I've already posted a few initial impressions of my new CB, but those were based solely on a couple of freeway rides in the rain and one quick spin last night to test the new LED headlight. I wanted to reserve judgment until I managed a real ride during daylight hours, on a sunny day with reasonably clean, dry roads.
I just arrived back home following my first proper ride, and, thanks to Cormanus and his suggestion to use Imgur to host my cellphone pictures, I'm now fully up to speed.
There she is, taking a break during her maiden ride on snowy Mosquito Ridge, looking down the road...
...and looking up the road, from where cows often come ambling down in large herds, clanging cow bells heralding their arrival long before anyone actually sees them rounding the bend...
Here's what I call The Reading Tree, which is where we stopped during my ride with Eric. I usually take a break during my rides up here by bringing a book and some water. That tree overlooks a vast valley and even vaster mountain vistas, the views of which I enjoy while leaning against the tree to read my book...
Today's ride covered the identical roads Eric and I rode two weeks ago. I did this intentionally, wanting to see how the new bike compared to Eric's '14 Standard and my XSR on the same roads.
Heading down I-80 towards the Horseshoe Bar Rd exit in Loomis, my bike felt no different from Eric's. The mirrors were just like his, which is to say, perfect. Or nearly so, anyway. About 1/4 of each mirror is filled with my shoulder, so I can't call them perfect mirrors, but the other 75% is, in fact, perfect. They stay crystal clear at any speed, as long as my hands are on the grips. If the bike is idling and my hands are at my side, the mirrors blur up quite a bit. As soon as I place my hands back on the grips, they clear right up.
Otherwise, my bike and Eric's are equally smooth at freeway speeds, or equally buzzy, depending on how one wishes to look at it. 3,400 RPM and below is pure glass. 3,500 RPM introduces a bit of buzz that can be felt through the grips and tank, increasing slightly as the RPM climb to 4,900 RPM. This is the case in any gear. Once the tach hits 5K, however, the bike suddenly becomes as smooth as it is at 2,500 RPM.
It's the strangest thing. Smooth down low...a bit buzzy in the midrange...smooth again (maybe even smoother) over the rest of the tach, all the way to redline. It reminds me of a turbine.
The dead-smooth windflow combines with ideal ergos (for my frame, anyway) to form the perfect freeway ride. The bike's excessive heft is actually a good thing on the freeway, lending the bike a feeling of unshakable solidity that works with the relaxed cadence of the motor to provide a feeling of absolute, purpose-built composure.
The only bike I can imagine preferring to this one for long trips would be the R1200RT, and even there the noise and buffeting coming off the windshield might spoil the party. Otherwise, for touring, I would take this CB over a Gold Wing, my BMW Roadsters, my old ST1300, or anything else. All freeways eventually come to an end, and I'm going to want the CB not just on the freeway, but also once the roads turn entertaining again.
Which brings us to back to the exit in Loomis, and the country road leading up into the Sierra foothills. The moment I peeled around the looping offramp, any worries about my bike repeating the heavy, non-neutral steering of Eric's '14 vanished. As I discovered last night, this bike steers as lightly as anything I've ridden, with the lone exception of my buddy's 2015 FZ-09, which truly does steer like a stupid-fast bicycle.
This one steers lightly and easily, and also dead neutrally. X-amount of input results in X-amount of lean. Hold it steady, it remains right where you set it. She's not the most flickable of rides, which is the one downside to all that excess heft, but she's as predictable as a Kardashian tweet.
Okay, so she turns as easily as everyone says. Cool.
Now, what about the suspension? Once I turned off of Ophir Rd and into the foothills, this is where Eric's bike immediately freaked me out. It wasn't just the heavy, unpredictable steering; it was also the way the suspension reacted to most bumps not by absorbing them but by colliding with and ricocheting off of them. This is where I really wanted to see what I'd bought with this new '17 CB.
Within, oh, five corners or so, I was beginning to question my sanity.
What in the world is going on here?
