NEW 2014: CB 1100, CB 1100 EX

[the Ferret]

Just came from my local dealer, he just ordered 2 CB 1100's. I asked 13 or 14? He assumed 14, I asked regular or EX.. again he did not know about the EX even though I told him about it last time I was in. Then I told him he probably ordered left over 13s. He called Honda and said his rep was going to call him back and he would know by 3 and would text me. We shall see. He probably won't text me, but I am going to a party at his house Saturday night so if nothing else I will trap him then.

[lagoje_imp]

Just came from my local dealer, he just ordered 2 CB 1100's. I asked 13 or 14? He assumed 14, I asked regular or EX.. again he did not know about the EX even though I told him about it last time I was in. Then I told him he probably ordered left over 13s. He called Honda and said his rep was going to call him back and he would know by 3 and would text me. We shall see. He probably won't text me, but I am going to a party at his house Saturday night so if nothing else I will trap him then.

I predict they are 2013 models. When I bout my CB1100 ABS, my dealer said they won't be getting another ABS model until after the first of the year. So I suspect there is still a supply of 2013s available to the dealers. Let's hope I'm wrong.

[Scoobynut_imp]

I just spoke with a very nice, tight lipped, man at Honda in Torrence. I had inquired about the availability and MSRP of the '14 EX in the US. His response was "the EX is currently only a Japanese and European market bike; therefore no pricing is available. We appreciate your call and this inquiry will be sent to management. If enough interest is shown in NA through these types of calls, it could possibly encourage Honda to bring them stateside. The regular CB has exceeded sales expectations so this may help as well."

If this is true, and it's also true that the CB has exceeded sales expectations, I don't see any reason to think the '14 EX won't come here. Note that the Torrance man said the EX is "currently" only a Japanese and European market bike. Means nothing at this point, and until Honda corporate officially confirms or denies it, this is all just rife speculation. I suspect we'll know more by March, but even that is just speculation on my part until Honda makes an announcement, about any, uh, forthcoming announcements. Trying to discern what the inscrutable Japanese intend to do can be fun, but they rarely let their secrets out before they're ready to...

If it were August or September 2013, I would agree. However, if you've been following motorcycles for a couple of years or more, you know that all the manufacturers announce their entire line-up around November. Honda has already done that. The only bike they left a little later was the new Valkyrie, and even that was only a couple of weeks after everything else. The CB1100 is not coming to the U.S. for the 2014 model year. At this point, they would have had to submit specimens for various emissions and safety protocols to make it in time. There's no point in releasing a bike mid-summer, missing half the buying season.

I have to disagree with you there, AzBob. I've been waiting for Yamaha to announce what 2014 models of Super Tenere they'll be bringing in -- electronic suspension model/non-ES model, or both -- and it's common knowledge they'll be making the announcement in March. So while they have announced some of the their 2014 lineup, they haven't announced their entire lineup, not to mention there are some pretty credible rumors out there that Yamaha will be releasing 3 or 4 other all-new models in 2014, mostly based on their new triple. I think anyone who is categorically stating that the CB1100 won't be coming to the U.S. for 2014 is no more than guessing, like the rest of us.

I see on the EPA website that they only have 2 Honda models scheduled for compliance this year, so it's probably the case that unless a revised model has had changes made to the motor itself, it probably gets a waiver or something along those lines.

As to when manufacturers release models, sure, it makes more sense to release models before riding season starts, but Yamaha started shipping FZ-09s to dealers in October and November of 2013, so that's not always the case. It doesn't appear to have hurt sales of the FZ-09s at all, as I've heard they are still flying out of dealers showrooms.

[the Ferret]

Scooby..interestingly, when I was at my dealer today we talked about CB.11 sales vs FZ 09 sales. My dealer has sold 4 CB 1100s and 1 FZ09. He is out of CB 1100s, he has 6 FZ 09s on the floor.

[rboe]

A buddy bought the FZ 09, and another buddy is considering one (too short for the CB) and there has been considerable chatter on some forums regarding the new yamaha's (as well as the CB).

[the Ferret]

Rboe have you ridden it? I will ride one in the spring, just to see what they are like.

[rboe]

Not yet. Hoping to at least see it this weekend. Years and years ago I developed an irrational dislike of Yamah's so I have no interest in one. It's irrational but with so many other good bikes to pick from it has not stinted my shopping.

My riding buddy from work has sat on one and it fits him fairly well. Seat is narrow so he can stretch to the ground. The seat on the CB is wide for him so while he "could" handle it he's not as thrilled with it. So it's on his "list" as well as a bigger GXR. But he talks a good game but has yet to pull a trigger.

[the Ferret]

Developed an irrational dislike of Yamaha's. ?

What happen? One of them jump out from behind a bush and scare you?

[davidsargee_imp]

I was considering the FZ-09 before I settled on the CB1100. The performance, (low 10's in the quarter mile), and most of all, the price, of the Yamaha was very enticing.

I didn't ride it, but I did sit on one, and heard it run, (sounds good). The seat height is about the same as the CB, but the width of the seat is less, making it seem lower. The bike felt very light, (it is only a little over 400lbs).

I just could not bring myself to accept the appearance of the bike, it looks like a cross between a motocross bike and something that came out of the "Bat Cave".

I don't know, Yamaha has a great motor on this bike, if they had styled the bike differently, I may have gone that route. I much prefer the styling of the CB1100, and it is fast enough.

An FZ-09 styled something like that RD350 cafe bike, (or was it a 400), might have done it for me.

Not yet. Hoping to at least see it this weekend. Years and years ago I developed an irrational dislike of Yamah's so I have no interest in one. It's irrational but with so many other good bikes to pick from it has not stinted my shopping.

My riding buddy from work has sat on one and it fits him fairly well. Seat is narrow so he can stretch to the ground. The seat on the CB is wide for him so while he "could" handle it he's not as thrilled with it. So it's on his "list" as well as a bigger GXR. But he talks a good game but has yet to pull a trigger.

I feel the same way about Harley's, , not a Harley "basher", but I don't care for them. In the '70s, AMF was building Harleys, and they were complete garbage, I know all of that has changed, but I can not get the idea out of my head.

[SUPERCRUZ_imp]

I really like the new Yamaha FZ-09 but comparing it to the CB1100 is like comparing apples and oranges. Two totally different bikes with a vastly different purpose and price point. The better comparison would be the FZ-09 to the Triumph Street Triple. Triumph has a huge following of enthusiasts for the Street Triple so I believe Yamaha will have similar success with their bike given the very attractive price point. Now, the bike only came with ABS, I would love to have one. The FZ looks killer.