Topic: CB350F as daily transport

[camelman]

I've finally decided to sell my car (after my broken leg heals) and switch to my motorcycle full time.  I was worried about the 350F being sufficient for full-time duty, but after riding it these last few months, and after reading this amazing article (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=542933) I have decided to go with it afterall.  I'd love to hear about anyone else who has switched to one of the smaller fours (anything below 550cc) for full time use, and if you came up with any tricks on how to make the bike more manageable/usable.  I'm considering getting a trunk for it, but can't find anything tasteful.

Camelman

[fletcha221]

a few things.

I've been riding mine to work for a week now and I want to blow my brains out, and here is why.

60 mph in 5Th gear.....she is SCREAMING. Stick with a stock exhaust. Mine flat out annoying.

Bottoms out on the highway.....scary. I weigh 185, maybe I'm too big for the bike.

60Mph Plus, the vibrations are outrageous.

Don't get my wrong, I love my bike on back twisty roads Sub 55mph, but it's just not much of a daily commuter.


http://cb350fcafe.blogspot.com/

[domer]

cant say my 500 is my primary mode of transport (only cause i hate wet cold days), but a trunk? a nice messenger bag will do the trick. check out http://www.chromebagsstore.com/bags.html great bags that have handled some gnarly #$%* for me. ya the hipsters have ruined the whole messenger bag thing... but these are seriously bad ass. i have a large, and let me tell you i can squeeze a lot of #$%* in there, 30 pack, no problem. no box, but who cares! ive eaten some serious #$%* with it on my back, and the only thing to get f'd up was me. hell i fell into a lake with it on, and even though it was only submerged for a brief moment, not a drop made it inside the bag... they arent cheap, but you get what you pay for! oh and they started right here in s.f. buy local and all that...

[bucky katt]

during the warmer spring and early summer, then late summer and fall the 750 gets way more miles put on it than the car. way too damned hot in mid summer though when it hits 100 with a feels like of 110 or so. even on the highway the bike gets too hot. i ride during the winter months too as long as it's above 40. but i'd never ever have just a motorcycle for transport. grocery shopping, taking critters to the vet and picking up the 22 pounds of catfood all would be pretty difficult or impossible on a motorcycle. dont get rid of the car, you'll be sorry.

[domer]

thats the nice part about SF... you really dont need a car, especially if you work in the city too... and when you do need one there is always zip car, or city car share. hell most of the people i know in this city dont own cars. 22 lbs of cat food fits in my chrome bag  the 40lbs of dog food wont though!

[camelman]

If I were still in Greenville, SC, then I would not consider selling my car.  However, living in SF I don't think I need it anymore.  Plus, I have to pay for all of these leg surgeries.  I'd prefer to have a larger bike, but I honestly can't afford it right now.  2009 completely kicked my ass.

I'll look into those messenger bags.  Just imagine how I'm going to look riding down the road.  Full business suit, messenger bag, and straddling a 1973 CB350F.  Not even the hipsters (bless their hearts) are going to understand that scene.

My Jardine exhaust is pretty noisy, but it is manageable.  I was thinking of switching to my kerker, but it might be too noisy.  Anyone have experience with a kerker 4-1 on a 350F with regards to noise?  My shocks are totally done too, so I'll be looking for 2-up spring/shock combos after I sell the car.

Camelman

[Prospect]

I used my 350 as daily transport from August 2008 to Nov 2009.  I had no car but I would plan ahead when I had to get large items home and then rent a car.  I would take my backpack and buy groceries.  I would buy healthy stuff because most of the crap at grocery stores is packaged in boxes which take a lot of room.  

It really wasn't that difficult.  You have to do with what you have and realize that most of the stuff we own is nice to have but not necessary.  

My wife complained a bit but when she needed a ride she would hop on the back.  But, I do live in the city and everything is very close.  We ended up buying a car when she had to commute a long distance to work.  

[bistromath]

I'll look into those messenger bags.  Just imagine how I'm going to look riding down the road.  Full business suit, messenger bag, and straddling a 1973 CB350F.  Not even the hipsters (bless their hearts) are going to understand that scene.

You will look like James Bond. Make sure to get a white open-face helmet, maybe some aviator glasses to complete the look. 

[Papa-wheelie]

Camelman, I just purchased an '81 cb650 last week but tried out many bikes of all sizes and makes.

I can't help but remember an incredible deal on a very nice '77 Suzuki gs550 which I passed on only because the Kerker pipes were SO annoyingly loud and buzzy.

I'm SO glad I got the CB650 instead as the stock pipes are virtually silent.  Those Kerker pipes made everyone look at me when I drove down the neighborhood with disapproval and I was only going about 20mph!

[domer]

kerker isnt bad if it still has a baffle. mine doesnt and yes its obnoxious, but still isnt thunder headers on a harley!might have to re-jet if you switch though...

[camelman]

I might just fit a different can onto the 4-1 kerker header I have.  It is the best looking exhaust in my collection right now.

[kghost]

Hi Camel man.

I'll weigh in here with an opinion.

I have a 350F, a 400F, and a 450 twin.

Fletcha221 is pretty spot on if your commute involves alot of freeway riding.

Doing 65-70 on the highway it does get buzzy. Its fine once and a while and short stretches are ok but its taxing after 10-15 minutes.

I ride mine around town and appreciate its small size and relative grunt compared to scooters and other small motorcycles. Its light and nimble. Something you appreciate if its start and stop. Handy to wheel into and out of parking slots if you have lots of stops.

My town is relatively small and theres not alot of highway involved. I use mine to run from the house to the shop fairly regularly. Its also the parts chaser around town. Need a can of chain lube? Off to the store on the 350 I go.