While Eric's bike truly gave me pause over those initial bumpy corners, my XSR isn't exactly a picnic there either. I consider the suspension the one area of the XSR that needs help, because, similar to Eric's bike, it doesn't handle sharp bumps well. It handles them better than his bike does, but still I think it needs suspension work to make it plusher, more confidence-inspiring.
This '17 CB was doing exactly what I would hope to accomplish by spending upwards of $3K on suspension upgrades for the XSR. The CB just smoothed everything right out. Nothing jarred me. No more tentatively picking my lines, trying to avoid the bumpier bits. The more I rode through that stretch of bumpy, up-and-down countryside, the more I thought I was riding a big-bucks Euro sport-tourer.
Even stranger was the dawning realization that the throttle connection to the tire was so freaking spot-on that I found myself riding the CB just as quickly as I normally ride the XSR through that section. The complete absence of drive lash combined with dead-nuts perfect fueling, a ton of easy torque right off the throttle, and a rock-solid, eerily firm-yet-plush chassis had me rethinking my place in the cosmos.
By the time I finished up the faster section from Combie Rd up to Grass Valley and back down for lunch at the Mexican place where Eric and I stopped to fuel up and eat, I was thoroughly confused. Surely I was missing something.
Admittedly, I still hadn't pushed particularly hard. I was riding smoothly, and somewhat quickly, but very cautiously. Those roads are so bumpy, and wet and shaded in so many places, that I always approach them with a healthy degree of caution.
Yeah, well, we'll see what's what, up on Mosquito Ridge, I thought, slipping my gloves back on, but not before having to tell TWO different geezers that my bike is, in fact, brand new, a 2017 model, which they simply couldn't believe.
So far, in only two stops over my first two days, I've already had three Geezer Approval moments. Crazy.
When Eric and I did our little ride, we swapped bikes a couple of times over the course of the day. For the Hwy 49/Foresthill Rd/Mosquito Ridge portion I was back on the XSR, and he was back on his '14 Standard. Eric had done a great job of keeping pace with me up in the foothills, but once we hit the road that follows the river off of Hwy 49 I checked out on him, and understandably so. That is a very bumpy, somewhat intimidating road. Again, even on my XSR I approach that one with caution, but as I was riding my new CB on that same stretch of road I was freaking out again, because the CB was making it feel like a walk in the park! Instead of my usual Hold On And Pray Nothing Bad Happens pucker factor, I zipped through there with as little stress as everyone zips through the super-fast, smooth sweepers of Foresthill Rd, which makes all riders feel like heroes.
Eric loved that road. He lagged behind on the river road, but tore it up on Foresthill Rd.
The '17 CB loved both roads equally. I couldn't believe it.
By the time I reached Mosquito Ridge, I was almost po'd. I was doubting myself. I was doubting everything I thought I knew to be true. I was doubting all you marmots, too.
Something wasn't right, and Mosquito Ridge was going to set things to rights.
Uhhh...no.
By the time I reached The Reading Tree, I was completely flummoxed. I immediately checked the chicken strips on my tires.
Something is definitely wrong here. Either I totally suck, or everyone has been lying like dogs about this bike. Or both.
My rear tire was worn past the edge. I'd basically ridden as fast as I ride any other bike up there. I say "basically" because the XSR does launch out of corners a whole lot faster than the CB, and it's much more flickable. Still, Mosquito Ridge doesn't demand all that much flickability. It's more about stability, acceleration, braking, and corner entry/mid-corner confidence.
That last one is key. Having confidence in the throttle, and confidence to stay on the gas because you trust the handling, those things pay larger dividends than merely being able to toss a lighter, faster bike around more easily.
The CB's braking/suspension/power delivery/chassis characteristics somehow combine to imbue the bike with the ability to be ridden just as fast as sportier bikes, only easier, with less stress, less effort, and less reliance on sheer acceleration.
Yes, the XSR is ultimately faster up there, but not when ridden with equal effort. In order to go faster you're going to have to ride it more aggressively, with a higher degree of commitment.
Still, come on, what about that other thing everyone says about the CB's handling? We see it in every video, and it's mentioned in every review.
