Impressions from 1st short ride

[Pete Erickson_imp]

Picked up CB1100 on 08/20.

Went on a short ride down to the coast for lunch. Total mileage was about 280. Here are some impressions from that ride.

1. The thing gets terrific gas mileage. Now it was on a group ride and the speeds were moderate, but over 50mpg WOW.

2. I need to get a windscreen. I haven't ridden a bike without one for years. I missed not having one. Thinking maybe a Comet II.

3. The seat is killer. I already knew that. It either has to be replaced or maybe improved on by the custom auto upholstery shop a few miles from my house.

4. For group rides, I could drive it like a Valkyrie. Get it into the cruising gear and leave it there. The engine is like an electric motor. It will pull from almost zero rpm. Seems like the bike could get by with only 2 or 3 gears. A couple to get it moving and one for everything else.

5. For the way I ride, it handles as good as my 2012 BMW R1200R. That was a real surprise. Oh, the BMW is for sale.

What I don't like so far.....the dash does not show ambient temperature. Both my Moto Guzzi and BMW do.

[the Ferret]

Pete, yea it's a pretty terrific bike as you are finding out.

What is it you don't like about the R1200R. Always thought that it would make a terrific solo sport tourer.

[Cormanus]

Pete, there's a couple of work arounds on the forum for an ambient temperature thermometer. Ride4now has a very elegant one; another member uses a kitchen thermometer.

[Lord Popgun]

Pete, there's a couple of work arounds on the forum for an ambient temperature thermometer. Ride4now has a very elegant one; another member uses a kitchen thermometer.

Here is the one I have. http://www.clocks4bikes.com/index.html

The thermometer I got mounts on the handlebar and is chrome. I'd post a pic, but I'm not at home right now.

[Cormanus]

Oh ... and Popgun has a fancy one too!

[4 Paws_imp]

Have that clock (Popguns) on my Ural, takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Also sold my BMW for the CB, no regrets. More I ride the CB the more I realize I'd been sucked in by the advertising hype surrounding the over-priced fancy engineering brands. Everybody else had one so it must be good, right?

Give me a bike that runs all day, handles well, and I can work on when I want to - at a reasonable price. Prefer to spend my money on gas.

As to the ambient temp, I'm sorta reluctant to have proof that I am crazy for being out on a day like this.

[Lord Popgun]

To clarify, I got the clocks4bikes thermometer since the bike has a clock. Would be nice to have a factory accessory for it though.

[the Ferret]

Never had much use for a thermometer on my bike although the ST has one in the dash. I like knowing what time it is, and what gear I am in, but never needed to know exactly what the temp was. I know if I'm hot or cold lol.

[Krupator_imp]

Never had much use for a thermometer on my bike although the ST has one in the dash. I like knowing what time it is, and what gear I am in, but never needed to know exactly what the temp was. I know if I'm hot or cold lol.

+1 on that. I don't think a thermometer would convince me to keep a layer on or take it off if I didn't feel I needed to do so.

[HikerToo_imp]

Comet 1 :-)