Starting on a CB1100 as a first bike

[buckwheat_imp]

I had never driven a dirt bike, smaller motorcycle, or anything but a car but my first motorcycle purchase was in fact the cb1100.

I wouldn't recommend buying it and trying to drive it home. I trailered it home and then practiced for several days in our huge church parking lot.

It was terrifying and I felt like I had made a very expensive mistake but after a while of practicing in a controlled environment I am now completely comfortable on the bike.
I'm also 6 1 and 175 pounds so the weight of the bike wasn't a huge deal for me.

So my answer is yes and no. You decide.


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To be fair against my previous post, my nephew at 25yrs old did the same thing. He had never owned a motorcycle of his own although he had ridden a few smaller bike on occasion. His dad came into some money so he bought my nephew a next to new full dressed Harley Davidson. The dealer wouldn't even let him test drive it because he didn't have a motorcycle license. He later took the motorcycle safety course on that bike and got his license. I thought it was a very bad idea. He did crash and total it on the intestate a few months later. Luckily he got it slowed down enough and with the help of full crash bars and the saddle bags he wasn't injured save but some light road rash. He bought another HD with the insurance check. This was 2 years ago. So some people do go full big bike on their first purchase.

[ride4now_imp]

The internet is full of people making strawmen arguments as to why they should not heed the ancient wisdom of starting on something cheap/easy/light. I'm not going to rehash this stupid argument again, not going to address your bullet points, a simple google search will tell what does and does not make a good starter bike. A cb1100 will cross every t under "do not buy" column. Whatever your reasoning may be, it's incorrect. Looks like you've done some homework and already know this.

Maybe some idiot will show up and tell you it's okay because whatever reasons. People convince themselves that driving without seatbelt is okay too. Some don't wear protective gear. Some think that drinking their own pee in the morning is the healthiest way to go. But collective riding experience of millions of riders, backed by insurance statistics, make for a pretty ironclad argument. You're welcome to disregard all that and do what you wish.

Now for actual advise.
Take MSF first and foremost.
Buy proper protective gear. Don't buy anything online because you want it to fit well, especially the helmet.
Buy a standard motorcycle, like a ninja 250. Ride it for 2 years, sell it for the exact amount of money you bought it for. It's your throwaway bike, but keep it mechanically sound.
Don't buy anything brand new because it will lose value. Also because you will cuss it up in some way or another and it will lose more value. So get something that already has scratches for bottom barrel price.
Go to demo events, ride any bike you can get your hands on. If your friends have motorcycles, try to ride em. Bikes, not friends.
Your opinion on what you actually like is subject to a wild fluctuation. In 2 years you'll have a much better idea of what kind of riding you like to do. And there is a range of bikes tailored to every type.

I'll add that a CB 1100 is a vanity standard cruiser bike that shines on short trips and is great for suburban sprawl. A jack of all trades and master of none. You like it because of it's looks, which is cool. But you don't learn to play guitar on a 12 string, I mean you welcome to it, but it won't crush your leg when you forget your kickstand on a hill. I suck at analogies

Good luck

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before.

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before. Well, think about it. It's a very smooth inoffensive and mediocre motorcycle. Nobody here or anywhere bought it because it excels at anything other than looking very pretty. It's made to cruise, not perform.

VSC license plate is available in my state. Hmmmm

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before. Well, think about it. It's a very smooth inoffensive and mediocre motorcycle. Nobody here or anywhere bought it because it excels at anything other than looking very pretty. It's made to cruise, not perform.

VSC license plate is available in my state. Hmmmm
Mediocre??? Really? I must have flipped forums by mistake...

[memphismike_imp]

I took in MSF class in 2001. My first purchase was a Shadow Sabre 1100. I think the CB1100 is fine for a starter bike. Buy something smaller and you will be selling it 3 months later.


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I see everyone talking about how heavy the CB1100 is. It feels like a bicycle compared to my GoldWing of 950LBs!!!


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[LikeAfox_imp]

The internet is full of people making strawmen arguments as to why they should not heed the ancient wisdom of starting on something cheap/easy/light. I'm not going to rehash this stupid argument again, not going to address your bullet points, a simple google search will tell what does and does not make a good starter bike. A cb1100 will cross every t under "do not buy" column. Whatever your reasoning may be, it's incorrect. Looks like you've done some homework and already know this.

Maybe some idiot will show up and tell you it's okay because whatever reasons. People convince themselves that driving without seatbelt is okay too. Some don't wear protective gear. Some think that drinking their own pee in the morning is the healthiest way to go. But collective riding experience of millions of riders, backed by insurance statistics, make for a pretty ironclad argument. You're welcome to disregard all that and do what you wish.

