Retro Honda Mmmm

[Kiwi Graham]

Not a Honda man but I'm liking the look of this puppy
http://powersports.honda.com/2014/cb1100.aspx

[Akzle]

nope. gay.

[98tls]

Like it myself,with a bit of a nip n tuck you could really make that thing look good.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Its a nice looking bike in the flesh too. less power than you would think but comparable to its competition. Too expensive here vs Straya and the States but that is typical Blue Wing.

Look nice in the red.

[Quasievil]

Nice Graham get one.

I could understand why a 1989 GSX750 rider would be hung up on the word gay, something he needs to attend to by coming out so pay no attention to him

[HenryDorsetCase]

I just realised your link is to the US Honda site.

We get the CB1100F in UnZud. We dont get the badass black one with the black motor (which in the states is exactly the same money as a Hardly Sprotster). BW have just released it here but its pretty limited. I actually set foot in Crapsblots Honduh to look at one last year.

Cool. but $18k? Yeah nah.

http://www.hondamotorbikes.co.nz/bikes/road-bikes/naked/2012-cb1100/

MHO all you would need is to do a cafe racer seat and mudguard chop, smaller tail light and maybe some lower bars and would look damn good.

[AllanB]

Seen a couple. They are typical Honda build quality - tick the retro boxes.

Off the top of my head they are only 85 ish hp - reckon the engine will be so understressed it will last forever.

Overpriced in NZ - Bluewing does not get it - in the retro market they are competing with the Bonnie in the first instance, people will not pay a premium because it is a Honda. Needs to be $14k ish

[BuzzardNZ]

Looks great to me. I'd love one of them or the suzuki equivalent if they weren't soooo bloody heavy!

[FJRider]

Nice Graham get one.

I could understand why a 1989 GSX750 rider would be hung up on the word gay, something he needs to attend to by coming out so pay no attention to him

"Coming out" ... ??? :crazy: I think we'd ALL prefer he stayed at home ... INDOORS ... blinds pulled ... and the lights off ... :argh:

In the interest of public safety ... of course .. :sweatdrop

[98tls]

Seen a couple. They are typical Honda build quality - tick the retro boxes.

Overpriced in NZ - Bluewing does not get it - in the retro market they are competing with the Bonnie in the first instance, people will not pay a premium because it is a Honda. Needs to be $14k ish

Mate everythings overpriced in NZ as for competing with Triumph jesus H if theres a bike thats knocked Honda off the top of the bland/boring pedestal its would be Triumphs offering.Bland is one thing but arriving in the showroom with "i need a side-car" is another.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Mate everythings overpriced in NZ as for competing with Triumph jesus H if theres a bike thats knocked Honda off the top of the bland/boring pedestal its would be Triumphs offering.Bland is one thing but arriving in the showroom with "i need a side-car" is another.


do yourself a favour and take a new Bonnie/Thruxton/Scrambler for a ride. If I'd bought a Bonnie instead of a Scrambler I'd likely still have it.

[nzspokes]

Would be a great bike for the missus.

[ruaphu]

Loved the look of the bike when it first came out. Finally got to see one in the flesh last weekend in Palm Nth honda. Thought the finish on the bike was crap compared with other older bikes I've had, bit of a let down to say the least. Retro is right, looks like Honda are using manufacturing methodology from the seventys! Size of the bike was small at best and too cramped for any decent saddle time. As for the price......................doomed to fail!

Being an avid Honda fan, yet another Blue wing pricing botch up to keep me buying other brands. Yet another stupidly priced Honda product. Righto, back to my Kwaka.

[eelracing]

Yeah once again Honda missed a trick by not releasing the bike everyone else wanted...

[merv]

I quite like the look of the new VFR800 too http://powersports.honda.com/2014/interceptor.aspx but not sure its cool enough looking yet to trade my VFR750FR in on one, but at least they are heading in the right direction again. I never liked the style of the sharp edged 800s with the high pipes.

[AllanB]

I don't understand the comment above about the finish - higher than many on the market.

Check out the front wheel hub - cool.

If you want one just wait - NZ dealers will have them sitting in their shops at $18k for a year or more then there will be a Honda 'reprice' down to $15 or less. That's how I got my Hornet 900 - they started at $15k!!! I picked mine up brand new for $10k after some haggling as new 'old stock'. Mind you that dealer went out of business a couple years ago ......

[SNF]

My old man had one (CB750) ages and ages ago (mid 70's). It looks close to the original which I really like. Don't like the new take on old vehicles and in the end its all modern and looks like shit and nothing like what they are paying tribute to.

Its a pity Honda doesn't revive the CBX and give it a monster 6 cylinder power plant like they did. It was before my time. But the sound. Its amazing and I love it, going to end up with one/restoring one someday. Or so I wish.

