... Produced between 1999 and 2002, the Honda CB1100 X-11 comes with an impressive specification. We\'ll start with the engine: 1137 cc gives 134bhp and a top speed of 160 mph. There\'s huge torque, but one thing the guy who sold it to me pointed out was that it doesn\'t have any many balance ... Read review
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A review by piratess2104 on Honda CB1100 X-11 October 22nd, 2007
Author's product rating:
Comfort
Excellent
Handling
Satisfactory
Looks
Good
Features
Excellent
Fuel consumption
Good
Advantages:
Comfort; power; reliability; torque; brakes
Disadvantages:
Handling; weight; low bars
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
This is an amazing machine. Produced between 1999 and 2002, the Honda CB1100 X-11 comes with an impressive specification. We\'ll start with the engine: 1137 cc gives 134bhp and a top speed of 160 mph. There\'s huge torque, but one thing the guy who sold it to me pointed out was that it doesn\'t have any many balance shafts as the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. My friend bought one at the same time and found problems as a result with the reverbs but I\'ve never really noticed a problem. In terms of reliability, you can\'t do much better - problems are rare. I\'ve had mine for two years and never had a bad experience.
The Honda CB1100 X-11 looks as powerful as it is: some people don\'t like the aesthetic but it\'s a matter of personal taste. Overall it looks rather like an armoured rhinoceros, but a surprisingly comfortable one. Just go with it.
The handling isn\'t the best I\'ve ever had, though (not surprising at weight), and this is the major disadvantage at first, however I installed new springs and bar risers which helped (the handles are unusually low and this can be uncomfortable). Some people don\'t like the brakes but they\'re found on very popular models such as the Blackbird. Be careful; you\'re dealing with a very powerful but also very stubborn machine that needs to be treated with even more respect. It\'s worth bearing in mind, though, that I don\'t bike much in the winter: if you do, beware of the Honda CB1100 X-11\'s handling on icy roads. Salting just creates new problems with the head bearings.
Try out the bike several times before you pay: you\'ll either love it or hate it. Be sensible - a bike this big, powerful and (sometimes) intractable isn\'t for everyone, but if it\'s for you it might just be the best bike you\'ve ever had.
The press reviews give an unfair and very negative opinion of this machine. I ignored them and went ahead and bought one.
The main criticisms and my opinions are as follows;
The X-11 is ugly?
This is obviously a matter of taste but its muscular looks and large tank looks purposeful and in proportion. The Suzuki Hayabusa was also criticised as being ugly but this doesn't seem to have affected sales. Many think the bike is great looking!
The CBS ... ...main reason not to buy this bike, yet they are fitted on the much adulated Blackbird, the 'perfect' VFR800 and the Varadero with no such criticism.
In my experience the brakes have caused me no problem at all and I do ride fast sometimes; Don't let these brakes put you off buying the bike you'll never be able to ride as close to the limit on the road, where the bike jornos say it will make a difference.
The shape of the clocks protects from wind ...
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Advantages: An all round fun machine with power when you need it Disadvantages: No fun in icy conditions
...love it.
Bare in mind Honda build quality, the engine is superb, handling great. An all round fun machine. I don't want to let mine go but my old wrists can't take it no more!
If your thinkig about buying one, do the usual checks but quiz the owner!! The only thing I found with mine that was annoying was the head bearings didn't like the our love for salting the roads.
Keep your bearings well protected if you ride it in winter or put her away ... ...hugger to save the rear shock!! Otherwise you'll be stripping the back end down to replace or repair it.
Do watch your torque in ice and snow...it's a lot of slipping the clutch in traffic. It can be done if you get caught out on those winter commutes.
Go on, you know ya wanna try. ...
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Advantages: Fun, speed, excitement, big grins Disadvantages: could loose your licence
I used to own a Honda X11 blackbird about 2 yrs ago, and I have to say it was bloody brilliant. I needed a big bike for commuting 90 miles round trip into London - well that was my excuse. I bought it because I worked with a fellow biker who owned a red one and I was envious about him having fun while I owned a sluggish BMW. The X11 was capable of doing 75 mph in 1st, 130 in 2nd - you get the idea, although I was never loony enough to try and achieve ... ...home. Believe it or not Honda shelved this project as a failure because it did'nt sell very well in the UK, but ask any owner and you will be told that it was the greatest bike ever. As with a lot of bikes, you need to keep the revs up and select lower gears for good performance, however the X11 had big lumps of torque in all gears and would pull cleanly and quickly from 27 mph in top, so you did'nt need to keep the revs up as all the power came ...
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Advantages: A sit up Blackbird. Disadvantages: licence loosing Fast!!!
...everythig very well, it's a HONDA what else would you expect.
Jumping from a late 70's bike to what is almost a BLACKBIRD I was rather careful. So careful that I fell off three times, always when turning right at slow speeds. The problem was me not the bike's, as I was failing to give her enough gas, so she stalled.
My brother-in-law was very eager to come on the back of the X11. As we live near the infamous "CAT & FIDDLE" and "MATLOCK", I decided ... ...and his missus on a HONDA X11.
Do I need say more.
Not a Blackbird, but something of an odd ball "MISSILE", not for the shy and withdrawing type!!!
A good all round Sport Tourer, with all you need, say more.
I'd have another, we are very fond of our X11. ...
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Advantages: Where do I start. I find that it rides like my old 250. Disadvantages: Now that I know the my bike, I find that it does not have enough ground clearance for a sport titled bike.
...Like most I began at an early age and from the bottem up. I have rode many bikes, but only owned four.
1) HondaCB250G5, from the 70's. 2) Kawasaki Z1300 THE BIG SIX, of the 70's/80's eara. 3) HondaCB1100SF X11, the naked BLACKBIRD. 4) Triumph Thunderbird Sport, 2000 model in opal white and tangerine (I belive this was the last of the T-Bird models to be made).
Due to an accident at work I am now disabled can't work and have lost a lot of my physical strenth, I also have polyneuropathy. I am know unable to manage large, heavy bikes. So needed something lighter and more managable. The polyneuropathy has afected my feet badly, causing me pain day and night 24/7. For which I have to take a morphine based drug. I was unable to get my right foot under the gear change and through the NABD Club for disabled rider I had a Klicktronic gear...
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It was the summer of '96, and I was a '90s girl. I was happy with my life (and Mitsubishi Lancer GLX) and thought it was complete.. that was until I laid eyes on her...
I'm talking about the beautiful piece of machinery parked on the corner car lot,... more
03.09.2002
