All Comparisons – Neo-retro comparison: R nineT Vs CB1100 EX Vs Bonneville T100 – Retro: a trend, several interpretations

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Neo-retro comparison: R nineT Vs CB1100 EX Vs Bonneville T100

All Comparisons - Neo-retro comparison: R nineT Vs CB1100 EX Vs Bonneville T100 - Retro: a trend, several interpretations

With the new R nineT, BMW throws a carefully calibrated pavement in the pond of classic motorcycles. The tasty Honda CB1100 EX and Triumph Bonneville T100, subtly retouched in 2014, will they be able to avoid splashing ? Retro comparative test.

Retro: a trend, several interpretations

"But that’s not a retro motorcycle! With its big inverted fork and its short stacked exhausts, it looks like a ", exclaims Marcos, our, seeing the new …

The skepticism of our Argentinian colleague escalates further at the sight of the motorcycle’s slim and modern LED tail light celebrating 90 years of BMW’s two-wheeler business. And it is not its radial calipers similar to those of the S1000RR – ditto for the fork, the possibilities of adjustments less -, its steering damper or its scrolling control on the handlebars of the information of its on-board console that will make it change. notice !

Despite its round headlight – with a BMW logo in the center – its spoked rims, its stitched leather saddle and its air-cooled engine (that good "old" flat air-oil), the German undoubtedly denotes compared to at la and la, two motorcycles capable of passing for authentic "oldies" restored despite their status as newly remodeled 2014 novelties.

And Marcos is not entirely wrong: with its short rear easily transformable (read our) and its sports peripherals, the BMW gives off an unexpected dynamism in the retro category. While driving it is not sad either, hence the name "retroactive" given by MNC to the nineT after its !

Classics downright !

Obviously, when BMW, Honda and Triumph look at "retro", not everyone sees exactly the same thing. On the Hinckley side for example, if the Bonneville surfs at the top of the retro wave, it’s not because it "looks" classic but because it is! Of course, the British icon has evolved since its release in 1959 and even modernized to adopt injection in 2008 (read in particular our).

But Triumph engineers and designers have worked together so that its concessions to modernism do not distort its delightfully old-fashioned charm. The central injection, for example, is concealed in dummy carburetor bodies, while a fake choke lever (which actually serves to increase idle when the bike is cold) maintains the illusion of power. by carb.

Visually, this trompe-l’oeil is successful enough to cast doubt on ill-informed observers. Result, with its "sausage" pots and its cooling fins now milled on the 2014 vintages, the "Bonnie" is clearly more than its age. !

On the Bonneville T100 chosen for this "classic" comparison, the in-line twin-cylinder housings are also superbly chromed, the paint adopts a qualitative two-tone marriage, the wheels are spoked (19 inches at the front against 17 on the standard ) and bellows cover the plungers of its fork (not adjustable).

Add to that the new ’60s-style Triumph badge on its teardrop fuel tank, chrome chain guard and retaining bar, and you’ve got a classy motorcycle with authentic flavors..

The CB1100 EX 2014 distills the same type of feelings, especially as it appears at first glance that this new high-end version of the retro Honda corrects all the small stylistic flaws deplored on the model unloaded in Europe in early 2013 (read in particular our).

The winged crest has thus added a silencer and wire wheels to its distant descendant of the CB750 Four, while its round chrome-rimmed headlight is now set 25 mm higher to reinforce its retro look. The leather saddle is also thicker and padded, a beneficial change for the look but especially the seat comfort, very disappointing on the previous model..

The new instrumentation also receives an indicator of engaged gear and fuel consumption, which makes it the most complete of the three motorcycles assembled by MNC (read our Table of practical aspects and equipment). That of the BMW informs for example on the engaged speed but ignores a gasoline gauge, while the Triumph only gives the time in addition to the usual information (trips, odometer, speed, engine speed).

Finally, the Honda CB1100 EX exhibits a specific 17.5 liter tank (14.6 on the standard) and redesigned side covers. Last notable change common to both versions: the magnificent air-cooled in-line four-cylinder inherits an overdrive-type sixth gear.

Stalled at 130 km / h on the motorway, the big 1140cc "4-legged" now purrs at 3700 rpm, or 550 rpm slower than the BMW 1170cc Boxer in 6th gear. The gap climbs to 1,100 rpm with the 865cc Triumph vertical twin, whose pistons make 4,800 round trips per minute at maximum speed in France in fifth and last gear..

Unfortunately for the Honda, if this "overdrive" is an asset in favor of fuel consumption (5.3 l / 100 km minimum measured during this test against 5.5 for the BMW and 5.2 for the Triumph: see "Conditions and course" at the top right), it weighs significantly its raises on the last report. An impact not really happy, insofar as its engine is already not the most nervous…

Hyper available (driving on the last gear at 50 is a formality that the CB1100 EX performs more easily than the R nineT, itself more flexible than the Bonneville T100), the Japanese 4-cylinder is a pleasure but its linear accelerations leave something to be desired.

At low revs it even frankly lacks consistency since under 4000 rpm, the Triumph keeps it high despite its lower torque (68 Nm against 91), largely due to its displacement deficit of 275cc! And yet, the Bonneville’s twin-cylinder is notoriously not one of the most fiery engines in motorcycle production …

In fact, if it also suffers from fairly smooth revs, the English twin has more trunk than the Japanese in the first third of the tachometer. It even offers a pleasant little regain of form between 5000 and 7000 rpm, range from which its vibrations become disturbing in the feet and hands. Too bad its slightly loud soundtrack is so muffled by its original silencers, however redesigned in 2014 to boost its vocalizations…

Completely free from vibrations (just a slight quivering between the thighs between 2000 and 3000 rpm), the CB1100 EX benefits from a higher reach and power (89.7 hp against 68) to resume what it lost on the Englishwoman past the mid-range mark. On the other hand, it tilts again acoustically as its silencers take their job seriously. At idle, a biker a little hard of the leaf will have to listen to know if the engine is running !

Sure that adaptable exhausts would clear up his voice and in the process immerse the driver in a more captivating sensory environment, because with equal dynamic capacities, an engine which "snores" elegantly produces more effect than a voicemail unit…

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