2014 Honda CB1100 - First Look

Any Cycle World reader can tell you that we really like the Honda CB1100, even naming this classic-looking throwback machine the Best Standard in our most recent Ten Best awards. About the only problem we had with the air-cooled Honda was that it lacked a sixth ratio in its especially smooth-shifting gearbox.

But that’s no longer a problem. Honda just announced that its 2014 CB1100 comes standard with a six-speed transmission, which should make freeway cruising a lot more relaxed for the attractive 1,142cc mill. What’s more, the standard 2014 CB1100, which retails for $10,399 (an increase of $400 over 2013), is now available with a new gauge package that includes an mpg readout, a trip computer, and a gear-position indicator. Oh, and you can get any color you like, as long as it’s black.

More significant for 2014, a new model is making its debut in March. Called the CB1100 Deluxe, this upmarket version of the CB is fitted with ABS, a larger fuel tank (by 0.5 gallons), and a sleek four-into-two exhaust system. The Deluxe also boasts a retro stitched-look seat and restyled side covers, and the same gauge package that’s optional on the regular CB1100 is standard on this bike. Retail price for the new CB1100 Deluxe, available only in Candy Red, is $11,899.

The extra gear ratio and new Deluxe model are welcome updates for Honda's CB1100, making an eminently likable bike that much more appealing. And although the 2014 model is a touch more modern, it still perfectly captures the spirit of the 1970s, that decade when bikes such as the Honda CB750 Four reigned supreme. Don't be a bit surprised if the 1100 ends up on our Ten Best list again.