The Kneeslider

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Honda CB1100 for Production

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Honda CB1100
Honda CB1100

It’s been a rumored model for some time but Honda will be putting the CB1100 on display in Tokyo as a production model. They don’t say much:

“Making its world premiere, the CB1100 explores the potential of the air-cooled, 4-cylinder engine while building upon the aesthetic appeal and riding taste of the generations of CBs.”

A lot of Honda fans and many riders just looking for a standard bike with classic style and updated technology, will be very pleased. Whether the bike is coming to the US or not isn’t stated but I would assume (hope?) that it will find its way to showrooms here.

Thanks, Tony!

Link: Honda via Hell for Leather

Posted on Filed Under: Motorcycle Business

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Comments

  1. Sweet! Still the air cooled 4 carb beast of yester-year? Maybe the return of the sportbike that can do it all.

  2. very cool, i can’t wait to see one in person. i’ll bet it won’t take long for someone to cafe this.

  3. Air-cooled … what is this little radiator for ?

    Furious 70s look, (with the wheels, chrome fender, mirrors, rear light, megaphone pipes, … and so on), some will like it.

  5. This could be big, I may be an old foggy but I would think these would be hard to keep on a showroom floor. With the old CB models being so popular with builders and restorer’s the resurgence of café racers and minimalist bikes this could be very popular. It just begs to be personalized and could be done cheaply by nearly anyone. Thankfully we haven’t quite given up on air cooled engines yet. My teenage son just text me and said “Dad check out Kneeslider, I want one”

  6. I grew up spending a lot of time on the back of a 1978 Honda 750 F model so I’m sure I might be somewhat biased but I think this a brilliant motorcycle.The return of a comfortable, reliable, sporty and hopefully relatively cheap to maintain bike. My bias might show some here but I’ll go out on a limb and say bike of the year nominee for any publication out there.

  8. I saw the CB1100R concept from a while back. It seems odd they also decided to make a plain version considering the 1100 never had a ‘custom’ version back in the 80s.

    Is this meant to continue the tradition of the CB750 SOHC, the CB900 Custom, or the CB1100F? It doesn’t really matter, they’re all great bikes and this new bike looks cool — I’m just surprised to see chrome on it.

    I wonder how many of the parts in the engine are compatible with the original CB1100F engine.

    I’m also very skeptical that this will come to the US. Honda still makes the CB750 which is not sold here.

  9. What a concept – a basic, good looking machine that’s fun to ride and gets you where you’ve got to go. The late 60s – early 70s mixed a lot of good in with the other, and the UJM, for me, was one of the good.

  11. For a long time, Honda has been missing the boat, and probably losing sales, by allowing other Japanese firms to come out with newer, better performing bikes while Honda’s own models were pretty much limited to the occasional update of the last CBR or a slightly more blinged out version of a VTX or Shadow. This is a positive step in the right direction, even if it is sorta backwards. The increasing specialization of motorcycles in recent years has pretty much seen the demise of the do-it-all standard, and this one brings it back. It reminds me of my old CB750K, which I bought new in Denver, rode for about 10 years, then rode it down to Tuscon when I moved there, rode it there for about 10 years, then rode it North Carolina, where I now reside, and rode it here for a bunch of years before I finally sold it with over 150,000 miles it, and the guy I sold it to is riding it still. In all that time, only regular maintenance was performed. I changed the chains and sprockets a few times, and the shocks once. Great bike. And it looked like a motorcycle, too, not like an outtake from Battlestar Galactica or something. Nice job, Honda. Now bring back the Cub.

  12. So excited to hear this news. I’ve been waiting in crazed anticipation since this thing & it’s racier brother showed up at the Tokyo(?) show some years back. I was barely riding when bikes looked like this but some of us still enjoy the simplicity of an aircooled engine and like to see the motor in a motorcycle (it IS the first part of the word after all) rather than plastic. Shouldn’t folks like us have a share of the manus attention?
    I’m with Phoebe, though. I think a 750-900 would be more than adequate. Perhaps they went with the behemouth motor to give it performance specs closer to those of a modern liquid cooled engine of smaller displacement? Folks like to see big numbers before they make up they’re mind. I, for one, was sold a few years ago. Hooray Honda! Bring it to the states!

  13. Price will be a huge factor for this bike. While there will be a number of guys that are drawn to an “old school” low-tech bike, if big H doesn’t price it very aggressively then it will never sell in large numbers.

  14. What will be interesting, beyond Honda’s pricing, is the actual reception it gets in the showroom. Positive words are one thing, sold motorcycles going out the door are another. Big thumbs up to Honda for taking the chance. Also, I think it has a much larger potential market than the Fury.

  15. I’ll admit, I didn’t like the concept before but now I like this bike. If honda can keep the price in check (under 10 grand) then it should do well.

