What's Great About the CB1100?

[Red Mist_imp]

The thing they got so right with the CB1100 is how they made each element of the bike a hero. The tank. The engine. The curved headers. The fat, chrome fenders. It really has a presence that dwarfs far more powerful and expensive machines. It forces long looks. While beauty is subjective, there is something about the sum of, and the individual parts of the CB that make it special.

You said it. I looked long and hard at this bike before I bought it. I didn't want to buy an antique, I wanted a machine that was in fact a work of rolling motorcycle art but still had exemplary function and fun, as well as serving as a workhorse. That's just what I got. Oftentimes a car or truck will pace me on the freeway, which sets my alarm bells off, but it's just someone staring at the bike.

It really does look like a lovingly restored classic Honda. When I put on the tires, for example, I noticed the acorn nuts inside the front fender were chromed. Chromed, and you can't even see them! Now that is attention to detail.

Not to ruffle any feathers, but it is common for these things to be modified on later models as a cost-saving measure. It may not seem like much, but the bean-counters really do look at every nickel. Fasteners, the quality of plating or materials, cosmetic details; all of these can be subtly downgraded with each succeeding model.