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The CB is both beautiful and functional. It is a joy to ride and delivers its power in the low and mid-range, where most people tend to ride. There is some debate, however, as to whether it works well as a touring machine. Even with a windscreen, lowered pegs and a taller seat, I doubt that it would match your BMW in terms of long distance comfort. I noticed vibration coming through the bars that after an hour and a half numbed my hand but an easy change in grips solved that problem. It sounds as if the slight vibrations I felt would be nothing compared to what you're used to.
Your question of whether the CB will work as a substitute for the BMW is an interesting one. It is such a different machine. I love mine and between it and my VFR800, I'm almost always drawn to the CB when it comes time to ride. That's true for me despite the lack of full fairings, less HP and torque, and the absence of a proper windscreen. I suppose it could be true for you too.
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Search this site, there have been several methods. If no luck PM me and I'll dig out my receipts. No time now as working on mounting my top box on my BMW.
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I hear you on that. That's why I'm gonna hang onto the BMW for a time...here in Montana plates are "permanent" - never need renewal. And I don't owe money on it; so it can just sit there. Just looked at retail value for that - a disappointment. Lost a thousand in value in a year's time (since I bought it).
So the most cost-effective thing, short-term, might be to just keep it...run an ad on CL but not stress on it. It may be the CB won't take its place - which is okay, too; I'll have it for a time and then sell IT, instead of the BMW.
Finding the ideal bike is a lifelong search.
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Hi and welcome
I'm shall we say a little older and don't tour by bike any more. I love my CB because it's such a pleasure to ride. I use it like a cruiser which it excels in.
I have the EX model which has a more comfortable seat than I remember from my time with my previous 13 model and I can manage a tank of fuel quite easily before needing a short break.
There are more and more accessories available including fairings and screens but I like my bike as it is except for lower footpegs, I feel anything else would take away the character of the bike.
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Pulled the pin on it.
For better or wuss, I'm in.
I'm surprised at how LIGHT the thing feels. I already know, because I looked it up (was going to cart it home) it's 525 pounds. My BMW was about 600 pounds; but unless you ran each one over your foot, you'd never believe it.
Everything is light. Clutch, shifting, brakes. Yup, the chair is a little small; but as with UJBs with breadloaf seats, you can reposition and slide back.
I'm gonna miss heated grips, but I want to get to know this thing before I start adding bling to it.
Two questions: How critical is break-in procedure?...and, how accurate is the electronic MPG reading?
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Congratulations JustPassinThru. Glad you've done the deed. Now to enjoy it.
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You won't be disappointed, JPT.!
On break in, I just took it easy for the first few hundred miles and varied the speed and RPM but didn't break 4k rpm until about 300 miles or so. Others have other procedures, so this could turn into an oil thread.
The gauge cluster seems pretty accurate to me. The speedo is pretty close to dead on and after many tankfulls the mpg thingy calculates to be somewhere close.
Have fun pardner!
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Congrats!
How critical is break-in procedure? Just as critical as which type of oil you choose! In other words, theories and opinions abound.
I'm sure the ferret can give you a direct answer as to mpg. He's rather, how should I put this...detailed when it comes to things like that. I'm not certain what the mpg works out to but on my last tank full, I went 183 miles. I refilled with 3.6 gallons into my 3.9 gallon capacity tank.
EDIT: I see DAC beat me to it!
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In my experience the calculated mpg reading is within 1 mpg. I was amazed and checked it with a calculator many many times.
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Yeah, according to the manual I should put 300 miles on it before opening it up.
That's not a lot, really - but I'm in a town nestled in a valley, and the only ways in or out are freeways. Speed limit is 75 in any direction. You loaf along at 55 and you risk becoming road-kill.
Trying to keep from using wide throttle and keeping the needle under 3K. That's some doing, because the engine doesn't really start pulling until 2K - and lugging a new engine wide open is THE worst to do. So, I have a fast bike I have to ride slow. And can't leave town with. For three hundred miles. In a town six miles across, is all.
