Back to the 2017 Honda Motorcycle Model Review Page
You have come to the right spot. Total Motorcycle – Built by Riders, For Riders.
2017 Honda CB1100EX Review
2017 Honda CB1100EX on www.Totalmotorcycle.com
Improving On a Classic Idea…
Since 1959, when they first adorned the twin-cylinder CB92 Benly, the letters CB have always meant a great deal to Honda and Honda owners. They came to mean even more in 1969, as the four-cylinder CB750 represented a seminal moment for motorcycling, as the world’s first production superbike took center stage, laying down a blueprint that still stands today.
Old school became new school in 2013, when Honda brought the CB1100 to the U.S., satisfying pent-up demand from an army of riders for whom a traditionally styled air-cooled four-cylinder CB was a must-have piece of engineering craftsmanship. For 2017, the CB1100 EX has been imbued with extra layers of retro style and several performance upgrades. Manufacture takes place in Honda’s Kumamoto factory, with a production process that’s been fundamentally revised to integrate technology and expert skill in order to create motorcycles rich in craftsmanship and attention to detail, plus a place in history that only comes with the passage of many decades.
“As with past CBs, we understand the timeless pleasure that our customers get from owning and riding an air-cooled inline four-cylinder motorcycle,” said Mr. Mitsunobu Imada, Large Project Leader for the 2017 CB1100 EX. “Building on the CB1100’s desirability and joy of ownership, while adding functionality and quality to deepen the sense of fulfillment, were very important elements for us to consider. With the CB1100 EX, we hope many riders get to appreciate and understand a very traditional motorcycle structure.”
CB1100 EX
The CB1100 EX outlines the proportion and silhouette of a true 1970s superbike.
Its curvaceous fuel tank, which now has a seamless design, evokes handmade
craftsmanship, while the single round headlight and twin instrument dials
denote Hondas from a bygone age. Adding crisp-edged modernity, the front and
rear lights are now LED and new 18-inch wheels run stainless steel spokes.
The classic tubular-steel frame has relaxed steering geometry, sure-footed
stability and neutral handling characteristics. The 41mm Showa Dual Bending
Valve fork (SDBV) and twin Showa shocks offer improved suspension compliance,
and ABS brakes are standard. The subtly blacked-out engine breathes more easily
thanks to revised inlets and smaller, lighter dual chrome mufflers, producing
linear, instantly accessible power and torque. An assist slipper clutch makes
for easier lever engagement and rear-wheel stability on downshifts. With its
classic lines, the CB1100 EX conjures memories, mixing the engine’s addictive
performance and soulful sound with evocative appeal. It’s also a machine to
savor and contemplate from every angle.
You want proof that a great idea never goes out of style? Then just check out the new 2017 Honda CB1100 EX. Externally, it’s pure Honda classic: that red steel tank, the air-cooled transverse-four engine, the brushed aluminum sidecovers, the round headlight, the chromed fenders, the comfortable, upright seating and tubular-steel handlebar. But twist the throttle, and you’ll see there’s nothing retro about the CB1100 EX’s performance. Displacing a full 1140cc, the six-speed overdrive gearbox and electronic fuel injection deliver performance no 1970’s classic ever could.
But check out some of the details we’ve given this new machine: 18-inch wire wheels front and rear, laced with stainless-steel spokes. That fuel tank we talked about? There’s no bottom seam, so it has a super-clean, hand-built look. The headlight is a powerful LED unit, and there’s a new slipper-type clutch underneath that right engine cover.
Perfect for just about anything you’ll ask a bike to do, the CB1100 EX takes a great idea and improves on it—Honda style.
“Seamless” Fuel Tank
Holding almost four and a half gallons, the CB1100 EX’s fuel tank features gorgeous “seamless” construction (no visible bottom weld seem), for a super-clean, classic look, as well as impressive cruising range.
Transverse-Four Engine
Honda pioneered the modern motorcycle inline-four engine, and they remain one of the best designs on two wheels. The CB1100 EX carries that tradition and takes it to the next level, displacing 1140cc and featuring air cooling along with a modern blacked-out look—why hide it under a fairing?
