Big guy on a CB1100

[emptysea]

Seriously. You have not been on a motorcycle since 1984? Why not give your reflexes a chance to get back on line with a much smaller displacement bike like a 250 or 300. Do you really need to go 125 miles per hour anyway. I sold my 1100 two years ago and got a Suzuki 250 and love it. I had the seat reupholstered to add an inch of foam. It works for me and I don't worry about dropping it all the time.

Suggest you also watch McRider youtube videos. Kevin Morris will set you straight. Maybe after you have your reflexes up to snuff you could consider the "bike of your dreams" but right now I think you need the "bike of your skill level".

JMHO.

I am surprised anyone even bothered to try to talk him out of it. Most of what I've seen is "It's a great beginner bike, take it easy and you'll be fine."

Meowguy, of course you are right. I agree. I just gave up a while back. You have not reached that level of cynicism, you still care about your fellow human.

BTW, heed the meow and get a 250 for a few months. THEN consider a CB1100.

I am surprised anyone even bothered to try to talk him out of it. Most of what I've seen is "It's a great beginner bike, take it easy and you'll be fine."

Meowguy, of course you are right. I agree. I just gave up a while back. You have not reached that level of cynicism, you still care about your fellow human.

BTW, heed the meow and get a 250 for a few months. THEN consider a CB1100.
Actually, if you do a search on "great beginner bike" in this forum, you will find that most of results are comments referencing a Motorcyclist Online Article in which that author states this. Our members' comments almost universally reject the author's statement and recommend a smaller, or at least a less expensive, bike for new riders. I fall in to the "start with a less expensive bike" camp. There is nothing extreme about this bike. I find it to be a bit top heavy, but that's about the only thing that I would be concerned about if I were counseling a new rider. It's not a hard bike to ride. The throttle response is quick enough, but not twitchy. The brakes do their job. Handles predictably at speed (not great, but not terrible, at slow speeds). The only drawback I see is that new riders drop their bikes sometimes and I would not want to drop a bike for which I paid $5000+. I am about the same size as our new rider and I started on a 250. If I had it to do over, I would try to find a 500-650cc used bike in the $2500-$4000 price range to ride for a season and then move up to the CB1100.