03-20-2018, 04:16 PM
Prior to purchasing our new Honda CB1100EX we had one other bike on the shortlist - the Triumph Bonneville T120. Our local dealer, Pidcock Triumph offered a test ride of up to an hour so we had a good chance to road test it properly.
The demonstrator was a T120 Black. A mean looking version with black motor, exhausts and wheel rims (spoked wheels). The mufflers on this bike had been changed to Vance & Hines.
Sitting on the bike I could easily touch the floor flat-footed (a very important factor for me these days after playing "dropsie" on the RT a few years ago). With Kelly on board minimal extra sagging was noted which if anything helped further enhance my confidence. The sitting position is upright, relaxed but not lazy (as I tend to sit on an NCX). The CB is very similar but with the footpegs set slightly back in comparison which suits me better. Bars at just the right height, the fully integrated heated grips are a fantastic basic feature (other manufacturers take note here). All the wiring for these is "invisible" and I presume runs inside the bars. A single push button on the left grip selects ON/HIGH/LOW/OFF etc. - elegant simplicity. The clutch (cable operated) is exceptionally light.
Two "clocks" make up the instrument cluster and are tied together visually with a very nice "figure of eight" surround. Speedometer on the left and rev counter on the right, both have a small backlit LCD information panel with various parameters of information shared across the two. I'll not go into this lot except to say that it is "comprehensive".
The right hand grip is of course the throttle - being "ride-by-wire" with two modes selectable - Normal and Rain. We left it in the default - normal position. The combined kill switch and starter button is a good idea.
The motor started easily (no throttle) and settled into a characterful tickover (270 deg like the 865 Scrambler) but much, MUCH deeper (Vance and Hines remember). Setting off, the low down torque was very apparent and the easy riding character of this bike is only spoiled around town by the rather tall gearing - made worse by the significant (but expected) engine braking. A degree of clutch feathering is thus necessary to prevent nodding and helmet bumping. But is something one could easily adapt to. The suspension is very good, much more premium than the 865 and 900 bonnies but is quite a bit firmer than the set-up on the CB1100EX which I can only describe as a magic carpet by comparison and can achieve this this without excessive fork dive too (probably down to the Showa "Dual Bending Valve" technology on these).
At 224kg (dry) for the T120 vs the 255kg (kerb weight) of the CB1100EX, I wouldn't describe either bike as heavy being used to the 300kg+ of the HD. The T120 though needs a considerable amount of counter-steering to get it to turn into bends, but once encouraged will maintain the chosen line easily enough and then requires a little of the same to get upright again. By comparison the CB1100EX needs no such coaxing and is a doddle. Others (more experienced at these things than I) describe the EX as an ideal "beginners big bike" and I wouldn't disagree.
Performance:
Deserving it's own heading as always, we were unable to fully exploit the available performance of the T120 nor did we wish too. I can generally get the measure of this without specifically testing for it. That's not what we yearn for these days and is not what either of these bikes are about anyway. The 270 twin in the T120 and the in-line 4 of the CB are very similar with regard to power and torque. The CB ahead in the former, whilst as expected the T120 ahead in the latter. The T120 did get a bit "vibey" through the bars and footpegs near the upper reaches of RPM but by this point, maximum torque is over and is not the way we ride a motorcycle these days anyway (which is why the NC was so good).
The smoothness of the CB vs the considerable engine braking of the T120 are perhaps two areas of difference that might make the choice easy for some. The Bonnie obviously has character (but so does the CB now with its 2 x two-into-one exhausts tuned specifically for this) but of course, the two are as different as apples and oranges in this respect.
Brakes:
Very good indeed on the Bonnie, both for effect and for feel, I would have been totally satisfied too were it not for the exceptionally good brakes on the CB which work so well with the silky smooth motor and the rest of the drive train that smooth riding is very, very easy especially two-up. By comparison, those on the T120 felt a little, dare I say ahem... wooden. Oops I've said it.
So, on reflection I preferred the CB1100EX. I did like the "honesty" of the bike (described so eloquently by Simon "TEX"). It really is air (plus oil) cooled and thus true to the original, whereas the T120 (like the new 900) is liquid cooled. That said, the width of the hot Honda engine which was a joy on a cold extended road test last Sunday might be a bit much in the heat of July. We shall see.
Our choice was made easier by the fact that the Triumph dealer was way out with their valuation of the HD (£1500 out!). Plus their excuse for being so tight was along the lines of that the Dyna is an extinct model now and dealers are struggling to get rid of them. General opinion would say otherwise with a late registered Dyna (as ours was) will be much sought after once the hype of the new Softail Low Rider wears off. Try finding a Low Rider or Glide for sale for less than £8,000!
