Women CB1100 Riders?

[the Ferret]

Good on ya Kevin.

If she rides up on her GB 500 I think you won't have any worries.

She may even let you ride along on hers...that would be a rare treat!

[_imp]

The CB1100 is not a big bike. It's not tiny like a Bonneville or some 500cc or smaller bikes, but compared to a Victory, Star, or most HDs it's very managable. There are aftermarket low seats such as the standard Japanese market seat.

I think its very easy to maneuver in tight spaces, handles bumpy dirt roads with ease, and can be ridden at very low speeds without stalling.

People will always do whatever they want in the end. The lady asked for opinions and on the Internet that's about all anyone will get. I have to wonder whether the post about laying the CB1100 down on the grass and letting her try to lift it is some kind of joke because I did inwardly chuckle at the prospect. Even if it is lifted successfully, the fuel will run back into the evaporative emissions controls and likely create rideability issues if not a fire hazard. The CB is well over 500 pounds and when it falls it goes completely horizontal, so anyone planning on lifting it has got a real job of work ahead of him/her. My wife dropped her Sportster a couple of times; on pavement one can pop it into gear so it won't roll and use the traditional lifting technique, so we got it back up alright. One episode was on a dirt/gravel shoulder and if some folks hadn't been around, we'd have been in trouble as the rear tire just tends to slide around in a circle, providing no fulcrum point and necessitating a dead lift.

There are just all kinds of folks so excited about bikes in general and their own bike in particular that they'll heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone regardless of experience, stature, or other factors. It's just so great to see other riders on the same bike. I would say in my experience of 30 years riding (about 700,000 miles) that I've come to find out unbridled enthusiasm pretty much always results in some kind of unpleasant lesson. It has sure happened to me. I got my first street bike (1983 V45 Interceptor) after only a couple of months of riding dirt bikes. It weighed just about exactly the same as the CB1100 with about the same power. I dropped it twice within the first week. However I had the good sense to have installed the engine guards, and the good fortune to have had help both times, so no damage except to my pride. Had this happened in the middle of nowhere, I would have been sitting until help arrived as this was long before wireless phones. Some of the places I went were pretty remote so I'd have been there for a long time.

As far as it being about leverage, indeed, but first of all it is about skill, then strategy, and finally leverage because without the first two, leverage cannot be brought into play. Certainly the CB1100 is not as heavy as some of the heaviest bikes, like the large cruisers and tourers, which weigh in at 800+ pounds. But it is no lightweight, either.

I believe any rider should be able to handle all the tasks that motorcycle presents to him/her without any help, such as managing the machine under any conditions of off camber surfaces, U-Turns, tight maneuvers to park or turn around, putting the bike on the centerstand, and so forth. I would say if the lady can pass the California or equivalent DMV test, which includes some very tough clutch-slipping low speed maneuvers on the CB1100, I fully support a recommendation of owning this great bike. If not, I cannot personally come out in favor of it.

[SUPERCRUZ_imp]

What kind of bike are you currently riding? It all comes down to your comfort level. All new bikes take getting used to. That said, the CB1100 is a very neutral and well balanced bike in my opinion. As with any bike, get them tipped to far to one side at a stop or moving around in your garage and they will go over, no stopping them. Then it becomes and issue of what technique to use to right the bike. These guys riding around on the huge HD baggers are not simply going to lift those bike up on a dead lift. There is a technique to righting them from a fall. That said, I think you could handle the CB. Another bike you might consider for comparison is the Triumph Bonneville or Thruxton. Having come out of a Bonneville SE to buy my CB, I can say the Triumph is a great bike and also very neutral and well balanced. The seat height is a bit lower than the CB and the bike weighs about 100lbs less. Engine is an 865cc and power is about 68 hp. A very fun and enjoyable classic standard. Wish I could have kept both my Bonnie and the CB. If you have your heart set on the CB, get it. One advantage to the CB is that you can get it with ABS. I highly recommend that option if you can swing it.

[Flynbulldog_imp]

Whew, thanks all - exactly what I was hoping to hear. My current bike's a GB500, so I'd be getting used to a slightly different riding posture (and, obviously, throwing around a bigger/heavier machine).

I'm a around 5.5', 125(ish) lbs. Only been on one in a local showroom, and was able to flatfoot in my (slightly thick-soled) riding boots. So I'm not too worried about being stopped at lights or whatnot. And I was quite impressed by how "light" it felt - very nice center of gravity/balance.

