12-23-2016, 03:19 AM
[url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=9835&pid=159155#pid159155]I traded my 2013 CB1100 (non-ABS) in on another bike yesterday.
It was purchased new in July, 2013, and had a little over 10,000 miles on it when it was traded. Not much riding for three and a half years, really, but it was shared among several other rides so it did get some attention.
The bottom line for me is that I struggled for those 40-odd months to get this bike to work for me. I replaced the very poorly-sprung and underdamped shocks with Ikon units, which were a major improvement, and I had no further issues after that. The fork oil was exchanged for 15W, which was adequate, and as I've mentioned I swapped all the brake lines for Galfer stainless pieces, and the front brake pads for EBC sintered superbike pads resulting in extremely powerful braking. That's no surprise, as the bike comes with calipers sourced from the parts bike of Honda's supersport bikes of around 2008 or so. I replaced the handlebars with CB500 bars along with the internal and external weights for those bars, which smoothed the engine out nicely and provided a sporting riding position.
I fitted Continental Classic Race II tires, which work very well on the bike and wear quite respectably. Handling overally for a bike of this kind was very good, and I cannot fault it based on the bike's weight and mission.
But in the last analysis, the one feature that finally convinced me to let the CB1100 go without a backward glance (well, maybe one brief glance) was the weight. The bike, in my opinion, is just too heavy and ponderous to dissipate the sense that the weight always needs to be considered into every ride. Even with the terrific binders, slowing the bike showed its heft. While it is certainly very agile once it gets rolling above a walking speed, [url=http://www.cycleworld.com/learn-rarely-used-technique-to-motorcycle-riding-ienatsch-tuesday]a simple instance of missed footing could result in a troublesome experience. The bike is quite top-heavy, requiring the same level of attention to "right foot down, left foot down?" that Mr. Ienatsch discusses in the linked article above. Dropping this bike whilst riding alone is going to result in a long walk or long wait if one is not near help. It's quite heavy.
I have to use a very high level of attention to "right/left" foot placement when riding my ADV, which is fairly tall, but the bike is only 470 pounds wet, has a massive set of steel cages surrounding the expensive parts, and could probably be righted in an upset by one person if it wasn't on a slope or in some kind of unusual attitude. That's absolutely not the case with the CB1100.
It's a good-looking machine, the engine being the main attraction. That was always the visual I liked best. But the fuel tank never looke right to me. It was more attractive with a tank bag fitted. Honda had to make it quite wide to get even the 3.6 gallons of fuel it carried inside. The bike is very well-made, no question about that. The valves were all in perfect specification when I took a day to check them at around 8000 miles. It uses no significant amount of oil, either.
I think the CB1100 succeeds for those riders either looking for trip back to the 1970s, or for those doing longer rides with a sportier intention, with bags and baggage and a frayed map shoved into the clear pocket of a tankbag. Larger humans, with a generous inseam and without any physical infirmities, will do very well with the CB1100. Ironically, many of the buyers it attracts (like myself) are around 60 years old and have at least one reason why they would not care to lift a 540-lb motorcycle by themselves.
If Honda had brought this bike in at a sub-500-lb weight I'd probably still own it, but those extra 50 pounds of weight are what sealed the deal. I see that the 2017 is no lighter, but does have more fuel and apparently some changes to power delivery. Power delivery was never a problem with the CB1100 in my view, and I have some very fast motorcycle to compare it with. It was blessed with a great powerband, generous torque, and enough going on between 6-8K RPM to keep my interest. No problems there. I didn't even mind the more-frequent fuel stops.
Just put the thing on a diet, Honda, and make it a little more reminiscent of the cafe' styling as noted in the CB1100RS, and I think they'll sell. But for the new EX, I just cannot be optimistic. It's like they say in the magazines, there isn't a whole lot more going on with the 2017 other than "Bold New Graphics." And that's a shame, because the air-cooled, inline four platform is one of the very best.
