Alright, I am putting this out there:

I am curious what riders prefer for their final drive.

To help narrow the scope, consider the question in regards to "touring".

Final drives that come to mind include:

* Chain
* Belt
* Shaft
* Electric drive
* Other?
* In some extreme and unfortunate cases: Feet.

Each type might be broken down into further detail, so please share.

- - -

I will start: I prefer shaft drive, and the lighter the better for me. I understand that lighter implies accepting certain side-effects. However, I can mostly live with that, unless of course a newer mechanical arrangement is available. I will say that I am open to new technologies in belt drive, but their implementations are still somewhat gaudy.

Thoughts?

I recently got the spoke wheels on my 2014 S and when the shop was balancing the wheels I didn’t want the stick on weights but did make a note and location on each wheel. The front called for 3/4 OZ and the rear called for 1/2 OZ,before I but on some spoke weights thought I’d ask,I’ve ridin the bike at speed up to 90-on a track of course-and feel no imbalance. Do I need to put the weights on the wheels,my greatest fear is max tank slap at some point.

What happened to the For Sale section?

I recently sold a DLX which I really enjoyed, and considering getting back in the game with a EX. For those of you who have owned or ridden both:

Are official stats available on the seat to pegs distance on each bike? My knees felt a little cramped on the DLX, and the seat looks even thinner on the EX so wondering if it will be even tighter. Prefer to keep seat and pegs stock.

Is the adjustable suspension in the newer bike a noticeable upgrade?

Do the stock mirrors on each bike give about the same view? I found the DLX mirrors pretty limited compared to my triumph tiger 800.

Any other notable differences in ride or handling?

Thanks! Dennis

Anybody see this? Interesting, but pricey.

CrossHelmet - the smart motorcycle helmet:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cross...indemand#/

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who participates in this annual Third Thursday Gluttony.

Today, I am thankful for many things, but being on the top of two wheeled conveyances, I am thankful that I finally feel well enough to take my new toy out for a ride. For those who don't know, I work at a dealership. So, I had to wait until the end of the work day Saturday to ride it home. Normally, I take the back roads, but sensing I was getting ill, opted for the straight freeway drone home. With 19 miles, it sat until today.

Also, in case you don't know, I am a bit of a head case when it comes to making decisions and committing myself to something...except for women. I married the first nice girl I wanted to call my girlfriend. Sure, there are always newer models out there, but I swear she get's prettier every day...and she tolerates my infidelity to my motorcycles, so she stays!

3 months ago, I sold my super modded Honda Grom and then traded my CB1100 in on a leftover new 2017 Yamaha FZ09. Always liked that little triple and figured I would have fun on a little naked sporty type bike. I did, but as soon as I bought it, I started second guessing my decision. You see, I kept looking at the new Yamaha Tracer GT which is the premium trim of the regular Tracer that replaced the well-regarded FJ-09 (a bike I had ridden and really liked). This bike checks all of the boxes for what I have been looking for in an all-arounder.

The only box it didn't check for me was the one that didn't really belong on my list of wants...off-road capability. ADV bikes have been my go-to since I sold my FJR1300 9 years ago. I'm nearly 6'2", so a bike with a tall seat, upright bars, and plenty of legroom is a must for my comfort. Along with that, unfortunately comes extra heft and bulk. The V-strom 650, of which I have owned 2, seemed to be the best option for somewhat light weight without excessive bulk. Having come off a 145 hp rocket, it never satisfied my desire for power and it is still somewhat of a bulky bike. The Versys 650 offered the smaller size, but similarly lacked power and didn't have the off-roadability I thought I needed.

Then, it hit me after owning one of the more off-road oriented ADV bikes, the Africa Twin, that I don't need any of that. Once I decided that I would need to spend $2000-3000 reworking the suspension and swapping to a 19"/17" tubeless wheelset, I realized how dumb that would be. I asked my general manager at the dealer to work me up a quote trading both the AT and FZ on the Tracer GT. While it wasn't a normal employee deal because these Tracer GTs are so hard to get right now, it was more than fair. I lost my butt on the FZ just owning it 3 months, but I still walked away with a new bike and $1500 in my pocket. Plus, most of the goodies I bought for the FZ were swapped over to the Tracer saving me a few bucks in farkles.

I just got back from a 60 mile ride and this thing is amazing. Other than the stock windscreen being too small (already have the larger Yamaha screen on order), it is perfect! It is 99% as fun to blast around on as the FZ, but with tons more comfort and luxury. This is my first bike with cruise, and what a revelation! I don't see how I could own another bike without it...thankfully my little SR400 isn't going to be my main ride. Hopefully, this one is a keeper.

There are a few instruments I was missing from my previous rides. Battery voltage from my scooter, engine and ambient temperature from the ST1300... I know that the CB is all about "back to the roots" and such, but not stressing the engine until oil warms up a bit seems like a good habit to me. Also, a quick look at the battery voltage would give an early warning to hook it up to the charger. Ambient temperature serves self-mocking: no, it is not that cold at all, don't be a puss*...

Always the tinkerer, decided to build a custom instrument. 3-digit 7-segment red LED, located just above the center dash in a 3D printed plastic housing that blends into the factory molding. Two temperature sensors (oil and air), battery voltage meter and an ambient light sensor to auto-adjust brightness. No buttons. It goes like this:

(a) ignition on, engine stopped: battery voltage
(b) engine running, oil cold: oil temp alternating with "OIL" message to indicate cold engine
© engine warmed up: air temp

So far got to the point of designing electronics, ordering parts, and started tinkering with the 3D model... Sorry about posting a "work in progress" but I am genuinely excited Stay tuned...

Just noticed that fellow bikers wish “wide roads” instead of saying see’ya or bye here. Are there any specific greetings/customs used where you live?

Also, this is about the only country besides good’ole US where riders raise their hands on the road to each other, though it is done in a very specific way: by pointing outward with left index finger, palm facing forward, arm horizontal or slightly below that...)

Just one more thing: it is considered polite to “thank you” car drivers who pull to the curbs so that bikers can filter through - by straightening your right foot outward... Kind of waving but with your shoe I guess that is the only limb that can be freed up temporarily

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_conti...ZDU_jabddo

Hello I am looking at a 2013 CB 1100 with 20K miles. for 4k... if the bike was cared for should I be worried about 20k miles?