04-15-2016, 01:29 PM
It looks retro but really is not. The CB really is. I say this for a few reasons, especially after tearing the bike's engine apart and looking at how it's made. The liquid cooling simply creates the presence of a radiator that immediately shows the bike is modern in design and construction. Same with the 17" wheels.
Honda went to a great deal of trouble to design and build an air-cooled engine that seems to be nearly bulletproof, and equipped the bike with 18" wheels, which impart a particular handling feel to the bike, not to mention a correct visual. The narrow wheels provide a light touch at low speeds but plenty of stability at higher velocities. They also look correct, as does the air-cooled mill. The oil cooler is period-accurate and also necessary.
I can hop on any number of other machines with lots of power and wide, sticky rubber but none are the modern classic that the Honda is.
I think the Thruxton and new Norton look great and will be very fun to ride, but the very modern features put them in a different class than the CB1100.
Honda went to a great deal of trouble to design and build an air-cooled engine that seems to be nearly bulletproof, and equipped the bike with 18" wheels, which impart a particular handling feel to the bike, not to mention a correct visual. The narrow wheels provide a light touch at low speeds but plenty of stability at higher velocities. They also look correct, as does the air-cooled mill. The oil cooler is period-accurate and also necessary.
I can hop on any number of other machines with lots of power and wide, sticky rubber but none are the modern classic that the Honda is.
I think the Thruxton and new Norton look great and will be very fun to ride, but the very modern features put them in a different class than the CB1100.