Is your CB a keeper?

[Aka Tsubasa_imp]

I hope this is on topic but why don't more young people gravitate to the CB1100? It seems like anyone who rides one buys it. Just some random thinking.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Simple – ego.


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[LongRanger_imp]

Yep. It's way too underpowered for an 1100 (it should have 120+ hp, right?) and is way too heavy. It doesn't have a beak, traction control, ride by wire, ride modes, or stability control. Why would anyone want one? The old ones (pre-2017) don't even have LED lights for crying out loud.

[Aka Tsubasa_imp]

Yep. It's way too underpowered for an 1100 (it should have 120+ hp, right?) and is way too heavy. It doesn't have a beak, traction control, ride by wire, ride modes, or stability control. Why would anyone want one? The old ones (pre-2017) don't even have LED lights for crying out loud.

All of what you just described is why I like it. If one checks themself, a CB1100 is all the bike one would ever need to experience motorcycle harmony with the environment.

[Banned_imp]

Yep. It's way too underpowered for an 1100 (it should have 120+ hp, right?) and is way too heavy. It doesn't have a beak, traction control, ride by wire, ride modes, or stability control. Why would anyone want one? The old ones (pre-2017) don't even have LED lights for crying out loud.

I bought it beacause it doesn't have any of those things - I was a little iffy on the ABS and fuel injection (never had a bike with either before) but accepted them as necessary evils.

[LongRanger_imp]

All kidding aside, I think for a newbie or young rider, with other new bikes to choose from, the CB represents a fairly expensive proposition. But I could be mistaken. Motorcycling is as much about fashion and style as it is about function. Perhaps today's younger riders simply don't relate to the classic UJM styling of the CB, the same way I don't relate to the DN-01 or FZ-07.

[Rollie Bruner_imp]

@The ferret. Shaking, sound, slow speed maneuvering, low center of gravity. I had a feeling that CB is quite top heavy. I tried sportster 72, fatboy and low rider. Fatboy weights approx. 60kg more than CB, but it felt very maneuverable also in "walking" speed. Much more maneuverable than CB for me. On CB I always worn full gear, because I was little affraid of her, of that top heavy feeling. But with HD I was not afraid about anything after 10 metres. I was really surprised how easy it turns. And that feeling about engine full of life under you, engine you can feel, feeling that engine will jump out of frame and run away...(sportster 72) I wish I could keep CB, she is best looking bike, eye pleasing. I loved looking at her every morning and evening in garage. But riding on CB didn't bring any emotion for me. She is very powerfull bike, accelerates faster than harley, but for me she is (emotionally) something like ford mustang with 2.0 ecoboost engine and HD is shelby with 5L V8 (roaring...).

Enjoy your new HD, let us know how you like it. I personally tried out a few HD too. I like the twisty mountain roads but the HD foot pegs are too low, they too easily scrape the asphalt. You don't need to go fast to scrape them. That was it for me.

Enjoy your new HD, let us know how you like it. I personally tried out a few HD too. I like the twisty mountain roads but the HD foot pegs are too low, they too easily scrape the asphalt. You don't need to go fast to scrape them. That was it for me. I currently have a 2012 Harley Road King and regret ever buying it! Details in the post Bike's you were disappointed with.

[Retsel_imp]

Keeping mine! Recently added a Staintune slip on (which I love!) and hoping to Jet Hot my headers before summer's end.

Funny, I have a 2014 standard with a Staintune and have the headers at Jet Hot as we speak. They are expected to ship back to me on July 11th. I'll do a separate post once received and installed.

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[Nightengale_imp]

Yep. It's way too underpowered for an 1100 (it should have 120+ hp, right?) and is way too heavy. It doesn't have a beak, traction control, ride by wire, ride modes, or stability control. Why would anyone want one? The old ones (pre-2017) don't even have LED lights for crying out loud.

Hmm ... (I know you're being facetious, but this gives me an opportunity to increase my low post count).

90 hp (give or take) is "underpowered"? I do remember the days of superbikes dreaming of having 90hp. Heavy? Then what? The bike is a LOT lighter then many road bikes that are thought of as "desirable" to ride and own.

Traction control? Lots of people turn that stuff off, it's not necessary and can sometimes not be the best option.

Ride by what? The difference between a cable and a wire is - mostly nothing. Certainly not even a "feature".

Ride modes are seriously overblown - marketing propaganda for people who think they need this. Setup the bike for your style, conditions and weight and forgetaboutit. No need to have multiple settings.

As for the LED lights - cheap to upgrade (and unnecessary). This is the only thing I opted to do (for safety and visibility, but I do not ride at night - headlight and tailight switch to LED because they are definitely brighter. My cost was a measly $60 or so to do front and rear.

Manufactures are really in the business to sell propaganda when they build new machines, right down to the shiny paint - and the masses of "must haves" follow along with all their sales pitches and adopt these as "requirements" and "essentials" for their bikes. It's mostly cuss.

There are great old bikes around, still hopping around the world, still putting the joy into riding on their owners faces. The CB1100 is actually one of those bikes - a modern retro with better brakes, performance, ride and economy then the original. Really a great platform to "do anything" except go boonie-hopping down some rutted side road.

It seems to be an American thing (and in developed countries) to demand the latest and greatest for our toys. I am not a fan anymore of this philosophy - it robs the joy and skill and experience that "good enough" or even "excellent" and "very good" machines (and tools, computers, whatever toy floats your boat) does for the owner. It's also incredibly wasteful. In other words - the problem is not the machine, the problem is us and what we think we "need". We need to have our heads examined.

They call it greed, avarice even jealousy in some circles. Or just profit-making opportunities by manufacturers (a certain orange company comes to mind) whose market pressure forces constant development.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy in other words - they're the responsible ones for causing all of this, but we go along with it, which means we are responsible too.

I find it really cool to find riders that jump on machines that are absolutely the worst kind of bikes you could pick and go off on their adventure, living their lives, devil be damned. They're out living the life and having fun, not focusing and fantasizing and drooling over their toys. What they've got works - good enough. They've got their priorities straight - it's the rest of the greedy world that doesn't.

I already weighed in on the CB1100 as a "keeper" in this thread, even if it just sits in the garage. Definitely "good enough", definitely an excellent machine, definitely underappreciated by the idiotic masses that must have ridiculous features to enable their "fun" factor quotient and bragging rights.

Honda did a great job on this bike, and actually bucked the marketing trend noted above and this deserves some attention from riders. How often does this happen?

Quite frankly, those that can't see it aren't too bright. They're into form, fashion and other non-beneficial traits I won't mention.

Any bike will work, but the CB1100 is a great bike, no question about it.

[pdedse]

93.7% of my decision to buy the CB1100 was based on looks, it was that simple for me. So yes, it's a keeper.