Namely, the lack of cornering clearance. Sure, everyone says the CB is wonderfully smooth and stable, albeit a bit lacking in right-now forward thrust, but it just has no ground clearance. Sparks fly like a Chinese New Year, the moment you lean the bike past dead-upright.
Seriously, how many videos have we seen of people sending off a shower of sparks merely from puttering around a corner at 40 mph, with no more than a very moderate lean angle? Every major review describes the same thing. I see pictures of the post-ride tires, and they aren't even worn to the edge, and still the thing was shooting sparks like crazy.
So how come I never touched down anything, not even on Mosquito Ridge? I wasn't going at a race pace or whatever, but I was going fast enough to vaporize every other bike I encountered up there, including two Go Pro-bedecked guys on a ZX-6R and GSX-R750, and a few dual-sport hooligans.
My rear tire has no more acreage to offer. I would think that if I was going to drag something, even just a footpeg feeler, it should have happened up there, but it didn't. Absolutely nothing touched, and I was going as fast as I care to go. On the way back from the bridge up to Foresthill, I went for it as aggressively as I did with the XSR the other day. The thing actually handled better than the XSR, despite feeling so much heavier on the brakes.
Oh, and those brakes? They're every bit as awesome as the fueling, the suspension, and the overall handling. For street riding there is zero need to do steel lines and HH pads.
The balance between all these systems is truly dialed. It's been said in other reviews that the CB1100 is the first liter bike that one could recommend to a beginning rider looking to take his DMV test, and I couldn't agree more. I can't decide which is the true cornerstone of this easygoing marvel, the fueling/throttle response, or the magical suspension?
Whatever it is, Honda has managed to create the most confidence-inspiring piece of moto-engineering I've ever experienced.
Bewildered yet satisfied, eventually I slowed down again, returning to my regularly scheduled testing program. I didn't set out to prove to myself that the CB could hang with the XSR in a sporting environment, yet hang with it she absolutely will, unless the XSR rider is serious about twisting the throttle and slamming the bike into corners hard on the brakes.
As I cruised back down smooth, fast Foresthill Rd, I took stock of what was really going on with the bike, and the ride. To wit, my stunningly beautiful red retro does everything I will ever ask of my motorcycle, and she does most of it better than anything else I could have chosen. We're talking strictly function here, too, never mind all the glorious intangibles she brings to the table.
Compared to any other bike, I know I would rather stare out the window and admire her...my very own bike...my shimmering red princess, decked out in all her shiny chrome finery. Compared to just about any other bike, regardless of price, I know I feel more pride of ownership in my new, very special Honda.
And now I know that compared to just about any other bike, I would also rather ride my beautiful red slice of perfection, and it basically won't matter what sort of ride is on the agenda. She handles it all with equal aplomb, all the while displaying a timeless grace and stately bearing that nothing else in the current market can match.
So, lets's go the scorecard, shall we?
Motor: Absolutely nails the relaxed, effortless vibe Honda was shooting for with this project. I won't call the motor perfect because while it is surprisingly and satisfyingly fast once the tach clears 5K, a bit more immediate thrust would still be welcome, especially since it would shut up the Z900RS people. Also, that slight bit of vibration between 3,500-4,900 RPM happens to reside smack-dab in the effective midrange, meaning higher freeway speeds and more aggressive backroads tomfoolery.
Score: 8.5
Transmission: It's even better than the XSR's; as slick and unobtrusive as any gearbox I've ever used, including the GSX-R's. The new Slipper Assist Clutch works. It's immediately noticeable, compared to the much heavier lever-pull and slower, clunkier downshifts of the '14. I would have no qualms with using this six-speed at the track.
Score: 10
Chassis: On the one hand, it's flawless. It looks and fits exactly as it should, and behaves better than it has any logical right. The handling is nigh-on-exemplary. It's downright shocking, really. Still, as ideal as that heavy chassis is for highway work, two-up riding, and basic All-Around Goodness, lighter remains better, and she would handle even better in most regards were she carrying fewer lbs.
