Surprised by reactions

E

edillen1_imp

First service completed
Thread starter
Not even two weeks with my new to me 14 cb black on black and I’m really surprised by the number of comments I’ve gotten on the bike. From motorcycle get togethers to being stopped at intersections.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great looking bike. But I’m an air cooled Honda aficionado. So this bike really checked the boxes for me. But I really underestimated what others might think. Add to the fact these things seem to be as rare as unicorns in many parts.

The ‘cool’ factor never crossed my mind.
 
You'll find this frequently happens. First day of riding my 2013 a fellow walked up and asked if I had done the restoration or had I paid to have it done.
 
redbirds_imp said:
You'll find this frequently happens. First day of riding my 2013 a fellow walked up and asked if I had done the restoration or had I paid to have it done.
Click to expand...
That exact thing happened to me a couple of times :D
There are probably only half a dozen 1100's in this entire province and in five years I have never met another one.
 
since my modifications got well underway i constantly get the "what year is that" guy in traffic and at gas stations, but my favorite one ever was a guy at cyclegear stopped me and asked if it was the 750 or the 900. he was asking if i had a CB750F or a CB900F. of course i got to grin and tell him it was an 1100 from 2014...in one question he validated my entire modification scheme. this bike really does fool people.
 
Yes, this happens all the time. However, since my wife picked up her Bonneville Speedster, my bike is the second one they look at. Usually goes like this:

"What year is that Triumph?" then a discussion. Then "Your Honda is pretty cool, too" LOL
 
It's a cool bike, particularly in black (no offense to all you deluxe owners intended)! I've had several "nice bike" comments, but some of my favorites have been from young people, including women, who just like the looks of it without any nostalgia.
 
Novice_imp said:
It's a cool bike, particularly in black (no offense to all you deluxe owners intended)! I've had several "nice bike" comments, but some of my favorites have been from young people, including women, who just like the looks of it without any nostalgia.
Click to expand...
+1
 
What I'm slightly puzzled about is that I haven't gotten any comments about mine yet. My R1200R was somewhat striking - black with BMW's classic white coach pin striping. When I'd park it at the museum for my weekend job, it wasn't uncommon to come outside to the parking garage and see people taking pictures of it. I got tons of "wow, pretty bike", and usually some comments about "the old R65 or R90 I owned back when". I get thumbs up on the Bonneville, and even some comments about how "those old British bikes will leave you stranded every time" when I stand next to it holding a phone, like I must be calling someone for help.
Always got "cool bike" comments with my actual old CBs. But, nothing yet with this bike.

Even nothing from my neighbors. I live in a tight condo complex, and park the CB behind my car next to the garage door, so it's front and center for the brigades of dog walking neighbors who amble past when I'm getting on it to go to work, or off it when I get home, and who have witnessed my rituals of cleaning and maintenance. The BMW was a conversation starter with everyone, nothing with the CB.

Weird.
 
I frequently use Tim Hortons coffee shops as my rest stops, as do most bikers in the Ottawa Valley. There are always bikers there that look the bike over. As we are riding on workdays most of us are retired and have spent decades in the saddle. So they are puzzled at first, but seldom fooled that a spotless bike with a sparkling red fuel tank and huge twin discs is a restoration.

It's the silver haired cagers that that get fooled by the spokes and air cooled 4-cylinder motor. I let them reminisce a bit about their Hondas, and then tell them it is a CB1100 that Honda has been making since 2013. Only one person realized what it was from a distance, and he came running over to admire it.

In the 3 years I have been riding mine, I have never seen another CB1100.
 
The black 14 with the silver tank is stunning. A fourm member had his bike for sale and he had the Sword Silver tank on it.

Honda should have offered that combo here in the US.
 
I set a personal record last month, while visiting Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park. Seeing the good stuff requires a lot of roadside stops to look over the edge. On just about every stop I had one or two people come over and inquire about the age of my Honda. It happened at least a dozen times in one day.

Sometimes it was motorcycle riders, other times older ex-riders in cars. None of them seemed aware that Honda made these bikes in the 21st century.
 
Flynrider_imp said:
I set a personal record last month, while visiting Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park. Seeing the good stuff requires a lot of roadside stops to look over the edge. On just about every stop I had one or two people come over and inquire about the age of my Honda. It happened at least a dozen times in one day.

Sometimes it was motorcycle riders, other times older ex-riders in cars. None of them seemed aware that Honda made these bikes in the 21st century.
Click to expand...
And THAT is why Honda didn't sell a lot of these bikes. There was zero advertising dollars put into selling them. I am SURE that they would have done much better if 1. they had actually advertised them and 2. brought them in at a price point closer to $8,500 USD to start with.
Sure the margin would have been less, but I'd lay odds they would have made quite a bit more money.
 
Not sure they intended to make money on this bike, at least in the U.S.
We may be lucky to have any in this country at all.

Ben
 
The other day I was muling the NC750 and a pickup truck pulled up along side and started the recognizable ritual of waving, shouting, attention-getting ... I forgot I wasn't riding the CB so I thought it was for the CB1100. In fact, the driver was just as passionate for the NC, and strangely possibly more - like almost mumbling between words and slurping back drool.

The light turned green, I we went our separate ways. Either he was insane (I wouldn't think that if I was actually on the CB), or Honda is quietly improving the appeal of their recent line-up (except the NM-4 and Africa).

Love the Africa! Could be my next ride ... but boy are they ugg-lee ... IMHO.
 
Called in at a local cafe yesterday. Had a 'nice bike that' comment thrown my way as i turned around. Had a short conversation about it. Sun was out and yes, with the chrome gleaming away, it did look the dogs danglies :D
 
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