Topic: Tall Guys: Which CB’s are too small?

[pearsonm]

I’m 6’3” tall, weigh 200 lbs and have a 36” inseam. I’m new to the classic/café thing and recently picked up a ‘78 CB750F, however I’m starting to think a CB550 or even a CB450 may better match what I want to do. My problem is fit is always an issue for me and I can’t exactly run down to Honda dealer and try a couple on for size.

Are there any tall guys out there who have ridden smaller CB’s?

[greenjeans]

You can ride them all and set them up to your reach etc.

I have a 750 and I still look like a monkey f'in a football when I ride it, but it is comfortable.

A buddy of mine races a 450 and he's 6'5" - now that really looks funny, but he's too fast for me to catch up and
make fun of him.

I'm the same size as you.

[kck3]

The 550's and the 750's have the same/very similar seat height, the 750 does weigh about 70 more lbs than the 550 though.

I am 6'6 and ride both.  Even had a cb350 twin til recently-just pick one you like and ride it.

[Stev-o]

I'm 5'10 and think my 550 is small, so I bought a 750!
[but keeping the 550].

What makes you want a smaller bike?

PS. post some pics...

[MoMo]

The height of a 450 dohc is not much different than a 750.  The 450 makes a very cool cafe racer...Larry

[pearsonm]

What makes you want a smaller bike?

The weight. Trackdays are my passion. At my level anything more than a 600 race replica is pointless so a 500-pounder with wooden brakes feels like a runaway train.

Also, my first bike was a Bandit 1200 which predictably spit me off like a watermelon seed. I've been gun-shy of heavy bikes ever since.

Finally, I'm kind of wanting to do the cafe thing which I think the 550's and definitely 450's are better suited for. I imagine stuff like engine removal would be a lot more manageable.

This bike is just for fun when I'm not riding the track. I'm also trying to learn stuff I've always wanted to know like how carburetors and electrical systems work. I went with the 750 because they supposedly have the best support. I think maybe I bought a little too much bike.

[kck3]

Lets see the 750-post some pics.    The 550 is a fun bike, you just have to ride it up in the rpm range.  Ride the 750 for a while and take your time they are a good bike.

[Really?]

To me they all are small but that is me.  I think it is more of an illusion due to the seat being so high.  It all seems too flat across the top.  I look like a blob on the 750 but fit right on and in the venture.   It all seems so narrow too.  Prolly cause I got used to a  large frame mounted fairing as well.

[Jaydem]

I am 6 ft, recently bought a 750 and had the same thoughts. Although I wont be racing mine, everytime i sit on mine and "imagine" riding it....it feels just right.

Jakub

[MoMo]

I think this may be just what you're looking for ...Larry

[stever]

I'm 6'8". I sectioned my current project and raised it across the middle 2.5 inches. It would present some issues with stock stuff, but I did a lot of custom work. Heres a pic prior to finish.

[Alan F.]

I sectioned my current project and raised it across the middle 2.5 inches.

What a wild idea, is it finished? How did it all work out? Think you can get the head off in the frame now?

[pearsonm]

I sectioned my current project and raised it across the middle 2.5 inches.

Holy cow! 

That's awesome! Someday I want to be able to build stuff like that.

[thehammer]

im 6'1" 32" inseam. on long trips the cb550 cramps me up and starts to feel like a riding lawnmower, but for getting across town its really fun. although i wish i had a bigger bike.

[camelman]

I'm 5'10" and feel fine on my CB350f for 12 hour days.  I did find out a great way to "raise" these bikes though.  I bought a 350 twin for a cafe build for a guy.  I knew it was small when I sat on it in stock form, so I raised the mounting points for the cafe seat about an inch.  The result was a bike that feels much larger than it really is.  If you decide to go with the CB450, which is a taller bike than the 350, then you could definitely raise the seat like I did without it looking strange.

FYI, the CB450 engine isn't the easiest to work on, and definitely is not the easiest to get more power out of.  It is fine in stock form though.

Camelman

[fatmatt650]

My 400f is definitely small for anything more than scooting around town. I'm 6'1" and find the 750's to be perfect. I do, however, have a lower cafe seat on the 400 and would probably be comfier if it was a bit taller. With cafe bars on that bike it starts hurting after about 10 minutes. On the other hand the cb200t is comfy all day long but that has more of a scooter position. I know what your saying about the appeal of the little bikes. It's super fun to ride a small underpowered bike to the edge of it's performance as opposed to scaring the bejeezus out of yourself on a larger bike that easily outperforms your skill level.

[pearsonm]

FYI, the CB450 engine isn't the easiest to work on, and definitely is not the easiest to get more power out of.

OK, throwing a tangent into my own thread, what is the easiest CB to own, especially in terms of parts availability and aftermarket? I went with a '78 F because I wanted the dual-disk front brakes and tubeless tires and prefer the lines (flat tank, seat and fender) over the K only to find out it’s sort of a red-headed step child among SOHC’s.

