Okay, mickey, you're wearing me down!

[the Ferret]

There will be tires available. If I'm not mistaken Honda HAS to provide replacement parts for 10 years on models released in the U.S., don't they?

[Nortoon_imp]

No problem! Just get the CB, you'll love it. The common complaints are seat, top heavy, and buzz. Lots of people don't feel the buzz.
Oh, probably the main and nearly universal gripe is not noisy enough, but the 17 may be different. Good luck!

Ben

I agree with first three complaints, although the buzz was an easy fix with inexpensive Grip Puppies sold by California Sport Touring.

The new twin mufflers on the 2017 CB1100 EX are noisy. Very Un-Honda like. They don't bother me because I wear 3M earplugs.

My major complaint is that there are no replacement tires for the 18 inch spoke wheels on 2017 model in North America. Numerous calls to Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Ohio leaves with me with the impression that Honda does not intend to import them. A $12,000 throw-away toy after one summer's riding. Not at all impressed!

Have you checked hondapartshouse for OEM tubes/tires for the '17 EX. They have them listed as parts available for ordering. Too good to be true maybe but you never know.

Front wheel parts listing

[url=http://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/hon/5907901a87a8660d54fac327/rear-wheel-1]Rear wheel parts listing

I checked Babbitts, Pro Caliber, and Service Honda.
They all list them by part number and price.
But according to Dunlop Motorcycle Tires in Dayton they rely on Honda to supply them.

My e-mail message to Pro Caliber:
I have spoken to the Dunlop M/C tires Rep in Dayton Ohio. He says that Honda has not requested any tires for the 2017 CB1100 EX. Although the parts numbers (44711-MGC-N22 and 442711) are listed on your website with prices, are they in stock.

Their answer:
pnorton@sympatico.ca
Receive Offers
No

Fortunately it appears that Avon make suitable tires.
[url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11484]http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=11484

use2be has Avon Roadriders on his CB which has spoke wheels.

[VLJ_imp]

So, VLJ, any progress?

Haven't decided yet, but between the two I find myself leaning toward the T120 over the CB1100, for these reasons:

-Lower seat height, despite also having more legroom and greater lean angle/ground clearance. The CB folds up my legs more. Not sure how Triumph manages to have more legroom AND a lower seat height while still allowing for greater lean angles, but it does.

Neat trick, that.

-There are so many complaints about the CB's seat, and very few about the Triumph's. One of the main reasons I would consider swapping bikes is to gain greater long-distance comfort, and with the CB's reduced legroom (vs either the T120 or my XSR900) and much-griped-about seat, I fear that a switch to the CB might actually result in reduced long-distance comfort. I've ridden the T120. I know its ergos are perfect for me. I know the seat seems pretty good. All I know about the CB is the legroom is reduced, some people complain about the high-frequency buzz from the motor, and many people complain about the seat.

-I know how smooth and punchy the T120 is. Never having ridden a CB1100, but having read all the reports, I still worry that it might be too slow and buzzy for me, especially coming from the very smooth and extremely punchy XSR.

-Love the T120's standard heated grips, with the button included right in the grip. No extra control module sticking up above the handlebar. Checking with Honda, they want a small fortune for their similar heated grips, and another hefty fee to install them, and they're backordered anyway.

-T120 has available electronic cruise control. The Honda doesn't.

-I hate that the Honda has not just an overall speed limiter that's set to a ridiculously low number, but also that Honda won't even let you rev out the top two gears. The CB's motor is already wildly understressed and makes very little power, so there is no reason for such oppressive restrictions.

-I know I love the sound and feel of the T120's motor. I don't know whether the Honda still sounds like a sewing machine, the way the 2013/2014 models do. Also, again, there is the question of buzziness, especially with all the talk of Honda having increased the "raw" feel of the 2017's motor.

-Looks-wise, it's pretty much still a draw. I definitely think the 2017 CB1100 EX looks better than the T120 Black, but I'm not sure that I don't prefer the silver and cranberry T120 over the CB. The only thing I don't like about the Triumph, looks-wise, is that nasty tank seam. If it had the Honda's seamless design, I think that would be the final aesthetic straw to push the Triumph ahead of the Honda.

[the Ferret]

Sounds to me as if the T-120 would make you happier. Quit torturing yourself and head to the Triumph dealership. Might be able to wrangle a deal on a 2017 left over.

Both fine motorcycles, you can't go wrong.

Interesting comparo here . the dyno chart is particularly interesting for someone worried about power

http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/ret...otout-2017

[VLJ_imp]

Sounds to me as if the T-120 would make you happier. Quit torturing yourself and head to the Triumph dealership. Might be able to wrangle a deal on a 2017 left over.

Both fine motorcycles, you can't go wrong.

Interesting comparo here . the dyno chart is particularly interesting for someone worried about power

http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/ret...otout-2017

mickey, that dyno comparo is one of the primary reasons I'm worried that the Honda will just be too slow and unresponsive to satisfy me. Notice that the lighter, much shorter-wheelbase Triumph is stronger than the Honda everywhere, both HP and torque (quite a bit more torque), except for those final couple-few thousand RPM where the T120 won't go—and where the Honda is electronically limited in the top gears. Anywhere on the Triumph's tach, it's making more power and torque than the Honda.

And here's the thing. Having ridden it three times, I know the Triumph is only barely powerful enough to avoid being boring to me. For all the talk of its big punch down low, it still feels as slow as November mud to me, compared to the XSR900, or even the BMW. I'm not just talking on top, either. Even down low, the XSR absolutely obliterates the Triumph, so I can only imagine how anemic the heavier/longer wheelbase/less powerful Honda would feel to me.