My wife's bike is also a GB500 and she says she's gonna ride my CB1100.
I think it will be perfect for her. and should work good for you too.

As far as dropping it, it'll be no harder for you to get it upright than it would be for any of us to pick up most any big cruiser on the market.
That doesn't stop people from buying them... I wouldn't worry about dropping it. You will love the ride and I have absolutely no problem with my 125 lb wife riding mine.

BTW my wife's first bike was an R100RS at about 550 lbs. A bigger bike and much harder to ride than the CB.

[Guth_imp]

Sounds like McSpofforson will have the chance to try the bike out for herself if she is able to coordinate things with forum member INTP.

I'm 5' 8" with an inseam somewhere around 30" or 31" (call it 30.5"?). For me, the biggest challenge with the CB1100 is rolling it around in the garage. That is when I can really feel the 150 extra pounds as compared to my Hawk GT and it is definitely noticeable. Once I'm on the bike and rolling however, I actually feel like the CB1100, with plenty of low-end torque and such a smooth clutch, is actually better at low speed maneuvering than the Hawk. Both have very similar width tires by the way.

In my case, I wouldn't mind if the seat were a touch lower for the sake of planting my feet on uneven surfaces, but I actually find the stock seat to be so comfortable when riding that I have no intentions of changing it out. Otherwise, I would try to get my hands on the lower factory seat used in Japan and Australia.

When it comes to picking the bike up after dropping it — I'm just going to have to wait to find out how demanding that task really is when the day comes, which I'm in no hurry for.

Good luck with your decision McSpofforson!

[Gypped_imp]

The CB1100 is not a big bike. It's not tiny like a Bonneville or some 500cc or smaller bikes, but compared to a Victory, Star, or most HDs it's very managable. There are aftermarket low seats such as the standard Japanese market seat.

I think its very easy to maneuver in tight spaces, handles bumpy dirt roads with ease, and can be ridden at very low speeds without stalling.

People will always do whatever they want in the end. The lady asked for opinions and on the Internet that's about all anyone will get. I have to wonder whether the post about laying the CB1100 down on the grass and letting her try to lift it is some kind of joke because I did inwardly chuckle at the prospect. Even if it is lifted successfully, the fuel will run back into the evaporative emissions controls and likely create rideability issues if not a fire hazard. The CB is well over 500 pounds and when it falls it goes completely horizontal, so anyone planning on lifting it has got a real job of work ahead of him/her. My wife dropped her Sportster a couple of times; on pavement one can pop it into gear so it won't roll and use the traditional lifting technique, so we got it back up alright. One episode was on a dirt/gravel shoulder and if some folks hadn't been around, we'd have been in trouble as the rear tire just tends to slide around in a circle, providing no fulcrum point and necessitating a dead lift.

There are just all kinds of folks so excited about bikes in general and their own bike in particular that they'll heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone regardless of experience, stature, or other factors. It's just so great to see other riders on the same bike. I would say in my experience of 30 years riding (about 700,000 miles) that I've come to find out unbridled enthusiasm pretty much always results in some kind of unpleasant lesson. It has sure happened to me. I got my first street bike (1983 V45 Interceptor) after only a couple of months of riding dirt bikes. It weighed just about exactly the same as the CB1100 with about the same power. I dropped it twice within the first week. However I had the good sense to have installed the engine guards, and the good fortune to have had help both times, so no damage except to my pride. Had this happened in the middle of nowhere, I would have been sitting until help arrived as this was long before wireless phones. Some of the places I went were pretty remote so I'd have been there for a long time.

As far as it being about leverage, indeed, but first of all it is about skill, then strategy, and finally leverage because without the first two, leverage cannot be brought into play. Certainly the CB1100 is not as heavy as some of the heaviest bikes, like the large cruisers and tourers, which weigh in at 800+ pounds. But it is no lightweight, either.

I believe any rider should be able to handle all the tasks that motorcycle presents to him/her without any help, such as managing the machine under any conditions of off camber surfaces, U-Turns, tight maneuvers to park or turn around, putting the bike on the centerstand, and so forth. I would say if the lady can pass the California or equivalent DMV test, which includes some very tough clutch-slipping low speed maneuvers on the CB1100, I fully support a recommendation of owning this great bike. If not, I cannot personally come out in favor of it.

