Kickstand Conversations – Episode 002: The CB1000F, the Warranty Fine Print, and Why We Can’t Stop Talking About Retro Bikes

This episode of Kickstand Conversations started because of one bike. I came across the new Honda CB1000F a few weeks back and I have not stopped thinking about it. That led me, Trekkie, Goofy, and Scott into a much bigger conversation about modern retro motorcycles, why manufacturers keep leaning on the past to sell bikes today, and how different companies actually treat you once you own one. We also got into warranties, dealer service quirks, and what we’re each doing to our own bikes right now, from Trekkie’s exhaust swap to Scott’s winter shock rebuild.

The video has all four of us bouncing off each other in real time, which is honestly where a lot of the fun is. But this recap stands on its own if you want the substance without the tangents.

If you want the full conversation with all the back and forth, it’s right above. Otherwise, keep reading.

The Honda CB1000F Kicked Off Our Modern Retro Motorcycles Debate

The CB1000F is a tribute to the original CB750F and CB900F from the seventies, but it’s not trying to be a museum piece. It’s got a TFT display and modern electronics, so it looks back without actually living back there. MSRP is $10,599, though the $775 destination charge pushes the out the door number closer to $11,374. Goofy thought that felt a little steep. I thought the base price was fair for a liter bike, it’s just that destination charge that stings.

I’ve got a soft spot for this one because I already own a 1976 CB750F, and this new bike is a direct link to a wish list. Trekkie was right there with me. He pointed out the CB1000F is putting down about 102 horsepower and 76 pound feet of torque at a wet weight around 472 pounds, which is genuinely impressive for something wearing this much retro styling.

That conversation opened the door to talking about modern retro motorcycles as a whole category, because honestly, almost every manufacturer has one right now.

Goofy’s pick is the Kawasaki Z900RS, specifically the cafe version with the half fairing, and he wants it in Kawasaki green. Trekkie would go fully naked on the same bike, no cowling. Kawasaki has leaned hard into the fully retro look with analog gauges on the base model, and the SE trim steps it up with Öhlins S46 rear shocks and remote preload, though that pushes the price to around $15,000. Part of that is a 24 percent import tariff, since Kawasaki still builds its motorcycles in Japan rather than in the States.

Royal Enfield came up as the value play in this whole conversation. Their bikes are genuinely inexpensive compared to a brand new five hundred from anyone else, and Trekkie pointed out how many colorways and badge options they offer compared to companies that give you two or three paint choices a year. He specifically called out their chrome gas tank as one of the best looking details on any bike in this price range. A few years ago Royal Enfield had a rough reputation. That’s changed fast, and you see them everywhere now.

We also talked through the Yamaha XSR, which the table agreed just doesn’t get you all the way there. It looks more like a dressed up MT-09 than a true retro bike. The Ducati Scrambler got a mention too, more of a general nod toward that traditional styling than a deep dive.

Scott brought up the BMW R12GS, and this is where the conversation got a little ridiculous. It’s styled after an old airhead, MSRP around $20,000, and it does not have a fuel gauge. Not even built into the digital display. You get a low fuel light and that’s it. Scott actually rode one this summer and said it’s a neat bike, but too tall for him, and he wasn’t about to take a $20,000 bike off road.

Then there’s Harley. The Sportster is coming back after being gone for a year or two, and the pricing surprised all of us. The Sportster S comes in at $16,000, and the Nightster starts around $10,000 before you add fees. Trekkie’s theory is that a lot of riders who would have bought a Sportster years ago are buying Rebel 500s instead, since the Sportster picked up a reputation problem along the way.

If any of these modern retro motorcycles catch your eye, the thing that stands out across the board is how much the price tag varies for what’s essentially the same pitch: give me an old look with new tech underneath.

Manufacturer Warranties: Who Actually Backs Their Bike

The CB1000F only comes with a one year warranty, and that’s what pushed us into this whole warranty conversation. Goofy did some digging and found KTM and Husqvarna lead the pack with a four year, unlimited mile warranty. That sounds great until you run the math. Most riders put somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 miles a year on a bike, so unlimited miles over four years doesn’t mean much for the average owner. It matters more if you’re one of the rare people racking up serious mileage.

BMW comes in around three years with a 36,000 mile cap. Scott pointed out that number matters more than you’d think, since he personally knows a BMW rider putting on 70,000 miles a year. For most people it won’t be an issue, but it’s not the blank check KTM’s number looks like on paper.

