08-15-2013, 07:45 AM
(08-15-2013, 07:19 AM)Rboe_imp Wrote: I'm not sure why you think the Griso has a wide leg stance. You sit behind the motor, just like the CB. I have a very long inseam and my knees do not hit the heads. However; in the summer, in Phoenix, the heads produce a LOT of heat and that can be a problem in town. On the road, not so much. I find the CB is much more comfortable for my bumm than the Griso but above 65mph I prefer the Guzzi motor. I fear V twins have spoiled me.
I like the fact the CB does not produce a ton of power. It does produce more than my old 550 kawasaki and that sucker was a honker! It produces almost as much as the old CB900F, which I find is plenty. But the hp think is a personal preference and your mileage will certainly vary.
Back in the day folks toured on 500cc singles or smaller (I did it on a 125 and the 360) so when the 750 came out folks thought they had died and gone to heaven. Now 1100cc seems good enough for "light touring". Really? What about all the guys adventure touring on 650 Wee Stroms?
I've ridden the Bonnie and while it was a nice enough bike it didn't really move me (today a bike has to move you, back then it just had to be reliable) I'd take the CB over it any day.
The Griso has a lot more torque than the CB but it's really comparing apples and oranges. The Griso is more of a sport tourer (at least once the seat is fixed - again, some folks love the seat) than the CB; I find the CB more of a town bike or day rider but intend to explore the touring aspect a bit more in the future. I have yet to be on it long enough for the seat to bust my bum.
At first I was going to sell the Griso but now I'm trying to see if I can't keep her.
FYI. My mentioning the CB as a "light tourer"; I am talking about the weight. Because the CB is very capable of "Heavy Touring". I just got back from a 3757 mile trip on a CB, with a fellow on a Bonnie and a fellow on a HD Street Bob. With a 725 mile day and a couple of 660 mile days and a handfull of 500+ mile days... BTW my GPS showed my max speed of the entire trip was 89mph! That's normally unheard of in my riding style. I own a '11 Speed Triple.
However, I must say I wanted more power...