so rider friendly, too!

[the Ferret]

Great idea for a thread. My wife has been riding behind me and beside me for 40 years. Here we are in 1977 on my then new KZ 1000

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/BikePic6-1.jpg.html]

And a couple of years ago down at the gap

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/KB-1002a-2.jpg.html]

And 2 years ago on her 400 Majesty Yamaha

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/DSCF0009-1.jpg.html]

She also had an LT 100 Yamaha and a CB 350F Honda

[petec_imp]

Quote:She's at work right now but when she gets in I'll get her to straddle the CB for a pic or two.
Much appreciated.

Much appreciated.
Here you go F7, she just got in:

[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/001-8_zps1fe86ac4.jpg.html]

She's 5'3'' with a 28" inseam. Also note her work shoes are just sort of a sneaker/moccasin type thing with very thin soles (not what she would ride in) and she's leaning forward more than she would be if my CB still had the OEM bars on it.

Pete c

[OldF7Guy_imp]

Thank you Petec! And please thank your wife for taking the time to pose I really appreciate it. I am 5'5" with a 30 inch inseam so there is hope.

I am really diggin the old pics especially the one of Ferret and his wife on the KZ. You had to feel like you were the man back in those days with such a big bike. I have always been a bit of a closet Kawasaki man and back in those days a 1 liter bike was huge.

[petec_imp]

Great idea for a thread. My wife has been riding behind me and beside me for 40 years. Here we are in 1977 on my then new KZ 1000

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/BikePic6-1.jpg.html]

And a couple of years ago down at the gap

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/KB-1002a-2.jpg.html]

And 2 years ago on her 400 Majesty Yamaha

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/DSCF0009-1.jpg.html]

She also had an LT 100 Yamaha and a CB 350F Honda

Excellent!

I also had a KZ1000, mine was a '79 with the Lester type mag wheels. I bought it used in 1986 and ran it for just a summer and traded it in that fall for a new '87 Ninja 750R. Both of them were outstanding bikes.

That looks like an Eclipse tank bag on the KZ; I had the same one only in black. I've still got it, too, but it's a little the worse for wear but just can't bear to toss it out. It's the same one I used on the '81 R65 in that old pic of Lois and I. I know I used it for about 20 years on a wide variety of bikes. Here it is at the end of a 3 week cross-country tour, from Oregon to Rhode Island, on my '75 Laverda; forget now if this was '77 or '78, but I remember I had a little under $500 to start with and still had about a 50 bucks when I finally got home. Simpler times for sure...

[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/Laverdatrip.jpg.html]

Pete C

[Guth_imp]

Great thread — really enjoying the older photos.

Good times.

[petec_imp]

[/img]

My wife has the same year TU,she had many bikes of all sizes in the past
but as we have aged she really likes the small ones.
I thought she would give it up when she first got started and was hit by
a car in the early 80s on a GS450 but, she also crashed a Seca 650
but 2 years ago she crashed her GS500 and broke the same foot again
so thats when we bought the TU.

Has she looked into the CBR250R? I love small bikes, too and ran one of these for a year when they first came out. I know I look a little 'big' for it but honestly - in terms of ergonomics - it's one of the most comfortable bikes I've ever ridden. Cruise at 70 all day with no strain at all, too.

[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/SN852581.jpg.html]

I only traded it last May because I wanted a new Bonneville, but have kicked myself ever since. In fact, the Bonnie's for sale and if it had been gone when I bought the CB I would've bought another CBR to go with it. $4099, and worth every penny.

It tours very well ( although some will chuckle at you) and will get over 70 mpg doing it, loaded like this:
[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/SN852587.jpg.html]

Keep the TU for her 'old school' 250 and put a CBR in the stable for when she wants a 'modern' 250.

Pete C

[dagersh_imp]

Let 'em chuckle...

I bought my fiancee a '05 Ninja 250. Seriously, the best all around bike I have ever driven. I took it back and forth to NYC from our country place 2 hrs. north. She does 75-80 all day long, and in the City, it is like driving a well honed scalpel. It does what you want - ALL THE TIME!!!! I cannot praise that bike enough... I still bought the CB1100, though - I love it.

Gersh

[Dangergirl416_imp]

Thank you Petec! And please thank your wife for taking the time to pose I really appreciate it. I am 5'5" with a 30 inch inseam so there is hope.

I am really diggin the old pics especially the one of Ferret and his wife on the KZ. You had to feel like you were the man back in those days with such a big bike. I have always been a bit of a closet Kawasaki man and back in those days a 1 liter bike was huge.

Hi OldF7Guy: I'm 5'2" on a good day and just put over 200 miles today on my CB11. I used to ride a Duc Monster 796 and I sat higher on that bike. Might get my seat customized and take a little bit of height off of it to help but being vertically challenged really hasn't been an issue for my CB11.

[BackroadsRider_imp]

The seat height on the CB was a concern of mine since I'm 5'7 with a 29 inch inseam. I couldn't stand it after reading all the great reviews on the bike and had to put a deposit down. I cant flat foot it but get a good anchor with my feet just the same. The bike has such light steering and maneuvers so easy. I can easily shove back if I happen to be in a parking spot that slopes the wrong way while I'm seated. THis is one rider friendly motorcycle. I haven't had this much fun riding a bike in a long time.

[Deftquiver_imp]

Just a warning to you shorter guys... There isn't much to be taken off the factory seat. It sits pretty low as is.

Some of you might find this helpful... The CB11 sits at 31.3 inches. I know this doesn't take width into consideration but maybe you can sit on some comparably sized bikes.

http://www.examiner.com/article/comprehe...at-heights

If worst comes to worst, you could always get some slightly shorter rear shocks, and lower the front in the tripple tree a bit. Heck, I've been considering buying some slightly taller and lighter rear shocks to accomidate my 145lb wet weight