Steel Chassis
Honda’s original inline-fours and Grand Prix bikes featured twin-loop full-cradle steel chassis in basic black. The CB1100 EX gives you the same look, but executed with modern engineering. You’ll find this machine handles as well as it looks.
Triple Disc Brakes
Honda’s first CB750 introduced disc brakes to motorcycling’s mainstream. The new CB1100 EX offers triple discs with huge calipers for excellent stopping ability. ABS is standard equipment.
2017 Honda CB1100EX www.Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features
Spirit, Soul and Innovation.
The CB1100 EX is a modern classic. An evolution of the CB1100, it’s
a motorcycle as motorcycles used to be, with an air-cooled 1,140cc DOHC inline
four-cylinder engine that delivers smooth power and torque, all packaged within
a classic style.
iconic STYLING
Welcome to the Honda CB1100 EX. A motorcycle made to move you.
At a glance the CB1100 EX’s design captures the heart, but it’s the details that really take your breath away.
At the heart of the bike is the flowing form of the fuel tank. The lustrously
chromed mudguards then lead the eye upwards to a large round headlight and
twin speedo and rev counter. Double-skinned exhaust downpipes keep the chrome
shining and shorter twin silencers emit a spine-tingling howl.
Addictive smooth power
Whether you’re taking on the city or heading out on the open road, the
CB1100 EX’s air and oil-cooled 1,140cc DOHC inline four-cylinder engine
is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Fed by PGM-FI fuel injection it
serves up the kind of low-mid range torque and joyful rush of power that becomes
instantly addictive. The six-speed gearbox, with five wide ratios for strong
acceleration and a sixth for relaxed cruising and improved fuel consumption.
Confident comfortable riding
The CB1100 EX has been designed to offer total comfort and practicality,
wherever your journey takes you. A true all-rounder, its long, padded seat
and upright riding position make long weekends on the open road feel effortless.
The low centre of gravity helps manoeuvrability at all speeds, while the wide
handlebars add intuitive control. Because, in the true spirit of classic motorbikes,
sometimes you just want to go for a ride. No reason, no goal, no destination.
Just to ride.
2017 Honda CB1100EX www.Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits
Comfortable Riding Position
Honda’s classic inline-fours were very comfortable, and it’s the same for the new CB1100 EX. Ride it for 10 minutes or two hours and you’ll see that it’s one of the easiest-to-live-with machines in any class.
Twin-Shock Rear Suspension
Easy to adjust and equipped with preload adjustability, the CB1100 EX’s new Showa suspension offers improved compliance and proves that the traditional design, done right, can provide excellent handling characteristics.
Two-Channel Anti-Lock Braking System
Honda’s ABS system, standard on the CB1100 EX model, provides additional confidence when stopping in less-than ideal conditions.
Wire Spoked Wheels
Classic spoked wheels look great, but the CB1100 EX rolls on hoops with 40 stainless-steel spokes per wheel and aluminum hubs. Light and strong, they perform as good as they look.
Steel Chassis
An air-cooled inline four engine in a classic like the CB1100 EX just has to bolt up in a twin-loop full-cradle steel chassis. The twin shock mounts complete the look. But this isn’t some retro frame: Honda’s chassis engineers have graced it with modern materials and construction techniques. The result is a bike that both looks great and handles like a modern bike should.
Steel Swingarm
Combined with the CB1100 EX’s steel-tube full-cradle twin-loop frame, the stout steel swingarm is part of the bike’s excellent handling package.
Large Seamless Fuel Tank
The CB1100 EX features a fuel tank with 4.4 gallons of capacity. That, plus the bike’s excellent fuel efficiency, give you plenty of range.
Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)
Improved cold-weather startups, no-drama high-altitude riding and no choke are just three benefits of PGM-FI.
1140cc Air-Cooled Engine
With an engine this size, you get power everywhere—enough to go on a spirited street ride, an hour-long cruise or carry a passenger with ease.
