Author Topic: Honda = Bandit (Read 8116 times)

amboman · « **on:** July 31, 2006, 01:08:16 AM »

Man am I brave or what. I crawled to the dark side not so long ago and bought a 2006 Honda CB1300 the naked version. The only addition has been a pack rack and a OEM Honda fly screen (fantastic by the way).

I have now travel about 1500km and for the first 1000km almost regreted my decision not to buy a new Bandit. What changed my mind was a 250km non-stop ride on a sunny windless day with very little traffic.
I am so at home on this bike now It is just like being back on the B12. I know I know that is a pretty bold statement to make on a forum such as this but just think for a minute that isn't it possible that following the worldwide success of the bandit that maybe Honda decided to get a piece of the action to.
Anyway I am no mechanical expert just a guy that loves the two wheeled life,and in my limited opinion maybe just maybe Honda has produced an equal to the Bandit.

must go to Honda on this one.

Old_n_Slow · « **Reply #1 on:** July 31, 2006, 10:00:12 AM »

Can't give kudos to Honda for this one, simply because they don't sell 'em in the States.

From pics, though, it looks a LOT like a water-cooled B-12 with a bigger tank, any major differences riding the two?

Daytona · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2006, 10:12:20 AM »

Quote

="amboman"]Man am I brave or what. I crawled to the dark side not so long ago and bought a 2006 Honda CB1300 the naked version. The only addition has been a pack rack and a OEM Honda fly screen (fantastic by the way).

AND

Red01 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2006, 10:24:32 AM »

I don't have any pics of amboman's machine, but I just happened to have snapped some pics of a CB1300 here in France the other day...

Shortly after these pics were taken, I was cruising down the highway and was overtaken by this very bike, and her male companion's Yamaha MT-01.

mothman · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2006, 01:03:03 PM »

I agree that Bandits are just fantastic bikes. Remember however that DOHC inline four that Honda came out with in '79 was the CB750F.
The reason I have my Bandit was because I have that CB750F. The '83 CB1100F still causes quite a a bit of fanfare as well. I love them all for more reasons that they are similar than different. If the CB1300F was here in the states I don't know if I would be on a Bandit right now.
Glad I am though.

WEINERDOGBONE · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2006, 07:25:36 PM »

The Honda is a nice looking bike. Show us pictures of your Honda. Come on now!

LowRyter · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2006, 08:01:37 PM »

we dont get any of those bikes...the Yamaha or the Honda

LowRyter · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2006, 08:02:17 PM »

for that metter we don't the Bandit now either

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2006, 08:46:21 PM »

I've been dying to ride an MT-01.

mike · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2006, 03:48:21 AM »

Honda's are great.

I loved my old 1985 V65 Sabre back in the day. Didn't handle as good as the
new nakeds, but the v4 1100 powerplant was a winner.
They quit making them a couple years later for a flaw in the cams/head.
I guess it was more costly to fix it, than retire it and go forward with newer
technology and bikes. Mine never had a problem though it only had about
15K on it when I graduated college and sold it.

jeffw · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2006, 04:42:14 AM »

I still have my '84 v65 Sabre, with about 60,000 miles on it. It still hauls ass (mine

), runs great and has minimal valve noise. No sign of pitting yet. That's why I went with the bandit. Close to the same seating position, better handling and brakes.

Heaven Bound · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2006, 11:43:48 PM »

Quote from: mothman

I agree that Bandits are just fantastic bikes. Remember however that DOHC inline four that Honda came out with in '79 was the CB750F.
The reason I have my Bandit was because I have that CB750F. The '83 CB1100F still causes quite a a bit of fanfare as well. I love them all for more reasons that they are similar than different. If the CB1300F was here in the states I don't know if I would be on a Bandit right now.
Glad I am though.

I had a 79 CB750F "project bike". Even with over 30k miles it was still something to behold in it's day...probably why I ended up with the Bandit in terms of design and styling similarities.

banditII · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2006, 09:26:22 AM »

That CB1300 looks to have a good seat. Add a windscreen and some soft luggage and head cross country too. Wish we got those bikes here in the U.S. If it's not a cruiser or a high strung sport bike, we don't ride them over here it seems. Too bad. Glad I bought the last of the B12's. Barely had mine a year and have over 15,000 miles and counting.

PaulVS · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2006, 09:53:10 AM »

solman · « **Reply #14 on:** August 02, 2006, 10:32:05 AM »

That is one of the things that I like about the Bandit. It has a similar feel to my CB900F with shorter bars. Actually the Bandit feels like an updated version of the F model.I enjoyed both bikes and will again some day. I actually saw a MT-01 at the Honda Hoot vendor show and tell last year. Never thought much of it from pictures, but I liked it after seeing it in person.