Used 2018 T120 or 2014 Honda CB1100 Deluxe?

[OldSchoolGuy]

Help! New to biking. I am a 62-year-old going through a midlife crisis. Got my license last fall, and just took the intermediate MSF course. Test drove a Bonneville T100 this past weekend and liked it. Actually, I rented it through twistedroad.com for an entire day and put about 130 miles on it. Not too much bike for me. Looking at a used 2018 T120, as opposed to a 2014 CB 1100 deluxe. The Honda is $1000-$1500 less than this T120. Any insight? Also, I’m concerned about T120 review comments about water getting into triumph instrumentation? Were instrumentation issues corrected by 2018?

 

[Vector]

The Honda will be more reliable, faster, no spokes to deal with.
The Triumph is just more cool.
Being new to bikes I'd suggest going with whatever brand has a dealer close by.

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

Thanks Vector! I appreciate your insight. A Triumph Dealer is probably closest. Cool is good, although reliability is appealing.

 

[aj7840]

My Hondas have been bullet proof, my Yamahas have been bullet proof, My BMWs have been bullet proof, Even my Ducati has been bullet proof. My Triumph has been bullet proof. My sons KTMs, Kawasakis and Suzukis have been bullet proof. I see a trend here. Generally there really is not much in reliability problems with the modern bikes. So get what you like the looks of and what you are comfortable on (most important). My Ducati is a 30 minute bike max. the BMW is a 500 mile bike multiple days in a row. The Triumph T120 is a 3 hour bike and then a break, but I love its look.

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

My Hondas have been bullet proof, my Yamahas have been bullet proof, My BMWs have been bullet proof, Even my Ducati has been bullet proof. My Triumph has been bullet proof. My sons KTMs, Kawasakis and Suzukis have been bullet proof. I see a trend here. Generally there really is not much in reliability problems with the modern bikes. So get what you like the looks of and what you are comfortable on (most important). My Ducati is a 30 minute bike max. the BMW is a 500 mile bike multiple days in a row. The Triumph T120 is a 3 hour bike and then a break, but I love its look.

Thanks. Seems like great advice. Need to ride the CB 1100. Have a sneaky feeling that the Honda may be a smidge more comfortable. But honestly, sounds like I can’t go wrong with either.

 

[aj7840]

Thanks. Seems like great advice. Need to ride the CB 1100. Have a sneaky feeling that the Honda may be a smidge more comfortable. But honestly, sounds like I can’t go wrong with either.

I like looked at the same bikes as you did when I got the Triumph. I just liked the Triumphs classic look more.

 

[CarlS]

If you like the T100, you rented, why not consider T100?. The T100's are air cooled and that means less maintenance vs a liquid cooled bike. Don't get me wrong, the T120 is a great, rock solid bike. Personally, I had mush rather have a T100 or T120 vs the Honda and the CB1000 is four years older than the T120 you are considering. I have not heard any complaints of water getting into the instruments of the later T120's.

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

If you like the T100, you rented, why not consider T100?. The T100's are air cooled and that means less maintenance vs a liquid cooled bike. Don't get me wrong, the T120 is a great, rock solid bike. Personally, I had mush rather have a T100 or T120 vs the Honda and the CB1000 is four years older than the T120 you are considering. I have not heard any complaints of water getting into the instruments of the later T120's.

Thanks, Carl. Good feedback. Hard to find a clean, low miles 2016-2018 T100. Also like the extras that come with the T120: center stand, heated grips, better front brakes, and of course the extra torque when needed. The older CB1100 Deluxe has these features as well, so doEs the newer and more expensive CB1100EX. Funny hearing that some Triumph owners have sold their bikes because of quality issues like water in instrumentation and loud, squeaky front brakes. Was wondering about quality and fit & finish.

 

[Qship]

If you like the T100, you rented, why not consider T100?. The T100's are air cooled and that means less maintenance vs a liquid cooled bike. Don't get me wrong, the T120 is a great, rock solid bike. Personally, I had mush rather have a T100 or T120 vs the Honda and the CB1000 is four years older than the T120 you are considering. I have not heard any complaints of water getting into the instruments of the later T120's.

All depends what year T 100 he rode/rented. One of the newer ones is Street Twin 900 cc engine in the T 120 frame and is liquid cooled. If it was 2016 or older T 100 then yes would be air cooled.
I agree with Carls, though that I would rather the Bonneville T 120 as well due to the displacement increase, more electronic rider aids(heated grips, road/rain modes), newer, and only slightly more $

 

[Qship]

The squeaky front brake issue was resolved in 2017, I believe. Was a high pitch resonance and they fixed by attaching a rubber damper behind each front rotor

 

[Rocky]

It's hard for me to be objective since I have both a CB1100 and a T100 - albeit an older air-cooled Bonneville.
Both run like the wind and have been flawless mechanically.

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

All depends what year T 100 he rode/rented. One of the newer ones is Street Twin 900 cc engine in the T 120 frame and is liquid cooled. If it was 2016 or older T 100 then yes would be air cooled.
I agree with Carls, though that I would rather the Bonneville T 120 as well due to the displacement increase, more electronic rider aids(heated grips, road/rain modes), newer, and only slightly more $

Qship - thanks for the insight! Rented a 2011 T100 so it didn’t have the newer engine and refinement. Also appreciate your other insight on the fix to the squeaky front brakes. Wouldn’t want to have quality issues with a newer bike.

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

It's hard for me to be objective since I have both a CB1100 and a T100 - albeit an older air-cooled Bonneville.
Both run like the wind and have been flawless mechanically.

Thanks for the candor, Rocky. I love them both too, but have a tendency to think that reliability might be better in the Honda. Even though I’m looking at an older 2014 CB1100 Dlx - has most of the upgrades that the newer T120 has, its in pristine condition, so I’m thinking reliability and maintenance would be a non-issue.

 

[Vector]

With all you have said Oldschoolguy, I'd say pick the bike that is most comfortable for your body.

 

[aj7840]

There is a theme from us "old guys" - go for what is comfortable for your body.
I'd love a BMW R1000RR but at 77 no way would I be able to unwind myself to get off after 20 minutes but those 20 minutes would be fun

 

[CarlS]

There is a theme from us "old guys" - go for what is comfortable for your body.
I'd love a BMW R1000RR but at 77 no way would I be able to unwind myself to get off after 20 minutes but those 20 minutes would be fun

Funny and true!!

 

[Kirkemon]

I debated the Moto Guzzi V7III when I bought my T120. My decision to get the T120 is that it's a better bike for longer trips. Bigger engine, electric cruise control, heated grips. But the Moto Guzzi is cool, no spokes, air cooled v-twin, shaft drive, but lacks hp.

 

[brooke]

I so old I remember when liquid cooled was cool ....

 

[OldSchoolGuy]

I debated the Moto Guzzi V7III when I bought my T120. My decision to get the T120 is that it's a better bike for longer trips. Bigger engine, electric cruise control, heated grips. But the Moto Guzzi is cool, no spokes, air cooled v-twin, shaft drive, but lacks hp.

Kirkemon, how long have you owned the T120? What model year? Any regrets in hindsight?

 

[Kirkemon]

Kirkemon, how long have you owned the T120? What model year? Any regrets in hindsight?

Since 2017

Kirkemon, how long have you owned the T120? What model year? Any regrets in hindsight?

I bought it in 2017. I upgraded the brakes, suspension, tires, exhaust. A bit heavier then I would like, the engine really doesn't rev up fast, but great torque.