The true beauty of this motorcycle. (another LONG read)

[egleaves_imp]

You know VLJ, it might not be a bad idea to see if anyone in your area is selling a used CB1100. Riding any of the variations that Honda offered is going to give you a real solid idea of what this bike is all about. in the end, you might not end up caring for it at all. But on the other hand, I suppose there is a chance that you'd like it enough that you might consider buying a pre-owned bike at the right price. If you were up front with the seller about this I'm guessing that you'd actually have a better shot at a test ride than you would trying to snag a test ride of a current EX model at your local dealership (I know, that's both incredibly sad and pathetic) It's just such a shame that so many dealers simply won't allow test rides. No wonder the industry is in a bit of a pickle from the way things sound. There are enough folks on this forum that are into modifying their CBs that you might find others who are willing to swap out parts with you to achieve the combination that you're ultimately looking for (although it's probably highly unlikely that the 5-speed configuration would be to your satisfaction). I'm guessing that this has already been discussed with you elsewhere on the forum and I missed it. Oh well, just a thought.
Tank seems don't bother me at all. They are certainly appropriate on a bike that is meant to honor Honda's CB heritage. I you look at the handcrafted K10 tanks that Whitehouse produces, you'll see that they use them as well.

I think the new tank shape is really more about trying to tap into those folks who happen to like old Triumphs rather than anything to do with Honda's CB past — at least those CBs that I'm familiar with. Does anyone here know of a previous CB that didn't have the tank seams/flanges?

Interesting discussion going on here.

I gather that I approach this subject from a very different starting point than the majority of the people here. Growing up, I knew absolutely nothing about motorcycles. I grew up in L.A., and all I cared about was sports, girls, and history books. I never rode a dirtbike. No one in our neighborhood rode.

The first bike I ever had was a used Honda Hawk CB400 Hondamatic, with a two-speed (IIRC) automatic transmission. I didn't know that it was unusual for bikes to have automatic trannies. To me it was just cheap transportation, and that was it. I thought it looked cool in its aqua and orange livery, and I came to realize that girls thought it looked cool too. Good thing for me, they also had no idea that a 400 with an automatic transmission was not exactly the coolest bike on the block. They just thought it looked dangerous, plus it vibrated right where they liked to be vibrated.

Winnah!

Once I bought that bike, though, I was hooked. I immediately started looking into new bikes, and the first motorcycle I ever lusted after was the 1992 Suzuki Katana 1100. Not only did it look awesome to a young moron like me, it had an electrically adjustable windshield! Holy crap!

Remember, this is the pre-helmet-law era, so the idea of a windshield sounded awesome to me after one too many nights riding home at five a.m to the San Fernando Valley from my girlfriend's place in Canyon Country, wearing nothing but one of her borrowed scarves and a flannel shirt. I will always remember that damnable '28 degrees' reading on the local bank's outside ticker display, knowing it was going to be a whole lot colder than that at seventy mph in the rolling hills. Sure enough, yep, every time I'd crest a hill and drop down into some little dip in the mountains, it suddenly felt ten degrees colder.

By the time I got home one night, my bottom lip had frozen and split open, and my face was covered in frozen snot.

Yeah, the Katana 1110 looked like something out of The Jetsons to me.

Problem was, I couldn't afford one. Somehow, though, I was able to afford a brand-new leftover Yamaha FJ1200, which I cartwheeled at 140 mph on Hwy 58 in the Mojave desert when my tailpack worked its way over the seat and into the wheel area, locking up the rear wheel and sending me fishtailing until finally it tossed me down the road.

Undaunted, I continued to go Full Retard through a succession of ever-faster racy bikes: VFRs, CBRs, GSX-Rs, Ninjas, etc. Eventually I mixed in some sport-tourers so my two wives and a few different girlfriends could join me. I watched a couple of riders die right in front of me; one at Sears Point during a track day; the other, my best friend, on Hwy 49 near Auburn.

I lost my desire for track days. I had hit a plateau, and wasn't going to go any faster without a major change of commitment, which I wasn't about to give.

A few years later I had to undergo multiple neuro-spinal reconstructions, which put paid to my ability to ride anything with even the slightest forward lean. Just can't tilt my head into the required position now, which precipitated my recent spate of purchases of bikes with upright seating positions. My neck won't even allow me to do the Street Triple seating position now, so it's become Naked Standards Time for me.

Any guess as to which Naked Standard happens to be the most attractive to yours truly, who also happened to spend ten years as a Honda motorcycle dealer?

