01-15-2018, 03:36 AM
Well, the report is in, the excitement is over, and VLJ has learned all he needs to know about the CB1100, and about the forum.
My compliments, by the way, to both the Ferret and Guth for really working hard and keeping an open mind about the forum content and activity recently.
One thing VLJ should keep in mind is while it has seemed to me that a good percentage of the more frequent contributors to the forum eschew all this high-speed, sporty riding, there ARE those who've bought the bike and ride it to it limitations and those are not meager if one knows how to use the brakes and pick a line.
Excellent tires are available for this bike in the form of the Continental Road Attack 2 Classic Race, with grip like you can't believe, really. Most of the tire discussion on this form focuses on how long the tire lasts, with guys getting 10,000 or more miles from a tire. To me, that's wild. I'd get tired of looking at the tire by the time it had that kind of mileage, but of course I'd never get anything like that out of a tire anyway.
I'm an old man, retired, and I will say that the CB1100 is an "old man's bike" in many ways. But by no means does that suggest this bike can't be very fun and exciting to ride.
By now I am sure VLJ has learned not everyone likes to hear things about the CB1100 that appear unseemly, but that's the real world, and we all have opinions.
Someone mentioned a new "business model" for this forum recently.
I don't think it needs a new business model, but I do believe that there are a lot of CB1100 owners (and I know several of then personally, btw) who simply don't participate here because the bike has been pretty much rejected by the preponderance of contributors as anything other than a comfy, classic, touring machine. Many call it a sport heritage and I think that's a good moniker.
I ride every bike I own in a sporting fashion within the bike's (and my own) limits.
To respond to another member's mention of a new business model, I would once again suggest just a simple addition to the current format, with a specific emphasis, and dedicated subforms, towards rider skills and technical knowledge, of a more advanced nature than just how to change the oil.
As a former (and possible future) CB1100 owner I think I have some credibility on this point. If the forum continues to limit its interests and focus to the notion that the CB1100 is only a comfy, friendly, standard touring bike, better at garnering questions about "what year is that" or "how long did it take you to restore it" than it is at delivering a truly exhilarating ride near its limits on curving pavement, I am very certain that a good number of owners will seek their entertainment elsewhere. And that would be a shame.
But it wasn't that long ago that the complaints about skinny posts emerged.
Expanding the forum focus somewhat and being more accommodating to CB1100 owners who like to brake hard and scrape the occasional peg, and perhaps do a reflash and exceed 100 mph (as the Ferret has recently done), couldn't help but increase interest and the post count.
Now, back to munching and lurking.
Oh, I forgot to mention one key thing, to VLJ:
Pay no attention to the Ferret, lol! The CB is a great bike, I think you'd love it.
The steering of course feels heavy at low speeds, but lightens very quickly once you get off the clutch. It turns pretty quickly for a 560-lb motorcycle. I know, I had one and rode it just like you ride. You can trust me on this.
And the brakes, while excellent, can be even better with s/s lines and HH pads.
I'd say get one. If you don't like it, you can always trade it in or sell it in a few years. If you don't, you'll never have had the experience, and the CB1100 is one bike I think you need to feel to really know.
My compliments, by the way, to both the Ferret and Guth for really working hard and keeping an open mind about the forum content and activity recently.
One thing VLJ should keep in mind is while it has seemed to me that a good percentage of the more frequent contributors to the forum eschew all this high-speed, sporty riding, there ARE those who've bought the bike and ride it to it limitations and those are not meager if one knows how to use the brakes and pick a line.
Excellent tires are available for this bike in the form of the Continental Road Attack 2 Classic Race, with grip like you can't believe, really. Most of the tire discussion on this form focuses on how long the tire lasts, with guys getting 10,000 or more miles from a tire. To me, that's wild. I'd get tired of looking at the tire by the time it had that kind of mileage, but of course I'd never get anything like that out of a tire anyway.
I'm an old man, retired, and I will say that the CB1100 is an "old man's bike" in many ways. But by no means does that suggest this bike can't be very fun and exciting to ride.
By now I am sure VLJ has learned not everyone likes to hear things about the CB1100 that appear unseemly, but that's the real world, and we all have opinions.
Someone mentioned a new "business model" for this forum recently.
I don't think it needs a new business model, but I do believe that there are a lot of CB1100 owners (and I know several of then personally, btw) who simply don't participate here because the bike has been pretty much rejected by the preponderance of contributors as anything other than a comfy, classic, touring machine. Many call it a sport heritage and I think that's a good moniker.
I ride every bike I own in a sporting fashion within the bike's (and my own) limits.
To respond to another member's mention of a new business model, I would once again suggest just a simple addition to the current format, with a specific emphasis, and dedicated subforms, towards rider skills and technical knowledge, of a more advanced nature than just how to change the oil.
As a former (and possible future) CB1100 owner I think I have some credibility on this point. If the forum continues to limit its interests and focus to the notion that the CB1100 is only a comfy, friendly, standard touring bike, better at garnering questions about "what year is that" or "how long did it take you to restore it" than it is at delivering a truly exhilarating ride near its limits on curving pavement, I am very certain that a good number of owners will seek their entertainment elsewhere. And that would be a shame.
But it wasn't that long ago that the complaints about skinny posts emerged.
Expanding the forum focus somewhat and being more accommodating to CB1100 owners who like to brake hard and scrape the occasional peg, and perhaps do a reflash and exceed 100 mph (as the Ferret has recently done), couldn't help but increase interest and the post count.
Now, back to munching and lurking.
Oh, I forgot to mention one key thing, to VLJ:
Pay no attention to the Ferret, lol! The CB is a great bike, I think you'd love it.
The steering of course feels heavy at low speeds, but lightens very quickly once you get off the clutch. It turns pretty quickly for a 560-lb motorcycle. I know, I had one and rode it just like you ride. You can trust me on this.
And the brakes, while excellent, can be even better with s/s lines and HH pads.
I'd say get one. If you don't like it, you can always trade it in or sell it in a few years. If you don't, you'll never have had the experience, and the CB1100 is one bike I think you need to feel to really know.