CB1100 as first bike?

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No one here is going to tell you not to buy it. Fact is, the bike is big and it is heavy. As an inexperienced rider you are going to drop it at some point; you'll grab a handful at slow speed turning and over she will go. It will cost $ to fix, you will wonder why you didn't buy a cheaper second hand bike to learn on.

I've only been riding for about 6 years and I'm 37.

First bike was a 1999 Honda CBR250RR. First day dropped it doing a slow turn. Then I crashed it in the hills, broke a couple levers off and road rashed the fairing. Then I dropped it again when I didn't put the stand down properly.

Second bike was a 2009 Honda CB400 (great bike and would be a perfect medium sized bike to learn on but not available in the US). Dropped it on it's side at very slow speed practicing to get my full licence, no damage to bike but strained my hamstring 'laying it down' and limped for 4 weeks, and that bike is only 190kg or do fully fueled.

Third bike was a 2005 Honda VFR800. Hated it. Too top heavy and I'm a little to short to confidently flat foot. Dropped it after doing a night shift when I was backing it out of the car park. Yeah I was dead tired but the bike is heavy and I'm only 150 pounds or so. Nice damage to fairing, levers etc. Then I dropped it in my garage after lazily taking it off the sides stand to check the oil and it toppled over, more damage, more $.

Well, I've now got the CB1100 and after a year I haven't dropped it. It's got a low centre of gravity and low seat height and It's light once you get underway, but you need some experience because it is still heavy and if it goes you will unlikely stop it unless you can squat 250 kg on one leg, trust me you will rip a muscle unless you either stop it in time or are a big bloke. It's not overly powerful so that's not really the issue, just the weight.

That is my experience. I'm not a hoon and I'm not a risk taker but it has taken me a few years and a few drops/crashes to learn. It has cost me a more than a few $ along the way as well. Once you damage a new bike the value plummets unless you fix it, and that can cost big $. Better to drop a second hand bike a few times and learn on that, and something under 200kg would be a good place to start.

In Australia as a learner rider they wouldn't even let you on a bike with a power to weight ratio over 150 k/wt per tonne, and most states won't let you ride a bike over 660cc, and even then they have to fall under the 150 k/wt per tonne, so no sports bikes. That is until you get a full licence and pass the testing which can take a while, even for 'mature' riders. Most people start out on 250cc bikes, although there are now bigger, lower powered bikes to choose from as well.

One of the bigger issues for road safety over here is riders who return after many years off a bike, sometimes 20-30 years, who have a full bike licence from years ago, and who go and buy a full powered bike because they can, and then have accidents because they can't handle the power. Now, this would not be an issue on the CB1100 because it really isn't that powerful; it's got good torque and is very linear, so it's learner friendly and if you were going to go over 1000cc and 250kg on your first bike I guess this would be the one to buy!

My 2c only Stay safe!

Just some food for thought.

I find it really sad that they don't sell that bike here. I think it's really a pretty cool bike, and definitely large enough to ride anywhere in the US.

I guess the fact is that they don't think it would sell well enough here or something. I was thinking about one of the 500 twins before buying the 1100, but I would prefer the 400 Super Four over the 500 twin any day.