  16. Not a chance, Honda will ask for less than 10K. Especially not now, in the economic mess we are in right now.

  17. Gimme a set of dual (both sides) exhaust and some spoked rims for under $10k and I’d call it good to go. Of course I’d wait for a year or two and buy one used for $3k-$4k. Sweet!!

  18. As a ZRX owner, I keep hearing stories of dealers wishing they had something like it — a standard — to sell. I’m thinking there are quite a few of us old boomer farts who don’t like Harleys or their clones and who’d get back into riding with modern versions of the bikes from their 20s.

  19. Looks like Honda hit every one of its old styling cues except for the ComStar wheels. Personally, I like Harley’s interpretation of its legacy forms in the XR1200 better than Honda’s slavish recapitulation of its old bikes, but I do think the debut of another standard bike is a good thing and ought to be widely welcomed.

  20. Very nice, hope they bring it here, but just for the sake of discussion, what does this offer that the already here and nicely priced Bandit 1200 doesn’t? Or the ZRX/etc?

  21. Nice to see Honda building a Heritage bike, based on its own Heritage! You could not pay me to ride a Fury, But this Standard will be admired by all riders.

  23. Looks very nice for that style of bike. Great if you want a brand new old bike. Not exactly what I’m into but would rather have something like this than a Harley or Harley-clone – just personal preference. Very plain in white, how about a metallic silver…

  24. Very nice. Clean & simple.

    Still ought to be a 750 – lighter, less expensive, better mileage etc. – but if it were I suspect the info-bahn would be ringing with disappointment over its “meager” peformance compared to 600cc supersports and liter-plus sport-tourers (this apple isn’t as orange as that orange – so it’s broken). We motorcyclists generally seem to enjoy that sort of thing (Guzzi V7, Bonneville (which still ought to be a 650), etc.).

  25. I like the bunch of components bolted to a frame look, it does look like it would be easy to personalise. Lots of modern bikes look very designed as a whole, that’s not a bad thing and smoothly flowing lines makes cleaning easier. The photograph they show does look a little dull I don’t know if this is intended to make you immediately think of customisation. I think it would be great if you could maybe order the bike, the colour, the bars, the seat, foot peg position and tail unit from maybe a choice of about 5 of each.

  26. I would like a smaller version too. I only do 80 mph or so, I don’t need (or want) a 100+ HP 1100. The 400 that Tanshanomi pointed out is interesting. Style it like this 1100 and it would be better. I’m happiest with something around 400cc, 400#, 40HP, 40MPG, $4,000… Looks like I’m still in used bike territory then.

    To me, this still looks like a modern bike, not a “retro”. This is just what a motorcycle looks like when you aren’t trying to fit it into a category. Simple bikes styled like this (and with more approachable specs, i.e. less weight, less power, less $) will get all sorts of people back into riding. My dad, for one, would really like this though it would be a huge step from his 30 horse CB400F Super Sport – which is still sitting in the garage with 6k miles on it…

    -todd

  27. Im with justpete on this. Needs dual exhaust and spoked wheels. It would also look a little better if they hide those horns behind the headlight. Oh…. the cafe racer potential of this bike. Would be nice to see the cb750 again just like everyone said.

  28. It looks big and heavy. I remember the old air-cooled across the frame Japanese fours handling like barges (compared to modern bikes anyway) but I expect the chassis will have improved somewhat and the wheels are certainly wider than the old Comstars. It’ll still be too heavy and wide for me as where I park my bike has limited space. To be honest, the old Suzuki Bandit 1200 did the same sort of thing but looked better in my opinion but I’m sure it’ll appeal to someone.

  30. Being the owner of a 1979 CB750, I love the styling of this bike, but agree with the other posters that a smaller engine would be more welcomed by the demographic that this bike will attract. I would think the popularity in the used marketplace for UJMs would give a clue to the manufacturers that there is still interest/demand for smaller, lighter, simple, do-it-all, everyday bikes.

  31. On the subject of power, Try this. A new Air/Oil cooled 1100 probably makes about the same power as a old 750 did. The EPA forces extra lean mixtures on Air/ Oil cooled engines to meet modern standards. My old 1000 Iron Sportster makes more power than my new 1200 Evo for this very reason. Air cooling makes it harder to hold emissions in check. Same with noise/loudness, A big single can is quieter than 2 small cans,thus easier to meet sound standards.

