02-11-2018, 03:43 PM
Since I now have two bikes, I offered a buddy at work a day's ride out on both bikes, swapping back and forth. He's a novice rider, having logged barely any miles on the street. He's done very little freeway time, and even less time on twisty mountain roads. He briefly owned a 2000 VFR800 but never rode it anywhere except the one freeway slog home from the Bay Area, and a few days of commuting three miles to work on surface streets.
A couple of years ago he borrowed his cousin's clapped-out Sportster 1200 and a beat-up KTM dual-sport to join me on two exploratory rides to Mosquito Ridge. In both instances he hated the bikes he was riding, so he didn't really enjoy the rides.
Today promised to be different. He would have his choice between a brand-new '17 CB1100 EX and a thoroughly dialed XSR900, so he at least knew that he would be on two safe, well-running bikes.
He's 5'11", 250 lbs, so I adjusted the suspension accordingly on both bikes. Because the XSR has so much more legroom than the CB, he opted to start out on the Yamaha, figuring it would be more comfortable for him.
I took him on the identical run that I took Eric on a month ago, so we started off in the Sierra foothills west of Auburn. We stopped for lunch at the Mexican place at the corner of Hwy 49 and Combie Rd, and talked about the first leg of the ride. His initial impressions were that the XSR was like a dirt bike, it was so light, maneuverable, and upright. He hadn't expected the seating position to be so upright, which he rather enjoyed. He also loved how light the bike felt, but found the responsiveness of the handling and acceleration a bit unnerving.
"I feel like I totally have to be on my game at all times, on that bike. Coming out of a corner, it's so fast, I don't want to twist the throttle too hard or make any sudden movements. I don't want to hit the brakes too hard, either. It's a blast, but I really have to concentrate all the time."
After lunch, we swapped bikes for Combie Rd and Magnolia Rd, then to Dog Bar Rd up to Grass Valley. When we pulled over in Grass Valley, he was all smiles.
"This thing is so easy to ride! I feel like I can do no wrong on it. The acceleration is so smooth, and it goes exactly where I want it to go, the steering is so easy. Everything is so smooth, it feels like a Cadillac!"
When I offered to swap bikes again for the ride back through the same section and on over to Mosquito Ridge, he didn't hesitate to say that he was fine staying on the Honda.
He loved the beautiful scenery in those hills, with all the ranches and rolling grounds, and I knew he would love Forethill Rd. Whether first-time noob or experienced racer, everyone loves Foresthill Rd. It makes any rider feel like a hero.
Sure enough, when we pulled over at the gas station in Foresthill, he was still thrilled about how he felt making that ride. On the other hand, he was freaked out over how blustery the ride had been down the I-80 freeway to the Foresthill exit. He said the windblast was blowing his head all over the place.
"This thing is horrible on the freeway! That was hard work, trying to stay on the bike with the wind trying to blow my head off."
He hadn't said anything similar following our initial freeway stint to the foothills, back when he was on the XSR. I chalked up that info for later.
Before we left the gas station, I again offered a swap, and again he declined. He wanted to remain on the Honda. We rode down to the bridge on Mosquito Ridge, and, similar to Eric, this section of road proved to be more daunting for my buddy. Still, when we talked at the bridge, he was plenty jazzed about the whole experience. I offered him the swap again for the ride back up from the bridge, and he wanted to remain on the Honda, saying, "Now that I'm getting the hang of this, I want to take another run at it."
I followed him back up through Mosquito Ridge, checking his lines, his braking points, his general behavior on the bike. He was doing great. Being unfamiliar with the road and the bike, not to mention his own skills, he always braked too early and too long, and he didn't accelerate very hard exiting the corners, but overall he was smooth, relaxed, and well under control.
When we arrived back at the gas station in Foresthill, I again offered him a swap for the ride home, only this time I reminded him of how much he disliked the Honda on the freeway, so maybe he'd like the Yamaha better there. He agreed, and we swapped for the ride back down Foresthill Rd.
