Custom CB1100s...

[tommymck]

I've seen this video before and certainly can appreciate the esthetics of both custom bikes from the video, they have a nice stance and cafe racer proportions, obviously a lot of work has been put into them. I love the exhaust of the Italian bike, and the fact that k-speed opted for a flat seat rather than one with a cafe racer bump, not that I mind original seat that has space to put a pillion and move around and attach luggage.
I disagree with the narrator about the reasons "CB1100 did not succeed" firstly because it did succeed, and secondly - tank? The only gripe I have with the tank is that the early models take only 14l, and have fuel cap that sticks out making it pretty difficult to stick on some smaller tank bags, so in my mind I'd happily go for the updated tank because it solves my problems, and it has proper badging. The Whitehouse mods are cool, also something I can appreciate, but they don't do anything for me in enhancing the spirit of the CB, because I'm too young to remember the 70's CB750, so I have no preconception of what the 1100 is "supposed to be like".

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

It probably is an age thing. From the age of about 10 on, my buddies and I were obsessed with motorcycles. We saved up grass cutting money to buy old hunks of junk, but whenever one of our moms were shopping in either Wheaton or Rockville MD, we'd convince them to drop us off at Blalocks or Hersons (Yamaha and Honda dealers respectively) and we'd just oogle the new dirt bikes at both places and the mighty CB750 at the Honda place. Oddly, the folks at the store didn't seem to mind us just hanging out for an hour or two. Anyway, it's decades later and the appeal of the vintage vibe is definitely there. I purchased my 2017 before I knew that there was an option to get the retro tank, but I'm guessing that for folks of my vintage (mid 50s) they'd have sold more if there was a more direct visual lineage. And I think that the tank shape is probably a big driver. Here's a mid-70s R90 and a modern R NineT. Lots of differences, but the tank tugs at the heartstrings for those who remember the original....