This one hits home, as I'm the 7 - year owner of two modern Bonnevilles, one of which was my re-entry bike after many years off bikes. Here's my take.
The modern Bonneville is a fantastic, versatile bike with a good deal of character, and a beautiful array of models and colors and editions to choose from. I've taken my pair in somewhat opposite directions, one more cafe, one more traditional retro, but the point of Bonnie ownership is that the bike is a canvas which allows the owner to personalize the bike in so many ways. And the aftermarket industry for the Bonneville range is tremendous and somewhat affordable. I doubt that we'll ever see one develop to that extent for the CB1100 unless the model lives for 10 plus years and sales are robust. Our forum members are certainly leading the way, but the relative paucity and price of aftermarket stuff for the CB, combined with the one year run in the US, is still a bit limiting.
Triumph ownership is definitely more 'soulful' than Honda ownership, IMHO, as the Triumph brand is a bit more focused, low volume and has a pretty distinct heritage. A lot of people across the age and bike spectrum get misty over Triumph, But a lot of that is marketing, and strip it away, how do the bikes compare?
I say they compare somewhat like their forebears did. The Bonnie is more elemental, not as polished, not built or finished to the same spec as the CB. But it is sportier and a bit edgier than the CB, a bit lighter, and I find the combination of the vertical twin snarl (with aftermarket cans) and the surefooted handling to be more engaging than the CB.
The CB1100 is a better all around motorcycle...there, I've said it. But my Tiger 800 is a better all - around motorcycle than the CB, so you can view this from a lot of angles. If I had to keep only one bike for the rest of my life, it would be the Bonneville. But the CB would be a close second, and in a few years, I'm not certain that sequence would hold. They are both distinct and significant motorbikes, and I don't consider them duplicative, only different...and if you own either, or both, count yourself lucky.
Sorry. No comparison to e.g. the Guzzi V7 sound. Even the sound of the CB 1100 is better. Some Bonnie drivers (e.g. one of my colleagues) mount Zard exhausts or other pipes with better sound (but legal restriction limit here in Germany the options) therefore. The engine has plenty of power (for me), that was not the problem.