It was obvious he was enjoying playing with the acceleration, as he actually blew by me a couple of times on the long straights, just for the fun of it. On the final freeway slog home he never dropped below 80 mph, often nuking me in a flash, on his way up to 100 mph.
When we finally pulled into my place, I asked, "What was that?! When did you become such a speed demon on the freeway? I thought you couldn't stand the windblast?"
"I couldn't help it! The power on this thing is just intoxicating. It's sooooo fast! I'm going seventy-five, and when I just barely turn the throttle and look down, I'm already going a hundred! I never even notice the wind. On the Honda, I notice it at anything over seventy. On this thing, I have to be doing at least eighty before I feel anything, but I still don't really notice it. I'm so comfortable, and it just wants to pull. It never stops pulling. I'm telling you, it's totally intoxicating."
That was his new word, 'intoxicating.' He kept using it to describe the feeling of riding the XSR on the freeway.
Earlier, after he'd first ridden both bikes, I'd asked him which did he prefer, and which would he choose if he could only have one?
Without hesitation, he answered, "The Honda. It's just perfect for riding. It makes me enjoy everything; the road, the scenery, the feel of riding...just kicking back and enjoying being on a motorcycle. Plus it's such a special bike."
At a later stop he described the Honda as "Monica Bellucci, like you say. Classy, beautiful, just perfect in every way. You could take her to a formal ball. The XSR is the bad girl, with piercings and tats. All she wants to do is party."
Following his XSR joyride on the freeway, I asked him if he would change his answer, now that he was becoming addicted to the exhilarating power and lightness of the Yamaha.
"Nope, it's still the Honda. The Yamaha is better for certain types of rides, I'm sure, but I'm never going to try to do what you do on that thing. I'm never going to see what she can do in second or third, at ten thousand RPM. The Honda is perfect for everything. She is just so classy and pretty."
Now, I get some of what he felt and said. On the freeway, I also tend to go a bit faster on the Yamaha, despite its more upright seating position. It's that tiny windshield I added. It doesn't look like much, but it makes a significant difference, giving me back the five-to-ten mph I lost when I added the bar risers. That difference is just about the exact difference in comfortable miles per hour that he described: seventy for the Honda; seventy-five to eighty for the Yamaha.
Also, the Yamaha has much more legroom, and he noticed the same issue with his lower back on the Honda that I do, and neither of us have this issue on the Yamaha.
Conversely, while he was a bit intimidated on the Yamaha in the twisties, I found today's ride on the XSR at Mosquito Ridge to be absolutely revelatory. After spending so much time recently on the heavier, less powerful Honda, the Yamaha felt like a race-ready thoroughbred up there this afternoon. I don't think I've ever gone that fast, that effortlessly, before.
It's a mindset thing. Both bikes bring out the best in the other. Ride either one, and you'll appreciate the other that much more each time you swap. The Honda feels like a "high-end Lexus" according to my buddy, and I agree. The more I ride the Yamaha, the more the Honda feels like a precision piece, a luxury sports sedan. On the other hand, he described the Yamaha as a BMW M3, only a bit more stripped down and raw, and I agree there, too. Spend enough time on the Honda and the Yamaha will suddenly feel like an extremely comfortable track bike, just rip-snortin' and rarin' to tear up a twisty mountain road.
I'd begun to feel a bit stale regarding the Yamaha. After today's ride, I have an all new level of respect and fondness for her. She really is a world-class blast.
And yet...
As soon as I hopped back on the Honda for the ride home, I had to agree yet again with my "novice" buddy. The Honda is the one. It's plenty fast, as in seriously fast. Just twist that throttle and get her up above 5K, and she fast-trains you into the next dimension, as pretty as you please. Her suspension is simply sublime. So is her clutch, her throttle response, her braking...all of it.
She's a veritable freakshow of meticulously engineered excellence, wrapped up in the most beautiful finery imaginable.