Now for actual advise.
Take MSF first and foremost.
Buy proper protective gear. Don't buy anything online because you want it to fit well, especially the helmet.
Buy a standard motorcycle, like a ninja 250. Ride it for 2 years, sell it for the exact amount of money you bought it for. It's your throwaway bike, but keep it mechanically sound.
Don't buy anything brand new because it will lose value. Also because you will cuss it up in some way or another and it will lose more value. So get something that already has scratches for bottom barrel price.
Go to demo events, ride any bike you can get your hands on. If your friends have motorcycles, try to ride em. Bikes, not friends.
Your opinion on what you actually like is subject to a wild fluctuation. In 2 years you'll have a much better idea of what kind of riding you like to do. And there is a range of bikes tailored to every type.

I'll add that a CB 1100 is a vanity standard cruiser bike that shines on short trips and is great for suburban sprawl. A jack of all trades and master of none. You like it because of it's looks, which is cool. But you don't learn to play guitar on a 12 string, I mean you welcome to it, but it won't crush your leg when you forget your kickstand on a hill. I suck at analogies

Good luck

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before.

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before. Well, think about it. It's a very smooth inoffensive and mediocre motorcycle. Nobody here or anywhere bought it because it excels at anything other than looking very pretty. It's made to cruise, not perform.

VSC license plate is available in my state. Hmmmm

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before. Well, think about it. It's a very smooth inoffensive and mediocre motorcycle. Nobody here or anywhere bought it because it excels at anything other than looking very pretty. It's made to cruise, not perform.

VSC license plate is available in my state. Hmmmm
Mediocre??? Really? I must have flipped forums by mistake...

a what??? That's a description I've never heard before. Well, think about it. It's a very smooth inoffensive and mediocre motorcycle. Nobody here or anywhere bought it because it excels at anything other than looking very pretty. It's made to cruise, not perform.

VSC license plate is available in my state. Hmmmm
Mediocre??? Really? I must have flipped forums by mistake... Ride more bikes

[ride4now_imp]

LAF - you don't know me and you don't know how many bikes I've ridden or owned. So I'll take that comment for what it obviously is. In addition, you publicly state that a machine is mediocre and say it to the fans who obviously do not agree with you or they wouldn't be hanging out here. That my friend is a form of heresy. The point is, these are all opinions (yours too) and like it or not, yours (at least in this forum) is in the minority. Which may actually be a fact... Have a great day!

[Aka Tsubasa_imp]

I smell a foxy troll.......

[emptysea]

A quote from Like A Fox "It's an incredible machine, plan on keeping it forever. "

[nhawk7504_imp]

I learned to ride on an 80cc two stroke in the dirt and also a 250cc Trials bike which was meant to go slow over obstacles. Trail riding taught me about sand, wheels slipping, mud, skidding, the back tire slipping, both tires skidding on the brakes, riding through water and mud at the same time, riding up very steep hills thru and around pine trees with the bike trying to flip over, riding on slippery rain soaked trails, tipping the bike over, flipping it over backwards, riding up and down deep sand pit hills etc. So, yeah smaller bikes taught me a lot. They also sell very easily when it's time to move on to something else. My first street bike was a Honda Nigthhawk 650 and it weighed 465 pounds and had 74 HP.

[ride4now_imp]

Back to the subject at hand. I'm sure the CB has been a first bike to many but I don't think it would be a wise decision. I agree that the bike is a bit heavy and could actually be too powerful (pun not intended) for a new rider. I guess it would actually depend on the rider, him or her self, and whether they're 'confortable) on the bike. I think most people would be better off to start with something smaller and less expensive and then move up from there. But alas, and again, just an opinion. Good luck with your decision!

[LikeAfox_imp]

LAF - you don't know me and you don't know how many bikes I've ridden or owned. So I'll take that comment for what it obviously is. In addition, you publicly state that a machine is mediocre and say it to the fans who obviously do not agree with you or they wouldn't be hanging out here. That my friend is a form of heresy. The point is, these are all opinions (yours too) and like it or not, yours (at least in this forum) is in the minority. Which may actually be a fact... Have a great day!

All of this is true. And my opinion is just a matter of my own perspective and personal experience, so please judge it on your own merit. I'm a fan of cb1100 and plan on keeping it forever, however that does not stop me from seeing its shortcomings, which are just as prevalent in any other consumer product. I like it because it's a beautiful and easygoing motorcycle. I don't like how primitive and underwhelming it is for its price range (lack of traction control, stability and abs for $11k, to be precise). You can buy a Super Tenere for $2k more and it's twice the bike cb1100 will ever be.

To stay on topic, a first motorcycle is supposed to teach you how to ride. A top heavy bike with loads of low end torque will do NO SUCH THING. I have a friend who started on a heavy cruiser then graduated to a heavy BMW touring machine. He still can't do a U-turn in less than 3 lanes of traffic and nearly parks it around sharper corners. All because he was insecure about buying something small and light, but that's a mental issue, not a practical one. I bought a GZ250 and rode it for a year, because that's what we had at MSF and now can do figure 8 in a single traffic lane.

There is a proper tool for every job. Can you start on a cb1100? Sure. But just like forcing imperial sockets on metric bolts, it's a stupid thing to do.