Mugen is effectively the ‘official’ Honda car and motorcycle tuner, with headquarters close to Honda’s own R&D facility north of Tokyo. So it’s no surprise that the first tweaked Honda CB1100 has a discreet Mugen logo at the back. The mods include a 70s-style bikini fairing in silver and a stubby black megaphone-style exhaust system, replacing the standard chromed item. There are also two new seat unit options, both with a more streamlined rear section, black passenger grab handles, and slightly smaller fenders front and back—also painted black.
The engine should get a little extra pep from that new exhaust, but no other mechanical mods are reported. It’s probably because the motor is a new design for Honda—an air-cooled DOHC inline four—so Mugen can’t employ the go-fast parts it’s developed for other Hondas. With 87 hp on tap, the stock CB1100 is not short of power, though. And the Mugen exhaust should free up a little more: a trip to the dyno will no doubt put the engine closer to the magic 100 hp mark.
The pretty CB1100 has attracted a huge amount of attention already, and that’s despite uncertainty over whether or not the bike will be released in the USA or UK. The big question is: will people buy it? These mods might just be enough to tip me over the line…
