Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: amboman on July 31, 2006, 01:08:16 AM
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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.
:congrats: must go to Honda on this one.
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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?
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="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 :worthless: :beers: :beers: :bigok:
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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...
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3/a4xnut/French%20bikes/0031CB1300.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3/a4xnut/French%20bikes/0032CB1300.jpg)
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.
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3/a4xnut/French%20bikes/0028MT01_CB1300.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3/a4xnut/French%20bikes/0029MT01.jpg)
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i3/a4xnut/French%20bikes/0030MT01.jpg)
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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. :motorsmile:
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The Honda is a nice looking bike. Show us pictures of your Honda. Come on now! :stickpoke:
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we dont get any of those bikes...the Yamaha or the Honda
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for that metter we don't the Bandit now either
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I've been dying to ride an MT-01.
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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.
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I still have my '84 v65 Sabre, with about 60,000 miles on it. It still hauls ass (mine :wink: ), 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.
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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. :motorsmile:
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.
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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.
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(http://world.honda.com/news/2005/photo/2050218/images/08.jpg)
(http://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/files/images/Bandit_1200SA_K6/520_1200S_02YAY.jpg)
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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.
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I've been dying to ride an MT-01.
Herb, I can tell you If you like large V twins and the low down and I do mean low down, grunt, you'll love it. I couldn't wipe the shyte eating grin from my face for days. :motorsmile:
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Thanks for posting the pictures guys, I am a little bit computer challanged and thought that adding a picture to my avatar was pretty cool. You can find picture easily enough on the internet.
Try this link: www.mcnews.com.au you should find some pics of a very similar bike to mine. Go to wallpaper and select CB1300 mine is the blue one.
How similar to the bandit is this machine. Very similar. Over all the Honda is a larger bike and feels a little heavier. I am no expert on motorcylces but to me the Bandit does seem to handle better, I think the Honda is let down by the twin shock thing. Fuel tank although looks much bigger only holds 21 ltrs so not much more.
I do like the engine on the Honda a little more than the Bandit. I would get technical now if I could and say things very mechanical like "sprocket" or "thingamawhatchamacallit", but I can't. What I can say though is the motor is very smooth and although fuel injected I havn't felt any snatch (hey thats mechanical talk isn't it) at slow manovering speeds at all.
The Honda does in no way rev as hard as the Bandit and really has done its hardest by about 9000rpm. It does have great pull though and through the mid range it is very compliant and just wants to pull hard every time you ask it. I tend to be two up all the time and have found it very comfortable as have my passengers. Physically the Honda is taller and wider than the Bandit but that suits me just fine as I am what you would call a pretty big sucker.
Gee it must seem like I am trying to convert you guys. :soapbox: I guess I am trying to say I really like the Honda but no more than I liked my Bandit.
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I've been dying to ride an MT-01.
Herb, I can tell you If you like large V twins and the low down and I do mean low down, grunt, you'll love it. I couldn't wipe the shyte eating grin from my face for days. :motorsmile:
'Bout what I figured from seeing it. Wish they'd import it. :sad:
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And I've heard,"You meet the nicest pepole on a Honda."