Aiming for beauty and fun that transcend the numbers

[The Spaceman_imp]

The video link is working today.

After watching the video several times, I finally got to see the bike in person at the Honda tent at Bike Week in Daytona. I was shocked at how small it was. Based on the video I expected the bike would be in the size range of a VMax or at least a big cruiser. Little did I realize the Japanese test rider ("former GP rider") was 4' 3" and 80 lbs. dripping wet...

[rboe]

You hit on a critical point I was worried about when I saw the first few videos of this bike. It looked like it may be big enough for me (long arms and legs) but it was difficult to judge the size using the models sitting on the bike. In person I don't she is all that small (she's no Goldwing for sure). Seat could be higher so I fear I'll have to spring for an after market seat once I can put some miles on her and find out just how she fits me.

[cbdtran_imp]

This is a pretty neat discussion from the CB1100's primary designer about how our bikes wound up the way they are.

http://world.honda.com/design/designers-...100/page2/

Hope I'm not repeating a previous post; I did a search for it but didn't find it listed before now.

the CB was designed primary for Japanese market I believed, thus the mildly tuned engine and speed restriction. They later export to Australia and it is not a good seller. My dealer personnel told me that Honda told them they gave each dealer 3 bikes to see if they COULD sell it. Just because American are power hungry riders, this bike make the same amount of horse as Suzuki SV650.

Honda designed this bike to be like the org CB750, they even make it a bit rougher by delaying the cam on engine 1 and 2. They even delayed the throttle response so the bike won't be too responsive to hot hands. Being on target in Japan, small road, speed limit at 60 MPH, the CB is easy to ride, nothing too exiting even it is much more powerful than the CB750. On YouTube, there are many clips show Japanese women ride this bike; easy, smooth, not foo fast, to show how easy this bike is.

I enjoy this bike very much for it fits me well, but I live here in USA, sometime, I feel I need more horses and torques because I get adjusted myself to good power of the bike, the road is much bigger, the speed faster, on long stretch of highway, 80 MPH is normal. But then, Cycle World tested the bike - 0-60 MPH at < 3.3 sec, quarter mile run at 11.8 sec (@110 MPH restricted speed of the bike) this bike has performance of super bike 10 yrs back, more than good for great American grannies on illegal steroid.

My two main complaints of the bike:

1) not enough power
2) weight

The BMW R1200R is larger but lighter, why this bike weights 540 lbs? I guess that I always ask for more.