People will always do whatever they want in the end. The lady asked for opinions and on the Internet that's about all anyone will get. I have to wonder whether the post about laying the CB1100 down on the grass and letting her try to lift it is some kind of joke because I did inwardly chuckle at the prospect. Even if it is lifted successfully, the fuel will run back into the evaporative emissions controls and likely create rideability issues if not a fire hazard. The CB is well over 500 pounds and when it falls it goes completely horizontal, so anyone planning on lifting it has got a real job of work ahead of him/her. My wife dropped her Sportster a couple of times; on pavement one can pop it into gear so it won't roll and use the traditional lifting technique, so we got it back up alright. One episode was on a dirt/gravel shoulder and if some folks hadn't been around, we'd have been in trouble as the rear tire just tends to slide around in a circle, providing no fulcrum point and necessitating a dead lift.

There are just all kinds of folks so excited about bikes in general and their own bike in particular that they'll heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone regardless of experience, stature, or other factors. It's just so great to see other riders on the same bike. I would say in my experience of 30 years riding (about 700,000 miles) that I've come to find out unbridled enthusiasm pretty much always results in some kind of unpleasant lesson. It has sure happened to me. I got my first street bike (1983 V45 Interceptor) after only a couple of months of riding dirt bikes. It weighed just about exactly the same as the CB1100 with about the same power. I dropped it twice within the first week. However I had the good sense to have installed the engine guards, and the good fortune to have had help both times, so no damage except to my pride. Had this happened in the middle of nowhere, I would have been sitting until help arrived as this was long before wireless phones. Some of the places I went were pretty remote so I'd have been there for a long time.

As far as it being about leverage, indeed, but first of all it is about skill, then strategy, and finally leverage because without the first two, leverage cannot be brought into play. Certainly the CB1100 is not as heavy as some of the heaviest bikes, like the large cruisers and tourers, which weigh in at 800+ pounds. But it is no lightweight, either.

I believe any rider should be able to handle all the tasks that motorcycle presents to him/her without any help, such as managing the machine under any conditions of off camber surfaces, U-Turns, tight maneuvers to park or turn around, putting the bike on the centerstand, and so forth. I would say if the lady can pass the California or equivalent DMV test, which includes some very tough clutch-slipping low speed maneuvers on the CB1100, I fully support a recommendation of owning this great bike. If not, I cannot personally come out in favor of it.
Seriously, we get that you think the CB is too big and bad for a little lady to ride... but you recommended a sportster as a better option, and that's actually heavier and certainly doesn't handle as well.

I have no idea how you've managed to go 30 years without learning proper technique to pick up your bikes, but it might be time to put that on the schedule. I accidentally dropped my cruiser on a gravel drive, front wheel caught in a rut, facing downhill on a slope in the dark after being awake for more than 24 hours. It was loaded down as I was going from Florida to Iowa and camping along the way. Using the proper technique I got it up again by myself. I'm 5'9 and about 190 lbs, the warrior is 650 plus luggage. It's possible that if it were a fully loaded Goldwing that I might have needed help, but probably not.

As I mentioned before, my g/f is using my CB to get used to street riding. She took the MSF course to get her license recently, and we've gone to a parking lot where she's put it through the paces with no issues. Unfortunately, she did just drop it in the garage today because she forgot to put down the kickstand. Once we got her leg out from underneath, she had no problem standing it back up. She had a slightly easier time (and there was no damage) because I do have bags on it. If she can do it, I sincerely doubt many people would have an issue with it.

[_imp]

I like being called a commando but do resent "douche bag." Most of my buddies call me an a**hole so I prefer that. All joking aside all I did was to present another side of the argument. It is not my intention to offend anyone and certainly not to drive anyone away. By all means, we all have the right to do as we see fit and maybe I am wrong. The CB might be the perfect bike for McSpofforson. I fully admit I could be way off base here, but she did ask for all of our various opinions and I think a couple of other members came down on my side so I am not completely out in left field here.

Please reconsider leaving the forum as it was not my intention to set off a flame war and you probably have a lot to contribute. Stick around for a while and see if it doesn't get better.

