Do you remember your first CB1100 Ride?

I remember the day well. My wife had dropped me off at the dealership (50 miles from home) to pick up my Guzzi Griso that had been in the shop for its second month - long stint in two months, having filled my house with acrid electrical smoke twice. At the service desk, the tech told me he was sorry, but the bike shorted out again after they went to retrieve it for me, and it would take at least another month or more to get a complete new wiring harness. My wife had already left for home.

After I released a record breaking stream of epithets, I calmed down, walked into the showroom, saw the CB, went over to the owner of the shop, and cut a deal on it, with the evil Italian as a trade. Impulsive, perhaps, but I was done with that busty vixen, and got a shockingly good deal on my sensible and beautiful new mistress. They prepped the CB, and I rode it home in a stately manner. Loved it immediately, save for the tingles that bother me to this day, and did 100 miles of highway and backroads. Pulled up home hours later, my wife was in the yard, she just shook her head and said, 'tell me the story at dinner,' and walked back in the house. I remained in the garage admiring the CB, enjoying the tink- tink of the cooling fins, and recounting the sequence of events that led to her arrival.


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ride4now_imp said:
Yup, it was a test ride down the street by the dealer. I actually thought the bike felt small and a bit cramped but I figured I'd get use to it. But I really remember the engines smoothness, the sound, and how well it shifted. I went back, wrote a check, and bought it leaving my car there to retreive in a day or so. They found one for me to ride (having none on the floor) so I felt like I needed to buy it... Lol! Then almost a year later, sight unseen (other than photos), I put a deposit on a 2014 DLX and traded in the '13. I love this motorcycle and realized just yesterday that it fits me just fine.
Click to expand...
I didn't think to re-post my 'first posts' on this subject. Maybe boring for some, but like a time capsule for me.... I don't know how to cut/paste on an I phone so here's a few screen shots and then 2 pictures of my new DLX on the dealership floor and then when I arrived to trade in the '13.













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Yes, I trailered my Moto Guzzi trade-in to the Jacksonville dealer. Went over the paperwork with the salesman but told him no deal without a test ride. After the tech had carefully gone over the bike with me, I rode out of the service bay and knew at once that this was the bike I would keep. Made the test ride short and hurried back to close the deal. Still loving my CB.

 
Thread starter
Thanks for sharing your first ride tales, glad I'm not the only one to wax poetic about a bike. Again, thanks Honda for building this bike !
 
Like it was yesterday! :celebrate:

After talking to the salesman for a week, on October 20, 2015, I rode my NC700 from JAX to Tavares, FL to get that "new to me" 2014 and my CB back through the Ocala National Forest then crossed to A1A and came home via the beach.

Twas a good day! :excited:
 
Nemo, you bought your black 2014 CB1100 STD from the same place I did!

I bought mine in early Feb 2016, in Tavares, FL. It was raining on my test drive, but I loved the bike and how it felt. Comfy, responsive, and appropriately retro. I left my 2006 Ninja 636 at the dealer, rode the CB an hour home in the pouring rain, then headed back with a friend to pick up the Ninja and ride it home, now in the pouring rain at night.

Even though I've had a few issues with my ride, I'm quite satisfied with my purchase every time I fire it up and hop on. I think it has something to do with the Two Brothers slip on sound. :)
 
Had just sold my R1200GS and was looking for a fun comfortable bike to ride when I ended up at a multi line dealership in Raleigh NC who had indicated they would allow qualified riders to test ride bikes. Was interested in the Yamaha 3 cylinder bikes but the riding position just didn't look that comfortable. Saw the CB in the corner and said "What is That?". Called my old high school friend in Sanford NC and yes, he had one on the floor. Handed me the keys and I took it for a 2 hour test ride through the Sandhills of NC and over to the Uhwarrie Mtns. Decent handling, plenty of torque, enough power to ride anywhere, quiet and comfortable.
Easiest sale he ever made.
Good solid simple bike thats fun to ride and has the Honda engineering built in. Doubt it will ever be the most popular bike on the planet again but I enjoy it.
 
