New EX on the Way!

[VLJ_imp]

mickey, yep, now I recall where I've seen those RLETs before: on Schwinn bicycles, just like people here are saying. lol

I'm sitting here looking at the pic you provided of the old CBs. That aqua one is so beautiful, and the red is a stunner. I noticed something about them, though, which prompted me to go look up pictures of your '14 Deluxe, and it became clear to me. Your bike has a lot of black pieces in and around the cockpit. The headlight shell and the instrument cluster are black, so the RLETs tend to go better with them. On the new '17 EX everything black was replaced with chrome, so now the RLETs don't complete the look. They don't match. Rather, they stick out like a sore thumb.

So, okay, on your bike and those old classics, I can see going with the RLETs, but not on the new one, and I still don't understand why Honda didn't see fit to include them as standard on yours, the '13, or the '14 Standard.

[the Ferret]

well my particular dlx has the color matched headlight bucket and chrome covers for back of the inst covers.



also fork gaiters



old school baby!

[VLJ_imp]

Love the fork gaiters.

[Guth_imp]

Yeah, that 2014 DLX "ferret edition" is quite a looker.

[cookiemech]

Oh, I'll install fork gaiters (not just for the looks, but to protect the tubes; I did so on both of my K75s).

Do RLETS deteriorate rapidly, or did owners remove them? I swear I've never noticed them on CBs of the 1970s.

[the Ferret]

The right fork gaiters (either factory Triumph or Factory KAwasaki) and real oem RLETs will last for decades.

Every CB Honda produced from about late 60s to early 80s came with RLET's. Can't believe you never noticed them, they were on literally millions of CB Hondas.

[Lord Popgun]

My dealer used to have a 305 Dream on the floor for display and it had the original RLETS on it.

[DaSwami_imp]

You are selling the Moto Guzzi? Pray tell why?

You will notice the difference when you twist the throttle, the torquey "snap" of the Goose will be replaced with a silky smooth acceleration that you won't feel near as much, but your tach and speedo will tell you differently.

[cookiemech]

You are selling the Moto Guzzi? Pray tell why?

You will notice the difference when you twist the throttle, the torquey "snap" of the Goose will be replaced with a silky smooth acceleration that you won't feel near as much, but your tach and speedo will tell you differently.

It's a 2003 Aluminium with 6600 (hundred, not thousand) miles on it that I bought in July 2014 from the "original" owner (in quotes because the first owner was his brother, who put 225 miles on it). I bought it because it was so darn gorgeous; perfect, really. I researched everything on this particular bike and found it had not had the PI Cam Update done, so I fortunately found a competent MG shop to do the work (Europa Macchina in Lewisberry, PA).

Anyway, it had 2869 miles when I bought it and so I've put about 3800 miles on it. It just doesn't turn me on in any way. I wanted to like it, really I did. But it's not comfortable for me, even after installing IKON shocks (adjustable, unlike the originals) and a Harper's MG "high" seat. The utterly unfathomable gearing (like, I'm spending all my time in second and third gear) is the nail in the coffin. Can't get into fifth gear below 80 mph.

I like my Harley touring bikes very much, as well as my old BMW K-bikes. I like my KLR. A Harley rider I recently met has fallen in love with the Moto Guzzi and is planning to buy it, even though I have pointed out what isn't great about it.

Also, last year I worked hard to reduce my fleet of bikes from eight to six, and I'm not going back up . . .

[the Ferret]

For me that's an issue with a lot of Euro bikes. They just don't like running at less than 4000 rpms. If you are a "lugger" and not a "revver" type rider, it can just drive you nuts. I have ridden Guzzi's and Beemers and that is pretty much the norm. My son's Ducati is like that as well..why put a 5th or 6th gear on it if you have to be on the autobahn to use it?