Is it time to sell the CB1100F ?

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:51 pm

I am debating parting ways with my CB1100F. She does not get ridden much anymore. Thinking about selling and buying a V-Strom 650 as a second street bike that I can use as an adventure bike or a loaner bike when my son or riding buddies come to town. The 1100F holds lots of sentimental value for me and has what I think is THE PERFECT riding position, but I am leery of taking her on a medium or long range road trip since she is so old. I know I could spend a bunch of money and make it more reliable but it is still 35 years old. So most of the riding time goes to the Blackbird that I have modified to mimic the 1100F riding position as much as possible with taller bars and lower footpegs.

I bought my red 1100F new in 1983 and she has been a joy over the years but it might be time to put her out to pasture.

Hawk Joined: Jan 15, 2009 Posts: 406 Location: Plymouth

Pictures?

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:03 am

For me, getting rid of a bike because of a lack of use was/is a tough decision but owning it since new adds a whole other layer.
The kids aren't interested in joining the F world?

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:45 am

Tough decision, bro. I recently sold my 1100f and bought a KTM 950 adventure to accompany my xr650l. I love the KTM. It's 10 times better than the 1100f in every aspect (besides looks) but I sure do miss having that fat & sexy, old, red & dirty girl in the garage... and I only owned it for 1/4 of the time you've had yours.

My 1100f sold for 1/2 of what I thought it was worth... for whatever that's worth

Twinstar Joined: Sep 25, 2010 Posts: 240 Location: Vermont

pipedope wrote:

Tough decision, bro. I recently sold my 1100f and bought a KTM 950 adventure to accompany my xr650l. I love the KTM. It's 10 times better than the 1100f in every aspect (besides looks) but I sure do miss having that fat & sexy, old, red & dirty girl in the garage... and I only owned it for 1/4 of the time you've had yours.

My 1100f sold for 1/2 of what I thought it was worth... for whatever that's worth

The market does appear to be pretty narrow, but for what it is worth I would have bought the kit and kaboodle that you originally offered pipedope if you were within reasonable driving distance from me.

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 12:45 pm

Same here, if it would have been within a 5 hour radius I'd have snapped it all up.

I don't think I could ever part with my 1100f, but then again I've only owned it for 2 years and it's still " new " to me.

Good luck with the sale if you do end up listing formally for sale

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:17 pm

My dad bought what is now my bike when I was 2 years old. 15-some years later it was the old girl that never got ridden since his modern cruiser was more comfortable and reliable. I am so glad he held onto it a little longer until I was at a point where I could buy it, because that bike was the coolest thing in the world to me growing up. Now that I have s son, it mostly sits in the garage, but I wouldn't sell it for a million bucks. Maybe it will be his someday!

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:59 pm

So what kind of money are we talking about?

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:09 pm

smurdoch wrote:

For me, getting rid of a bike because of a lack of use was/is a tough decision but owning it since new adds a whole other layer.
The kids aren't interested in joining the F world?

Kids like the newer bikes. And with fuel injection, who can blame them. And the new bikes handle better than this one ever did. The toothpicks they call fork tubes on this old girl are nothing compared to the monsters on my Blackbird.

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:16 pm

joseph wrote:

So what kind of money are we talking about?

I dont know yet. Still in the thinking process at this time. It is going to be hard to not be able to look at it each time I walk through the garage. She holds a WHOLE lot of memories of a lot of trips.

I also have some parts that would go with her. Most of the bottom end of an 1100 engine, and a 81 900F that is mostly complete except for the carbs but this 900F is in pretty rough shape. I got it from a guy who had it stored outside under a tarp for who knows how long.

If you are in Springdale, it might find its way down there some time this fall. Unless the Blackbird has anything to say about it.

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:20 pm

pipedope wrote:

Tough decision, bro. I recently sold my 1100f and bought a KTM 950 adventure to accompany my xr650l. I love the KTM. It's 10 times better than the 1100f in every aspect (besides looks) but I sure do miss having that fat & sexy, old, red & dirty girl in the garage... and I only owned it for 1/4 of the time you've had yours.

My 1100f sold for 1/2 of what I thought it was worth... for whatever that's worth

The KTM Adventure would be nice but I need something a little more "tame" for riding buddies when they come through town on business and we head out for a weekend trip. And I am not letting them on my Blackbird for those trips....

How do you like the 650L ? I just passed on a street legal XR650R. I have a street legal XR400R and CRF250X also in the garage. Just got back from a "mostly dirt" dual sport trip to southwest Colorado with the XR400R.

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:19 pm

Tough decision whether to part with your two wheeled child or not. We feel your pain for sure.

On the + side, you will not be disappointed with the DL650 VStrom as your 'community bike'. Recently sold mine after 7 years and 40k very happy and totally trouble free kms. It's the Swiss army knife of motorcycles for sure, does everything pretty well and nothing bad at all. Missing it already...

Keep us posted on your decision.

Cheers...Tony Cool

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:03 pm

I say keep it if you can afford to.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:14 pm

BConaCB wrote:

I say keep it if you can afford to.

