The true beauty of this motorcycle. (another LONG read)

[Retsel_imp]

Maybe it's just me but, as I've aged I find it reassuring to have a indicator to confirm my suspicions as to what great I am in. I tend to loose track more often as the years advance. Even when it is neutral. I love everything about the bikes retro/modern meld including gear and neutral indicators.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[Guth_imp]

I agree that while I don't need a gear indicator, I prefer having one. In terms of the 'N' indicator, in no way is it necessary; again, it's just a preference thing, as the display looks better when something fills the large space normally occupied by a number, as it does on the new Z900 and Z900RS, and my old BMW. I just don't like seeing the large blank space there.

As to the rest of Guth's post, I prefer those longer missives. One-sentence blurbs don't get me fired up. I want someone to vent their spleen, or rain down hosannas from the mountaintop.

Passion. I love the passion for this motorcycle by those who truly know, and Guth's longer posts are great examples of this passion. A large part of why I want a CB1100 has to do with the obsessive engineering that went into its creation. I don't necessarily agree with all of the decisions Honda made for this motorcycle—namely, going way overboard in limiting the engine's output, and artificially capping the rpm much too early in the top gears—but I've come to realize that these things won't really affect my real-world enjoyment of the bike, once I get used to it. What will affect my enjoyment of the motorcycle is the obvious passion that drove Honda to sweat every last detail of the project.

That level of joyous passion sticks. It's obvious, and it matters.

Thanks VLJ — I can understand where you're coming from. I do tend to go on a bit at times — it tends to happen that way with things that I care about. I don't necessarily expect people to agree with me and I welcome an open dialogue (which I think is one of the great strengths of this forum). I just want to let people know how I feel about things sometimes.

The passion for this bike is certainly real. I'd never thought about starting a forum until the CB1100 came along. A few years back, a bunch of us were participating in a very lengthy discussion by way of a thread (currently at more than 245 pages and 4,900 posts!) about the CB1100 over on the ADVrider forum. I'm a disgrace as far as ADV credentials go, but that thread came up for me in a search back before the bike was actually released here in North America. So I joined the site, joined the conversation and I must admit that I really enjoyed myself. That was the single best resource for CB1100 info at the time. (I had searched many times, but no one had yet started a forum dedicated to the CB1100.)

I started to grow concerned that people's interest in that particular thread would eventually die out and I didn't want to see the conversation end. So I registered the domain for this place and started researching what I needed to do to get a forum up and running. My biggest fear was that no one from the ADVrider forum would want to join a CB1100 specific forum. To this day, I remain incredibly relieved that my fears were not realized. I you look at the first few pages of the member list for this forum, it almost reads like a who's who from that sing ADVrider thread, lol. You guys know who you are — maybe some of you will chime in on this conversation with memories of your own from back in the days when we were still waiting for this incredible machine to arrive. I remain incredibly grateful that Honda saw fit to bring the CB1100 here to North America. I ended up not only with a great bike also with a great bunch of guys that I enjoy conversing with as a result. I'm still amazed at the sheer amount of motorcycle-related knowledge the members of this forum have. Most guys around here know far more about motorcycles/motorcycling than I do. Good stuff!

[pdedse]

Guth, even tho' I've sold my CB1100, I can't help coming back to this forum. I've been on several KLR forums, a few Sportster ones, trying to break the ice at one of the Triumph forums...but I really like the way this one works. Friendly people, good topics both mechanical and just "shootin' the breeze". It's still a highlight of my day to check in and see what folks have to say about bikes. Glad you made the effort to start this forum!

[Guth_imp]

Thanks pdedse! I'm glad that you're sticking around. Hopefully I can get a chance to check out the new Triumph some time — maybe let me know if you're planning another day ride over to Astoria this summer.

[cookiemech]

Can't add much to what's been said so far, but I am very much enjoying reading about the development and relative purity of the CB1100 design. It's refreshing to hear about something other than engine mods for more power and the latest chrome add-on (even though I do have Harleys and read the H-D forums).

This forum also seems much less contentious than others I read.

Think I gotta get me one of these bikes soon!

[Cormanus]

Thanks for sharing, Guth. I always enjoy reading your thoughts.*

It's good to be reminded that the CB1100 appears to have about Honda realising it's own dream and not building something they they had a huge investment in selling large numbers of. At the same time it has attracted a following around the world, and continues to appeal to lots of people who would never buy one but take immense pleasure in approaching owners and saying something like 'I had one just like that back in the day'.

So, it's not only us. Its given lots of other people a vicarious pleasure. Mine went for a shortish ride this morning. I still get a kick out of riding it.

* Moderator crawls for 10% pay rise, certain he will get it instantly. Why? That's right. You guessed it.

0 x 10% =

[the Ferret]

The ADV thread pre CB1100 forum is where I met Guth and old F7guy (rip) and Inline4 aka plungerhead and popgun. Guth started this forum about 6 am and 3 hours later a bunch of us from the ADV thread were suddenly here discussing the CB1100 lol. I picked up my 2013 CB on March 29 and joined this forum on April 14. At least 3 of the first 10 members of the forum that joined 5 years ago are still active on the forum daily.

[Lord Popgun]

Ferret, I could never get signed up on ADV and could not find a way to contact a moderator that could help. I think we met either here, or on the old UK CB board, although I most likely saw posts by you on ADV.

[Bheezy27403_imp]

I like your take on the bike Guth. Honda engineers went out of their way to "build" old tech into a bike. Where most manufacturers embrace the latest and greatest (Honda included) on just about everything made now it is refreshing to "feel" what seems to be a time machine. Air cooling is a must for me, I love the carbs on my Triumph, never had a mono shock or gear indicator for that matter...don't want it. Don't want ride modes, ABS, ride by wire. You can keep it all. I'm very much looking forward to finishing my RD 350 for another blast of low tech. To me these are bikes. Even with the FI on the CB it still feels (and looks) like a bike should in my opinion. The Janus Phoenix 250 in the "other bike" thread has piqued my interest as well (dang it).

We all ride what we want and we all want different things but I for one am a less is more kinda guy. The CB, in all of it's modern trimmings, still scratches that itch for me. And, like you Guth, am very happy they made this time machine the way they did.

[the Ferret]

Ferret, I could never get signed up on ADV and could not find a way to contact a moderator that could help. I think we met either here, or on the old UK CB board, although I most likely saw posts by you on ADV.

Must have been here then popgun. We both had the same sign up date less than 2 hours apart on the first day this forum started. Hard to believe it's coming up on 5 years now.

The UK board started after this one and died a relatively quick and painful death with little interest.

Once this forum got up and running I never went back to the ADV board. This is home.