Blacked-Out Engine with Aluminum Highlights
Subtly blacked-out, the engine wears natural aluminum engine covers, and features a cylinder head finished in silver with a burnished aluminum cam cover and chrome end caps.
Four-Into-Two Exhaust
The CB1100 EX’s four-into-two exhaust pipe gives this bike a classic look along with a crisp sound, and the chrome finish is a great highlight, too.
41mm Front Fork
The CB1100 EX is equipped with a Showa Dual Bending Valve (SDBV) 41mm front fork, which uses two valves to generate both compression and rebound damping force for a linear suspension feel and excellent control.
Timeless Instrumentation
New digital instruments tuck into classic round chromed instrument housings—the best for both worlds. You get proper looks and all the electronic functions you expect from a modern bike.
Triple Disc Brakes
Nothing retro here: the CB1100 EX’s huge twin front discs and single rear disc are drilled for lighter weight and less heat retention, and offer smooth, predictable, powerful stopping capability. Naturally, the system features ABS as standard equipment.
Chassis/Suspension
•Fuel tank does away with the seam-welded lips along both bottom edges,
and pays homage both to CB history and contemporary style with a cutaway rear
section that displays the cam cover. Aircraft-style filler cap adds another
visible touch of class.
•A chrome round front headlight (now LED, with a spiral running light)
crowns the front of the machine, underlined by twin horns. It’s held with
aluminum stays and flanked by classic-style 70mm diameter indicators.
•LED rear light, indicators and license-plate mounting bracket have been
minimalized for a streamlined look.
•Classic tubular-steel double-cradle frame holds the engine with four
rigid and two rubber mounts. It features relaxed steering geometry, sure-footed
stability with neutral handling characteristics. The rider triangle is also
relaxed and upright, and the handlebar shape has been revised to maintain
a neutral position.
•Showa Dual Bending Valve (SDBV) 41mm front fork uses two valves to generate
both compression and rebound damping force for a linear suspension feel. A
new die-cast aluminum top triple clamp features a buffed finish and clear
coat, while the bottom triple clamp holds the fork legs in a higher position.
•Twin Showa rear shocks offer adjustable spring preload and operate through
a steel swingarm, which has a clean look thanks to an under-slung rear-brake
hose. An aluminum chain guard replaces the previous plastic design.
•Redesigned 18-inch spoke wheels wear 110/80 R18 and 140/70 R18 front
and rear tires. Smaller aluminum hubs lace the wheel rim with 40 longer stainless
steel (rather than the 48) zinc-plated spokes.
•Twin 296mm floating front brake discs are mated to four-piston Nissin
calipers, with a 256mm disc and single-piston caliper at the rear. ABS is
standard.
•Side panels are made of brushed aluminum with a textured “hairline”
finish, while the seat is well padded and comfortable.
•Chrome seat rails add seamless lines, with no clutter, and the chrome
steel rear fender has a more rounded cross section.
•Smaller die-cast aluminum hangers mount both rider and pillion foot
pegs.
•Longer side stand makes it easier to get the machine upright.
•Circular speedometer and odometer are adorned in chrome; equipment includes
a fuel gauge and clock, gear position indicator, fuel efficiency gauge and
range computer. Ignition is now via a ‘wave’ style key.
Engine/Drivetrain
•Subtly blacked-out, the engine wears natural aluminum engine covers
and features a cylinder head finished in silver with a burnished aluminum
cam cover and chrome end caps.
•Silky-smooth DOHC engine produces linear, instantly accessible power
and torque, anywhere in the rev range.
•Engine is cooled via air (via 2mm fins) and oil (via a 335mm 9-tier,
front-mounted oil cooler).
•Drive for the twin camshafts is via central chain, and the valve included
angle is 26.5° inlet and exhaust. Inlet valve diameter is 27mm, with a
2.5mm stem; exhaust 24mm with 2.5mm stem. A single secondary balancer shaft
ensures smooth running.
