2017 Honda CB1100 EX Anticipation Thread

[Stichill]

Stichill you mentioned that " there are a myriad of interesting new details about the new model, both cosmetic and functional, that merit interest." Please elaborate what you see and like. I have to admit the 2017 is growing on me.

Cool! You bet. I don't know if I can remember everything but here goes!

Obviously, we have to start with the new seamless tank. I think it has some British notes to it, but with added flair and a chrome Honda tank logo. The shape was chosen to better expose the top of the DOHC engine for our viewing pleasure:



The new taillight is very svelte and well-executed along with the more rounded rear fender and a new chrome seat rail:





18" wire wheels with (40) stainless steel spokes, wide aluminum rims, and smaller hubs (also note silver brake calipers):



The double-walled 4-into-2 exhaust is shorter, lighter, and more trim; here you can see the filled-in footpeg bracket that is shorter and exposes more of the spoked wheel:





LED lighting, chrome horns, chrome meter buckets and headlight bucket, silver clutch/brake reservoirs, chrome trim on airbox, front turn signals mounted on headlight brackets, lower triple-tree yoke mounted higher (but no additional suspension travel):



Brushed aluminum side panels:



The seat looks re-contoured and may be narrower at the front to help us short-legged riders get our feet down:



The center dash now has a silver surround and the upper triple tree yoke is a revised die-cast aluminum part, buffed and clear-coated; functional simplicity of white-on-black analog meters; another view of the silver reservoirs; tidier routing of the hoses and cable bundles; flush-mount gas cap (tankbag-friendly); different hand grips; I'm not sure what the extra switch is for (next to the left pod); the extra wire exiting the bottom of the right pod looks like it could be a heated grip (maybe that's what the switch is for on the left):



Aluminum chain guard and silver rear sprocket for a lighter look:



Black engine block to contrast/highlight exhaust downtubes and side covers:



Functional changes, from what I've read, include standard ABS, weight 540 lbs (vs '14 DLX 571 lbs), revised intake and exhaust valves/ports & shorter air inlet/revised airbox add 3HP (now 89) and lower peak torque (67 ft-lb) from 5700 to 5500 rpm, overdrive 6th-gear ratio for fuel economy and lower highway revs, revised 1st-5th gear ratios for improved response/acceleration, lightweight aluminum slipper/assist clutch (prevents tire breaking loose on aggressive downshifts and reduces lever effort 16%), a 4.4 gallon capacity on the tank, Showa dual-bending valve (SDBV) front forks, relocated rear brake hose, taller side stand to aid getting bike upright, exhaust system hugs frame tighter for more ground clearance, link pipes hole-punched and optimized for generating "evocative four-cylinder engine note."

[CB1100DLX_imp]

StichIll, go for it! I've seen it in person and is as beautifull as the photos!

[dave]

I'm really looking forward to the release of this model in the US!



From many of the comments made in other threads, it sounds like several people expect this bike to be a slow seller. Maybe yes...but maybe no (if the quantity imported is severely limited).

I've never put a deposit down on a bike (particularly a Japanese bike) ahead of release. I assume there's no point until the MSRP is set and the dealers find out about their allocation? Thoughts welcomed.

I really like the looks of the 2017, except for the silver side panels. I especially like the spoked wheels, and if they weren't so expensive I would buy a pair for my 2014 Dlx. The new tank shape looks more "modern", but I think I like the shape of my 2014 better, and I prefer an all silver engine.

I put a non-refundable $1,000.00 deposit on my Dlx when I ordered it. I had never seen one in person before I purchased mine. I was seriously considering buying the CB1100 after the first time I saw one on display at the Moto Gp in Laguna Seca, and when Honda released photos of the 2014 model I had to have one. My dealer had no plans to stock the CB1100 Dlx and insisted on the deposit before he would order one.

[CB1100DLX_imp]

I also read somewhere that the headers are double skinned so you don't get discoloration found on previous bikes.
Slipper clutch is an awesome upgrade.

[Stichill]

StichIll, go for it! I've seen it in person and is as beautifull as the photos!

I'm really looking forward to the release of this model in the US!



From many of the comments made in other threads, it sounds like several people expect this bike to be a slow seller. Maybe yes...but maybe no (if the quantity imported is severely limited).

I've never put a deposit down on a bike (particularly a Japanese bike) ahead of release. I assume there's no point until the MSRP is set and the dealers find out about their allocation? Thoughts welcomed.

