Hello, goodbye bikes

[mininsx_imp]

Thanks all,

My master plan for CB1100 ownership continues unabated, - after 15 years out of the saddle, a 'back to biking' course last Sunday went well - three hours of being shouted and sworn at by a large blonde lady could have been, well, interesting if I hadn't been so preoccupied with trying to ride smooth, (so she wouldn't carry out her threat to put me back on the 125) and not run into her backside ..... STOP SNIGGERING, IT WAS AT A JUNCTION.

I even have a target - 25 miles away in a showroom sits a shiny, black, 2014, EX with just 250 miles on the clock.

And this is where it gets complicated.

When I went to view said black beauty, after throwing a leg over, surreptitiously wiping some drool (mine) off the tank and chatting to the salesman (apparently the previous owner found her too heavy), I somehow drifted over the road to the same dealer's Kawasaki franchise.

Negotiating my way past the attractive petite mature secretary in a tiny mini skirt at a desk by the door, I sidled up to 'plan B' - a Kawasaki VN900 (that's a Vulcan to those on the other side of the pond).

Brand new, this retails at £7400, the Honda brand new is just under £10000, and yes, you can see where the savings have been made in the acres of plastic on the Kawa.

Next thing I know, the petite bimbo is manhandling the 500lb bike out of the rank like a pro for me to have a look at it.

Turns out she's actually senior salesman, a qualified engineer, has been riding since she was 17, and oh, has just returned from a holiday biking around Spain.

God, I hope she doesn't read this forum.

Anyway, she was good enough to lend me a tyre (tire) iron to beat my male chauvinist ego back into a sack with, and promised to call me about delivery times and availability, as the model in the shop wasn't my first choice.

Today, true to her word, she leaves me a message on my answering machine; my model of choice is available, but if I was interested in the showroom model she'll let me have it at £1000 off the list price!

The second hand CB1100 across the road, has a price tag just £500 off new list price, and, as Cormanus mentioned, they are rare as hens teeth over here so I'm not hopeful of haggling much off with the salesman.

God, I hope he doesn't read this forum.

So, do I go for 'plan A', expensive, glamorous, gorgeous and high maintenance, all chrome and spokes; or do I settle for 'plan B', the fun cheaper alternative, low, big, comfy, and dressed mainly in black....

....damn, clearly didn't tie that sack properly.

Decisions decisions.....

As impartial and totally unbiased forum readers, what do you think?

I am uniquely qualified to answer this question for you because (1) I bought my 2013 CB1100 used with 160 miles on it, and (2) guess what I traded in? A 2008 Vulcan 900 Custom Special Edition.
The low mileage on the CB was the result of the PO not liking the bike (!), and he traded it in on a Suzuki Burgman scooter. I liked the Vulcan and put over 5,000 miles on it, but there's no comparison to the CB, they're two very different bikes. The Vulcan is not as quick, but for a cruiser, it does pretty good (I outran Harleys on a regular basis), it is comfortable but has limited rear suspension travel, it handles pretty good, but things touch down easily since it's a cruiser. Around town the engine is very smooth with very little vibration and on the highway it's fine until you go past 70 MPH. Things get real buzzy above 70 on the Vulcan. That engine has been around a long time so it's pretty reliable but there have been stator problems with the Vulcan.
As for the CB1100, IMO it's more comfortable, quicker, smoother, rides better and it's lighter than a Vulcan. Good luck deciding!