•PGM-FI and 32mm throttle body are fed through a revised, shortened air
inlet tract and new air cleaner, and work with the pair of shorter (minus
70mm in length, 7% less in diameter and 5.3 lb. lighter than previous design)
chrome-plated exhaust mufflers to boost low- and mid-rpm engine reaction.
•Internally split into two expansion chambers, each muffler features
dual hole-punched link pipes optimized for resonance and the generation of
an evocative four-cylinder engine note. Both mufflers hug the machine tighter
for improved ground clearance and the downpipes are double-skinned to stop
heat-induced discoloration.
•New assist slipper clutch has a die-cast aluminum cam and slipper cam
to save weight. It also reduces lever effort by 16% and minimizes rear wheel
hop during engine braking on rapid down shifts.
•Six-speed gearbox, with carefully matched ratios for gears 1-5, gives
crisp response and acceleration, while 6th is an overdrive, reducing fuel
consumption and lowering engine rpm at highway speeds. Final drive is by 530
chain.
2017 Honda CB1100EX – www.Totalmotorcycle.com
USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: $ USD
ENGINE
Engine Type 1140cc air-cooled inline four-cylinder
Bore And Stroke 73.5mm x 67.2mm
Induction PGM-FI with automatic enrichment circuit, 32mm throttle bodies
Ignition Full transistorized
Compression Ratio 9.5:1
Valve Train DOHC; four valves per cylinder
DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission Six-speed
Final Drive #530 O-ring-sealed chain
CHASSIS / SUSPENSION / BRAKES
Front Suspension 41mm fork with spring preload adjustability; 4.21 inches
travel
Rear Suspension Twin shocks with spring preload adjustability; 4.49 inches
travel
Front Brake Dual four-piston calipers with full-floating 296mm discs with
ABS
Rear Brakes Single-caliper 256mm disc with ABS
Front Tire 110/80R-18
Rear Tire 140/70R-18
DIMENSIONS
Rake 27.0 degrees (Caster Angle)
Trail 114mm (4.4 inches)
Wheelbase 58.7 inches
Seat Height 31.2 inches
Fuel Capacity 4.4 gallons
Curb Weight 540 pounds. Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and
full tank of fuel-ready to ride.
OTHER
Model ID CB1100CAH
Emissions Meets current EPA standards. California version meets current CARB
standards and may differ slightly due to emissions equipment.
Available Colors Candy Red
FACTORY WARRANTY INFORMATION
One Year Transferable, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage
available with a Honda Protection Plan.
2017 Honda CB1100EX – www.Totalmotorcycle.com
Canadian Specifications/Technical Details
Canada MSRP Price: $ See dealer for pricing in CDN
Model may not be available
2017 Honda CB1100EX – www.Totalmotorcycle.com
European Specifications/Technical Details
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £10299 GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)
Engine
Bore × Stroke (mm) 73.5 x 67.2
Carburation PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
Compression Ratio 9.5:1
Engine Displacement (cc) 1140
Engine Type (cm³) Inline four-cylinder, air and oil-cooled, DOHC
Max. Power Output 66kW/7,500 rpm
Max. Torque 91 Nm/5,000 rpm
Starter Electric
Wheels
Brakes Front Hydraulic double disk (2-channel ABS)
Brakes Rear Hydraulic disk (2-channel ABS)
Suspension Front 41mm conventional fork with adjustable spring preload
Suspension Rear Twin shocks with adjustable spring preload
Tyre Size Front 110/80 R18
Tyre Size Rear 140/70 R18
Wheels Front Wire spoke
Wheels Rear Wire spoke
Dimensions and Weights
Battery Capacity (VAh) 12V 11.2Ah
Caster Angle 27°
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) 2195 × 835 × 1130
Frame type Double steel cradle
Fuel Consumption 50.6 mpg (WMTC)
Ground Clearance (mm) 135
Kerb Weight (kg) 260
Seat Height (mm) 795
Trail (mm) 114
Wheelbase (mm) 1490
Transmission
Clutch Wet, multiplate clutch
Final Drive Chain
Gearbox 6-speed
Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).
Be the first to comment