I really like the looks of the 2017, except for the silver side panels. I especially like the spoked wheels, and if they weren't so expensive I would buy a pair for my 2014 Dlx. The new tank shape looks more "modern", but I think I like the shape of my 2014 better, and I prefer an all silver engine.

I put a non-refundable $1,000.00 deposit on my Dlx when I ordered it. I had never seen one in person before I purchased mine. I was seriously considering buying the CB1100 after the first time I saw one on display at the Moto Gp in Laguna Seca, and when Honda released photos of the 2014 model I had to have one. My dealer had no plans to stock the CB1100 Dlx and insisted on the deposit before he would order one.

Good to know! Thanks

I also read somewhere that the headers are double skinned so you don't get discoloration found on previous bikes.
Slipper clutch is an awesome upgrade.

Yes, the double-walled headers are pretty slick. I think they did that with the '14 DLX as well.

I've never ridden a bike with a slipper clutch, but I think it would be very helpful in wet riding conditions to keep the rear tire under control.

[Cormanus]

Stichill, you've noted the trouble with places like this forum: people don't like change and anything new gets the grumbles going. The other thing that happens is that the comparisons become a tad binary: 'is mine better than yours' kinda thing. My mother used to say 'comparisons are odious'. She was right.

As an example, in ride4now's thread I've voted for the DLX in the comparison photo simply because I reckon it looks slightly better. It was a hard choice though. Does that mean I don't like the new bikes or that I wouldn't have the EX or the RS? No way! If they came to Australia and money and good sense weren't considerations, I'd have one like a shot. Given reality says I can really only use one bike; I've got a perfectly good 2011 CB1100; I'm a bit sentimental about vehicles and we've been so far together, I wouldn't I get rid of it without there being a really good reason. Besides, I want to see how long it takes to fall to bits.

But I still think the new versions look great and I'm glad Honda's making them. And if I were in the market for a new bike and I could have either one of those, I would. Even with the spokes.

And ... in spite of any huffing and puffing around here, I'm sure we'll all be delighted if you become the first person in the US to own one and can tell us all about it. If you register it here, I'll have to do some work on the registry spreadsheet, but I'll look forward to it.

[Stichill]

Sage thoughts, Cormanus. I remember when Honda came out with the revised 2013 CBR250R paint schemes and wheel color. As a 2012 owner, the new looks didn't appeal to me - at all - but I kept my powder dry. What I would not have predicted was how many people loved the new look for the bike and ran out to buy them. The forum received a huge influx of new owners at that time.

First person in the US to own an EX? Wow, I wonder if that'd be a convincing argument to Mrs. Stichill! "But sweetheart, I've got to put the money down now. All the guys on CB1100forum.com are counting on me to be the first EX owner in the country!"

[emptysea]

When you order your bike, Stichill, tell them to toss in a set of the aluminum side covers for free and then bring them to the rally for me

[TCBronson_imp]

You did a great job Stichill and thanks for the great pics as well!

[Rolls_imp]

Quote:Indeed, the '17 tank is a departure for Honda. So was the '13 tank...it doesn't look anything like a historic Honda CB750 tank in my opinion...it's some kind of amalgamation of the upper profile of a CB750 tank, the front of a CB750F tank, and the back of a Nighthawk 750 tank. But, it still looks terrific.
What I like about the '13 is that it is not simply trying to mimic the original CB750. It aspires to be a tasteful blend of elements that made the CBs great as they evolved from '69 to '80.

The '13 tank (for better or worse) doesn't attempt to channel the early 750 - Whitehouse jumped on that need. The tank, and to a degree, the side panels, and even the seat, instead draw inspiration from the mighty CBX.

To me the 2010-13 was a brilliant homage to what made so many 70's CBs great, not a slavish copy of any one. In some aspects, like gauges, seat, and side panels, I see the newer models as a retreat from that ambitious goal, albeit to a safer (and more popular?) design mission.

[url=https://refract.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Forum-Photos/i-fS4nQsh/A]

I agree with your points on the '17 and am excited to see it in person. I recognize that the pure, air cooled riding experience offered by any year of the CB1100 platform can be enjoyed by any demographic willing to give it a try, not just oldies like me who hold fond memories of the original CB750 or of all the CBs of that decade. I think the '17 and the RS are trying to make my history and sentimentality less of a prerequisite for ownership, which could inspire other demographics to try the CB11 goodness on for size.