Marked vs unmarked? I don't know which style is really my bias. I know what I don't like, i.e., Japanese Transformers styling, and I want nothing to do with the whole world of cruiserdom. Otherwise, I like the look of classic Triumphs and Japanese UJMs, and I came of age as a motorcyclist, so to speak, during the era of Miguel DuHamel's domination of AMA Superbike, so I've always loved Superbikes, especially Hondas and GSX-Rs (Doug Polen and Kevin Schwantz).

With the exception of that first Honda 400 Hondamatic, what I've never had is a slow, non-sporty bike. My ST1100, ST1300, and V-Strom 1000 were the least sporty things I've ever owned, so my desire for this CB1100 is a complete departure for me.

I don't know, but somehow the CB1100 seems to be the perfect example of both a marked and unmarked motorcycle to me. Pick either direction, and it pegs the meter for me.

If you are looking for sincere advice about what bike to buy, given your medical condition and other factors, you're going to really need to ride a CB1100 before you buy one. In your case, the T120 Bonneville would also seem an excellent choice. That bike is much lighter than a CB1100 and most certainly handles the curves better (I am assuming you still like spirited riding). It's also quite a bit "brisker" in acceleration.

I really can't think of any other machine that would be comparable to the Honda in terms of "retro" appearance and function. The bikes are quite different in many respects but in the last analysis, both satisfy a similar desire for simplicity, function, and enjoyment.

As my signature indicates, I am a previous owner of a 2013 CB1100. Like any bike I've owned, I rode it hard, and under all kinds of conditions. Call it a 10,000-mile test ride, if you want. My only modifications were for better performance, but none to the engine, as that's really a fruitless endeavor. That bike handles reasonably well if you get it set up right, and the later models, with better suspension, are likely a lot better right off the showroom floor. My next mod would've been the forks, but I think Honda have got that worked out now. I have a buddy with a '13 who rides the daylights out of it still.

All that said, my 2017 SV650 can outrun a CB1100 in a straight line, has a higher top speed, and as for cornering, well, no comparison. So you won't be able to keep up with anyone who has even a middleweight sporting machine, naked or otherwise. I say that only because it seems your "need for speed" is a permanent medical and psychological condition. I know mine is.

The top speed limiter is going to keep you very honest (112 mph). It can be deleted with a reflash, but I'd not recommend riding the bike any faster than that. The chassis really probably should not be subjected to it. I'd really say the same for any Bonneville-class bike, either T100 or T120, except a Thruxton. But the riding position on the Thruxton is not going to suit you, I think.

It's a boost to morale for a forum when folks think they may be getting a new member to the club, but judging from your posts, you are really here for one reason: to get some reasonably helpful information about buying your next bike. If it's a CB1100, you'll be sticking around, for a while, anyway.

If it's something else, you'll probably fade away.

I have no dog in this hunt; If I had the room and resources, I'd probably go get a 2017 EX tomorrow, just to see if I could stand the bike for one last round of ownership. But it wouldn't be my only bike, by any means.

In your case, you must choose wisely. Because resale on a slightly-used CB1100 is not what any of us had hoped.

Honestly Ulvetanna, I find this comment offensive. I can handle people calling me names or telling me that they don't care for my motorcycle or how it looks. I don't encourage that kind of behavior and that's not how I want things to go down on this forum. But the reality is those things aren't nearly as big a deal to me as someone indicating that I would attempt to steer another person to the CB1100 just to pick up a new forum member in hopes that that they might stick around. I've made it perfectly clear that I am not concerned about the number of members we have or the volume of posts created.

In fact, I've already suggested to VLJ elsewhere on the forum that the CB1100 is likely not the bike that will keep him happy. Still he has a genuine interest in the bike and if he is willing to keep an open mind then I can obviously understand the attraction to the bike. I would think that if VLJ is totally honest with himself in considering the CB1100 that there might be a chance he could enjoy the bike for what it is. I would actually give him a greater chance of enjoying the bike than yourself if you were to take another chance on it. You spent an awful lot of energy trying to convince everyone here (and certainly yourself) that the CB1100 was a true sportbike. Eventually you figured out what most of us already knew from the beginning. I realize that there are plenty of things to like and admire about the CB1100. That doesn't mean that it's the right bike for everyone and that's okay.

Guth, the bikes (or at least the CBs) at our local dealer are sitting assembled on the showroom floor with no fluids or batteries. I didn't even get to hear the exhaust note before I bought mine.

VLJ, I have yet to see a used CB1100 around here for sale. Would you like to take the test ride that the dealer won't give you? We could grab a coffee and you can kick the tires.