Score: 9.0
Suspension: I can't imagine how a compromised-by-nature OEM dual-shock/nearly non-adjustable fork setup could possibly work any better. This is the quintessential Firm Yet Plush ideal that everyone wants, every manufacturer promises, and almost nothing else delivers.
Score: 10
Brakes: Nothing impressive about the look or the specs, but when it comes to delivering the right formula for the street, Honda just seems to know what they're doing. These brakes strike an ideal balance with the suspension, throttle response, and chassis. They're sharp, but not overly so; easy to use, but fully up to the task. For this application, again, I don't know how they could work any better. I'll deduct a point strictly for their lack of radial-mounted eye candy.
Score: 9.0
Instruments: Prettiest, classiest, most easy-to-use, legible instruments imaginable. Everything you need, no superfluous nonsense. In bright sunlight I can still read them. At night they aren't too bright, and they're gorgeous. Quality appearance, too. The only flaw, such as it is, is that the tiny buttons are difficult to control with heavy gloves on, plus you have to lean forward and peer down to use them. Bar-mounted controls would be easier to use, but they wouldn't fit the retro ethos.
Score: 9.0
Lights: That LED headlight looks amazing and works even better. The high beam is as good as a car's high beam. The rear LED tail light is stunning. The period-correct turnsignals finish the look. Kudos for not going the Kawi route there, with slimline, aftermarket-looking items. I love how those amber turnsignals frame my instruments at night.
Score: 10
Comfort: The ergos are perfect for my 5'8", 165 lbs, 29"-inseam shoddy excuse for a body. I flat-foot the bike, which I've never been able to do with any other bike I've owned. The windblast is nonexistent. The seat is as cushy as I expect to feel from any OEM bench seat, and because it's a bench seat I can move around on it, which is a very good thing. The motor is smooth, but it does have that one vibey patch in the midrange.
Score: 9.5
Accoutrements: Bungee hooks galore, a grab rail, a centerstand, a real seat, a trip computer, chrome everything, gorgeous spoked wheels. No standard heated grips, no traction control, no right-angle valve stems, no multi-year warranty, the tool kit is a joke, and those beautiful wheels require the use of inner tubes.
Score: 8.0
Style: Fans of the various model years can debate the relative merits of their favorites, but just about everyone with two functioning eyeballs and a heart that pumps moto-blood agrees that the CB1100 is easily one of the most attractive pieces on the market, and the most authentic of the current retros, as well. The '17 EX ups the ante with the extra bling and even higher degree of finish detail.
Score: 10
Value: Good luck finding anything anywhere with superior build quality, and this one promises to be as long-term reliable as they come. The bike is viewed by most people as overpriced at its $12,199 msrp, and the resale value has never been strong for the CB, with the possible exception of the '14 Deluxe. Honda has yet to announce whether there will be an '18 model brought to the U.S.. If there is no '18, then this '17 EX should hold its value as well as the '14 Deluxe does.
Score: 8.5
Pride of Ownership: When one gets right down to it, this is the primary reason most people buy pricey motorcycles, unless we're talking about function-first supersport and ADV machines. In this highly competitive niche of retro style, I can't think of another product from any other maker that can touch the CB for pride of ownership, with the possible exception of the R-Nine-T, which really isn't a true retro. Industry studies reveal that the long-term reliability of a given motorcycle isn't of great concern to prospective buyers, but I would argue that in the case of the CB1100 its reputation for axe-handle simplicity and problem-free ownership is a major point of pride for its owners. CB owners feel they bought a very high-quality product, and a unique one, at that.
Score: 10
I would also include a category for Fun Factor, except that such a thing is simply too hard to define. Everyone has a different idea of what they want in a bike. Some, like mickey, find fun in pounding away the miles with metronomic consistency, and their bike had better be able to answer the call without complaint each and every day. Others require "character" in their rides, which can mean literally anything to anyone.
To me, this CB1100 EX is a near-perfect streetbike. Everything about it tells me that its designers had the right idea as to what would make for the ideal real-world motorcycle, while also pushing all the most important Lust Buttons.