I hope this little review has been interesting for some, and if it's been useful then even better. Please, please get out and try both these bikes if you can - if only to see if any of you agree with my amateur report in any way.
The demonstrator was a T120 Black. A mean looking version with black motor, exhausts and wheel rims (spoked wheels). The mufflers on this bike had been changed to Vance & Hines.
Sitting on the bike I could easily touch the floor flat-footed (a very important factor for me these days after playing "dropsie" on the RT a few years ago). With Kelly on board minimal extra sagging was noted which if anything helped further enhance my confidence. The sitting position is upright, relaxed but not lazy (as I tend to sit on an NCX). The CB is very similar but with the footpegs set slightly back in comparison which suits me better. Bars at just the right height, the fully integrated heated grips are a fantastic basic feature (other manufacturers take note here). All the wiring for these is "invisible" and I presume runs inside the bars. A single push button on the left grip selects ON/HIGH/LOW/OFF etc. - elegant simplicity. The clutch (cable operated) is exceptionally light.
Two "clocks" make up the instrument cluster and are tied together visually with a very nice "figure of eight" surround. Speedometer on the left and rev counter on the right, both have a small backlit LCD information panel with various parameters of information shared across the two. I'll not go into this lot except to say that it is "comprehensive".
The right hand grip is of course the throttle - being "ride-by-wire" with two modes selectable - Normal and Rain. We left it in the default - normal position. The combined kill switch and starter button is a good idea.
The motor started easily (no throttle) and settled into a characterful tickover (270 deg like the 865 Scrambler) but much, MUCH deeper (Vance and Hines remember). Setting off, the low down torque was very apparent and the easy riding character of this bike is only spoiled around town by the rather tall gearing - made worse by the significant (but expected) engine braking. A degree of clutch feathering is thus necessary to prevent nodding and helmet bumping. But is something one could easily adapt to. The suspension is very good, much more premium than the 865 and 900 bonnies but is quite a bit firmer than the set-up on the CB1100EX which I can only describe as a magic carpet by comparison and can achieve this this without excessive fork dive too (probably down to the Showa "Dual Bending Valve" technology on these).
At 224kg (dry) for the T120 vs the 255kg (kerb weight) of the CB1100EX, I wouldn't describe either bike as heavy being used to the 300kg+ of the HD. The T120 though needs a considerable amount of counter-steering to get it to turn into bends, but once encouraged will maintain the chosen line easily enough and then requires a little of the same to get upright again. By comparison the CB1100EX needs no such coaxing and is a doddle. Others (more experienced at these things than I) describe the EX as an ideal "beginners big bike" and I wouldn't disagree.
Performance:
Deserving it's own heading as always, we were unable to fully exploit the available performance of the T120 nor did we wish too. I can generally get the measure of this without specifically testing for it. That's not what we yearn for these days and is not what either of these bikes are about anyway. The 270 twin in the T120 and the in-line 4 of the CB are very similar with regard to power and torque. The CB ahead in the former, whilst as expected the T120 ahead in the latter. The T120 did get a bit "vibey" through the bars and footpegs near the upper reaches of RPM but by this point, maximum torque is over and is not the way we ride a motorcycle these days anyway (which is why the NC was so good).
The smoothness of the CB vs the considerable engine braking of the T120 are perhaps two areas of difference that might make the choice easy for some. The Bonnie obviously has character (but so does the CB now with its 2 x two-into-one exhausts tuned specifically for this) but of course, the two are as different as apples and oranges in this respect.
Brakes:
Very good indeed on the Bonnie, both for effect and for feel, I would have been totally satisfied too were it not for the exceptionally good brakes on the CB which work so well with the silky smooth motor and the rest of the drive train that smooth riding is very, very easy especially two-up. By comparison, those on the T120 felt a little, dare I say ahem... wooden. Oops I've said it.
So, on reflection I preferred the CB1100EX. I did like the "honesty" of the bike (described so eloquently by Simon "TEX"). It really is air (plus oil) cooled and thus true to the original, whereas the T120 (like the new 900) is liquid cooled. That said, the width of the hot Honda engine which was a joy on a cold extended road test last Sunday might be a bit much in the heat of July. We shall see.
Our choice was made easier by the fact that the Triumph dealer was way out with their valuation of the HD (£1500 out!). Plus their excuse for being so tight was along the lines of that the Dyna is an extinct model now and dealers are struggling to get rid of them. General opinion would say otherwise with a late registered Dyna (as ours was) will be much sought after once the hype of the new Softail Low Rider wears off. Try finding a Low Rider or Glide for sale for less than £8,000!
I hope this little review has been interesting for some, and if it's been useful then even better. Please, please get out and try both these bikes if you can - if only to see if any of you agree with my amateur report in any way.