This XSR could scarcely be better at what she does, yet there isn't the slightest sliver of doubt that the Honda is the One and Only.
I can't believe how good this CB1100 EX is, on so many levels. Even better, I can't believe I actually own one.
A couple of years ago he borrowed his cousin's clapped-out Sportster 1200 and a beat-up KTM dual-sport to join me on two exploratory rides to Mosquito Ridge. In both instances he hated the bikes he was riding, so he didn't really enjoy the rides.
Today promised to be different. He would have his choice between a brand-new '17 CB1100 EX and a thoroughly dialed XSR900, so he at least knew that he would be on two safe, well-running bikes.
He's 5'11", 250 lbs, so I adjusted the suspension accordingly on both bikes. Because the XSR has so much more legroom than the CB, he opted to start out on the Yamaha, figuring it would be more comfortable for him.
I took him on the identical run that I took Eric on a month ago, so we started off in the Sierra foothills west of Auburn. We stopped for lunch at the Mexican place at the corner of Hwy 49 and Combie Rd, and talked about the first leg of the ride. His initial impressions were that the XSR was like a dirt bike, it was so light, maneuverable, and upright. He hadn't expected the seating position to be so upright, which he rather enjoyed. He also loved how light the bike felt, but found the responsiveness of the handling and acceleration a bit unnerving.
"I feel like I totally have to be on my game at all times, on that bike. Coming out of a corner, it's so fast, I don't want to twist the throttle too hard or make any sudden movements. I don't want to hit the brakes too hard, either. It's a blast, but I really have to concentrate all the time."
After lunch, we swapped bikes for Combie Rd and Magnolia Rd, then to Dog Bar Rd up to Grass Valley. When we pulled over in Grass Valley, he was all smiles.
"This thing is so easy to ride! I feel like I can do no wrong on it. The acceleration is so smooth, and it goes exactly where I want it to go, the steering is so easy. Everything is so smooth, it feels like a Cadillac!"
When I offered to swap bikes again for the ride back through the same section and on over to Mosquito Ridge, he didn't hesitate to say that he was fine staying on the Honda.
He loved the beautiful scenery in those hills, with all the ranches and rolling grounds, and I knew he would love Forethill Rd. Whether first-time noob or experienced racer, everyone loves Foresthill Rd. It makes any rider feel like a hero.
Sure enough, when we pulled over at the gas station in Foresthill, he was still thrilled about how he felt making that ride. On the other hand, he was freaked out over how blustery the ride had been down the I-80 freeway to the Foresthill exit. He said the windblast was blowing his head all over the place.
"This thing is horrible on the freeway! That was hard work, trying to stay on the bike with the wind trying to blow my head off."
He hadn't said anything similar following our initial freeway stint to the foothills, back when he was on the XSR. I chalked up that info for later.
Before we left the gas station, I again offered a swap, and again he declined. He wanted to remain on the Honda. We rode down to the bridge on Mosquito Ridge, and, similar to Eric, this section of road proved to be more daunting for my buddy. Still, when we talked at the bridge, he was plenty jazzed about the whole experience. I offered him the swap again for the ride back up from the bridge, and he wanted to remain on the Honda, saying, "Now that I'm getting the hang of this, I want to take another run at it."
I followed him back up through Mosquito Ridge, checking his lines, his braking points, his general behavior on the bike. He was doing great. Being unfamiliar with the road and the bike, not to mention his own skills, he always braked too early and too long, and he didn't accelerate very hard exiting the corners, but overall he was smooth, relaxed, and well under control.
When we arrived back at the gas station in Foresthill, I again offered him a swap for the ride home, only this time I reminded him of how much he disliked the Honda on the freeway, so maybe he'd like the Yamaha better there. He agreed, and we swapped for the ride back down Foresthill Rd.
It was obvious he was enjoying playing with the acceleration, as he actually blew by me a couple of times on the long straights, just for the fun of it. On the final freeway slog home he never dropped below 80 mph, often nuking me in a flash, on his way up to 100 mph.
