04-22-2015, 05:07 PM
Stichill
I've been pondering this question since my last post and thought of a couple of other things I wanted to say.
My first burst of riding was in my late teens in the early 70s. I did a bit of short-haul touring and managed perfectly well on a old CB175 and then a Suzuki 250. I forget the model, but it was a 2 stroke. Both carried a load of gear. The Honda didn't have a chance with chaps with 350s, 500s, 750s and the like; the Suzuki could out accelerate some of them but wasn't quite so comfortable at speed. But I was happy enough touring over short distances. Of course what I really wanted back in those days was a CB500 Four or a CB750 Four.
I then retired from riding for quite a while. When I returned it was on a scooter that I used strictly for commuting. I then retired from that and, although I'd ride other people's bikes given the opportunity, I basically stayed away from it until late in 2010 when I decided to get going again and bought a used Honda Shadow 750C, partly because of it's height: I'm not tall—5'7" with a 30" in-seam. I had plenty fun on it, but I never really bonded with it. The different riding position to the UJMs of my youth, the noise it made, the different seating position and handling didn't really appeal. That said, I may well have kept it longer if, on the day I picked it up or shortly afterwards, I saw a beautiful, white, 2010 CB1100 and fell in love. I did nothing about it for a couple of years and then bought a second-hand one. It's pretty much all the bike I ever wanted. I love the look of it; I love riding it; it is the realisation of a long-held dream to own a Japanese in-line 4.
I joined this forum and got an invitation from Pterodactyl to join him on a ride to Mildura. It meant a couple of weeks away and about 3,000-4,000 kms riding. I'd never done anything like it, but I was keen to try for various reasons. We had a great time and I really enjoyed myself. I've since done a few other rides with Pterodactyl including a trip to the Australian MotoGP last year and then points beyond. That covered about 7,500 kms. All on the unfaired CB with top box and other bits and pieces tied on. To give you some idea, I've had the bike since September 2013 and covered a bit more than 34,000 kms on it.
I still love the bike. It works for me and I've been really happy touring on it. I intend to keep touring and I've no plans to replace the CB1100. IN part that's because I'll have to be a one bike person.
BUT ...
... there's some things you may like to consider.
The CB suits me just fine for touring. But I've got no experience of anything much else to compare it with.
I'm only likely to have one bike at a time so it has to do a few things. That involves compromises.
Nearly everyone around here is pretty keen on the CB1100, although, as the earlier parts of this thread show, there's more than enough experience of other bikes and honesty to give you a fair bit to chew over.
My experience with the Shadow (and with many other things in life) is that it's important to get what's right for you. Blow everybody else.
If all you want to do is tour and you want a comfortable bike set up to do just that, the CB1100, beautiful though she is, may not be for you. If you commute, do weekend rides and want to do the odd longer tour, you may find the CB1100 a bit more useable than the CBR250R. It gobbles up miles on the highway or back roads without revving too high; it loves hills; it doesn't seem to notice a bag of gear, a full top box and a load of camping equipment; it's fun on a twisty road; and, with an AirHawk cushion is not too uncomfortable to sit on all day for days on end.
If you'll still love it after the compromises you have to make, buy one. If not, buy the bike that really works for you and then tell us about it. Most of us will be interested.
But I can't stress enough: make sure you buy the bike that is right for what you want to do with it and that you'll continue to enjoy doing it on.
Good luck!
I've been pondering this question since my last post and thought of a couple of other things I wanted to say.
My first burst of riding was in my late teens in the early 70s. I did a bit of short-haul touring and managed perfectly well on a old CB175 and then a Suzuki 250. I forget the model, but it was a 2 stroke. Both carried a load of gear. The Honda didn't have a chance with chaps with 350s, 500s, 750s and the like; the Suzuki could out accelerate some of them but wasn't quite so comfortable at speed. But I was happy enough touring over short distances. Of course what I really wanted back in those days was a CB500 Four or a CB750 Four.
I then retired from riding for quite a while. When I returned it was on a scooter that I used strictly for commuting. I then retired from that and, although I'd ride other people's bikes given the opportunity, I basically stayed away from it until late in 2010 when I decided to get going again and bought a used Honda Shadow 750C, partly because of it's height: I'm not tall—5'7" with a 30" in-seam. I had plenty fun on it, but I never really bonded with it. The different riding position to the UJMs of my youth, the noise it made, the different seating position and handling didn't really appeal. That said, I may well have kept it longer if, on the day I picked it up or shortly afterwards, I saw a beautiful, white, 2010 CB1100 and fell in love. I did nothing about it for a couple of years and then bought a second-hand one. It's pretty much all the bike I ever wanted. I love the look of it; I love riding it; it is the realisation of a long-held dream to own a Japanese in-line 4.
I joined this forum and got an invitation from Pterodactyl to join him on a ride to Mildura. It meant a couple of weeks away and about 3,000-4,000 kms riding. I'd never done anything like it, but I was keen to try for various reasons. We had a great time and I really enjoyed myself. I've since done a few other rides with Pterodactyl including a trip to the Australian MotoGP last year and then points beyond. That covered about 7,500 kms. All on the unfaired CB with top box and other bits and pieces tied on. To give you some idea, I've had the bike since September 2013 and covered a bit more than 34,000 kms on it.
I still love the bike. It works for me and I've been really happy touring on it. I intend to keep touring and I've no plans to replace the CB1100. IN part that's because I'll have to be a one bike person.
BUT ...
... there's some things you may like to consider.
The CB suits me just fine for touring. But I've got no experience of anything much else to compare it with.
I'm only likely to have one bike at a time so it has to do a few things. That involves compromises.
Nearly everyone around here is pretty keen on the CB1100, although, as the earlier parts of this thread show, there's more than enough experience of other bikes and honesty to give you a fair bit to chew over.
My experience with the Shadow (and with many other things in life) is that it's important to get what's right for you. Blow everybody else.
If all you want to do is tour and you want a comfortable bike set up to do just that, the CB1100, beautiful though she is, may not be for you. If you commute, do weekend rides and want to do the odd longer tour, you may find the CB1100 a bit more useable than the CBR250R. It gobbles up miles on the highway or back roads without revving too high; it loves hills; it doesn't seem to notice a bag of gear, a full top box and a load of camping equipment; it's fun on a twisty road; and, with an AirHawk cushion is not too uncomfortable to sit on all day for days on end.
If you'll still love it after the compromises you have to make, buy one. If not, buy the bike that really works for you and then tell us about it. Most of us will be interested.
But I can't stress enough: make sure you buy the bike that is right for what you want to do with it and that you'll continue to enjoy doing it on.
Good luck!