[infamous273]

The cb is debuting in the states in late march. I was 99% sure my next bike would be a speed triple, but now I don't know. I understand the powerplants, and the styling are like night and day respectively, however, Honda claims on it's website, "basically, we took a 1000rr engine, and tuned it for tons of low end torque."

For $10,500ish it seems like a great value vs the speed triple. I had an '08 daytona, and I wasn't satisfied at all with the quality and refinment. That being said, nothing equals the sound and performance of the inline-3.

I was just curious if anyone from across the pond could provide some insight as to how the cb is received abroad?

 

[Ken M1]

I think the CB will be hot for a day (it will be the "must have" bike for a hot minute). But soon after, I think it will loose out with Honda's usual lack of character. The Speed has boatloads of character and will always be "cool" and desirable (it's a modern day classic). The Honda...eh...not so much.

 

[Budo]

Easy...

You want character go for the Triumph.

You want reliability go for the Honda.

Coming from someone who often envies his roommates 2003 1000RR that will start in any god damn condition (including 19 degrees F without being on a trickle charger overnight). But I do love the characteristics of my triple that much more than I envy the reliability of his Honda... so I stick around and continue to punish myself.

 

[bballman01]

"basically, we took a 1000rr engine, and tuned it for tons of low end torque."

in other words took out most of the power and made it boring:biggrinjester:
if you want low end torque why would you want anything else but a tripple 1000c bike

 

[MacBandit]

Sorry but Triumphs are every bit as reliable as Hondas. Personally Honda is just so bland and uninspiring.

 

[chrisw_30]

go the speed...i would probably go a cbr1000 but not the cb1000r over a speed triple..no way

 

[675fury]

Yea I think the triple is always going to have more to offer personally.

 

[2001A6]

Honda makes a great bike, but I would honestly go with the S3. The Triumph just has way more character. If it was your D/D car, maybe go the boring reliable route, but for a play toy.. the Trump forsure. Then as soon as I bought the S3, order bug eyed headlights. The new lights look like a fully faired bike that lost its fairing, at least IMO.

 

[Sp00ky]

Which ?

The Japanese factories undoubtedly manufacture incredibly well made motorcycles.

I think that Honda probably makes the best of the four brands as far as reliability and sophistication of design goes, and all of the Japanese 1000 cc bikes are works of art.

However, they do lack that certain look and character that some of the Italian and British bikes have. Maybe the Japanese machinery is just too well designed and built. They don't have the "rawness" of the British and Italian machines. They are too "polished" and perfect overall.

Usually, it is a novelty to see a Japanese bike that leaks oil, unlike the Triumph. My Street Triple leaks a little bit, even with it's rather modern design and much improved machining and assembly techniques.

However, if I was in the market for a new litre bike I would definitely buy a Japanese four instead of the Speed Triple. The Speedie is a great bike, but ... imo, it lacks the engineering design and excellence of the litre Jap bikes.

In the end, it all comes down to what you want and need from your machine. The Japanese have sorted out all of their design problems quite a while ago, whereas the British manufacturers are still a little way behind them yet.

Maybe it's that raw "unfinished" aspect that makes the Brit bikes so appealing to us.
But you can't beat the Japanese for the absolute design and manufacturing excellence that they produce, even though they may lose out in the character department compared to the British products...

The British Street / Speed triples are a rough diamond, whereas the Japanese products are highly polished ones.

You choose which one you want.

S.

 

[doublen675]

Sorry but Triumphs are every bit as reliable as Hondas. Personally Honda is just so bland and uninspiring.

I agree. And personally, I don't think you'll go wrong with either bike. Each has it's own personal appeal. Personally, I'd choose the Speedy, but I have a soft spot for Triumph Naked's.

 

[Tongie_]

Speed triple, CB1000R is a boring gutless bike... euro/honda junk.

 

[Budo]

Sorry but Triumphs are every bit as reliable as Hondas. Personally Honda is just so bland and uninspiring.

Your dealer has trained you well.