It was purchased new in July, 2013, and had a little over 10,000 miles on it when it was traded. Not much riding for three and a half years, really, but it was shared among several other rides so it did get some attention.
The bottom line for me is that I struggled for those 40-odd months to get this bike to work for me. I replaced the very poorly-sprung and underdamped shocks with Ikon units, which were a major improvement, and I had no further issues after that. The fork oil was exchanged for 15W, which was adequate, and as I've mentioned I swapped all the brake lines for Galfer stainless pieces, and the front brake pads for EBC sintered superbike pads resulting in extremely powerful braking. That's no surprise, as the bike comes with calipers sourced from the parts bike of Honda's supersport bikes of around 2008 or so. I replaced the handlebars with CB500 bars along with the internal and external weights for those bars, which smoothed the engine out nicely and provided a sporting riding position.
I fitted Continental Classic Race II tires, which work very well on the bike and wear quite respectably. Handling overally for a bike of this kind was very good, and I cannot fault it based on the bike's weight and mission.
But in the last analysis, the one feature that finally convinced me to let the CB1100 go without a backward glance (well, maybe one brief glance) was the weight. The bike, in my opinion, is just too heavy and ponderous to dissipate the sense that the weight always needs to be considered into every ride. Even with the terrific binders, slowing the bike showed its heft. While it is certainly very agile once it gets rolling above a walking speed, [url=http://www.cycleworld.com/learn-rarely-used-technique-to-motorcycle-riding-ienatsch-tuesday]a simple instance of missed footing could result in a troublesome experience. The bike is quite top-heavy, requiring the same level of attention to "right foot down, left foot down?" that Mr. Ienatsch discusses in the linked article above. Dropping this bike whilst riding alone is going to result in a long walk or long wait if one is not near help. It's quite heavy.
I have to use a very high level of attention to "right/left" foot placement when riding my ADV, which is fairly tall, but the bike is only 470 pounds wet, has a massive set of steel cages surrounding the expensive parts, and could probably be righted in an upset by one person if it wasn't on a slope or in some kind of unusual attitude. That's absolutely not the case with the CB1100.
It's a good-looking machine, the engine being the main attraction. That was always the visual I liked best. But the fuel tank never looke right to me. It was more attractive with a tank bag fitted. Honda had to make it quite wide to get even the 3.6 gallons of fuel it carried inside. The bike is very well-made, no question about that. The valves were all in perfect specification when I took a day to check them at around 8000 miles. It uses no significant amount of oil, either.
I think the CB1100 succeeds for those riders either looking for trip back to the 1970s, or for those doing longer rides with a sportier intention, with bags and baggage and a frayed map shoved into the clear pocket of a tankbag. Larger humans, with a generous inseam and without any physical infirmities, will do very well with the CB1100. Ironically, many of the buyers it attracts (like myself) are around 60 years old and have at least one reason why they would not care to lift a 540-lb motorcycle by themselves.
If Honda had brought this bike in at a sub-500-lb weight I'd probably still own it, but those extra 50 pounds of weight are what sealed the deal. I see that the 2017 is no lighter, but does have more fuel and apparently some changes to power delivery. Power delivery was never a problem with the CB1100 in my view, and I have some very fast motorcycle to compare it with. It was blessed with a great powerband, generous torque, and enough going on between 6-8K RPM to keep my interest. No problems there. I didn't even mind the more-frequent fuel stops.
Just put the thing on a diet, Honda, and make it a little more reminiscent of the cafe' styling as noted in the CB1100RS, and I think they'll sell. But for the new EX, I just cannot be optimistic. It's like they say in the magazines, there isn't a whole lot more going on with the 2017 other than "Bold New Graphics." And that's a shame, because the air-cooled, inline four platform is one of the very best.
) opinion can't be discounted just because it differs from another's. For those who have no problem with the CB's weight, I certainly salute you, and really wish that I shared your feeling!
