First Long Ride

[The Spaceman_imp]

After installing the new Dart Flyscreen and a GPS carrier last week, I decided it was time to do a longer ride on the CB. I've done 1,500 mile rides before, but I broke my hip last November. In part because of that, I sold my VStrom 1000 for the smaller and more manageable CB. However, I hadn't ridden the CB more than an hour or so before Sunday.

My trip was about 400 miles, up the coast from South Florida to my Mom's place in Cocoa Beach (east of Orlando). It's possible to take surface streets like A1A or US-1, but I needed to move along so I'd have time to cut her massive yard and get home at a reasonable time, so I did it all on the Florida Turnpike and I-95.

1. The Flyscreen rocks. Where I used to feel strained at 70, now 80 or even 90 mile an hour speeds are completely comfortable. It blocks the wind perfectly, but it doesn't do squat for rain protection.

2. The bike gets a touch buzzy, but I ran it at 80+ the whole way and it ate it up. It's rock-solid at high speed; semis, cross-winds, even standing water (I hit some showers) don't phase it a bit.

3. The OEM seat is damn good, especially compared to some others I've owned. I didn't feel any fatigue at all until the last 1/2 hour of the ride back. I'm sure it could be improved on with a custom seat, but it's not a priority for me.

4. Highway mileage was over 45 per gallon! That's 10 more miles per gallon than the VStrom on it's best day.

5. Slightly lower pegs would be nice.

6. The speedometer is remarkably accurate. With the GPS on other bikes and cars I've noticed 6 - 8 miles variation (speedo too slow). The Honda is accurate to within a mile or two .

I think the CB will make an excellent sport-tourer with the right saddlebags. I'd like something like the Givi 34 hard bags, but with a narrower profile than they had on the VStrom (think Wide Load!).

[SanPete_imp]

I went up the west coast of florida this weekend on I-75, and I wish I had a windscreen.

[hondahoarder_imp]

Great report, have my Dart screen on order, can't wait to get it mounted. At 6' and 295 pounds I find the stock seat painful in only a few miles of travel, looking hard at the Corbin. With that and the Dart screen we should be perfect, I simply love the looks and performance of this bike.

[the Ferret]

Wow its just hard to imagine that flyscreen doing much of anything. I am amazed by the reports.

[The Spaceman_imp]

Great report, have my Dart screen on order, can't wait to get it mounted. At 6' and 295 pounds I find the stock seat painful in only a few miles of travel, looking hard at the Corbin. With that and the Dart screen we should be perfect, I simply love the looks and performance of this bike.

No pun intended. I know some people love Corbins, but every one I've sat on was diamond-hard. Cycle World said Corbin is "the only motorcycle seat that comes with a Rockwell number." A used Concours I bought came with one, and I never got used to it. I finally traded it for a stock seat.

[dBuster_imp]

Wonder how highway pegs mounted on engine guards would be?

[SanPete_imp]

Wonder how highway pegs mounted on engine guards would be?

That I would like to know. Many times I felt like stretching my legs.

[cbdtran_imp]

Wow its just hard to imagine that flyscreen doing much of anything. I am amazed by the reports.

the instrument panel and headlight of the CB also is a mini flyscreen. the Kawa 650 KLR few yrs back came with tiny screen and owners said it was NOT a joke, it made the ride easier