06-22-2018, 03:03 AM
Regarding test rides, maybe it varies regionally. The Honda dealers here encouraged me to test ride new bikes I was looking at. They go along with though. The procedure is that they ask you to ride in front of them for a couple of blocks, at which point they move in front and you follow them on a route that has a little bit of everything in it. My guess is that they want you in front to start so that they can evaluate your riding before really heading out. They check your license, have you sign a waver, and away you go. When I was looking at the CB for the first time, the dealer asked if I wanted to ride it. I told him that I didn't want to put miles on his shiny new machine until I was sure that the CB was on my short list. He said that if I ride it, it'll be the only one on the list. Turns out he was right.
Regarding "buzzy", I don't think that the bike has a buzzy bone in it's body. I don't like riding a naked bike over 70, so maybe I just don't push it enough. It's as smooth as silk to me, even at highway speeds. I have the '17 six speed though, so if you're looking at an older 5 speed, that may be a little different. The 6 speed is turning just over 3000 at 65mph.
Maybe one reason for people perceiving the bike as buzzy is that, stock anyway, the sound doesn't have much grunt to it. More of a hum. Oddly, the sound seems higher pitched at 3Krpm than my other two bikes. You'd think that the pitch would just be a function of rpm. Maybe just an illusion, but that's the way it seems to me.
Other impressions are that the bike is sturdier and bigger than it appears by looking at it. It's a substantial bike. All in all, to me anyway, it's the perfect combination of low speed handling, high speed stability, and a super cool vibe.
Regarding "buzzy", I don't think that the bike has a buzzy bone in it's body. I don't like riding a naked bike over 70, so maybe I just don't push it enough. It's as smooth as silk to me, even at highway speeds. I have the '17 six speed though, so if you're looking at an older 5 speed, that may be a little different. The 6 speed is turning just over 3000 at 65mph.
Maybe one reason for people perceiving the bike as buzzy is that, stock anyway, the sound doesn't have much grunt to it. More of a hum. Oddly, the sound seems higher pitched at 3Krpm than my other two bikes. You'd think that the pitch would just be a function of rpm. Maybe just an illusion, but that's the way it seems to me.
Other impressions are that the bike is sturdier and bigger than it appears by looking at it. It's a substantial bike. All in all, to me anyway, it's the perfect combination of low speed handling, high speed stability, and a super cool vibe.