What kind of bike are you currently riding? It all comes down to your comfort level. All new bikes take getting used to. That said, the CB1100 is a very neutral and well balanced bike in my opinion. As with any bike, get them tipped to far to one side at a stop or moving around in your garage and they will go over, no stopping them. Then it becomes and issue of what technique to use to right the bike. These guys riding around on the huge HD baggers are not simply going to lift those bike up on a dead lift. There is a technique to righting them from a fall. That said, I think you could handle the CB. Another bike you might consider for comparison is the Triumph Bonneville or Thruxton. Having come out of a Bonneville SE to buy my CB, I can say the Triumph is a great bike and also very neutral and well balanced. The seat height is a bit lower than the CB and the bike weighs about 100lbs less. Engine is an 865cc and power is about 68 hp. A very fun and enjoyable classic standard. Wish I could have kept both my Bonnie and the CB. If you have your heart set on the CB, get it. One advantage to the CB is that you can get it with ABS. I highly recommend that option if you can swing it.

Very well put and also there is a reason most HD riders do the group thing; when trouble arises help is right there. Also with most of the baggers and big touring machines, the bike usually cannot go completely over, it falls on the engine guard or bags or both. So you are starting from the machine being only over about 45 degrees, a big advantage. And for a newer rider the ABS is a real good idea.

[ChipBeck_imp]

I like being called a commando but do resent "douche bag." Most of my buddies call me an a**hole so I prefer that. All joking aside all I did was to present another side of the argument. It is not my intention to offend anyone and certainly not to drive anyone away. By all means, we all have the right to do as we see fit and maybe I am wrong. The CB might be the perfect bike for McSpofforson. I fully admit I could be way off base here, but she did ask for all of our various opinions and I think a couple of other members came down on my side so I am not completely out in left field here.

Please reconsider leaving the forum as it was not my intention to set off a flame war and you probably have a lot to contribute. Stick around for a while and see if it doesn't get better.

What kind of bike are you currently riding? It all comes down to your comfort level. All new bikes take getting used to. That said, the CB1100 is a very neutral and well balanced bike in my opinion. As with any bike, get them tipped to far to one side at a stop or moving around in your garage and they will go over, no stopping them. Then it becomes and issue of what technique to use to right the bike. These guys riding around on the huge HD baggers are not simply going to lift those bike up on a dead lift. There is a technique to righting them from a fall. That said, I think you could handle the CB. Another bike you might consider for comparison is the Triumph Bonneville or Thruxton. Having come out of a Bonneville SE to buy my CB, I can say the Triumph is a great bike and also very neutral and well balanced. The seat height is a bit lower than the CB and the bike weighs about 100lbs less. Engine is an 865cc and power is about 68 hp. A very fun and enjoyable classic standard. Wish I could have kept both my Bonnie and the CB. If you have your heart set on the CB, get it. One advantage to the CB is that you can get it with ABS. I highly recommend that option if you can swing it.

Very well put and also there is a reason most HD riders do the group thing; when trouble arises help is right there. Also with most of the baggers and big touring machines, the bike usually cannot go completely over, it falls on the engine guard or bags or both. So you are starting from the machine being only over about 45 degrees, a big advantage. And for a newer rider the ABS is a real good idea.

The quote above notes a big factor. The HD bagger in that video was already 45 degrees upright resting on the crash bars. The CB would be all the way over. That said, though it would be more difficult than that Harley, proper technique will allow most riders without physical problems to lift it. Even so, for a standard type traditional MC the Triumph Bonnie would be a better fit IMO. Good luck with whatever you choose darlin'. See you on the road.

Chip

[Waffa_imp]

Just to offer my two cents. We are motorcycle riders, we don't wear seat belts, no airbags, and our crumple zone is the distance from our knees to our face. There are far more dangerous and serious issues with riding a motorcycle than tipping it over at a stop sign. We know the risk when we straddle our machines, and we acknowledge that the risk is well worth the reward, or else we wouldn't do it.
It really doesn't matter what you ride, or how you ride, just enjoy it.

[CBMike_imp]

Everyone seems to be focused on the dropping aspect of this and that doesn't seem to be what she is concerned about but more the overall handling as it is a larger bike. I can say that from the saddle this bike does not feel anywhere near as much as it weighs in my opinion. It changes direction very well and is easy to maneuver at low speeds as well. It might not turn in as quickly as the GB but with the thinnish tires the CB has it does just fine.

In the end it all comes down to how the bike feels to you. I've ridden with people who can barely get a toe down at a stop which for me would be a no go but for them it's comfortable. To each their own and if you end up getting the CB all the better.