  32. Something doesn’t look right, can’t quite put my finger on it.
    Either the alloy fenders mixed with mass centralisation or the bike just looks too tall

  34. Would love for this bike to come to our shores at any price. Alas, if history is any guide we won’t see this thing — the brilliant CB1300 was withheld from us (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CB1300), when Honda axed the more sport-oriented CB1000 they cited dismal sales numbers, and the absence for too many years of the CB750 doesn’t bode well either. Love it, want it, but I’m afraid we likely won’t get it. 🙁

  35. Not to toot my own horn so to speak, but not so long ago we were talking about \the ultimate build of an iconic design using the best materials and engineering available today.\ I suggested the ’69 CB750, and judging by the overwhelmingly positive feedback to this design, as well as the outcry for a 750, I would dare say I was right on. Now this is certainly not anywhere near to a \cost no object build,\ but it still manages to captivate and enthuse, some 40 years after the original. The same has not been done with a black lightning or commando, to my knowledge, and the new bonneville seems not to have sparked the same interest.

  36. Nice… however: I am with tallsteve, it looks more like an XS1100. The back half and tank are CB750, the engine (which is the focal point) and the wheels all scream CB750F/CB900F/CB1100F/R. This style concept is nice but confused.

    Honda have the technology and know how to produce a SOHC 750 engine for this style concept. Spoked wheels are a must. Now that would be something classic.

    They have the new 1100 engine and therefore should have produced something with a higher rear end, CB-F Bol’dor shaped tank, Comstars and electric blue with blue stripes (IMHO the best colour combination). The 1100R concept is beautiful and that colour scheme is spot on, however its style is not as ‘vintage’ as this and not representative of the CB-F Bol’dor style. Where’s the middle ground?

  37. I’d say it is a little oil cooler, terry nice, it just looks stock from yester year, looks like a great platform for retro fun

  39. The CB750 made a “claimed” 67hp (58 as tested on a dyno). A modern, air cooled, bike like this one will spin pretty good RPMs and have much higher compression. The Bandit 1200 (this bike’s obvious comparison) makes 115 hp on a dyno. That’s dang close to twice as much power. With that in mind, I still would be happy with a 400. Too bad no one gives me that choice except for Craigslist.

    -todd

  40. Todd, The high HP numbers come at a much higher RPM range, A range that few ever use. I submit that this 1100 will feel like an old 750 at sreet legal speeds. I, as you do, prefer smaller bikes, and seldom use all the power available in my bikes. I tend to run on torque, rarely exceeding 5000RPMs on my twins. My little Aermacchi singles are 2 strokes, they sound like they rev but dont. Have you tried a Guzzi 7 yet? Sweet bike! Much like my Budies new Bonniville.

  41. Nicholas, Beast is right the small radiator is an oil cooler. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the motor has an oil cooled head in the manner of the current BMW boxers. With emission controls and the resulting need that the motors run lean, it is very tough to cool that exhaust valve with just the air flowing by.

  42. Tin Man, when you say ‘old 750s’, do you mean old as in CBR750?

    There is no reason to think this would perform less well than any of the traditional Honda 750 engines.

    I agree this may be less performance-oriented than a modern engine (water-cooled, fuel-injected). However, the CB750s didn’t have either of those configurations — including the more recent Nighthawk 750.

    This should outperform all of Honda’s classic CB-line bikes with the possible exception of the original CB1100R. (For added clarification, I’m referring to the CB750 SOHC, CB750F DOHC, CB900F, CB1100F and Nighthawk 750. I’ll even throw in the CBX.)

  43. If someone rides around at low RPMs on one bike, chances are they will run around at low RPMs on another. In that case, it will still feel like twice the power of an old 750 because, it is.

    I like to run my engine where it is the “happiest”. An engine is most happy where it is making the most torque, it is also the most efficient. In order to get the most torque and efficiency out of an engine it needs to be not only at the right RPM but at near full throttle at that RPM. Chances are we are not riding around at full throttle but you can be closer to full throttle on a small bike than a larger one. This is the primary reason small bikes have higher MPG – they are closest to full throttle / peak torque application while at speed. To be at this point on a large motor (full torque, full throttle) you need top gear doing 100+ mph. At this point wind resistance really cuts into any efficiency gains you get from running near peak torque.

    I call this “getting the most out of an engine”, which doesn’t necessarily mean revving the crap out of it. I’m talking peak torque, not peak horsepower. If you follow this rule of thumb you can get the same results from “less powerful” bikes as others get from “more powerful” bikes and you’re not stressing the engine by lugging it around. Every bike running down the road at the same speed is making roughly the same amount of power. At 70 mph a 125 is making 15hp, a 600 is making 15hp, a 1100 is making 15hp…. (probably more since a larger bike needs to overcome more rolling and wind resistance) no matter what gear, RPM, or throttle position the bikes are at. The one closer to peak torque (possibly the 125) is getting the best fuel economy. He also paid much less for the bike and it probably weighs 200 pounds less than the 1100.

