Reactions to the CB1100 elsewhere...

[ingobohn_imp]

A buddy in Slovenia had a Moto Guzzi Nevada, had some issues with the bike but his biggest problem was the local dealer. Replaced the Nevada with a HD XR1200 and loves it. Local buddy has a 2009 Griso and sunk a ton of money into it to get it to run the way he wants. I have the 2012 and it runs like a champ. I have three "complaints", too much power, mileage is not that good and the seat sucks. Working on two of them but I fear the mileage thing is just a nature of the beast.

Guzzi seems to have more of what is fun about Italian bikes and less of the bad. I hope the trend continues. The CB embodies all the good about the old Honda and less of the bad (ownership of a CB350F is teaching me four carbs is not a good thing). Now if Honda will just get off its' bum and decide how to fix my bike I'll be golden.

I did find the Bonny to be a very nice machine but the motor had the personality of milk toast. Meh.

According to the grapevine, the quality seems to get better since Piaggio (the Vespa manufacturer) acquired Guzzi some years ago. The V7 2013 model was the first one where Piaggio had a significant influence already during the development phase of the engine (it is said that roughly 70% of the engine parts are "new").
Let's see if this trend fosters - especially with the brand new models like the California 1200 and so on.

I would have bought the V7 if the CB had not come out. But the V7 is a bit small for me (think long arms and legs) and 50 horses is OK, but ten more would have been better to help on the mountain passes. 80hp is more than enough for me.

V7 is pretty afar, it is a bit crude up close, not as nice as my VF500F 20 yrs ago. I guess they still home cook spaghetti the same way in the factory. That make my comparison unfair. Yes, I would consider the V7 seriously until CB comes out, that eliminate many bikes I have in mind.

I now get used to 80 horses, and long for more, as I discover I love power to pass a bunch of trucks with 15L turbo diesel engines on 6% grade quickly at 80 as effortless as accelerates at 6% downhill all in 5th gear

I would have bought the V7 if the CB had not come out. But the V7 is a bit small for me (think long arms and legs) and 50 horses is OK, but ten more would have been better to help on the mountain passes. 80hp is more than enough for me.

Yes, right, the V7 engine is quite nice and would have been enough for me. Good sound and nice torque.
But the gear box was terrible (okay, if you are used to a Honda gear box then it is hard for other brands to compete with), the V7 has no ABS and ... errr ... it is "Made in Italy" (with all its pros and cons). My colleague has a Guzzi Stelvio and had/has lots of trouble with it.
The Bonnie disappointed me with its boring engine and the too-much-retro look, but a pro was the built quality.
While I was a bit clueless what to do, Honda issued some weeks later the CB 1100.

I am astounded to hear these things on many bikes, a company send out a bad product to buyers has no respect to its customers

Maybe it is not (only) a matter of respect but also a matter of the customer's view or focus. For example, if someone does not care about ABS (or even hates it), the V7 or Bonnie would be - maybe - a perfect bike for him.
My colleague test rode the Bonnie after I test rode the bike and although I told him that I am not so enthusiastic about that bike. Later, he told me that he ordered 2 (!) of them, another one for his girl-friend because the Bonnie was the perfect fit for him. As far as I know him I can understand that, he simply has a different focus than I have.
So it is fine that "the market" offers a lot of products for everyone's gusto.