I can afford to monetarily, cannot afford space-itarily. TOO many bike in the garage and the enclosed dirt bike trailer. If I want another one, I need to make some room.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:16 pm

herdygerdy wrote:

Tough decision whether to part with your two wheeled child or not. We feel your pain for sure.

On the + side, you will not be disappointed with the DL650 VStrom as your 'community bike'. Recently sold mine after 7 years and 40k very happy and totally trouble free kms. It's the Swiss army knife of motorcycles for sure, does everything pretty well and nothing bad at all. Missing it already...

Keep us posted on your decision.

Cheers...Tony Cool

I have a buddy in Colorado with the VStrom and I have put MANY miles on that when visiting him. Since I am so close to the VERY BEST ROADS IN THE US (Arkansas Ozarks), I need to get a bike to reciprocate.

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:51 pm

I moved from a CBR1000 (pre blackbird) to a 990 adv. as my reliable any day - any miles work horse, one of the better changes i've made
i've now done about 35K miles on the KTM ( now sitting at 48K) and its been spot on reliable
Its not got a lot of HP and it doesn't need it - its got bucket loads of grunt in just the right place - catapults out of corners and will sit all day at 95mph
its also got a lot of character - kinda like maybe not the nicest lady in the bar but she's a good larf
When you 1st get on one, TBH they are a bit strange - high cog being a proper adv. bike making the feel going into corners a bit dodgy and the fuelling ref: FI system TBH is crap - both are easy to fix
conti trail attack + setting the suspension a bit on the low side sorts the handling
fit a one tooth smaller sprocket and via the free software tuneECU which is easy peasy to use - remove the lambda (closed loop) and with a few other tweaks that you can copy from guys programs posted online run her permanently on open loop - zero throttle snatch - feels like carbs - mid 40's mpg at a +/- 80mph average
it uses aprox 1/2litre of oil between 5K oil changes - i.e. nothing, I haven't touched the coolant since I got the bike - I get about 6K from the tyres and over 20K from the chain due more to using an oiler
do I like the KTM 990 adv. - yip, its not a sprots bike but you can have a lot of fun chasing them on the smaller twisty roads - especially when you've got the full 3 piece luggage system on
my knee's can do 400miles a day, my back doesn't know its on a bike - ok mi arse gets a bit sore and when it rains the water runs down your visor - wierd, but your sitting in a still air bubble behind the screen the top half fairing + hand guards provide a surprising amount of wind / weather protection

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:30 am

Ya, what to do?

I had an 1100F back in '84-'85. Loved it then, but I knew nothing, it rode me, and like a lot of young guys I sold it because I needed the money. Fast forward about 25 years, a marriage come and gone, two kids and moving to the other side of the world, getting back into bikes after twenty years off, I found an 1100F that needed some TLC. More TLC ($) than I bargained for, but I've had it for almost ten years now and I think they will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. It's no modern bike but I never come back from a ride on it without a big smile on my face. It's analog pleasure in a digital world. No matter what magic they put on modern bikes (and the magic is cool) there's a lot to be said for a basic bike. Two wheels and an engine. And the 11F still has more grunt than you really need on the road.

But, there's freedom in letting go too.

So, it's up to you. No right answer.

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:59 am

Well, I finally let her go. Sold it to a nice guy from Houston who drove 12 hours up to get her, loaded her up and 12 hours back. Hated to sell her but she was not getting ridden at all and needed more garage space for other bikes. I had that bike for 38 years and all told, probably the better part of 100,000 miles.

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:20 am

Congrats on the sale.
Has to be a sad day but at least the idea of it going to such an enthusiast has to temper the sting.

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:33 am

I must have missed this post somehow!...I would have been tempted to bring that 1100F over to Australia......but I've already got one, so why would I want another!!!

That's the question my wife would be asking, and I could respond with the old "you've got 10 pair of shoes, how many more do you need", but we all know we're not winning that argument.

I like the Digital v Analog comparison from "nlovie", I've also owned several new bikes, including a Blackbird and a CB1300F earlier this year, and of course the fuel injection is great and the handling is fantastic, but I literally just got back from a 100 mile ride on my 1100F and there is just something so evocative about that bike, the engine, the pipes, the style.....that modern bikes don't have.

I'm tempted to buy a new DCT Gold Wing for long interstate trips, but I'll can't imagine letting go of my 1100F or either of my CB750 bikes anytime soon......they are a bit like my analog watch, it might not keep time as well as a quartz, but I like winding it up, no internet, no notifications, I turn the winder and off it goes, and that's how I like my bikes to feel.

Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 5:11 am

smurdoch wrote:

For me, getting rid of a bike because of a lack of use was/is a tough decision but owning it since new adds a whole other layer.
The kids aren't interested in joining the F world?

Kids her in Oz aren’t interested in bikes, it’s all 4 wheel drives. Makes me sad.

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:43 am

I still have my 900F and I doubt I'll ever part with it but like your 1100F, it doesn't see the road. I don't even have it insured anymore and last time I tried to start it she wouldn't fire (likely a fuel issue, I'm sure the carbs are gummed). I too ride my Blackbird when I get the chance to ride. It was always my dream bike and I feel nothing but pure joy when I'm on it. I'm actually very interested in what parts/mods you've made to the riding position on yours!