CB1100 or ST1300?

[Offroad]

Thanks ferret for the insight, never thought about not being able to see if a tie down is loose or broken! Maybe backup cameras can evolve to in trailer cameras?

[Lord Popgun]

FWIW, I would suggest not only a spare tire, but an entire hub assm. with bearings. Anything goes wrong, just swap it out and be on your way. No trying to pound out races, etc on the side of the road.

[redbirds_imp]

I had a trailer built to my specs about ten years ago. It's 10' by 7' with a folding loading ramp. I had tie down loops welded to the upper rail all round so that there is always a handy place to attach a strap. I have a permanent spare tire rack side mounted so as not to take up any of the interior space. Before a long trip I inspect and repack the wheel bearings, check all the suspension parts and fasteners. The trailer has a flat floor made from 2x6 treated lumber with two Condor front wheel docks at the front. Since this is an open trailer, I carry my tools and spares in a locking steel box secured to the trailer. In the spares box are two weather proof, fitted bike covers. This trailer is far lighter and offers very little wind resistance compared to an enclosed trailer. I have towed my bikes with it for thousands of miles over the years and never had a problem of any sort. I paid just over $1000 for it.

[Offroad]

I had a trailer built to my specs about ten years ago. It's 10' by 7' with a folding loading ramp. I had tie down loops welded to the upper rail all round so that there is always a handy place to attach a strap. I have a permanent spare tire rack side mounted so as not to take up any of the interior space. Before a long trip I inspect and repack the wheel bearings, check all the suspension parts and fasteners. The trailer has a flat floor made from 2x6 treated lumber with two Condor front wheel docks at the front. Since this is an open trailer, I carry my tools and spares in a locking steel box secured to the trailer. In the spares box are two weather proof, fitted bike covers. This trailer is far lighter and offers very little wind resistance compared to an enclosed trailer. I have towed my bikes with it for thousands of miles over the years and never had a problem of any sort. I paid just over $1000 for it.

Wow, that is a nicely engineered trailer! Thanks for the picture and tips!

[AzBob_imp]

Interesting replies.

I think it might come down to how you define touring and sport touring. Honda calls my ST a sport tourer. I call it a tourer. Primarily used (by me) for freeway work, and although it handles pretty well, at 717 pounds, to anyone who has ridden a true sport bike, it definitely leans toward the TOURING end of the equation. On the other hand, the new Kawasaki Ninja for example, weighing in 200 pounds less, with 140 horsepower, less wind protection and storage than the ST, leans more toward the SPORT end of sport touring. Both are classified the same, but couldn't be more different.

So if you define sport touring as a lightweight reasonable powerful, reasonably comfortable motorcycle capable of carrying you and some gear on mostly backroads with a lot of curves, I think the CB is perfectly capable of filling that role with a small shield and some soft luggage.

Having said that, Bob lives in southwest, I live in the midwest. Around here you are rarely further than 25 miles from a gas station at any time so gas capacity of your tank is not that big of a deal. You can Sport tour from the top of Michigan to the tip of Florida, from St Louis to the tip of Maine on a bike with a 4 gallon tank without much worry. Having just returned from a trip to the west coast, I can tell you this is a huge country and out west there are expanses of nothingness that stretch on seemingly forever. There were times I was thrilled to have the 7.7 tank on the ST. My buddy on his Suzuki with a 5.8 gallon tank went within .4 gallons of pushing several times before we were able to locate gas. Arizona, Nevada, parts of California, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon are some very remote areas. If I lived in some of those areas I'd be worried with a 4 gallon tank. Like I said there were times I was concerned and I had almost twice that at my disposal. So I'd say a lot depends on where you live or where you plan to ride geographically whether the CB has a big enough tank.

Every time I am out touring or sport touring, I like to think about the motorcycling pioneers, guys who rode across the country in the early 1900s..or around the world even.

This month in Rider magazine there is a story about Carl Clancy who made an around the world trip in 1912-1913 on a 1912 1000cc 4 cyl Henderson motorcycle producing a whopping 7 HP.( touring spped 40 mph). It had a 2 gallon gas tank, got 50 mpg (range 100 miles) and with a total loss oil system 175 miles per quart of oil. Few paved roads, few gas stations, few motorcycle repair shops. No helmets, no commercial riding gear, and English was not spoken in many parts of the globe. Oft time he would run out of gas and have to walk until he found a hardware store which sold gas. 11 months on the road, 18,000 miles. No AAA, no cell phones, no U haul rentals, no McDonalds, no Holiday Inn Expresses with air conditioning. Astonishing what he must have gone through.

When you consider what Clancy went through, sport touring on a 2013-2014 CB 1100 Honda inside the borders of United States... Sheesh... Piece of cake!

That's true, I'm a little more conscience of miles per tank, but I'm also lazy and don't like to stop, even if I can. So, if you go on a 600 mile trip, the CB rider will have to stop three times for gas (assuming ~175 miles per tank) whereas the ST rider will only need to stop once. Another thing I forgot to mention that is relevant here, is that after that 600 mile trip, the CB rider will need to clean and lube his chain, but the ST is shaft-drive and so there's no maintenance for several thousand miles.

[shdwghst457_imp]

I still don't understand how you guys are getting more than 110 miles out of a tank. Witchcraft indeed.

[the Ferret]

Interesting replies.

