so rider friendly, too!

petec_imp

First service completed
Thread starter
...it really is.

The day after I bought mine I had to go to work (I'm away for 5-6 days at a time) and didn't want take the new bike for the 2 hr interstate commute without some break-in miles on it. My wife rides also ( BMW F800ST) so I asked her if she'd mind putting a few miles on it for me while I was away and she said no problem and made a face like this:D.

Now, she's a bit of a shorty - and short in the leg to boot - but a very good, competent rider. Here's a comparo pic of her and I from about 5 yrs ago on HER first and second bikes:



Anyhow, the CB only had 11 miles on it from me riding it home from the dealer when she took it one afternoon and put a little over a 100 more on it while I was gone. She snapped this up on the BRP when she took a little breather:

[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/003-6_zps681388ea.jpg.html]

She was very impressed, said it was extremely easy to ride, got both her feet down no problem, and really felt right at home on it from the get-go, with the only niggle being the high-ish handlebars and - for her personally anyway - the lack of hard luggage and windshield. She especially liked the smooth, silky clutch and throttle response, the low-down mega-torque and the feel of the brakes. Her only concern was being caught off-guard by the weight while parking, wheeling it around at walking speeds etc, but, to be fair, that's a concern for her with any bigger bike.

At any rate, overall, she gave it a big thumps up.

Pete C
ps ...still won't let me near her Beemer though :blush:
 
Very cool. She had the Bonnie and you had the TU?

The big CB is a very easy to ride motorcycle. So was the Nighthawk 750. Honda really does like to build motorcycles for the masses.
 
Thread starter
The ferret_imp said:
Very cool. She had the Bonnie and you had the TU?

The big CB is a very easy to ride motorcycle. So was the Nighthawk 750. Honda really does like to build motorcycles for the masses.
No, the TU was her first bike after she did the MSF but she got bored with it real quick and had come across the nice, lightly used '06 Bonnie for a next bike. I actually talked her into keeping the TU around for awhile cause I really enjoyed it on the backroads around here. The year after that she traded them both away for a Moto Guzzi V7 Café.



She offered to sell the TU to me before she did the deal but her price was too high :dodgy:...

Pete C
 
How does she like the Guzzi compared to the Bonnie..and...is she now going to trade the Guzzi in on a matching CB?
 
Petec, how tall is your wife? I am vertically challenged and that is my only real concern with the CB. I have not had the chance to sit on one yet because our local Honda store went out of business. I am determined to get one and make it work for me one way or the other. Do you have any pics with your wife on the CB? Thanks.
 
Thread starter
The ferret_imp said:
How does she like the Guzzi compared to the Bonnie..and...is she now going to trade the Guzzi in on a matching CB?
She kept the V7 for a year then the young fellow in the picture opened up (with partners) a new BMW/Husky/Vespa dealership in Asheville, NC about two years ago. Lois and I were invited to the open house and one of the bikes on the floor was the F800ST with the low factory seat and also the lowered factory suspension, hard luggage, ABS, etc.

Long story short, she fell in love with it and bought it and sold the V7.
She's had the Beemer since - it'll be 2 yrs old shortly - and has about 18K trouble-free miles on it.

She's come a long way (baby! lol) since the little TU and last summer actually did a 3000 mile, ten day solo tour to the top of Maine and back. Setting off:



We've been married since '84 and she's always ridden behind me but, as I mentioned before, she decided about 5 yrs ago to start riding on her own. Lois and I, 1983:

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

Shouldn't say her age but I'm 62 and she was born about the time JFK took office. Very proud of her.

Pete C
ps - maybe we should start a 'what does your wife/partner ride?' thread :heart:
OldF7Guy_imp said:
I'm ashamed to say I don't know exactly. Here's another pic that will give you some reference though; I'm 5'11". And she would be the first to tell you she's short-legged, too...

[url=http://s596.photobucket.com/user/pacwnc/media/SN851560.jpg.html]

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

Pete C
 
What a great relationship!! Congrats.

My wife used to ride on the back (infrequently), and I kept a GL1800 for nine years. But, she finally admitted that riding on the back scares her, and she hasn't been with me for quite a while. I traded the Goldwing for something more my riding style.

My wife isn't the kind of personality who would be a safe, proficient motorcyclist. She'd get hurt.

Relish the relationship you have.
 
[/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.
 
Thread starter
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. :D I have always been a bit of a closet Kawasaki man and back in those days a 1 liter bike was huge.
 
Thread starter
CA200_imp said:
[/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.



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
 
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
 
OldF7Guy_imp said:
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. :D 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. :)
 
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.
 
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/comprehensive-list-of-2012-motorcycle-seat-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 ;)
 
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