The 2022 Honda CMX1100 looks as good as, if not better, than half the cruisers on the market, meaning if you’re keen for a bike that’s got a load of style, and will get you from point A to point B in comfort, this could be the ride for you.
Its bobber-like stance, and Pearl Stallion Brown paint (which looks a lot better than it sounds), make it a truly ravishing machine on the road. Its blacked-out engine pieces, frame, fork and bodywork look great during the day and even better at night.
Honda even black-plated the final-drive chain. It sounds good too, particularly in the higher rev range, although it’s screaming out for an aftermarket exhaust.
The get up and go comes thanks to its 1084cc liquid-cooled inline 2-cylinder 4-stroke engine (the same one found in the Africa Twin but with a little less power), offering up 64kW and 98Nm. Don’t let that bother you though, it’s fast and punchy all the same.
Paired with a 6-speed manual transmission (it’s also available with a DCT auto), it handles like a dream. Thanks to its low centre of gravity and excellent weight distribution, it’s a bike that feels good to ride.
Its throttle-by-wire system makes it a versatile bike too, with four levels of torque control, along with four riding modes, including Standard, Rain, Sport, and a fourth that’s user-programmable.
Standard is surprisingly the pick of the bunch as while Sport is more responsive, it’s less smooth in its power delivery. Remembering that the CMX1100 is a cruiser means it’s all about being a little relaxed while you ride.
There are some downsides though when it comes to the user experience though, including a lack of forward controls. For a rider north of 180cm tall, it feels cramped. We also found the steering to be incredibly light north of 110km/h and that’s a bit of a problem.
Get out on a wide open motorway in some hefty winds at those speeds, and it legitimately feels a little unnerving, to put it bluntly, it certainly gives one’s confidence a little tickle. The nearest exit saw us hit the back roads, in what felt a far less stressful experience.
The brake package, which provides fantastic stopping power, features a radial mounted 330mm disc up front and 256mm disc at the rear, both with ABS. Traction control keeps you on the straight and narrow too.
On the suspension side of things, the front sports a 43mm telescopic fork with adjustable preload and 121mm of travel. At the rear you’ll find twin shocks with adjustable preload and 95mm of travel.
A 700mm seat height and slim design (at just 855mm wide) ensure it’s easy to manoeuvre and comfortable in most conditions. It really is one of those bikes that grows on you and the more you ride it, the more you enjoy it.
It has 13.6-litre fuel tank, 223kg kerb weight, and comes with cruise control as standard. The CMX1100’s instruments take a classic shape and fill it with totally up-to-date reverse-image digital LCD information.
The instruments include a speedo, tacho, gear position indicator, fuel indicator, and details on the engine output mode, torque control level and engine braking mode. If you need to run accessories or charge your smartphone, Honda has you covered too.
Under the seat you’ll find a handy USB-C port and 3.0-litres of storage capacity. And it’s those little touches that make this bike what it is – a capable cruiser with plenty of style, good looks, and decent power. That’s why we reckon it’s worth a look.
The 2022 Honda CMX1100 comes in the colour we tested, or Gunmetal Black Metallic. Priced at $20,021 ride away (as tested), it’s offered with a 24 month unlimited kilometre warranty.
Our 2022 Honda CMX1100 was provided by Honda Australia. To find out more about this bike, or its DCT sibling, contact your local Honda dealer.
A classic look in a new version. Vacation and on the road.