WE swapped rides for approx 10 miles

[ohiorider_imp]

My good riding buddy picked up a 2016 Bonneville T120 in April of last year, and it now shows slightly over 6000 miles. We met up with the intent of swapping rides, then discussing apparent differences between the CB1100 and T120. Nothing earth-shaking here.

My impression:
- The T120 is truly a torque monster for a retro bike
- T120's suspension is more compliant than my CB1100's
- Slightly more seat to footpeg distance on T120
- T120 seemed to require more steering input (bars/tires?)
Riding buddy's impression of CB1100
- Impressed by smoothness and low end/mid range power
- Suspension seemed to load up going over series of bumps
- Less seat to footpeg distance on CB (and pegs are more rearward)
- Honda steering lighter than T120

NOTE: the T120 saddle is an optional Triumph product, but is flat rather than having a lowered rider position.

 

[pdedse]

"- Slightly more seat to footpeg distance on T120

- Less seat to footpeg distance on CB (and pegs are more rearward)"

I've had the CB1100 a year and a half, 8k miles. It's a great bike. But I'm 6'4" and if there were one thing that might cause me to think about a permanent swap, it might be this. But it's not enough! My seatpads (a 1.5" seat cushion used for bleacher seating and another mc seat pad that straps on under the seat holding the other in position), have raised the "seat to footpeg distance" enough..and only cost me $20.

Thanks for the review. I could stand for having both if it were po$$ible.

 

[feralchimp_imp]

"- Slightly more seat to footpeg distance on T120

- Less seat to footpeg distance on CB (and pegs are more rearward)"

I've had the CB1100 a year and a half, 8k miles. It's a great bike. But I'm 6'4" and if there were one thing that might cause me to think about a permanent swap, it might be this. But it's not enough! My seatpads (a 1.5" seat cushion used for bleacher seating and another mc seat pad that straps on under the seat holding the other in position), have raised the "seat to footpeg distance" enough..and only cost me $20.

Thanks for the review. I could stand for having both if it were po$$ible.

This is my one remaining distance-comfort issue with the CB11. I have a sheepskin pad on the stock seat that helps, but more height would be better. I'd love to see pictures of your setup; the description above has me scratching my head a bit.

 

[CB4ME_imp]

A high money option for the CB1100 is a K&H high seat (20mm gain) and a set of adjustable foot pegs (I'd set a max of 15mm lower). I did it on my bike and the ride was perfect. (6'1", 32" inseam).

 

[bigsheep_imp]

I have the Daytona k10 seat from samurider added a bit of height

 

[Nortoon_imp]

The hard seats on Honda motorcycles seems to be a common complaint. Several riders on the CB500X Forum bought a Coleman comfort ride seat protector and found it eased the pain. I bought one on-line, but the riding season ended before I could use it. I guess I will save it for my EX. There is an additional strap at the back this owner did not use.

Walmart in the United States sells them for less than $20.

 

[pdedse]

"- Slightly more seat to footpeg distance on T120

- Less seat to footpeg distance on CB (and pegs are more rearward)"

I've had the CB1100 a year and a half, 8k miles. It's a great bike. But I'm 6'4" and if there were one thing that might cause me to think about a permanent swap, it might be this. But it's not enough! My seatpads (a 1.5" seat cushion used for bleacher seating and another mc seat pad that straps on under the seat holding the other in position), have raised the "seat to footpeg distance" enough..and only cost me $20.

Thanks for the review. I could stand for having both if it were po$$ible.

This is my one remaining distance-comfort issue with the CB11. I have a sheepskin pad on the stock seat that helps, but more height would be better. I'd love to see pictures of your setup; the description above has me scratching my head a bit.

This is my one remaining distance-comfort issue with the CB11. I have a sheepskin pad on the stock seat that helps, but more height would be better. I'd love to see pictures of your setup; the description above has me scratching my head a bit.

I needed a fairly firm pad so that it wouldn't compact: in this photo you can see the red pad underneath the "Walmart" pad. The red one compacted too much to give me the height I wanted.

Here's a photo of the green bleacher pad that was 1.5" thick, a lot firmer; it's what I use under the Walmart pad that Nortoon shows in post #6.

 

[ohiorider_imp]

A high money option for the CB1100 is a K&H high seat (20mm gain) and a set of adjustable foot pegs (I'd set a max of 15mm lower). I did it on my bike and the ride was perfect. (6'1", 32" inseam).

One nice thing about aftermarket bolt-on accessories ..... if they're in good shape when you finally sell the bike, they're generally worth about half of what you paid for them originally.

 

[dwcurton_imp]

The seat to footpeg distance was big issue for me also (5'11" - not abnormally tall). I went with a Daytona Cozy seat and Buell footpegs (roughly 1.5" drop over stock). This made a drastic difference, though it took a while to get used to the footpegs being so low. I haven't scraped a peg yet, but trying to upshift on a long left turn is not advised. You will give up some performance but for normal riding comfort it's worlds better.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

My impression of the two bikes is very similar to ohiorider's take. Just that I don't have the T100, I have 2 newer mag wheel Bonnies . I don't feel the Bonnie's suspension to be better than the CB's, they seem the same to me. The Bonnie sits you lower to the ground. VERY easy to flat foot the Bonnie. And yes, it's a torque beast.

 

[ohiorider_imp]

My impression of the two bikes is very similar to ohiorider's take. Just that I don't have the T100, I have 2 newer mag wheel Bonnies . I don't feel the Bonnie's suspension to be better than the CB's, they seem the same to me. The Bonnie sits you lower to the ground. VERY easy to flat foot the Bonnie. And yes, it's a torque beast.

George, my buddy's Triumph is the new-in-2016 1200cc T120. However, if you're comparing a T100 to the CB, the suspensions are quite similar. However, the new T120 is much more compliant over bumpy roads.

When I owned a 2003 Centennial Edition (essentially a T100) I immediately got rid of the stock shocks and replaced them with Progressive 440s, and experimented a lot with various fork solutions, including Ricor Intiminators. Never got it quite right, but it was world's better than the stock T100.

Guess I'm going to have to repeat the exercise once again on the CB1100.

 

[gtmn_imp]

i swapped rides with a budy the other day i went a little further and road his 2016 aprilia tuono factory
really a great bike but way faster and more leanaed over then im ever gonna do
man that bikes fast
i would like to ride one of the triumphs back to back though

 

[DaSwami_imp]

The K&H Hi seat is not only taller but much firmer than stock, so the height over the stock seat seems to be more than 20mm...