Thought it time to do an intro here - though I've been doing posts for a bit.
Started riding in 1978 - on a '73 Honda CB350F. Loved all those little bitty cylinders. It was a good bike to start on, but was just a bit to small for more serious travel. At that time, the speed limits were 55, and I remember 55=5500RPM so it was really buzzing along. After a few 1000 mile (one way) trips, I decided time for something bigger. Totaled about 20K miles on that bike.
Bought a "brand new" CB600C. I really liked that bike and sometimes regret selling it. Big enough for the highway and for traveling, but easy to maintain (rockers and SOHC). Rode that for a bit - but decided I needed more POWER. Another 30K Miles.
Bought a CB900F - not the C (shaft drive), the F (chain/sport). The 900F was well regarded in time frame. Wicked fast (for then), handled great - one of the first bikes with dual piston calipers.
Rode that bike lots - Canada, east coast, west coast - Texas (hot) and more. Really liked the 900f, except for not liking the maintenance (valves were a pain in the butt - measure clearance, pull disks, measure disks, buy new disks, install new disks, recheck). 45K miles.
That bike had 2 forms - the cruising form - with a big old Windjammer - and the zooming form (cafe like).
Also had a big old Kaw 1100 shaft for a while - didn't like it. This is the bike that turned me off shafts - probably not fair today, but I just didn't like the quirks in handling. Accelerate - the rear end STOOD UP, decelerate, the rear end squatted down. Very very strange in corners!
Other bikes, KD200 (I think that was the number - trial bike, very weird bike but very fun, 160ish lbs, 5 speed, 1-4 got you to 18-20 mph, then 5th would do 50. Street legal, turned more than 90 degrees). KDX 250, KD 600.
Then 4-wheelers - Polaris 4x4.
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Now back to the cb400f.
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Other history:
- Trained (VW-USA) VW mechanic (worked my way through college that way)
- Used to race SCCA (got to expensive).
- Fireman (volunteer - 22 years now).
- Raise Scottish Terriers (
www.gallica.us)
- Pilot - now retired (too expensive).
Engineer now - EE (cubed).
Colorado Native.
My wife things the cb400f is my "midlife crisis" but it if is - she got off with a pretty cheap one. Me, I think it is just fun, and I love 50-55 mpg.
BG