Your opinion is noted. Keep in mind that my observation is based on multiple incidents on my own bike, not a generalization of issues that others on the forum might have. So your statement is simply hollow to me :thumbup:.

 

[korie]

nobody can really say through experience right now on either bike outside of reviewers because they have yet to be fully released. that being said...

people on here are largely going to be quite biased. you are asking a question about a Japanese inline four vs a Triumph triple. most on here are going to say that they prefer the character and feeling they get when they are on the triple and this is why they are on here. what i would ask yourself is the following:

does it matter as to how the bike sounds to you? the exhaust note is a huge thing for many people. personally i like the triple more than the twins and the fours because i really love the smooth rumble rather than the 20 pound bumblebee of the inline fours or the blublublub of the twins. but this is all personal preference.

how much are you going to use this bike? is it a commuting daily or is it a weekend type bike? as has been said both will be mostly reliable, but the reliability does historically go to the Honda. if very high mileage is going to be an issue then the Honda may seem the better choice, but remember that the Triumphs are indeed very good as well.

how long are you going to keep this bike? over time things will break down on every bike. this is what machines an electronics do. no surprise here. but, the cost of the parts will be cheaper on the Honda.

how much do you like working on your own bike doing mods and the like? go to the dealers and see which one is easier or more fun to work on. see what things you can do with the bike over years to come.

the biggest question is: which one feels right to YOU? when you sit on the bike which of the two is most comfortable? which one rides the way that you enjoy? which one does your heart want? if you buy the bike that your mind says to you will always wish for the one you truly felt in your heart. none of us can say what you should get for this primary reason. by asking us here i feel that you know you want the triple, but you are trying to convince yourself the Honda is the better choice. go and feel both bikes and see how they feel to you. take your time on the decision because they will both be available for a while and neither are limited editions to worry about losing the one you want. take your time.

but i have to ask: why are you buying new? is it because you will be financing this motorcycle? if this is the case then i understand, but if you are able to buy an older triple you will get a good/great deal due to the complete revamp of the new model. save a few thousand possibly. the cb1000r you will less likely get a good deal due to the new release status. another option is to buy an older cbr1000 and turn it into a street fighter. but you have a ton of options. just go through the web and look at what you really like. do not believe buying new is your only option and if you are buying new maybe the older model would be a good move. dealers can also finance used bikes and you may be able to get two for the cost of one...

 

[nlzmo400r]

just ride them both and whichever one tickles your jigglies more is the one for you. ALL of the inline4 naked 'streetfighter'-esque bikes ive ridden have been utterly boring. And I ride a motorcycle for excitement and fun above all else. Makes the decision very easy for me.

 

[DecepticonDon]

how much do you like working on your own bike doing mods and the like? go to the dealers and see which one is easier or more fun to work on. see what things you can do with the bike over years to come.

+1

The 675 is a dream to work on. The few Jap bikes I've had experience with were well engineered, but utterly hopeless to wrench on.:thumbdown:

 

[doublen675]

Your dealer has trained you well.

Your opinion is noted. Keep in mind that my observation is based on multiple incidents on my own bike, not a generalization of issues that others on the forum might have. So your statement is simply hollow to me :thumbup:.

I just think you may be one of those people I call a "Shit magnet". :itsok:

+1

The 675 is a dream to work on. The few Jap bikes I've had experience with were well engineered, but utterly hopeless to wrench on.:thumbdown:

You know, I noticed that. I haven't worked on a lot of other bikes, but watching how-to videos online it seems as if quite a few of the parts are a bit more streamlined on the 675. Less bolts to get to certain things, etc... The one thing I don't like is how big of a pain in the ass it is to get to the air filter. Are all bikes like that? And they really should have made the fuel tank so that it would tilt back a bit further, it wouldn't have been that difficult to do by modifying the hinge mechanism, some things are done so well, but others you wonder what preschooler designed this? :noclue:

 

[weerez]

The Japanese factories undoubtedly manufacture incredibly well made motorcycles.