Yep, april 22 2014, my wife drove me to Redline powersports to pick up my DLX that I ordered in early Feb,I arrived at the dealer with my RLETS that I pre lubed with a little Vasoline before I got there, when the sales guy brought me back to see the bike for the first time I pushed on the RLETS and said to everyone watching now it's a CB,then I rode it home for the first time!:biker:
 
I have my first ride on the CB clearly in front of my eyes. It was like so many others had a test ride which convinced me immediately. All felt well, something I didn't felt with the Guzzi California I traded in, bought by the same dealer as a used one til something went wrong with the engine. So I gave it back to him just in time and took the Honda, paying the difference in price and did not regret my decision til now. Although the Guzzi was nice, but ran out of good function, which was not easy to fix, the Honda is even nicer. And because the dealer offered a good deal, I'm from then on a CB Rider, which I hadn't planned but it happend 'cause of the Guzzi problem. What I noticed right from the start, the Honda is strong enough, has a well balanced handling, looks cool and good and is simply a Honda, which I can rely on hopefully. The only thing that give my a little trouble is the too high idle problem since last summer, which I maybe solve upcoming spring, but dispite from this the CB runs as good as it did on my first ride.

Wisedrum
 
My first ride on my 14 was the day I picked it up (guess where I was headed? lol) April 5, 2014

 
I love this shot of CA200 pulling the old "fake kickstarter" routine on the retro bike... ;)

bb583a9d20363c4bb1cffbf203240db7.jpg
 
johnf514, Don Kuhn at PowerFun was great to deal with!

johnf514_imp said:
Nemo, you bought your black 2014 CB1100 STD from the same place I did!

I bought mine in early Feb 2016, in Tavares, FL. It was raining on my test drive, but I loved the bike and how it felt. Comfy, responsive, and appropriately retro. I left my 2006 Ninja 636 at the dealer, rode the CB an hour home in the pouring rain, then headed back with a friend to pick up the Ninja and ride it home, now in the pouring rain at night.

Even though I've had a few issues with my ride, I'm quite satisfied with my purchase every time I fire it up and hop on. I think it has something to do with the Two Brothers slip on sound. :)
Click to expand...
 
I remember leaving it in the shop (March weather) until they finished installing engine guards, rear rack, and heated grips, all of which we made part of the deal. Don't remember riding it home. Don't really remember the first few rides.

I think the first time I really took notice of the bike was on the freeway, when I thought to myself, "This is much better than the CB750 on the freeway."

Disclaimer: I think I have some memory problems.
 
Knowing the CB11 was headed to US showrooms for some time, I visited two local dealers and sat on the bikes. In April and May, I couldn't get the machine off my mind. I posted as much in facebook, "Stop your siren song, sweet CB1100." Something had to give. I tried not to buy it. And then...

It has been, and still is, the perfect bike for me.
 
There are some really cool stories here.
 
So I won my 2013 on an eBay auction Thanksgiving afternoon from a motorcycle shop in Odessa-Midland Texas and was heading to Peru for work on Monday.

Got the cash a Friday, rented a motorcycle trailer, picked up son from play practice and drove there arriving late Friday night from San Antonio.

Meet owner early, jumped on the bike, it was a cold morning. Took it for a test ride, for approx 10 miles down the highway frontage road hitting the ton twice! Rode it up the ramp into the trailer, paid the man, took the title ad headed for home. Big grin on my face all the way.

Got on the plane, and while away ordered goodies from Mr. T. Fun Christmas when it got home.

Bought the 2014 Dlx without a test ride.


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Rolls your story is so visceral! Amazing that a CB1100 was the first bike you'd ridden in all those years. We must be about the same age; I looked long and hard at a 1984 V30 Magna but ended up deciding not to take the risk (in hindsight, wise given my behavior/attitude at the time). Then got married, kids, etc. but when they got old enough...at 49 I got a bike. My first highway ride was exactly as you describe yours: Scary! What in the heck have I done?! Then the discovery of earplugs to cut the frantic wind noise and a gradual adjustment to the joy of riding as the nervous tension fades away.
 
Stichill_imp said:
Rolls your story is so visceral! Amazing that a CB1100 was the first bike you'd ridden in all those years. We must be about the same age; I looked long and hard at a 1984 V30 Magna but ended up deciding not to take the risk (in hindsight, wise given my behavior/attitude at the time). Then got married, kids, etc. but when they got old enough...at 49 I got a bike. My first highway ride was exactly as you describe yours: Scary! What in the heck have I done?! Then the discovery of earplugs to cut the frantic wind noise and a gradual adjustment to the joy of riding as the nervous tension fades away.
Click to expand...
Yes, indeed! When the CB11 was new, I took a trip up to Oregon before I became a die-hard ear protection user. Ears are still ringing. Would never ride w/o 'em again. Or in plain jeans. Can't believe all I got away with in my youth. Different times. Different standards.
 
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