I know I'm keeping mine, for good. When even a bike's supposed flaws are actually benefits, I know I've landed on something truly special.
I just arrived back home following my first proper ride, and, thanks to Cormanus and his suggestion to use Imgur to host my cellphone pictures, I'm now fully up to speed.
There she is, taking a break during her maiden ride on snowy Mosquito Ridge, looking down the road...
...and looking up the road, from where cows often come ambling down in large herds, clanging cow bells heralding their arrival long before anyone actually sees them rounding the bend...
Here's what I call The Reading Tree, which is where we stopped during my ride with Eric. I usually take a break during my rides up here by bringing a book and some water. That tree overlooks a vast valley and even vaster mountain vistas, the views of which I enjoy while leaning against the tree to read my book...
Today's ride covered the identical roads Eric and I rode two weeks ago. I did this intentionally, wanting to see how the new bike compared to Eric's '14 Standard and my XSR on the same roads.
Heading down I-80 towards the Horseshoe Bar Rd exit in Loomis, my bike felt no different from Eric's. The mirrors were just like his, which is to say, perfect. Or nearly so, anyway. About 1/4 of each mirror is filled with my shoulder, so I can't call them perfect mirrors, but the other 75% is, in fact, perfect. They stay crystal clear at any speed, as long as my hands are on the grips. If the bike is idling and my hands are at my side, the mirrors blur up quite a bit. As soon as I place my hands back on the grips, they clear right up.
Otherwise, my bike and Eric's are equally smooth at freeway speeds, or equally buzzy, depending on how one wishes to look at it. 3,400 RPM and below is pure glass. 3,500 RPM introduces a bit of buzz that can be felt through the grips and tank, increasing slightly as the RPM climb to 4,900 RPM. This is the case in any gear. Once the tach hits 5K, however, the bike suddenly becomes as smooth as it is at 2,500 RPM.
It's the strangest thing. Smooth down low...a bit buzzy in the midrange...smooth again (maybe even smoother) over the rest of the tach, all the way to redline. It reminds me of a turbine.
The dead-smooth windflow combines with ideal ergos (for my frame, anyway) to form the perfect freeway ride. The bike's excessive heft is actually a good thing on the freeway, lending the bike a feeling of unshakable solidity that works with the relaxed cadence of the motor to provide a feeling of absolute, purpose-built composure.
The only bike I can imagine preferring to this one for long trips would be the R1200RT, and even there the noise and buffeting coming off the windshield might spoil the party. Otherwise, for touring, I would take this CB over a Gold Wing, my BMW Roadsters, my old ST1300, or anything else. All freeways eventually come to an end, and I'm going to want the CB not just on the freeway, but also once the roads turn entertaining again.
Which brings us to back to the exit in Loomis, and the country road leading up into the Sierra foothills. The moment I peeled around the looping offramp, any worries about my bike repeating the heavy, non-neutral steering of Eric's '14 vanished. As I discovered last night, this bike steers as lightly as anything I've ridden, with the lone exception of my buddy's 2015 FZ-09, which truly does steer like a stupid-fast bicycle.
This one steers lightly and easily, and also dead neutrally. X-amount of input results in X-amount of lean. Hold it steady, it remains right where you set it. She's not the most flickable of rides, which is the one downside to all that excess heft, but she's as predictable as a Kardashian tweet.
Okay, so she turns as easily as everyone says. Cool.
Now, what about the suspension? Once I turned off of Ophir Rd and into the foothills, this is where Eric's bike immediately freaked me out. It wasn't just the heavy, unpredictable steering; it was also the way the suspension reacted to most bumps not by absorbing them but by colliding with and ricocheting off of them. This is where I really wanted to see what I'd bought with this new '17 CB.
Within, oh, five corners or so, I was beginning to question my sanity.
What in the world is going on here?
While Eric's bike truly gave me pause over those initial bumpy corners, my XSR isn't exactly a picnic there either. I consider the suspension the one area of the XSR that needs help, because, similar to Eric's bike, it doesn't handle sharp bumps well. It handles them better than his bike does, but still I think it needs suspension work to make it plusher, more confidence-inspiring.