[HenryDorsetCase]

My old man had one (CB750) ages and ages ago (mid 70's). It looks close to the original which I really like. Don't like the new take on old vehicles and in the end its all modern and looks like shit and nothing like what they are paying tribute to.

Its a pity Honda doesn't revive the CBX and give it a monster 6 cylinder power plant like they did. It was before my time. But the sound. Its amazing and I love it, going to end up with one/restoring one someday. Or so I wish.

theres one on tardme for $10500 starting bid. I doubt they would ever bring it back: how would you get that motor through Euro 3? too many emissions, too noisy blahdeblah

I take your point about the "tribute to the past bikes" and arguably it is true that the repros are nothing more than pastiche, but: more modern brakes, tyres, suspension, electronic ignition. EFI etc. Sure, old Hondas are reliable as anything, but fucking about with ancient wiring, contact breaker points, and screw and locknut tappets can lose its allure fairly quickly. and bear in mind these were a quantum leap ahead of their predecessors: the Triumphs and BSA's etc. Don't get me wrong I like old bikes and I've had a couple, and will have more*, but the retro-niche is real for people who have the rose tinted visor, and who want to ride not wrench.


*I'd love that red BSA B44 that is going round on tardme presently, frinstance

[Mike.Gayner]

$18k for the Honda, is that a joke??

[Larksea]

I really like these new Retro Hondas but they do seem overpriced, good if you can haggle ~3-4k off the price.

[HenryDorsetCase]

$18k for the Honda, is that a joke??

It is amusing but I am not sure it is deliberate..... Typical Blue Wang "Honda tax" pricing in NZ though.

[SPman]

I quite like the look of the new VFR800 too http://powersports.honda.com/2014/interceptor.aspx but not sure its cool enough looking yet to trade my VFR750FR in on one, but at least they are heading in the right direction again. I never liked the style of the sharp edged 800s with the high pipes. Likewise. Now, if they'd just put back the gear drive motor........


edit - I've just seen Blue Wing Honda's NZ prices! You're fucking joking!

[GrayWolf]

Seen a couple. They are typical Honda build quality - tick the retro boxes.

Off the top of my head they are only 85 ish hp - reckon the engine will be so understressed it will last forever.

Overpriced in NZ - Bluewing does not get it - in the retro market they are competing with the Bonnie in the first instance, people will not pay a premium because it is a Honda. Needs to be $14k ish

The amazing thing is, how quickly people have forgotten the legendary Z1-900 was ONLY 85bhp... it's MORE than adequate if the bike produces substantial torque...
Exactly why Yamaha used a 'modernised' FJ11/12/1300 air cooled motor in the XJR.... and the GS1400 'only' produces 98bhp I believe, but try either one for roll on acceleration.

[pritch]

That's how I got my Hornet 900 - they started at $15k!!! I picked mine up brand new for $10k after some haggling as new 'old stock'. Mind you that dealer went out of business a couple years ago ......

I got mine for $10k too.

Blue Wing don't do their dealers any favours. If it wasn't for the farm bike sales Honda dealers would be getting hard to find. A year or so back they dropped thousand of the bigger bikes. That has to piss any recent purchasers off big time.

Like others in this thread I wish Blue Wing would fold their tent and fuck off. I hate Australasian agents too, but in this one instance it would have to be better. Be hard for them to be worse...

[GrayWolf]

theres one on tardme for $10500 starting bid. I doubt they would ever bring it back: how would you get that motor through Euro 3? too many emissions, too noisy blahdeblah

I take your point about the "tribute to the past bikes" and arguably it is true that the repros are nothing more than pastiche, but: more modern brakes, tyres, suspension, electronic ignition. EFI etc. Sure, old Hondas are reliable as anything, but fucking about with ancient wiring, contact breaker points, and screw and locknut tappets can lose its allure fairly quickly. and bear in mind these were a quantum leap ahead of their predecessors: the Triumphs and BSA's etc. Don't get me wrong I like old bikes and I've had a couple, and will have more*, but the retro-niche is real for people who have the rose tinted visor, and who want to ride not wrench.


*I'd love that red BSA B44 that is going round on tardme presently, frinstance

Then lets not forget the '1970/80's ORIGINALS':
Inadequate frames for the engine performance, OMFG will they work discs, (in the wet), narrow and thin 'flexi forks', pogo stick rear shockies, and narrow 'low contact area' tires. Not forgetting the wallow, flex and wrestling the bike round corners. The modern 'take' is a far superior machine in so many respects, THANKFULLY.


But yeh a little part of me still hankers for another H1.... thankfully it's locked away in a nice padded cell :crazy:

[Banditbandit]

Not a Honda man but I'm liking the look of this puppy
http://powersports.honda.com/2014/cb1100.aspx

Looks like every other big jap four naked retro .. especially a Yamaha .. whoop-dee do ...