2013 Honda CB1100 Second Ride

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some months ago MotoUSA was able to get a short first ride on the 2013 Honda CB1100, and it left us wanting more time in the saddle to really get a feel for the bike. We praised it for its throwback looks paired with modern brakes, tires and electronics, but would the nostalgia wear off? To find out we spent several long days in the saddle with the CB getting to know the retro Honda in just about every situation that Southern California has to offer.

as a child of the late eighties, I didn’t get interested in street motorcycles until the first Gulf War had kicked off and MC Hammer was jumping around in parachute pants. And by the time I was able to get my motorcycle license on May 18th, 1992 at 8 AM, the last of the classic CB’s were relics. The styling, the engine and the performance did nothing for me as I lusted for CBR900RR and FZR600 replica-racers. I couldn’t be bothered with some air-cooled boxy lump of old tech.

twenty-one years on and my tastes have matured, and I the can appreciate the Honda’s reboot of the CB. The squarish tank, the eighteen-inch Comstar-style wheels, the bread loaf seat and simple round headlight all look the part yet have a slightly better fit and finish. Retro is what’s hot right now; my peers are buying up late seventies and early eighties Japanese fours to tinker with. I’d rather ride, and that’s where the 2013 CB1100 really does the most for me. I get the looks, the sounds, similar engine performance and better handling, all with zero time scouring eBay, Craigslist, and forums for parts.

the CB1100’s air- and oil-cooled engine is fueled by a bank of 32mm FI throttle bodies and fires up with a touch of the starter button. The throttle is calibrated nicely and the engine responds with a usable spread of torque that is present

The 2013 Honda CB1100's engine has a flat torque curve that gives the bike an easy to ride character.

almost right off of idle and carries through the mid-range. On top, the CB’s peak 84.02 horsepower at 7300 rpm isn’t staggering, but simply fun. The broad power character allows for easy modulation of the throttle and ham-fisted shenanigans are just shrugged off. Overall, the CB1100 is fast enough to be fun without being overwhelming for anyone. It’s mellow in the city and will put a smile on your face in the mountains.