06-24-2014, 11:23 PM
Awhile back, like a year ago I had posted a list of the favorite bikes that I had owned
From that thread:
As far as street bikes go, I have had 6 Harleys, 9 Hondas (now 10) 3 Suzukis, 1 Kawasaki, 7 Yamahas, 1 Triumph and 1 BSA ( plus a bunch of dirt bikes...mostly Yamahas)
There are several that stand out in my mind:
#1 77 KZ 1000 B Kawasaki (probably my all time favorite, big, powerful, smooth, beautifully proportioned, ...and much like the CB 1100)
# 2. 04 and 01 FZ-1 Yamahas (like the bike so much I bought 2 of them..awesome power, brakes and handling, big tank, 6 speed, great solo sport tourer with soft luggage and a tank bag)
# 3. 81 GS 850 G Suzuki (nice mid size shafty, very comfortable and large fuel capacity)
# 4 83 GS 1100 E Suzuki ( brute of a motorcycle for its time)
# 5 76 GT 750 Suzuki ( really nice tourer with a Windjammer 3 Fairing, Bates trunk and Eclipse tank bag...and I loved that 2 stroke 3 cylinder burble at idle and wail while
Honorable mentions:
06 Honda ST 1300 ( Simply awesome for long distance travel, but a pia around town where its weight and bulk become a liability)
2000 Honda 750 Nighthawk ( great very low maintenance all arounder with hydraulic valves. Easy to work on when you had to, no epa crap. On the downside it was small, and lacked power and brakes ... Things the CB 11 address)
Well, It's time to revise the list
At number 1.... I am going to place the 2014 Honda CB 1100 DLX and the 13 CB 1100 std. Between the 13 I owned and the 14, they have proven to be comfortable, reliable, handle well, and have awesome brakes. Quiet, oil free, and get great gas mileage. Plus the 14 Dlx ticks all my looks boxes.They are outstanding motorcycles, everything I look for in a motorcycle.
At number 2 I am still placing the 77 KZ 1000 B. Virtually identical in nearly every way to the CB's, especially the DLX. It was my favorite until the CB 1100 came along. Took 37 years, but it was finally knocked off the top of the podium.
At number 3 I am moving up the ST 1300 ( previously it was an honorable mention) No matter which direction in this country or how far, the ST goes about it's business with zero fuss. It's big and it's heavy but dang, point it to California, or Maine or North Carolina, or Washington state, throw all your junk it its bags and fairing, take a passenger ( it doesn't care) and the 1300 cc v4 shaft driven bike says " no problemo". The electric windshield is ingenious. What a great touring bike.
At # 4 are going to be the 01 and 04 Yamaha FZ-1 s. Comfortable, great handling, great braking, 125 HP rockets which make great solo sport tourers. I loved both of mine.
# 5 is going to be the Suzuki GS 850G. An under rated sport tourer with mags, triple discs, shaft drive and a 5.8 gallon gas tank. Great seat, classic inline 4 with 4 into 2 exhausts. Mine was root beer brown. Even loved the unusual color. Suzuki should bring this back.
Congrats Honda, you are the new # 1 for me. That's quite an accomplishment, and well deserved IMO.
From that thread:
As far as street bikes go, I have had 6 Harleys, 9 Hondas (now 10) 3 Suzukis, 1 Kawasaki, 7 Yamahas, 1 Triumph and 1 BSA ( plus a bunch of dirt bikes...mostly Yamahas)
There are several that stand out in my mind:
#1 77 KZ 1000 B Kawasaki (probably my all time favorite, big, powerful, smooth, beautifully proportioned, ...and much like the CB 1100)
# 2. 04 and 01 FZ-1 Yamahas (like the bike so much I bought 2 of them..awesome power, brakes and handling, big tank, 6 speed, great solo sport tourer with soft luggage and a tank bag)
# 3. 81 GS 850 G Suzuki (nice mid size shafty, very comfortable and large fuel capacity)
# 4 83 GS 1100 E Suzuki ( brute of a motorcycle for its time)
# 5 76 GT 750 Suzuki ( really nice tourer with a Windjammer 3 Fairing, Bates trunk and Eclipse tank bag...and I loved that 2 stroke 3 cylinder burble at idle and wail while
Honorable mentions:
06 Honda ST 1300 ( Simply awesome for long distance travel, but a pia around town where its weight and bulk become a liability)
2000 Honda 750 Nighthawk ( great very low maintenance all arounder with hydraulic valves. Easy to work on when you had to, no epa crap. On the downside it was small, and lacked power and brakes ... Things the CB 11 address)
Well, It's time to revise the list
At number 1.... I am going to place the 2014 Honda CB 1100 DLX and the 13 CB 1100 std. Between the 13 I owned and the 14, they have proven to be comfortable, reliable, handle well, and have awesome brakes. Quiet, oil free, and get great gas mileage. Plus the 14 Dlx ticks all my looks boxes.They are outstanding motorcycles, everything I look for in a motorcycle.
At number 2 I am still placing the 77 KZ 1000 B. Virtually identical in nearly every way to the CB's, especially the DLX. It was my favorite until the CB 1100 came along. Took 37 years, but it was finally knocked off the top of the podium.
At number 3 I am moving up the ST 1300 ( previously it was an honorable mention) No matter which direction in this country or how far, the ST goes about it's business with zero fuss. It's big and it's heavy but dang, point it to California, or Maine or North Carolina, or Washington state, throw all your junk it its bags and fairing, take a passenger ( it doesn't care) and the 1300 cc v4 shaft driven bike says " no problemo". The electric windshield is ingenious. What a great touring bike.
At # 4 are going to be the 01 and 04 Yamaha FZ-1 s. Comfortable, great handling, great braking, 125 HP rockets which make great solo sport tourers. I loved both of mine.
# 5 is going to be the Suzuki GS 850G. An under rated sport tourer with mags, triple discs, shaft drive and a 5.8 gallon gas tank. Great seat, classic inline 4 with 4 into 2 exhausts. Mine was root beer brown. Even loved the unusual color. Suzuki should bring this back.
Congrats Honda, you are the new # 1 for me. That's quite an accomplishment, and well deserved IMO.