Most Japanese manufacturers, Honda included, sit at just one year on most models. The Goldwing is the exception at three years. Goofy’s own Vaquero actually came with a three year warranty, and when he brought it in for service at Martin Moto, the shop didn’t even realize it was still covered. He had to correct them.

Harley and Indian both offer two years, unlimited miles. Triumph also starts at two years, but for $400 you can extend it out to four, which Trekkie thinks is well worth it. That’s a real number to know if you’re cross shopping and warranty length actually factors into your decision.

We also got into what’s typically covered. Most of these warranties are close to bumper to bumper, minus the usual wear items like brakes and tires unless you spring for a separate tire and wheel package, which Harley offers. Third party warranty coverage exists too, but the advice from the table was simple: do your homework before you buy one, because not all of them actually pay out when you need them to.

Extended Warranties, Loaner Bikes, and Dealing With Martin Moto

I’ve got some firsthand experience here that’s worth passing along if you’re shopping used. When I bought my CB650F used a few years back, I looked into an extended warranty through Martin Moto. The price was rough. Used bikes typically only come with a 30 day warranty, so if you want meaningful coverage beyond that, you’re paying real money for it.

Martin Moto used to offer loaner bikes if your bike was in the shop for an extended repair, and that program tied back to when they were part of Twisted Road. That’s gone now. They still do pickup and drop off, free within 25 miles during the off season, but you’ll pay for it once things get busy. Trekkie paid $130 for a one way pickup when his seat needed repair and the bike wasn’t rideable. I paid closer to $40 when my battery went bad.

That battery story is a good example of why a bike issue isn’t always what it looks like. Mine would crank but wouldn’t fire, which had me convinced it was a fuel problem, not a battery problem, since it was on a tender and reading a full charge. Turned out it was the battery after all, a little over two years in. Once they swapped it, the issue never came back.

Keeping the Bikes Running: Batteries, Slip-Ons, and Suspension

Battery tenders came up as a bigger deal than I expected. Goofy’s Harley has to stay on a tender because the alarm system draws power constantly, something he never had to deal with on any of his metric bikes. Trekkie’s Triumph isn’t far off. If it sits more than a few weeks without a tender, it gets hard to start. When his current battery eventually goes, he’s planning to just replace it with whatever Triumph recommends rather than chase a lithium upgrade. I’m doing the same thing on my end. Lithium saves a little weight, but I’m not taking this bike to the track, so there’s no real benefit for the money.

On the exhaust side, I put a slip-on on my Ninja and honestly couldn’t tell you it changed the power delivery at all. What it did change was the sound, and that alone made the bike a lot more fun to ride. Trekkie’s got an X-pipe going in on his Triumph the week after Martin Moto’s Modern Classics event, and he confirmed with his shop that a slip-on swap like this doesn’t require any ECU flashing, unlike a full system with a different air filter, which would need it.

He’s also been eyeing new shocks, specifically Öhlins units with an internal reservoir so nothing sticks out on the sides. Right now his rear preload is basically maxed out just to keep the bike from sagging, and he’s hoping some weight loss on his end will ease that pressure a bit before he spends the roughly $1,400 to $1,500 it’ll take to get the parts he actually wants. He also mentioned switching to Michelin Road 6 tires recently and called them night and day better than what came stock on the bike.

Scott’s got his own winter project lined up. His Wilbers shocks came with the bike set up for a taller, heavier rider than him, so he’s rebuilding the rear end, dealing with a swing arm leak, and likely swapping in a spare swing arm along with a lower mileage drive shaft while he’s in there. Nothing glamorous, just the kind of maintenance that keeps a bike running right for the next owner or the next ten years, whichever comes first.

We also touched on gear for bigger riders, and Scott mentioned Aerostich makes solid options for anyone who’s had trouble finding proper riding gear off the rack.

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Ride With Me

If you want more of this kind of conversation, subscribe to the WaltInPA YouTube channel, I’ve got more riding content coming. If this episode was worth your time, share it with a friend who rides, it helps more than you’d think. And if you want to talk bikes with good people between episodes, come hang out in the WaltInPA Discord.

This episode also wouldn’t be the same without the rest of the crew. Trekkie runs his own channel over at TrekkieMoto, Goofy’s got Goofy Bastard, and Scott posts his rides and wrench work at Scott’s Moto Adventures. Go give them a follow too.