04-21-2015, 01:49 PM
Those are three different bikes - with three different purposes.
Your Honda 250, although you can tour with it...it's no highway machine. As you note. What's worth thinking about is that these others are very-different in terms of what they offer and what they do not.
I never rode a BMW F series. The F GSs look like mini-me R1200GSs...and a lot of what to me is the BMW draw wasn't there. Conventional engine, contracted out to Rotax; chain drive. But hey! you get a BMW roundel; and STYLING that looks like the R GS...
Is it a good bike in its own right? That is for others to decide. It IS a dual-sport; which means it's a compromise. You are not shielded from the elements so much; and you are higher up. Good for spring rates. Bad for crosswinds. The saddle height is lower? That IS a surprise; because the R1200GS was so much HIGHER.
The CB1100 is a day-cruiser. It is not, without a lot of aftermarket parts, a touring bike. Naked bikes are hard on the body; and are not much fun above 70 mph - and in this case, with the breadloaf saddle, there's the real fear of getting blown right off.
The engine, big as it is, is happiest at about 65. It'll go much faster; but the buzzing starts, while the wind assaults. Nope, no death wobble.
To tour, you would have to find a fairing setup; fit it for saddlebags - and blending them with the styling will be a challenge. A better seat is recommended; but I don't know what's worth buying. One thing is for sure...it'll tote the lading.
Frankly, to me, much of the appeal of this machine is its throwback UJM styling. Wrap it all up in fairings and panniers and it's just another bike...and probably not as good a road machine as one more designed for this in mind.
I am not trying to talk you out of it - just be aware, what you buy here is the retro package. You can get a big engine on other machines...perhaps even secondhand and much cheaper.
Your Honda 250, although you can tour with it...it's no highway machine. As you note. What's worth thinking about is that these others are very-different in terms of what they offer and what they do not.
I never rode a BMW F series. The F GSs look like mini-me R1200GSs...and a lot of what to me is the BMW draw wasn't there. Conventional engine, contracted out to Rotax; chain drive. But hey! you get a BMW roundel; and STYLING that looks like the R GS...
Is it a good bike in its own right? That is for others to decide. It IS a dual-sport; which means it's a compromise. You are not shielded from the elements so much; and you are higher up. Good for spring rates. Bad for crosswinds. The saddle height is lower? That IS a surprise; because the R1200GS was so much HIGHER.
The CB1100 is a day-cruiser. It is not, without a lot of aftermarket parts, a touring bike. Naked bikes are hard on the body; and are not much fun above 70 mph - and in this case, with the breadloaf saddle, there's the real fear of getting blown right off.
The engine, big as it is, is happiest at about 65. It'll go much faster; but the buzzing starts, while the wind assaults. Nope, no death wobble.
To tour, you would have to find a fairing setup; fit it for saddlebags - and blending them with the styling will be a challenge. A better seat is recommended; but I don't know what's worth buying. One thing is for sure...it'll tote the lading.
Frankly, to me, much of the appeal of this machine is its throwback UJM styling. Wrap it all up in fairings and panniers and it's just another bike...and probably not as good a road machine as one more designed for this in mind.
I am not trying to talk you out of it - just be aware, what you buy here is the retro package. You can get a big engine on other machines...perhaps even secondhand and much cheaper.