Like life, new motorcycles are a compromise. All the new Hondas are designed with a price point in mind and then produced to meet that point. They have to be globally acceptable, vs just acceptable to a certain market. Add a bigger tank, the heavier suspension parts to carry it, a small fairing and the other little things to make it set up for touring and you increase the cost. They brought the Deuville to the US with a decent motor, small fairing, built in bags , priced it under $10,000 and they couldn't give them away, even with a great Europeon track record. The CB 1100 was designed to be the retro CB 750, one of the best selling bikes of all time. Want to tour, fix it up yourself, like back in the 70's. I think Honda has done a pretty good job of recognizing the changing economy and making the effort to bring affordable bikes back to the mainstream public. You can be all the other manufacturers will be watching to see if this new effort pays off with increased sales, and more importantly, brings people back to the showrooms.
Found some more pictures of the whitehouse tank. That's CB1100 K10... For the japanese market? These bikes look a lot more "retro" than the U.S. bike I sat on.
Can't read Japanese,but it looks like Whitehouse sells a CB1100 "kit"..... http://www.whouse.jp/ http://www.whouse.jp/cart_html/cart_frame_cb1100k10.html
It's just so damn bulbous looking; reminds me of a humpback whale. It's just my opinion of course, but I find the stock tank far more attractive, far sleeker, than that big lump, capacity be damned. The CB750 style sidecovers don't help either -- they make the bike look far less integrated than the stock styling.
QUESTION: If I order a bike from a Honda Dealer, do they give me a VIN Number to track? I'm afraid if I order one at an attractive price, and it comes in in March/April, and somebody sees it and gets the hots for one, they'll sell it at an increased profit. When I ordered my two previous cars, an '02 BMW M3 and an '06 Chrysler 300C/SRT8, both dealers gave me a VIN Number and a website to track it's progress, from assembly line to delivery. I'd like that here. Or, I'd AT LEAST like a VIN Number attached to the Sales Order (when available). Whaddiya Think? Lee
Good question, but I have no idea. I've never purchased a new motorcycle before. I put a deposit down on a CB1100 back when it was first announced that the bike would be headed to the states and was told by the dealer that I was the first to do so. Sounds like the bike might ship in February and be in the showroom by sometime in March. Only time will tell. They'll notify me when they know more.
Sorry M3,Honda dealers have no way of knowing what vin numbers will be.Some times the motorcycle arrives before the paperwork.I worked at a large dealership in sales and took deposits on bikes daily,once a motorcycle had a deposit it was off limits to anyone except the buyer.Good luck.
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I think you missed the point, Gary. What I'm concerned with is not the eventual delivery date, but the fear that the Dealer will sell my bike from under me in the spring, at a higher price, when things heat up on the sales floor.
long time lurker and new inmate here... I've been following this thread and read earlier in the thread that there is a huge disparity in prices in the US vs Canada... ...just curious why canadians can't just come into the US and buy the bike and ride it back to Canada?
You can, but there are lots of hassles and expenses. For most brands, there is also no Canadian warranty on US bikes. Do a search and you'll get some idea of what is involved. It's a lot more than just "riding it back to Canada". - Mark
Yep. both of our countries cling to their respective sovereignty, and their collection of taxes and fees. As Americans, we cannot go into Canada and request American MSRP or special pricing, especially on items or models unavailable here. We are separated by more than just an imaginary boundary, but by laws and governments, sometimes for the good and sometimes not so much. Like in the case of the CB1100, Honda allows our respective country's dealers one color to sell, different from the other country's, and knows our governments will not allow purchasers to share the different colors, through these laws and requirements. Seems the real controlling agent here is Honda. If successful, the 2014 1100, may be available in both our countries in several different colors. A pearl white, royal blue or gold would suit me better than the red, as Honda uses some fashion of red so often for their bikes here in the USA, but looks like red it is. Oh well, I spoke to my dealer yesterday and I am still first on the list to option the first unit they receive, whatever color, as long as it is red... tomp dd50
If it's *just* the colors, I'm sure people will be swapping parts soon 'nuff to have the color no one else in their country can easily get. As for the price, as mentioned above, the imaginary line is a powerful thing. Ever try getting Cuban rum or cigars in the US? Heck Tylenol 1 would be nice. In Canada, it's OTC, in the US it's an act of Congress.
FDA allows our citizens just what they want us to have. FWIW, I love your signature quote. Who knows, you may be famous and not even know it... tomp dd50p
I agree, and here's the way I look at that. Who would have shunned the bike if it had a 5 gallon tank? Who may shun it because of the lower fuel capacity? The bike really appeals to me, but that tank size is an issue for me.
Unfortunately that means you have to stop at each one of the stations you come to if you have a 140 mile range. I suspect what people are thinking but haven't quite articulated is that it's nice to be able to pass a gas station out west without stopping. Each time I have ridden out west I have done so on a bike with 200+ mile range, and each time I have found myself in a situation where I was a little nervous about where the next station may be. It's easy enough to plan around it, but it takes effort. If you are the type of rider who tends to drift, as many ADV types are, then it can be a bit of a nuisance to ride for an hour and a half then have to start worrying about fuel.