When we finally pulled into my place, I asked, "What was that?! When did you become such a speed demon on the freeway? I thought you couldn't stand the windblast?"
"I couldn't help it! The power on this thing is just intoxicating. It's sooooo fast! I'm going seventy-five, and when I just barely turn the throttle and look down, I'm already going a hundred! I never even notice the wind. On the Honda, I notice it at anything over seventy. On this thing, I have to be doing at least eighty before I feel anything, but I still don't really notice it. I'm so comfortable, and it just wants to pull. It never stops pulling. I'm telling you, it's totally intoxicating."
That was his new word, 'intoxicating.' He kept using it to describe the feeling of riding the XSR on the freeway.
Earlier, after he'd first ridden both bikes, I'd asked him which did he prefer, and which would he choose if he could only have one?
Without hesitation, he answered, "The Honda. It's just perfect for riding. It makes me enjoy everything; the road, the scenery, the feel of riding...just kicking back and enjoying being on a motorcycle. Plus it's such a special bike."
At a later stop he described the Honda as "Monica Bellucci, like you say. Classy, beautiful, just perfect in every way. You could take her to a formal ball. The XSR is the bad girl, with piercings and tats. All she wants to do is party."
Following his XSR joyride on the freeway, I asked him if he would change his answer, now that he was becoming addicted to the exhilarating power and lightness of the Yamaha.
"Nope, it's still the Honda. The Yamaha is better for certain types of rides, I'm sure, but I'm never going to try to do what you do on that thing. I'm never going to see what she can do in second or third, at ten thousand RPM. The Honda is perfect for everything. She is just so classy and pretty."
Now, I get some of what he felt and said. On the freeway, I also tend to go a bit faster on the Yamaha, despite its more upright seating position. It's that tiny windshield I added. It doesn't look like much, but it makes a significant difference, giving me back the five-to-ten mph I lost when I added the bar risers. That difference is just about the exact difference in comfortable miles per hour that he described: seventy for the Honda; seventy-five to eighty for the Yamaha.
Also, the Yamaha has much more legroom, and he noticed the same issue with his lower back on the Honda that I do, and neither of us have this issue on the Yamaha.
Conversely, while he was a bit intimidated on the Yamaha in the twisties, I found today's ride on the XSR at Mosquito Ridge to be absolutely revelatory. After spending so much time recently on the heavier, less powerful Honda, the Yamaha felt like a race-ready thoroughbred up there this afternoon. I don't think I've ever gone that fast, that effortlessly, before.
It's a mindset thing. Both bikes bring out the best in the other. Ride either one, and you'll appreciate the other that much more each time you swap. The Honda feels like a "high-end Lexus" according to my buddy, and I agree. The more I ride the Yamaha, the more the Honda feels like a precision piece, a luxury sports sedan. On the other hand, he described the Yamaha as a BMW M3, only a bit more stripped down and raw, and I agree there, too. Spend enough time on the Honda and the Yamaha will suddenly feel like an extremely comfortable track bike, just rip-snortin' and rarin' to tear up a twisty mountain road.
I'd begun to feel a bit stale regarding the Yamaha. After today's ride, I have an all new level of respect and fondness for her. She really is a world-class blast.
And yet...
As soon as I hopped back on the Honda for the ride home, I had to agree yet again with my "novice" buddy. The Honda is the one. It's plenty fast, as in seriously fast. Just twist that throttle and get her up above 5K, and she fast-trains you into the next dimension, as pretty as you please. Her suspension is simply sublime. So is her clutch, her throttle response, her braking...all of it.
She's a veritable freakshow of meticulously engineered excellence, wrapped up in the most beautiful finery imaginable.
This XSR could scarcely be better at what she does, yet there isn't the slightest sliver of doubt that the Honda is the One and Only.
I can't believe how good this CB1100 EX is, on so many levels. Even better, I can't believe I actually own one.
