Almost sold the CB

[Griso Guy_imp]

After much thought I recently purchased a 2007 Ducati ST3. A dedicated purpose built sport tourer. My CB is a wonderful weekender, a "just go for a ride" bike. But at this stage of my life I find my self wanting to go somewhere. That usually means a blast down one of the super slabs to get "somewhere". I have no doubt some can tour on the CB, load it up with duffels, soft bags and a windshield and never miss a beat. I know this because I did the very same thing back in the 1970's in Ohio when I was in my early 30's. I'm 66 now and I require a certain level of comfort and competency. I ride in the Western USA and by and large the roads are wider, traffic travels faster, and bikes and riders take a beating just getting to those secondary roads where you can throttle back and enjoy the scenery. Just my $.02.
My CB1100DLX is once again back on the market.

[the Ferret]

Congrats on the Duc. Hope it is everything you wish it to be.

[Novice_imp]

I submit it's only the way we view touring bikes that have changed and not whether a bike is suitable for touring or not. lets go back to 1975. Certainly people toured on motorcycles in 1975 ( I did). The 2 top rated touring bikes were the BMW R75 a naked 750 twin cyl, 50 hp with a 5 speed transmission, that weighed 465 pounds.... and the naked Honda GL1000 a 4 cyl bike that boasted a whopping 78 hp, with a 5 speed trans that weighed 601 pounds. Both bikes rode on tubed bias ply tires. Neither bike came from the factory equipped with fairing or bags, but those accessories were added aftermarket, mostly by companies like Vetter, Krauser, Bates, Wixom etc. Yep even back then guys were hanging windsails on naked bikes, ruining the lines and I suppose the handling, certainly the looks. Yes people transversed the country from Maine to California in relative comfort two up. Compare that situation to the CB1100 a naked 4 cyl with 88 hp and a 6 speed trans (14 models) that weighs around 550 pounds.

Now the highways are still asphalt and go to the same places. The interstate system has been roughly the same since the 1950s, and when I ride to the rally in a couple weeks I will be riding I-75, 411 and 441, the exact same roads I road when I went their the first time with my wife ( then fiancé) in 1973.

Roads the same, bikes the same (actually the Cb 1100 is superior in every way compared to the BMW and Wing) .... What's the diff? Are you saying there were no touring bikes prior to the 1984 Honda Goldwing Interstate?

Our perception is the only thing that has changed. We now believe that a bike has to weigh 700 pounds, have 150 hp, and come equipped with a factory fairing, bags and a small luggage rack to be considered a touring bike...

And if you add those things aftermarket (as we used to do when touring before 1984) it can't be considered suitable for touring? Really?

Very well stated.

[rboe]

Perception for sure. We used to have standard bikes and used them for everything. Then things started to specialize. Dirt bikes, enduro's, touring bikes and adventure bikes. Meh. You get the bike you can afford for the task(s) and hand and if some days it has to wear a touring cap; well by golly you have a touring bike.

I don't think I'll tour on mine for several reasons; but I have choices.

[Novice_imp]

Choices are great. No single bike will fill every roll, there will always be compromises. For those of us who can only afford one and want to do lots of things with it, it can be a tough decision in a world of specialization.

[ChipBeck_imp]

Gentlemen,

Touring on any motorcycle is a big challenge. No one would consider the Mazda Miata to be a "touring car" but even it beats the whiz out of a Goldwing in luggage carrying, wind protection, passenger comfort, and maybe even mileage. Touring on a bike is like hunting with a bow. It's fun because it's a challenge. Some men think that hunting with a modern compound bow is too easy so they use an old style recurve bow. And some take it farther and hunt with Middle Ages technology long bows. Personally when I see someone on the highway riding a full dress Goldwing pulling a small trailer I think it's ridiculous. At what point should you just drive a car? I own a Harley touring bike as well and have travelled a fair bit on it. But this summer my son and I are riding to Montana and back and I'll probably take the CB11.

Compared to a new Suburban the finest touring bikes suck wind. But we ride them because there is adventure in the challenge of motorcycle touring. Like John Kennedy said when he put our nation on a path to the first moon landing, "We do not do these things because they are easy, we do them because they are hard". When I was in college the CB11 would have been a world beating tour bike. With the right attitude it is today as well. Cheers.

Chip

[rboe]

Ask not what your bike can do for you,
but what you can do for your bike.

RLETS.....

[Griso Guy_imp]

Ask not what your bike can do for you,
but what you can do for your bike.

RLETS.....

Rboe, nice word play!

[the Ferret]

"Some men think that hunting with a modern compound bow is too easy so they use an old style recurve bow. And some take it farther and hunt with Middle Ages technology long bows. "

yes sir. Make my own bows with quarter splits of osage, using draw knives, rasps and cabinet scrapers. Make my arrows from river cane, hand strip my wild turkey wing feathers for fletching, and bind them with sinew I've pounded myself and make my own hunting heads from band saw blades which I sharpen with a file (my knives too). Wear plaid instead of camo.

Touring on an modern 1100 4 cyl motorcycle, even without a fairing and hard luggage? LOL piece of cake!