If not the CB1100 then what?

Well, I'd be riding my 2017 Road King. It's more comfortable than any other bike I own (the RGU is quite similar, though) and tons of fun. It's cool (I'm not, but the bike is). But I have the CB because it's very different and fun in its own way . . .
 
I did like the pre 2014 R1200R Beemer, especially the 2013 Classic, but can't bring myself to buy one. No BMW dealers near me and BMW's reputation of late would worry me.
 
If there were no CB1100...hmm..probably I would do the same as when I was a kid riding my bicycle and making noises with my mouth trying to imitate the sound of the CB750 imagining I was riding it ( I had also installed small cardboards with laundry clips at wheel spokes to resemble engine noise ).

The Power of Dreams...

As for now, if there was no CB1100, I wouldn't sold my Husqvarna Nuda 900. Such an intoxicating motorcycle... (never landed in the US...)
 
Kawi Z900RS. Same aesthetic as my beloved CB. Yeah, it's liquid cooled, but that means mo powah! But seriously, the CB is enough for the way I ride after I passed the half-century mark last year...
 
Roper_imp said:
Kawi Z900RS. Same aesthetic as my beloved CB. Yeah, it's liquid cooled, but that means mo powah! But seriously, the CB is enough for the way I ride after I passed the half-century mark last year...
The thrill of acceleration does not diminish much with age.
I passed the 1/2 century mark almost a 1/4 century ago!

In 4th gear, the CB1100 will pull 110 MPH up an 8% grade at 7,000 feet elevation. I was not looking directly at the tach, but think it was only about 6,000 RPM at that speed.
 
SportsterDoc_imp said:
Roper_imp said:
Kawi Z900RS. Same aesthetic as my beloved CB. Yeah, it's liquid cooled, but that means mo powah! But seriously, the CB is enough for the way I ride after I passed the half-century mark last year...
The thrill of acceleration does not diminish much with age.
I passed the 1/2 century mark almost a 1/4 century ago!

In 4th gear, the CB1100 will pull 110 MPH up an 8% grade at 7,000 feet elevation. I was not looking directly at the tach, but think it was only about 6,000 RPM at that speed.
The thrill of acceleration does not diminish much with age.
I passed the 1/2 century mark almost a 1/4 century ago!

In 4th gear, the CB1100 will pull 110 MPH up an 8% grade at 7,000 feet elevation. I was not looking directly at the tach, but think it was only about 6,000 RPM at that speed.

Yessir, You are correct
00b67ef17a28f764c45679e51034006d.png



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
If not the CB then probably, I don’t know. Had a hard time finding a bike I wanted until I stumbled upon the CB. Not impressed with all the fancy plastic on the newer bikes, wanted something simple with excellent quality and readily available parts and service.
Have a Triumph which is amazingly similar to our CB in many ways.
I’d probably go with an electric bike just for the fun of it.
 
Thread starter
I guess it shouldn't come as any great surprise that most us of have similar thinking in what our alternative bike would if the dreaded nightmare of no CB1100 were to be true. That's why we are all here right?

As for me, when I decided to buy a second street bike in late '16 (as my '03 HD has been retired to full time sidecar duty for my special needs daughter) I really wanted an XR1200R but couldn't find one anywhere near me. My next choice was a CB1000R, again no luck.

By now it was March '17 and not being able to find what I was looking in Harley or Honda I reluctantly broadened my search. I say reluctantly as the shop I use is a combined HD/Honda/KTM, I trust them and really wanted to keep my motorcycle business solely with them already owning both HD and Honda bikes.

So I looked at Yamaha and BMW. I really like the R1200R and have always been a fan of their "roadster" style bikes having almost bought a R1150R Rockster in '02. The Yamaha FZ09 was also at the top of the list. The XRS900 is ok but I just feel like it is trying to hard to be something it's not.

Shortly after my '14 CB1100 miraculously fell into my lap a friend decided to sell his mint condition, very low mileage (4500km) '09 Buell Ulysses that I had bugged him to sell me 6-7 years ago so I couldn't pass it up. It's a great bike that does everything I want and is more comfortable, longer range, better suspension than the CB and has removable luggage. If I hadn't picked a bike by the I got the Ulysses I would probably just have stuck with that.

I had planned to sell the CB once I got the Ulysses but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I have never gotten attached to a mechanical thing before but the CB1100 is special in a way that I can't explain.

But you guys already knew that, didn't you?
 
I had a Monster M1100 and a Ninja ZX 9R, planned on selling both and buying a GSX-S1000F. Found a quick buyer for the Monster, and I was happy to see it go, but the Zinja did not sell and I'm glad I kept it and bought the CB 1100. They make a great pair. If the CB 1100 did not exist, I would have a Z900RS or the GSX.
 
I like the straight up riding style and old school so I’d probably go with a Scrambler, either the Duc or the Harley.

A few months back before I bought my CB in fell in lust with the BMW R9T. I was convinced this was my next bike. As luck would have it a guy was willing to rent me his for two weeks. I went to pick it up in Long Beach and by the time I hit around 30 min on the R9T I was done. My wrists and elbows hurt like heck. She sat in my garage for the next 13 days!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I saw a Z900RS in person for the first time yesterday. Looks like a jewel of a bike. The only surprise for me was that the fuel tank looks extremely wide and bulbous from the riding position. The pictures of it from above and the rear don't really reflect what it looks like in real life.

3c9149e7bc561fc4306d8b4fdda8df5a.jpg


2b24a59a4e23721a8be60d693b2332e7.jpg


7ad4f73823b7260c97d048d99f6de9a9.jpg


dea1f2f9c49382f33776bcdee7f16ae4.jpg


f41f3789fcfda58334c85b64c0f59e78.jpg


826ecc031fe1c4536a1befeaffc29c9a.jpg
 
Cracking bike the Z900 RS and saw one in the flesh for the first time a couple of days ago. Agree with what you said about the tank, seems very big. Still preferred my CB and wouldn't trade it for this.
Alternative bike for me would have to be an old style XJR 1300.
 
I think BMW's reliability issues relate to some models,I think, not being made in Germany. Also,why don't they take a hint from Triumph(think Bonneville) and make a retro model. I had a '66 R60 that I'd love to see available as a new version.Leave off all the foo-foo high tech stuff to so it will still look like a motorcycle and not suffer the accompanying weight gain. I'll have mine in black!
 
Thread starter
Stichill_imp said:
I saw a Z900RS in person for the first time yesterday. Looks like a jewel of a bike. The only surprise for me was that the fuel tank looks extremely wide and bulbous from the riding position. The pictures of it from above and the rear don't really reflect what it looks like in real life.

3c9149e7bc561fc4306d8b4fdda8df5a.jpg


2b24a59a4e23721a8be60d693b2332e7.jpg


7ad4f73823b7260c97d048d99f6de9a9.jpg


dea1f2f9c49382f33776bcdee7f16ae4.jpg


f41f3789fcfda58334c85b64c0f59e78.jpg


826ecc031fe1c4536a1befeaffc29c9a.jpg
Interesting, I just looked at the Canadian model Z900RS today and it has a Speedo marked in km only. I wonder why the US model doesn't have the same in miles?
 
Back
Top