Low - midrange torque -- not as fun?

[flynrider]

Both the Nighthawk 750 and the CB1100 were tuned to provide a fairly linear powerband from low rpms (the Nighthawk has a de-tuned version of the CBX750, a sportier bike tuned for peak power at redline). Given the 750's smaller engine, you just don't feel it as much in the lower rpms.

I find the CB11 to be very comfortable in the higher rpms. There is a buzzy vibration in the 4K range, but that totally disappears at 5K. I usually run mine around 5K when I'm riding twisty back roads and it feels just fine there. I've done about 3K miles in the past two weeks and I don't think I've used 5th gear once.

Around 5K rpm is also the sweet spot for my Nighthawk 750.

Bottom line, you can ride the CB11 at lower rpms and be perfectly happy, but you don't have to.