Bike Talk

By: Peter Theoming

Peter 'The Bear' Thoeming is the editor of Australian Road Rider magazine, the bi-monthly magazine of motorcycling and travel. Pick up a copy at your newsagent?s now, or subscribe by ringing 1300 303 414 or sending a note to mailorder@universalmagazines.com.au. The Bear also writes the weekly newspaper column 'Motorcycle Weekly'; if your local paper doesn't run this, call them and ask them why not! It's available to them from news@marque.com.au.

A Big Bike for a Big Country

In 1982, for the first issue of the long-dead BIKE Australia magazine, we did a comparo of the new Suzuki 1100 Katana and the Honda CB1100RC. Part of the test was a side-by-side high speed braking comparison. I was on the Honda, and when I pulled the front brake lever on as hard as I could the bike shook its head from lock to lock twice, hard.

I released the brake and the bike continued on as if nothing had happened. It forgave me, instead of burying me in the tarmac at some 160 km/h. I’ve loved the big CBRs ever since, and the CB1300S is a welcome reminder of those ground-breaking (not literally) early machines; almost the R resurrected.

Here’s one comparison while we’re on the subject of the early bikes: one thing that’s definitely changed is the seat.

‘The Honda seat is a pain in the bum, literally,’ wrote our road tester Bob Rosenthal about the R at the time. ‘The seat is too hard and the head down, bum up riding position is for race tracks, not tripping.’ To be fair, the CB1100R was meant mainly for race tracks. The CB1300S is meant for the road, and both its upright riding position and wide seat are very comfortable indeed.

Here’s another comparison: Bob thought that the brakes of the R were ‘simply superb with awesome power yet plenty of feel resulting from their progressive action’. Not when used by clunk-heads like me, obviously… but the S still has the best brakes in its class, highly effective and responsive. Sadly we do not get the option of anti-lock braking that the Europeans enjoy.

But let’s go for a ride on the current bike. First impression is that it’s big, and that turns out to be correct. The bike is 2.22 metres long and 1.12 metres wide – and seem even wider due to the bulky tank. It’s actually surprising that it ‘only’ weighs 234 kg dry. The height of the seat is even more of a surprise; it’s only 790 mm. So climbing aboard is not hard. Neither is balancing the bike or folding up the sidestand, which is nicely accessible. The bike has Honda’s HISS security system, so you’ll need the right key at this point or it won’t start. The fuel injection means that starting is easy every time, and you’re rewarded by a quiet but pleasantly throaty exhaust. Open the throttle and you’ll find out why people buy the CB1300S. Acceleration is smooth and almost linear, with bags of torque from just about idle. You can be forgiven for forgetting to change gear on the S, but as it happens the gears are definitely not a chore. As usual with Hondas, changes are smooth and definite. Oh, there is a dip in the torque curve around 4800 rpm, but even when it dips it still gives 105 Nm. Michelin has developed a special front tyre for the bike, which gives you some idea of its cornering and braking capabilities.

The small frame-mounted fairing that differentiates the S from the cooking model works well, too, as does the suspension. Even rough roads do nothing to unsettle the bike, and neither do high speeds (although of course we can’t actually ride at high speed any more, can we, because we need our licences).

It is very hard to criticise this bike. It even has a properly respectful paint scheme in red and white harking back to the CB1100R. It’s big but not unhandy, powerful but not intimidating and smooth without being anodyne. Fuel consumption is reasonable and it runs on unleaded. The occasional bit of vibration is gone before you really notice it, and the little bit of unnecessary play in the transmission is no big deal either. Luggage will be a bit of a hassle to fit. Suspension is not adjustable except for preload on the back, but so what? To tell you the truth, I’m grabbing at straws here, trying to find something to criticise. If only the bike was available with ABS.

If you’re looking for a big all-rounder for this big country, I suspect the CB1300S is your bike.

AT A GLANCE
Model: Honda CB1300S
Price: $15,390 (plus on-road charges)
Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance
Power: 85 kW at 7500 rpm
Torque: 117 Nm at 5500 rpm
Engine: Liquid cooled inline four, 4 stroke, 16 valve DOHC, PGM-FI electronic fuel injection and digital transistorised ignition with electronic advance
Bore x stroke: 78 x 67.2 mm
Displacement: 1284 cc
Compression ratio: 9.6:1
Transmission: 5 speed, hydraulic multiple disc clutch, final drive by chain
Suspension: Front, 43 mm cartridge-type telescopic fork, travel 120 mm. Rear, dual shocks with 5-step adjustable spring preload, travel 116 mm
Dimensions: Seat height 790 mm, dry weight 234 kg, fuel capacity 21 litres, wheelbase 1515 mm
Tyres: Front, 120/70 ZR17. Rear, 180/55 ZR17
Frame: Double cradle steel
Brakes: Front, twin 310 mm discs with four piston calipers. Rear, single 256 mm disc.
Top speed: 230 km/h
Acceleration:
0-100 km/h – 3.3 sec
60-100 km/h – 3.8 sec
Fuel consumption: Average on test 5.5 litres per 100 km, unleaded
Range: 381 km
Colour/s: Red and white, black.