03-01-2021, 01:00 AM
(03-01-2021, 12:00 AM)VLJ_imp Wrote: The motorcycling general public is no more aware of the CB1100's existence now than it was four years ago, when the bike was last sold here. They were vaguely aware of it then, just as they're vaguely aware of it now. It's more a matter of general disinterest than any lack of awareness.
Your post makes it sound like something happened recently to shed new light on the existence and/or quality of the CB1100. To what are you referring?
In any case, the answer would still be no. Euro 5 issues notwithstanding, the reason the CB1100 never sold well in the U.S. has nothing to do with the general motorcycling public's lack of awareness of the big CB's existence. Rather, it had everything to do with the public's perception of the bike being too slow, heavy, and expensive for what it offers. For that particular type of motorcycle, i.e., an 1140cc Inline Four from Honda, the general public and motorcycling press expect more than 86 rwhp and 66 lb-ft of torque. They expect rwhp well in excess of one hundred ponies, lower weight, and, considering its lack of "features" and relative performance, a much lower price tag.
Even though it's not a true retro, the final nail in the coffin for the CB1100 was the arrival of the Kawasaki Z900RS. The Bonneville T120 is given a pass for its meager performance because the Bonnevilles of old also never had any power or handling. These modern versions represent performance upgrades. In the case of the Honda, well, the old ones made more power than this new 1100, and the new Kawasaki serves as a benchmark for what the public feels the bigger Honda motor ought to be producing, if not surpassing.
Due to these factors, the Honda was relegated in the main to a very small, specific niche group of riders: the very elderly, who value nostalgia over all other qualities. They want air cooling, dual shocks, a bench seat, a round headlight, an upright seating position, and no plastic bodywork. They also want a Honda, because they used to own any number of vintage CB models.
That's a small, ever-diminishing group of people. It's basically Honda's version of the Harley demographic, only much fewer in number. It's a recipe for disaster, sales-wise. It's a niche group. That's all it could ever be, particularly with so many members of that group struggling with health issues, the weight of the CB1100, and the desire to downsize to more manageable rides.
Along similar lines, even the Kawasaki isn't selling all that well now, either. That was also a narrow-market bike, and its market is being hit fairly hard by Royal Enfield, as well as the increasing performance of the Triumph Modern Classics.
In the end, the CB is what it is, a pet project designed by a few devoted higher-ups in Honda Japan, for their own personal enjoyment. Honda made that bike for the home market. If it sold well in other markets, great, but global sales success was never necessary. It was never the goal for that project.
Singing my life with his words, killing me softly...