This '17 CB was doing exactly what I would hope to accomplish by spending upwards of $3K on suspension upgrades for the XSR. The CB just smoothed everything right out. Nothing jarred me. No more tentatively picking my lines, trying to avoid the bumpier bits. The more I rode through that stretch of bumpy, up-and-down countryside, the more I thought I was riding a big-bucks Euro sport-tourer.
Even stranger was the dawning realization that the throttle connection to the tire was so freaking spot-on that I found myself riding the CB just as quickly as I normally ride the XSR through that section. The complete absence of drive lash combined with dead-nuts perfect fueling, a ton of easy torque right off the throttle, and a rock-solid, eerily firm-yet-plush chassis had me rethinking my place in the cosmos.
By the time I finished up the faster section from Combie Rd up to Grass Valley and back down for lunch at the Mexican place where Eric and I stopped to fuel up and eat, I was thoroughly confused. Surely I was missing something.
Admittedly, I still hadn't pushed particularly hard. I was riding smoothly, and somewhat quickly, but very cautiously. Those roads are so bumpy, and wet and shaded in so many places, that I always approach them with a healthy degree of caution.
Yeah, well, we'll see what's what, up on Mosquito Ridge, I thought, slipping my gloves back on, but not before having to tell TWO different geezers that my bike is, in fact, brand new, a 2017 model, which they simply couldn't believe.
So far, in only two stops over my first two days, I've already had three Geezer Approval moments. Crazy.
When Eric and I did our little ride, we swapped bikes a couple of times over the course of the day. For the Hwy 49/Foresthill Rd/Mosquito Ridge portion I was back on the XSR, and he was back on his '14 Standard. Eric had done a great job of keeping pace with me up in the foothills, but once we hit the road that follows the river off of Hwy 49 I checked out on him, and understandably so. That is a very bumpy, somewhat intimidating road. Again, even on my XSR I approach that one with caution, but as I was riding my new CB on that same stretch of road I was freaking out again, because the CB was making it feel like a walk in the park! Instead of my usual Hold On And Pray Nothing Bad Happens pucker factor, I zipped through there with as little stress as everyone zips through the super-fast, smooth sweepers of Foresthill Rd, which makes all riders feel like heroes.
Eric loved that road. He lagged behind on the river road, but tore it up on Foresthill Rd.
The '17 CB loved both roads equally. I couldn't believe it.
By the time I reached Mosquito Ridge, I was almost po'd. I was doubting myself. I was doubting everything I thought I knew to be true. I was doubting all you marmots, too.
Something wasn't right, and Mosquito Ridge was going to set things to rights.
Uhhh...no.
By the time I reached The Reading Tree, I was completely flummoxed. I immediately checked the chicken strips on my tires.
Something is definitely wrong here. Either I totally suck, or everyone has been lying like dogs about this bike. Or both.
My rear tire was worn past the edge. I'd basically ridden as fast as I ride any other bike up there. I say "basically" because the XSR does launch out of corners a whole lot faster than the CB, and it's much more flickable. Still, Mosquito Ridge doesn't demand all that much flickability. It's more about stability, acceleration, braking, and corner entry/mid-corner confidence.
That last one is key. Having confidence in the throttle, and confidence to stay on the gas because you trust the handling, those things pay larger dividends than merely being able to toss a lighter, faster bike around more easily.
The CB's braking/suspension/power delivery/chassis characteristics somehow combine to imbue the bike with the ability to be ridden just as fast as sportier bikes, only easier, with less stress, less effort, and less reliance on sheer acceleration.
Yes, the XSR is ultimately faster up there, but not when ridden with equal effort. In order to go faster you're going to have to ride it more aggressively, with a higher degree of commitment.
Still, come on, what about that other thing everyone says about the CB's handling? We see it in every video, and it's mentioned in every review.
Namely, the lack of cornering clearance. Sure, everyone says the CB is wonderfully smooth and stable, albeit a bit lacking in right-now forward thrust, but it just has no ground clearance. Sparks fly like a Chinese New Year, the moment you lean the bike past dead-upright.