I think it might come down to how you define touring and sport touring. Honda calls my ST a sport tourer. I call it a tourer. Primarily used (by me) for freeway work, and although it handles pretty well, at 717 pounds, to anyone who has ridden a true sport bike, it definitely leans toward the TOURING end of the equation. On the other hand, the new Kawasaki Ninja for example, weighing in 200 pounds less, with 140 horsepower, less wind protection and storage than the ST, leans more toward the SPORT end of sport touring. Both are classified the same, but couldn't be more different.

So if you define sport touring as a lightweight reasonable powerful, reasonably comfortable motorcycle capable of carrying you and some gear on mostly backroads with a lot of curves, I think the CB is perfectly capable of filling that role with a small shield and some soft luggage.

Having said that, Bob lives in southwest, I live in the midwest. Around here you are rarely further than 25 miles from a gas station at any time so gas capacity of your tank is not that big of a deal. You can Sport tour from the top of Michigan to the tip of Florida, from St Louis to the tip of Maine on a bike with a 4 gallon tank without much worry. Having just returned from a trip to the west coast, I can tell you this is a huge country and out west there are expanses of nothingness that stretch on seemingly forever. There were times I was thrilled to have the 7.7 tank on the ST. My buddy on his Suzuki with a 5.8 gallon tank went within .4 gallons of pushing several times before we were able to locate gas. Arizona, Nevada, parts of California, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, the Dakotas, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon are some very remote areas. If I lived in some of those areas I'd be worried with a 4 gallon tank. Like I said there were times I was concerned and I had almost twice that at my disposal. So I'd say a lot depends on where you live or where you plan to ride geographically whether the CB has a big enough tank.

Every time I am out touring or sport touring, I like to think about the motorcycling pioneers, guys who rode across the country in the early 1900s..or around the world even.

This month in Rider magazine there is a story about Carl Clancy who made an around the world trip in 1912-1913 on a 1912 1000cc 4 cyl Henderson motorcycle producing a whopping 7 HP.( touring spped 40 mph). It had a 2 gallon gas tank, got 50 mpg (range 100 miles) and with a total loss oil system 175 miles per quart of oil. Few paved roads, few gas stations, few motorcycle repair shops. No helmets, no commercial riding gear, and English was not spoken in many parts of the globe. Oft time he would run out of gas and have to walk until he found a hardware store which sold gas. 11 months on the road, 18,000 miles. No AAA, no cell phones, no U haul rentals, no McDonalds, no Holiday Inn Expresses with air conditioning. Astonishing what he must have gone through.

When you consider what Clancy went through, sport touring on a 2013-2014 CB 1100 Honda inside the borders of United States... Sheesh... Piece of cake!

That's true, I'm a little more conscience of miles per tank, but I'm also lazy and don't like to stop, even if I can. So, if you go on a 600 mile trip, the CB rider will have to stop three times for gas (assuming ~175 miles per tank) whereas the ST rider will only need to stop once. Another thing I forgot to mention that is relevant here, is that after that 600 mile trip, the CB rider will need to clean and lube his chain, but the ST is shaft-drive and so there's no maintenance for several thousand miles.

I generally try and fill up at the 200 mile mark on the ST. ( even if I can go further) . It would be a heavy beast to push anywhere. I rode the ST today and filled up with 2 bars left and had gone 249 miles.

As far as shaft drive maintenance goes, i change the rear differential oil (5.8 oz) when I change the motor oil and filter ie: every 4000 miles and put molly lube on the gear splines when I replace rear tires ie: every 10,000 miles. At 45,000 miles if the ST were chain drive, I would be halfway thru a second set of chains and sprockets.

[Calamari_imp]

Out of the 2 my pick is the CB1100. Just bought mine last week. Absolutely one of the best looking bikes I've seen and the smoothest ride of any bike I've been on second only to another Honda.

I was exclusively a sportbike rider for many years and never saw myself on any other type of bike. I bought a Suzuki M109R power cruiser, (my description), almost 3 years ago when I got tired of the bent over sportbike riding position. It had tons of power and was great on the open road.

What I didn't know for many years was my riding style. Longer rides or shorter rides. I think most everyone falls into one of the two. I have since figured out I'm a short ride kind of guy. With a very seldom long trip thrown in. IMO, the M109R is better suited for drag racing and longer rides. The CB1100 fits my riding style to a tee. Plenty of power if I need it. Light enough to flick around in the corners and so easy to ride the shorter rides and around town. No discredit to anyone still riding sport bikes but I didn't realize how much fun riding could be until I got away from them. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my reply. Have fun on whatever bike you get.

[redbirds_imp]

Chain maintenance is so easy today that the advantage of shaft drive is not there for me anymore and I have had 4 shaft drive bikes including the ST1300. With a modern sealed chain and dry wax lubes, roadside chain lube takes little more time than a stop for gas. With a dry wax type lube the chain will stay clean enough on a long trip and a quick squirt of lube each morning is sufficient.

[rboe]

I agree. Chains are not that big a problem anymore. Then you look at some of the problems shaft drives can have and chains can start to look good again. But you have choices (I have two chain drive bikes and one shaft), take your pick and your reasons why. Then enjoy the hell out of it.

I used to be a long distance type rider but my current reality is short distance. I feel a wee bit like a round peg in a square hole. This makes me spend money on long distance stuff when I probably shouldn't. Oh well.