was like riding two different bikes. A mild mannered commuter below 5K, and a beast above. It was not a linear power curve like our lovely CB's.
jim
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - GoldOxide_imp - 10-13-2019
I look forward mounting the ol' CB1100 everytime (today is no exception currently at 9C), and even more so now as routine utility runs have been relegated to another machine. Unbelievably, somehow the CB never fails to satisfy - unless caught in profuse, heavy, humid, polluted traffic. In this case you can say that about any other bike and the rider in general. However, I don't feel that drain when riding the Honda NC. Don't get me too wrong: The CB's low-end availability does quite well in heavy traffic, but when the things get hot, the love to be in that moment wanes nonetheless.
Long range forecast is predicting snow in as early as two weeks. Of course, the definition of "snow" will vary by region. I am sure LR and Nortoon still have their well-known perspectives.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - the Ferret - 10-13-2019
(10-13-2019, 09:37 PM)Django_imp Wrote:(10-13-2019, 12:24 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: Euro bikes are just made to run differently. They are revvers and not luggers. Never ridden a European bike that liked/ ran smoothly below 4000 rpms. I' ve ridden Beemers, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, KTMs. All liked to be run from 4K up. The CB will run cleanly / pull smoothly all day at 2500 rpms. Euros and Japanese just build to a different performance standard.
Hm, have you ever ridden a BMW K model (flying brick)? They run very seemly from idle to max rpms, efi since the early 80ies.
Hm, have you ever ridden a BMW K model (flying brick)? They run very seemly from idle to max rpms, efi since the early 80ies.
No Django I have not. Would welcome the opportunity too though. I have ridden R90S, R90/6, R1150R, R1200R. I have wanted to own a BMW sice I was a kid, but everytime I ride one it spoils the dream for me. All the ones I listed above were test ridden new, from 1976 to 2012. I keep trying, but I just dont like riding them. Love looking at them though.
I think the R90/ and R 100/ from the mid to late 70s are among the most beautiful motorcycles ever built.
Oh and I took a parking lot ride on a 1600GT. That is some motorcycle. I need to get one out on the highway sometime. Of course it's a 6 not not the transverse twin.
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - peterbaron - 10-14-2019
(10-14-2019, 03:51 AM)m in sc_imp Wrote: I have to agree. Mind you, you have 29 years on me. Ive ridden pretty much well everything mentioned in this thread at some point. (except the 1600, have no desire to ride one, friend has one)
I don't like guzzis. Never did. I kinda dig the 2 valve airhead bmws. I 'get it', and the brick motor bikes were way ahead of their time, but still not my bag.
I started on CB750s, then discovered 2 strokes and all he** broke loose, still is. My 2 most ridden bikes are the CB1100 (which i bought for a 'tun key and GO bike that was comfortable and not too boring, and w/out a fairing. ) and my 1970 R5. Behind that is my 99 concours, but the CB is just a flat out pleasure to ride. My blood really gets going on high strung 2 strokes as most know, but the CB is flat out the -best- bike i own.
For sure
RE: Maybe the perfect bike for this time in my life - ohiorider_imp - 10-14-2019
(10-13-2019, 10:10 PM)tinboatcapt_imp Wrote: like OhioRider, I too use the CB1100 "when I just want to go for a ride". It is just a pleasure to ride. Also like him, I have found my long time friend becoming burdensome at low speeds as I age. The ST1100 is a wonderful long distance ride so instead of parting with her, I will be sending her off to be converted to a sidecar rig. That big tub will hold a lot of camping gear.I went through a boatload of K bikes, all 'bricks.' As you said, the power curve was totally different than our CB's. Got me to thinking how nice the K would have been if they had had the same linear performance characteristics as today's CB1100. The K100's all revved at about 3750 in top gear at 60mph, as I recall. The smaller K75 revved much higher, closer to 4500rpm at 60mph.
I had, in the past two K100's; an '86 RT and a '90 LT. Django is right about low end torque but I remember that they were much smoother, and livelier once they revved above 5000RPM. It was like riding two different bikes. A mild mannered commuter below 5K, and a beast above. It was not a linear power curve like our lovely CB's.
jim
1985 K100RS
1988 K75S
1989 K100RS/ABS
1990 K1
1993 K1100RT (LT?)
1993 K1100RS
1999 K1200RS
A few R bikes in the mix, too.
1995 R1100RS
2004 R1150 Rockster
Never got so attached that I hung onto one for more than 50k miles. Generally traded with a small amount of warranty remaining for the next guy. Back on the earlier ones, the US Beemer warranty was 3 years, unlimited mileage. Trade ins were generally fair.
The exception - the 1991 GS has been with me now going on 29 years.
Bob