    -todd

  44. I doubt Honda will bring it to the US… they are still punishing us for not buying the Rune. Our penance: the Fury and DN-01

  45. What a great counter statement to the new VFR! One bike exploring all the new technology and one that could prove that Honda can still make a UJM. I can only hope that this bike sells and encourages Honda to bring more “standard” bikes to this side of the Pacific. That 400 that Tanshanomi linked above would be a sweet machine for dealing with city riding.

  46. Todd, Great explanation of Usefull Power. You put it into words better than I ever could.—– Jon, I was talking about the mid 70s 750s like the one I recently fixed up for a friend. It looks like Im sadly out of touch with the power of the later bikes.

  47. Todd and other gentlement, imho what’s important is not that the engine is at it’s peak torque with the throttle full open, it’s to have a cool torquey ride at low throttle opening with the potential of opening it wide and get a big and long kick in the arse !!! …

    … what a 400 doesn’t do well at all, while this big Honda will probably do very well, and in a stylish manner. Good job Honda !

  48. The problem with retro-bikes of this nature, as with Kawasaki’s Zephyr, is that people want the bike at the ’80s price. Kawasaki brought the Zephyr to market based mostly on a survey done by Cycle World that indicated a strong desire for a simpler, not-so-focused bike. Consequently the Zephyr was brought to market…an abject failure.

  49. I keep thinking to myself “why would I get rid of my 1984 Kawasaki GPz and get this?”……can’t really think of any reason, other than the nicer brakes. My biggest gripe is that I’d have to give up my wonderful half fairing, and get blasted by the breeze…..

    Half Fairings just look awesome on “naked bikes”, so why not do it properly?

    After having naked bikes back in the 80’s, I never got the allure of the direct wind blast, and always like minimally faired bikes….which is why I’d prolly never get this Honda.

  50. Great looking bike.If they price it slightly higher than the Triumph Bonneville or Thruxton, Triumph will be losing sales. If it is $2500-3000 more than the Triumph, people will forgo Honda’s extra cc’s and put the money into modding the Triumph. At least now Triumph has company with the retro look.

  51. Yes, Triumph has company, The Guzzi 7, The HD Sportster, Ducati Classic, and now the Honda 1100. All nice bikes, lets hope the Honda makes it to the States.

  52. I’m in Canada and if the cb1100 comes here I’ll buy it Yesterday. I was looking at the ducati sport classic and the thruxton… Going to wait a bit now. I ride a 71 cb750, this bike is going to be modded so quick… new tank and seat for sure.

  53. Glad to see they saved weight with deleting the sidestand…must be Asimo gyros or something??

  54. Just the look I’ve been waiting for nowadays. Kinda reminiscent of the old Matchless…

    If I sell my cb 900f, this’ll be it’s replacement.

    Thanks be that it’s not another damn cruiser!

  55. Honda finally built a bike I like. wonder what trade value my very low mileage bandit 12 will bring.?

  57. gimme some spoke wheels and its a done deal. the two horns out front need to go though, they remind me of an old magna too much

  58. If it has ABS and a Shaft it would be a Bandit beater, but the price won’t be in line. They are pricing themselves out of the market from what I can see. The DNo1 is perfectly out of step ( do not order one)

  59. I love that bike. Aside from the dorky mirrors I have to say it’s just about perfect. A frame, engine, seat, and lots of go, go, GO!

  60. I’d buy one in a flash. I need a replacement for my aging FJ1200 which runs well, but without factory parts, is no longer suitable for daily use.

  61. Can’t wait! I want one NOW!

    Sit right next to my Harley.

    a basic air cooled inline 4 with the 4 into 1 pipe, and has FUEL INJECTION.

    Now, imagine some clip on’s and a cafe seat….:D

  62. I disagree that we are looking for 80’s pricing. I am 49 years old, want to buy a bike, hate almost everything out there, can afford to buy whatever I want. My wife said: “just go buy a Harley”..but I am not a Harley type guy. I am drawn to the style Bonnevilles , Royal Enfields and the retro Guzzis, but when I sat on them they didn’t feel right. I am 6′ 2″ and don’t want to look and feel like a Gorilla on a mini bike. This new honda looks “just right”…my Goldilocks bike!! I don’t care what it costs. If it was in the local showroom, I would be first in line to buy. These retro bikes attract the 40 to 50 somethings….these are the folks who actually have money to spend, unlike the pimply punks on crotch rockets living with Mom & Dad – putting their entire Burger King paycheck toward the monthly payment. Nope, I think we WOULD pay and they WOULD sell….keep it under $15G though….cause we’re wealthy – not stupid.

  63. I have been waiting for this day. Honda makes the BEST motorcycles. I have 3 and have been waiting for this ONE – the CB1100. I was very close in buying a Triumph Bonneville, but I am extremely faithful to Honda — probably more than to my Wife! So Honda, when I know this bike is on the showroom floor, I’ll be right over to Honda to buy. These are Beautiful Retro bikes.