Seriously, how many videos have we seen of people sending off a shower of sparks merely from puttering around a corner at 40 mph, with no more than a very moderate lean angle? Every major review describes the same thing. I see pictures of the post-ride tires, and they aren't even worn to the edge, and still the thing was shooting sparks like crazy.
So how come I never touched down anything, not even on Mosquito Ridge? I wasn't going at a race pace or whatever, but I was going fast enough to vaporize every other bike I encountered up there, including two Go Pro-bedecked guys on a ZX-6R and GSX-R750, and a few dual-sport hooligans.
My rear tire has no more acreage to offer. I would think that if I was going to drag something, even just a footpeg feeler, it should have happened up there, but it didn't. Absolutely nothing touched, and I was going as fast as I care to go. On the way back from the bridge up to Foresthill, I went for it as aggressively as I did with the XSR the other day. The thing actually handled better than the XSR, despite feeling so much heavier on the brakes.
Oh, and those brakes? They're every bit as awesome as the fueling, the suspension, and the overall handling. For street riding there is zero need to do steel lines and HH pads.
The balance between all these systems is truly dialed. It's been said in other reviews that the CB1100 is the first liter bike that one could recommend to a beginning rider looking to take his DMV test, and I couldn't agree more. I can't decide which is the true cornerstone of this easygoing marvel, the fueling/throttle response, or the magical suspension?
Whatever it is, Honda has managed to create the most confidence-inspiring piece of moto-engineering I've ever experienced.
Bewildered yet satisfied, eventually I slowed down again, returning to my regularly scheduled testing program. I didn't set out to prove to myself that the CB could hang with the XSR in a sporting environment, yet hang with it she absolutely will, unless the XSR rider is serious about twisting the throttle and slamming the bike into corners hard on the brakes.
As I cruised back down smooth, fast Foresthill Rd, I took stock of what was really going on with the bike, and the ride. To wit, my stunningly beautiful red retro does everything I will ever ask of my motorcycle, and she does most of it better than anything else I could have chosen. We're talking strictly function here, too, never mind all the glorious intangibles she brings to the table.
Compared to any other bike, I know I would rather stare out the window and admire her...my very own bike...my shimmering red princess, decked out in all her shiny chrome finery. Compared to just about any other bike, regardless of price, I know I feel more pride of ownership in my new, very special Honda.
And now I know that compared to just about any other bike, I would also rather ride my beautiful red slice of perfection, and it basically won't matter what sort of ride is on the agenda. She handles it all with equal aplomb, all the while displaying a timeless grace and stately bearing that nothing else in the current market can match.
So, lets's go the scorecard, shall we?
Motor: Absolutely nails the relaxed, effortless vibe Honda was shooting for with this project. I won't call the motor perfect because while it is surprisingly and satisfyingly fast once the tach clears 5K, a bit more immediate thrust would still be welcome, especially since it would shut up the Z900RS people. Also, that slight bit of vibration between 3,500-4,900 RPM happens to reside smack-dab in the effective midrange, meaning higher freeway speeds and more aggressive backroads tomfoolery.
Score: 8.5
Transmission: It's even better than the XSR's; as slick and unobtrusive as any gearbox I've ever used, including the GSX-R's. The new Slipper Assist Clutch works. It's immediately noticeable, compared to the much heavier lever-pull and slower, clunkier downshifts of the '14. I would have no qualms with using this six-speed at the track.
Score: 10
Chassis: On the one hand, it's flawless. It looks and fits exactly as it should, and behaves better than it has any logical right. The handling is nigh-on-exemplary. It's downright shocking, really. Still, as ideal as that heavy chassis is for highway work, two-up riding, and basic All-Around Goodness, lighter remains better, and she would handle even better in most regards were she carrying fewer lbs.
Score: 9.0
Suspension: I can't imagine how a compromised-by-nature OEM dual-shock/nearly non-adjustable fork setup could possibly work any better. This is the quintessential Firm Yet Plush ideal that everyone wants, every manufacturer promises, and almost nothing else delivers.
