02-06-2018, 02:34 AM
Well imo you have to put things in perspective. Every bike likes to be flogged if you are the flogging type. Lets say you want to do 10 second quarters and run 150 mph. Fine, don't buy a CB 1100 cause it won't do it. Reflashing the ECU and doing all the trick stuff you want with regards to losing center stand, adding a pipe, chopping the air box, adding a fuel controller, putting on trick suspension, re-gearing etc still won't make it as light, fast or as capable on a curvy road as a box stock 600 class super sport. I think that's where the attitude that if you wanted more from a bike you should have bought something else comes from. You can make a CB1100 all it can be, but comparatively speaking it's not going to be much other than a heavy, mediocre handling, slow, great looking (subjective) motorcycle. By all MEASURABLE accounts it's going to come up short. That's why young people for the most part don't buy them, and it's also the reason owners say to guys that want to flog them, you should have bought something else.
Heck I know guys that have the ability to flog the heck out of a Harley, run down a curvy road with the best of them, but I wouldn't recommend one to someone as a high speed sport bike. I read a story about a guy on a Grom that rode from Colorado to North Carolina for a rally. Guess he could call the Grom a touring bike on that account, but I wouldn't. You can drive a tack with a sledgehammer if so determined but it's the wrong tool for the job.
I've repeated here often, that the tachometer on the CB goes from 0-8500 rpms and the motor is designed to run anywhere in that rev range. that means it will run just dandy at 2500 rpms and it will run just dandy at 7500 rpms. What it won't ever do, is weigh 400 pounds, absorb all road irregularities plushly yet still be taut enough for track days, it won't run 10 second quarters or run 150 mph on top, it won't comfortably tour coast to coast 2 up with a ton of luggage, or run a Paris Dakar race. Doubt you will ever see one entered in an Iron Butt (11 days 1,000 miles a day). They do make motorcycles that will do each of those things. None that will do ALL of those things. At least not as well as purpose built bikes for each of those things. The CB1100 - it is what it is. Ride yours however you like. Just realize that like all motorcycles, it has it's inherent limitations.
Heck I know guys that have the ability to flog the heck out of a Harley, run down a curvy road with the best of them, but I wouldn't recommend one to someone as a high speed sport bike. I read a story about a guy on a Grom that rode from Colorado to North Carolina for a rally. Guess he could call the Grom a touring bike on that account, but I wouldn't. You can drive a tack with a sledgehammer if so determined but it's the wrong tool for the job.
I've repeated here often, that the tachometer on the CB goes from 0-8500 rpms and the motor is designed to run anywhere in that rev range. that means it will run just dandy at 2500 rpms and it will run just dandy at 7500 rpms. What it won't ever do, is weigh 400 pounds, absorb all road irregularities plushly yet still be taut enough for track days, it won't run 10 second quarters or run 150 mph on top, it won't comfortably tour coast to coast 2 up with a ton of luggage, or run a Paris Dakar race. Doubt you will ever see one entered in an Iron Butt (11 days 1,000 miles a day). They do make motorcycles that will do each of those things. None that will do ALL of those things. At least not as well as purpose built bikes for each of those things. The CB1100 - it is what it is. Ride yours however you like. Just realize that like all motorcycles, it has it's inherent limitations.