If Honda uncorked the CB1100 and let it rev out to its full potential, things might be very different. As delivered, however, yep, I worry that the Honda will simply wallow too much and touch down too easily in the corners, and have zero zip exiting those same corners. I'm also slightly worried that it might be a bit annoying on the freeway, with the I4 buzz. My FJ1200, CBR600F4i, ZX-6, ZX-9R, GSX-R750, GSX-R1000, and Bandit 1200S were all buzzier and slightly more bothersome on the freeway than my Boxer Twins, V-Strom 1000, SV650, SV1000, and V4 Hondas. Even my Triumph and Yamaha Triples had a more relaxing cadence than the I4s.

The CB1100 with the six-speed might be an outlier, though. While many say it's still somewhat buzzy, many others—most others, really—say it's uncannily butter-smooth...smoother than practically anything.

And it's just so damn gorgeous. Killer build quality, as well. Those are the two things that pull me to the Honda. It's the whole pride of ownership thing. I know what the CB1100 is, what it represents, and the meticulous engineering involved in its design and construction.

I just love that sh*t.



Man, if only Honda offered test rides, I could answer all my questions with one ten-minute stint up and down the freeway.

[pdedse]

RE: ...and we all know the Honda will not have any problems during its first two years... (paraphrased)

except when you do... for those 25-30? of us having the high/low idle issues the '13 and '14 CB1100 feels less than 100%...but I fully acknowledge that the bike has been so (rock solid) for large majority of CB owners...and the new ones likely have it addressed.

But it sounds like you're already leaning towards the Triumph. I thought of of waiting for T120 to come out, but the leftiver '14 STD were/are priced below 8k, now 7, making it easy to pull the trigger.

And despite the issues I've had, I'm not sorry I bought the bike. It is a great looking machine that is very fun to ride.

[VLJ_imp]

The odd thing is I now seem to be comparing the CB1100 more to the XSR900 than to the T120. Since my bar risers-modded XSR has the same seating position as the T120 (more legroom than the CB1100), and since it has an inline motor like the CB1100's (a Triple rather than an I4), I'm still struggling with the notion of swapping out equal-or-greater comfort/more affordable/faster/punchier/150 lbs lighter/better handing/better braking/equally reliable for prettier/cooler/lower seat height/larger fuel tank/greater pride of ownership.

I have a harder time making that leap than I do in justifying the Honda over the Triumph. Long-term, I trust the Honda more than I trust the Triumph Twin. I have greater faith in the Honda's reliability, and also in its ability to continue that pride-of-ownership feeling. Compared to the Yamaha, however, I don't see the Honda proving to be any more reliable, though I certainly find it to be far more desirable, with significantly more pride of ownership.

The Triumph covers the Honda in many regards, but possibly not in the all-important one: simply put, which bike would I rather own? I would love to come out and see that Honda in the garage, every day. I might grow bored with either bike, but I suspect I'd grow bored with the Triumph more quickly than I would with the Honda...with one caveat: the Honda must not bore me in the first place. As long as I initially enjoy riding the Honda, I strongly suspect that my enjoyment of it would only grow over time. The more its smooth, solid, competent character seeped into my bones, the more I would grow to love it.

It just has to pass that first hurdle, and I can't test ride the bike to learn the answer.

[pdedse]

The odd thing is I now seem to be comparing the CB1100 more to the XSR900 than to the T120. Since my bar risers-modded XSR has the same seating position as the T120 (more legroom than the CB1100), and since it has an inline motor like the CB1100's (a Triple rather than an I4), I'm still struggling with the notion of swapping out equal-or-greater comfort/more affordable/faster/punchier/150 lbs lighter/better handing/better braking/equally reliable for prettier/cooler/lower seat height/larger fuel tank/greater pride of ownership.

I have a harder time making that leap than I do in justifying the Honda over the Triumph. Long-term, I trust the Honda more than I trust the Triumph Twin. I have greater faith in the Honda's reliability, and also in its ability to continue that pride-of-ownership feeling. Compared to the Yamaha, however, I don't see the Honda proving to be any more reliable, though I certainly find it to be far more desirable, with significantly more pride of ownership.

The Triumph covers the Honda in many regards, but possibly not in the all-important one: simply put, which bike would I rather own? I would love to come out and see that Honda in the garage, every day. I might grow bored with either bike, but I suspect I'd grow bored with the Triumph more quickly than I would with the Honda...with one caveat: the Honda must not bore me in the first place. As long as I initially enjoy riding the Honda, I strongly suspect that my enjoyment of it would only grow over time. The more its smooth, solid, competent character seeped into my bones, the more I would grow to love it.

It just has to pass that first hurdle, and I can't test ride the bike to learn the answer.

Very much the case with me

[Cormanus]

You really need to ride one, don't you? Otherwise you'll always wonder.

I find it extraordinary that it's impossible to test ride a bike in the USA.

[VLJ_imp]

You really need to ride one, don't you? Otherwise you'll always wonder.

I find it extraordinary that it's impossible to test ride a bike in the USA.

Not all bikes. I can get a local test ride on any BMW, Ducati, Triumph, Aprilia, Indian, or Harley I want. I can likely also get a test ride on a Yamaha, Suzuki, or Kawasaki, provided I'm ready to buy the bike right then and there if I like it.

Honda? Nope. No local Honda dealers offer test rides. Even when they have Demo Days, the sportbikes and CB1100 are excluded. Pretty much, it's just small bikes, cruisers, those goofy things like NTX700s and CBX700s and their ilk, and Gold Wings.

Had I been able to bag a decent test ride and enjoyed the ride, I can almost guarantee that I would have bought a CB1100 back in 2013, and definitely the Deluxe in 2014. mickey knows how interested in this bike I've been, ever since it was first announced.