Score: 10
Brakes: Nothing impressive about the look or the specs, but when it comes to delivering the right formula for the street, Honda just seems to know what they're doing. These brakes strike an ideal balance with the suspension, throttle response, and chassis. They're sharp, but not overly so; easy to use, but fully up to the task. For this application, again, I don't know how they could work any better. I'll deduct a point strictly for their lack of radial-mounted eye candy.
Score: 9.0
Instruments: Prettiest, classiest, most easy-to-use, legible instruments imaginable. Everything you need, no superfluous nonsense. In bright sunlight I can still read them. At night they aren't too bright, and they're gorgeous. Quality appearance, too. The only flaw, such as it is, is that the tiny buttons are difficult to control with heavy gloves on, plus you have to lean forward and peer down to use them. Bar-mounted controls would be easier to use, but they wouldn't fit the retro ethos.
Score: 9.0
Lights: That LED headlight looks amazing and works even better. The high beam is as good as a car's high beam. The rear LED tail light is stunning. The period-correct turnsignals finish the look. Kudos for not going the Kawi route there, with slimline, aftermarket-looking items. I love how those amber turnsignals frame my instruments at night.
Score: 10
Comfort: The ergos are perfect for my 5'8", 165 lbs, 29"-inseam shoddy excuse for a body. I flat-foot the bike, which I've never been able to do with any other bike I've owned. The windblast is nonexistent. The seat is as cushy as I expect to feel from any OEM bench seat, and because it's a bench seat I can move around on it, which is a very good thing. The motor is smooth, but it does have that one vibey patch in the midrange.
Score: 9.5
Accoutrements: Bungee hooks galore, a grab rail, a centerstand, a real seat, a trip computer, chrome everything, gorgeous spoked wheels. No standard heated grips, no traction control, no right-angle valve stems, no multi-year warranty, the tool kit is a joke, and those beautiful wheels require the use of inner tubes.
Score: 8.0
Style: Fans of the various model years can debate the relative merits of their favorites, but just about everyone with two functioning eyeballs and a heart that pumps moto-blood agrees that the CB1100 is easily one of the most attractive pieces on the market, and the most authentic of the current retros, as well. The '17 EX ups the ante with the extra bling and even higher degree of finish detail.
Score: 10
Value: Good luck finding anything anywhere with superior build quality, and this one promises to be as long-term reliable as they come. The bike is viewed by most people as overpriced at its $12,199 msrp, and the resale value has never been strong for the CB, with the possible exception of the '14 Deluxe. Honda has yet to announce whether there will be an '18 model brought to the U.S.. If there is no '18, then this '17 EX should hold its value as well as the '14 Deluxe does.
Score: 8.5
Pride of Ownership: When one gets right down to it, this is the primary reason most people buy pricey motorcycles, unless we're talking about function-first supersport and ADV machines. In this highly competitive niche of retro style, I can't think of another product from any other maker that can touch the CB for pride of ownership, with the possible exception of the R-Nine-T, which really isn't a true retro. Industry studies reveal that the long-term reliability of a given motorcycle isn't of great concern to prospective buyers, but I would argue that in the case of the CB1100 its reputation for axe-handle simplicity and problem-free ownership is a major point of pride for its owners. CB owners feel they bought a very high-quality product, and a unique one, at that.
Score: 10
I would also include a category for Fun Factor, except that such a thing is simply too hard to define. Everyone has a different idea of what they want in a bike. Some, like mickey, find fun in pounding away the miles with metronomic consistency, and their bike had better be able to answer the call without complaint each and every day. Others require "character" in their rides, which can mean literally anything to anyone.
To me, this CB1100 EX is a near-perfect streetbike. Everything about it tells me that its designers had the right idea as to what would make for the ideal real-world motorcycle, while also pushing all the most important Lust Buttons.
I know I'm keeping mine, for good. When even a bike's supposed flaws are actually benefits, I know I've landed on something truly special.
I told you so. 
