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.