I expected it to be a bit of a Yank Tank, far more style than substance, and the weight and agricultural drivetrain to dominate the experience... Nothing could be further from the truth! It's really actually rather very good, and despite no space in my garage, a tiny little 13L tank and absolutely no need for one whatsoever... I want one... Really badly actually! It's an addictive riding experience, and actually quite a bit sportier and more fun than you'd credit given its weight and relative lack of power. I think if it had an 18L tank I'd already have found an excuse to buy one! Seriously... I had only popped in to the dealership off hand for a look round, got asked if I'd like a test ride and wasn't going to refuse. The engine is something to behold. It might only be just over 120bhp from a 1200 twin that revs to about 9krpm (so in that respect, very similar numbers to my R1200GS I turned up on), but it is addictively characterful! Super smooth down to 2k which for a V-Twin is just about unheard of, yet torque from nothing, and no need to rev it out whatsoever, and it sounds awesome too! Jumping back on the GS to go home was a real letdown, not because the bike isn't brilliant (it is), but because the flat-twin ditch pump of an engine has always been the elephant in the room with a GS that defines its capabilities and handling (by putting all the weight down low), but also dulls the experience somewhat as it's as flat as a pancake! Anyway... If you haven't ridden an Indian FTR, then either do because it's REALLY impressive, or don't because it's REALLY impressive and you'll end up buying one!
I rode the latest 17" wheeled version with Metzeler Sportec tyres FWIW. Not ridden the more flat track style one, but hear that's equally if not more fun albeit you need to junk the stock tyres and fit something half decent (they're pretty stock "Adventure" bike sizes) for road use.
Those deriding the 748/916 either aren't riding them properly (they NEED open roads, nice sweeping twisties to come into their own, and preferably in short bursts before the wrist ache sets in!) or are judging them by modern standards of having their cake and eating it too... Watch Chris Northover's review of a 998R recently... Perfection!
I can fully sympathise... Honda have made some brilliant bikes over the years, I've owned a few from my RVF400, through VFR800's, a Blackbird, then there's other highlights like the RC30, RC45, SP1, SP2, various Fireblades (particularly the 954 though) and CBR600's etc... And then they make the blandest, most boring bike in the world ever... The CB1000F!
The thing with the CB1000F though, is for precisely the reason we hate its bland boringness, there are people out there (mostly in their 70's, for whom it is the 2 wheeled equivalent of a Honda Civic!) that love them! For me bikes need to have character... My GS might have a dull engine, but handling that can embarrass sports bikes and total confidence to chuck it into any bend on any broken back road at speeds you really shouldn't mostly makes up for the boring engine. The CB1000F has none of that though! It's the very worst kind of detuned parts bin special there is, and a travesty that a Fireblade donated its engine in the first place!
