Bonneville vs CB1100

[The Spaceman_imp]

Interesting to read the comments about the bike fitting.

I have owned Jeeps and Mercedes vehicles and have felt their seats to be initially flat and unyielding - pretty much the way I feel about the CB's seat, a week into ownership.

From experience, I know that over time those seats, and my arse (ass) come to fit each other just fine.

I hope, and expect the same will happen with the CB.

My arse (ass) of course, will now need to be a little more accommodating and flexible (I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE ABOUT SNIGGERING IN THE BACK THERE) to deal with jumping from car to bike.

I've just had a crisis.

[Tripod_imp]

A while back I really wanted a Bonnie as I thought it looked great. When I then got around to spending some time on it, I was actually really disappointed for a number of reasons. The main problem for me though was the engine which I thought lacked both power and feeling. So, then I started looking at the Kawasaki W800, which is equally good looking. Here the engine was much nicer, but in the end I also found it lacked power.

What I wanted initially was the Ducati 1000 GT, which has a very competent chassis and a great air-cooled twin. The problem here is that they don't make them any more, and second hands are hard to come by. So, on the Italian front I then tested the Guzzi V7. For me this one fell in the category of the Bonnie and the W800. Well Guzzi also makes the Griso which was actually really nice. Still, as much as I like the Griso, it just was not quite right.

Then I tried the new BMW R nine T. Wow!! That bike was just perfect. I love the looks, and it was just amazing to ride. Having sold my Moto Morini Corsaro, I went to buy the Beemer. Unfortunately the earliest I could get one would be next year, so no deal.

That is when I decided to try the CB1100. I remember when Honda had the prototype on show a number of years back, and that I liked the looks. The thing is, I have never been much for four in lines. Somehow, twins just seem to be the perfect engine for bikes. Since I was getting a bit desperate for a new bike, I decided to have a go on the Honda nevertheless. Well, one word: perfection!

As a kid in the 70's I would dream of a CB 750, and I still think that is one of the most beautiful bikes ever. The CB1100 reproduces that look perfectly, but with a slightly modern twist to it. It is a real quality bike that rides like a dream. It is exactly what I wanted now.

Henrik, are you still going to buy the BMW when it is available?

[Henrik_imp]

Tripod, I don't feel I ride enough any more to have more than one bike. So, given how much I love the CB I fully expect to keep this one for a number of years. What I might do in a couple of years though I can't say because it all depends on how the affair develops. I used change bikes perhaps every 2 or three years as I liked change and enjoyed trying different things. Then I got my Ducati ST2 and pretty much felt I had found perfection for me. I rode that bike for five years, and would have kept it, but my work took me to South East Asia. So I put that bike up for sale, and when I then came back four years later I found my Corsaro after an extensive search. Again I had a perfect match, and rode that one for six years.

Now my riding style has brought me to change, so it is likely I will keep the CB for a long time. However, one of the reasons that I bought is that a Honda is considerably easier to sell second-hand than a Moto Morini...

[dsinned_imp]

I own both, a 2015 Bonneville T100 since last Fall and just got a new 2014 CB1100 last week. I love them both and think each is the best looking of all bikes made by each of their manufacturers. Reason? Because they both have absolutely beautiful, fully exposed, air cooled engines.

They both have close to 50 years of heritage give or take a few years. The Triumph is more "old school" and faithful to the original design from 1959. The Honda goes back to 1969 and has slowly evolved into more of a modern day bike, i.e. until this year's launch of the thoroughly updated new Bonneville T120.

The 2016 T120 has become a true competitor to the 2014 CB1100 in terms of modernization, refinement and new technology, not to mention performance. The latest models' engines are now on more of an even playing field, 1140cc vs. 1200cc, however I'd give the edge to the Honda's DOHC, air cooled, in-line four over the new water cooled, SOHC twin. The CB's PGM-FI is flawless compared to either the T100 or T120, but the latter's engine seems under powered for its much larger displacement. Nevertheless, the T120 now perfectly emphasizes low to mid range torque in favor of high revving peak power. Same for the CB1100, perhaps even more so. Because of this, they both get very respectable fuel economy despite their hefty weights.

I think both are overpriced in terms of MSRPs, although Honda dealers are currently selling "leftover" 2014 CB1100s for thousands less. The same is true of leftover T100s, although both bikes for sale new are becoming increasingly harder to find in showrooms. Sadly, Honda's "DLX" CB1100 (in the U.S.) is already gone.

Again, I love my T100 and CB1100 and hope I can hang on to them for many years to come, alternating from one to the other for each subsequent ride for maximum motorcycling enjoyment.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

The overpricing is interesting. Why? Maybe it's because most cruisers, or sports bikes, or modern nakeds have a number of direct and equivalent competitors and for a lot of buyers the "best deal" may be the clincher. Whereas the Bonnie or CB belong to a particular and sparsely populated* niche that interests, in the main, buyers who are looking for retro only and, in a good proportion of cases, can pay the money. These buyers really don't have anywhere else to go. Someone with some experience of markets might like to comment.

Cheers

Oops, forgot the W800.