I think that Honda probably makes the best of the four brands as far as reliability and sophistication of design goes, and all of the Japanese 1000 cc bikes are works of art.

However, they do lack that certain look and character that some of the Italian and British bikes have. Maybe the Japanese machinery is just too well designed and built. They don't have the "rawness" of the British and Italian machines. They are too "polished" and perfect overall.

Usually, it is a novelty to see a Japanese bike that leaks oil, unlike the Triumph. My Street Triple leaks a little bit, even with it's rather modern design and much improved machining and assembly techniques.

However, if I was in the market for a new litre bike I would definitely buy a Japanese four instead of the Speed Triple. The Speedie is a great bike, but ... imo, it lacks the engineering design and excellence of the litre Jap bikes.

In the end, it all comes down to what you want and need from your machine. The Japanese have sorted out all of their design problems quite a while ago, whereas the British manufacturers are still a little way behind them yet.

Maybe it's that raw "unfinished" aspect that makes the Brit bikes so appealing to us.
But you can't beat the Japanese for the absolute design and manufacturing excellence that they produce, even though they may lose out in the character department compared to the British products...

The British Street / Speed triples are a rough diamond, whereas the Japanese products are highly polished ones.

You choose which one you want.

S.

I havent had any problems with my 09 Street Triple since the day i got it, and i have never seen my bike leaking oil, triumph also has a better warranty then most 2 years unlimited mileage, plus as far as the JAP bikes go dont forget who started using fuel injectors first in street bikes TRIUMPH, Hondas are great but i think triumph is reliable and one of the best made bikes out there and its proven as people keep following there footsteps look at honda they are going to re-release the honda 599 Hornet to try and compete in the naked bike market

 

[Greg K]

My mate has a '09 CB1000r (with carbon bits and Akro pipe) which I have riden a few times. I have yet to ride a Speed 3. So my comparison is between the CB and my ST-r.

The CB did everything great, but wasnt excellent in one particular area. Had great brakes, well balanced and felt gut-wrenchingly quick. The low/flat torque curve helps .

Things I didnt like about it were the integrated plastic tankpad (I dont like stick-on tank pads), the instrument cluster isnt as easy to read as my ST-r, and the front end to me looks like a stupid transformer.

To me, the CB doesnt have the character of the Triumph bikes and as another forum member has said, will be a bike that will date. Honda Australia sold very few of these in 2009 and pulled the bike off the floors in 2010 as it wasnt popular. They are now re-releasing the CB1000 possibly due to the fact that they want to compete with the 1000cc naked bikes, as they are becoming more and more popular, here at least.

I appologise to the OP for comparing the CB to my St-r, as i know the ST-r and S3 are like chalk and cheese. My advise is, as others have said, to follow your heart and not your head. See what fits you best and go for one that excites you the most... have fun shopping! :thumbup:

 

[coreyvwc]

I had an '08 daytona, and I wasn't satisfied at all with the quality and refinment.

If you're satisfied by the Daytona you are NOT going to be satisfied by the speed triple or 1000r. I think most people people would agree that triumphs are leaps and bounds ahead of the Japanese in terms of quality and refinement but hey, whatever floats your boat... Sounds like you want and need to go Italian.

 

[infamous273]

thank you everyone for the input.

i'm going to test them both, and see what becomes of that. the cb should be here around late march.

i am a little hesitant to go with another triumph bc of the quality issues i had with my daytona (engine light coming on after 400 miles, radiator pissing engine coolant after 1000 miles, stripping peeling off inside of the cockpit, battery strap hook snapping off, constantly blowing the 1st to 2nd shift ending up in N, overall clunkiness of the transmission, glue on the underside of the seat melting and getting on the paint), however the biggest redeeming quality was the I-3. that was '08. perhaps triumph has made strides since then in their QC dept.

honestly, aside from looks, it's just splitting hairs comparing the 2 bikes when it gets down to performance imho. i'd rather have a ride i know is built first class, and without defect. i'm not sure if triumph can match honda stride for stride just yet...that's really the only reason i'm entertaining the I-4.