It will outgun most anything in its size such as the Honda Rebel....the baby ninja 250 is a bit faster.

As a pure city bike its great. Small and fuel miserly while retaining full size  motorcycle status. Its still classic to boot.

So if your not planning on extensive freeway riding go for it.

[camelman]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.  I'm going to make the plunge once my leg heals and I don't need the car any more.  The bike is mostly going to be for riding in the City, trips to the hills, and maybe the odd trip to Sacramento/Davis, which is only 80 miles away.  I'm glad I found out about the Kerker being too noisy before I committed to putting it on too.

Camelman

[fmctm1sw]

Anything is possible really.  I saw a family of four using bicycles as their only transportation somewhere (maybe on MSN.com a while back?).  Lot of good points above though.  For me, the kids pretty much preclude this (350F with sidecar anyone?).  I also hate getting rained on.  One of the things I thought about was putting the huge sissy bar back on if I were to take long trip (a good idea on a 350 anyway  ).  You could easily tie off a seabag like the military uses to it and double it as a backrest though.  After using bungee cords and such, the best way I found to carry a bag was really to just use the should strap and throw it over my shoulder.  Man, I love my 350s...  I read a story somewhere about someone riding an old CT 90 across 3 or 4 states too...  

*edit* not where I saw it but here's an account of it:  http://www.fireblades.org/forums/off-topic/5437-roadtrip-story-honda-ct90-trail-90-a.html

[mlinder]

a few things.

I've been riding mine to work for a week now and I want to blow my brains out, and here is why.

60 mph in 5Th gear.....she is SCREAMING. Stick with a stock exhaust. Mine flat out annoying.

That's weird. Stock geared 350 should be about 6000 rpm for 60mph.

Bottoms out on the highway.....scary. I weigh 185, maybe I'm too big for the bike.

I weighed 192 when I rode mine around all the time. Never bottomed out. Still had stock (though working) 35 year old rear suspension.

60Mph Plus, the vibrations are outrageous.

then you need a carb synch, because the 350 is one of the smoothest bikes I've ever ridden.

Don't get my wrong, I love my bike on back twisty roads Sub 55mph, but it's just not much of a daily commuter.


http://cb350fcafe.blogspot.com/

Weird. Was my favourite commuter ever, outside of the kz650 (but for different reasons).

[socalenduro]

a few things.

I've been riding mine to work for a week now and I want to blow my brains out, and here is why.

60 mph in 5Th gear.....she is SCREAMING. Stick with a stock exhaust. Mine flat out annoying.

That's weird. Stock geared 350 should be about 6000 rpm for 60mph.

yeah mine is fine at 60mph in 5th....just a touch under 6000..... mine doesnt seem to be happy unless running at least 4k
i would NOT want to be on the freeways for extended time here in southern california though....
but for a normal commuter i think i would be great (says the guy who drives a lifted 4 door 4x4 to and from work thru the city)

[HondanutRider]

Just imagine how I'm going to look riding down the road.  Full business suit, messenger bag, and straddling a 1973 CB350F.  Not even the hipsters (bless their hearts) are going to understand that scene.

Camelman, I love the look.  Here's an even earlier ad that Honda used and it looks sooo coool.

[mlinder]

I used to wear a suit on my bike to work in LA.

[camelman]

I love it.  Keep the "suit" pictures coming.  I might just have a new look to cultivate.

[fletcha221]

Mlinder,

The carbs are sync'd, I have no idea what the RPM's are, cause I don't have a tach. Even still, it's half wound at 60, which around here, isn't keeping up with traffic. My last bike was a 04' GSXR 600, so I guess I'm a little spoiled when it comes to highway riding.

[mlinder]

The 350 doesn't even make any power 'til about 6.5k, and can be ridden between 6 and 11k all day long. I could understand how that would be annoying with noisy pipes, though.

As far as your vibration issues, I'd look into that, because the little 350/4 has been, for me, incredibly smooth.

[kghost]

The 350 doesn't even make any power 'til about 6.5k, and can be ridden between 6 and 11k all day long. I could understand how that would be annoying with noisy pipes, though.

As far as your vibration issues, I'd look into that, because the little 350/4 has been, for me, incredibly smooth.

Hey mlinder,

Yeah thier "pretty smooth" as compared to alot of things. Its also completely subjective of course.

You know me and you'd probably guess that my 350 is in tune and sync'd.

That being said....its still buzzy when riding prolonged periods at 7000+

[mlinder]

Yeah, I guess it's a matter of perspective.

Of course, it's no where near as smooth as, say, the beemer I'm on up in that picture at 80mph.

But compared to say, a twin of the same displacement, at the same engine speed... it's smooooov....

[kghost]

Yeah, I guess it's a matter of perspective.

Of course, it's no where near as smooth as, say, the beemer I'm on up in that picture at 80mph.

But compared to say, a twin of the same displacement, at the same engine speed... it's smooooov....

Hehe if you spun say a 350/450 Honda twin at the same redline as the 350F it would be smooth......

It'd be stopped, with busted parts probably protruding lol

[camelman]

Even with my carbs way out of sync, and with the worn out coil/wire combos that don't like to fire well in the rain, I still don't have vibration issues on the highway.  Also, my rpm are 90% of my speed (ie 70mph = 6300 rpm), so it isn't too buzzy on the highway.  I don't understand the comments above unless you have lower gearing and/or a cylinder that just isn't firing right.

Has anyone ever mounted a fly screen on one of these bikes, or seen a decent option online?  I'd like to add a Monster style fly screen to cut down on buffeting a bit.  So far I've decided on a courier pack, soft luggage when needed, and a fly screen.  I figure that should take care of the luggage issue, and I'll just deal with the rpm on the highway... while wearing a suit of course.

Camelman