[brianmac]

the cb 400f is definitely too small, but makes a great pit bike.  im 6' 220 with bad knees and fake hip, and the 750 is good , but u can switch bars to suit ur needs. they have a standard seat(not crotch rocketed, not cruiser/recliner), dont get me wrong, i love em all, i have 3 bikes, anxiety which to ride.  warm and dry in fl .......

[pearsonm]

It's super fun to ride a small underpowered bike to the edge of it's performance as opposed to scaring the bejeezus out of yourself on a larger bike that easily outperforms your skill level.

Exactly. I started trackdays on a SV650 and had a blast right up to the point where I realized I could never make up the gap that the four-cylinders would pull on me in the straights. I moved up to a F4i which is wheezy by modern 600 standards but that's as far as I'm going. Everything in motor sports has to turn into a freaking arms race. 

[fatmatt650]

The F model 750's are far and away the best model you could possibly own, especially the later ones w/ the Comstar wheels. These are universally recognized as one of the best styling decisions Honda ever made . Seriously though, I've got a 76 and a 77 F and have had very little difficulty finding parts for them.

[Stev-o]

FYI, the CB450 engine isn't the easiest to work on, and definitely is not the easiest to get more power out of.

OK, throwing a tangent into my own thread, what is the easiest CB to own, especially in terms of parts availability and aftermarket? I went with a '78 F because I wanted the dual-disk front brakes and tubeless tires and prefer the lines (flat tank, seat and fender) over the K only to find out it’s sort of a red-headed step child among SOHC’s.

Stick with a 550 or 750K and you'll be fine, plenty of parts available for both.

[Anti-Johnny]

I'm 6'8". I sectioned my current project and raised it across the middle 2.5 inches. It would present some issues with stock stuff, but I did a lot of custom work. Heres a pic prior to finish.

WHAT is that seat!? Looks effin sick. Ill take one...


I am 6'2" 170 and my 750 is very comfortable. Get a little bit of butt fatigue after about 3 hours though. Probably because of the seat though.

[Scott S]

 I'm 6'1, 185". My CB500 feels really nice under me. Substantial enough that I don't feel like I'm on a moped, small enough that I can move it around like I want to.
 I have seen an "on the road" pic of me on it and I was surprised how small it looked. It feels like a nice middle-weight to me.

[trueblue]

I'm 6'1" and weigh 70kg (about 155lbs) and my cb650z feels just nice under me, I have been told I look too small for it, but I love it, but as far as parts go in Australia they are damn near impossible to find bits for and I have had to modify a lot of bits off of 750's and 550's and even cx500's to make them do the job and look as near as factory fit as I can.

[Really?]

There are quite a few tall and narrow folks here!  I have passed out at 190lbs and y'all are even less than that.  WoW  trueblue, do you exist at 155? hehe

[Popwood]

I have stock 550 and 750. As for parts, haven't had problems finding parts for either, although I believe the 750 should have more parts available because so many more were made.

I first had the 550 and thought it was fine for fit at my 6' height and 33 inseam. But after having the 750 for awhile, it seems a better fit. My knees bend further up on the 550. And wasn't it called Honda's answer the in "inseam challenged" after the 750 became so popular? The 550 is a bit more "responsive" in terms of maneuverability due largely, I think, to lower weight. On a longer ride, I'd always opt for the 750 as it's a smoother ride and as I said, seems a better fit for me.

[Shadowjack]

A lot of you guys mention the seat height as defining whether a given bike is too small or not, but after getting off a CB750 onto CB500, at 6' 1", it's the shorter distance from the seat to the (stock) bars, and the relatively forward-mounted pegs that struck me as less comfortable. I know the modern style is to have only two choices for riding position: either way back like a cruiser or way forward like a crotch rocket, but I like to sit more upright or even a little bit forward, so the horizontal dimension makes a difference. Lowering the bars on the CB500 just hunched me over so I went back to stock. Made me feel like I was riding with my hands on my knees. Of course, I could get some 2-foot apes...

[dna_level_c7]

I feel pretty comfortable on my 77' CB750K even though I have also been told I look a little big on it. I sat on my buddy's 97 Honda Shadow A.C.E. and it was a totally different feel. I didn't want to take it for a spin because I didn't have my helmet... 

I'm 6'4" 280lbs - 34" inseam.

[trueblue]

There are quite a few tall and narrow folks here!  I have passed out at 190lbs and y'all are even less than that.  WoW  trueblue, do you exist at 155? hehe

Yeah I do exist, mind you I have been told that if I stand sideways and stick out my tongue I look like a zipper

[Deltarider]

For optimal pleasure in riding (and safety!) a bike should fit you like a glove.
Isn't it strange that in even the cheapest (or smallest) car you can adjust your seat, where on even the more expensive motorcycles - with a few exceptions - you can adjust... nothing?
Makes you think. Why do we bikers accept this?
 

[tango911]

just make sure you get the right piercings to go along with it!!!   

[IndyFour]

I'm 6'3" and about 200 lbs.  My 550 feels pretty good, although I'd probably fit better on a 750.  As someone above stated, the issue is not so much the height of the seat as it is the distance between the pegs and the seat.  I struggled to get comfortable at first on my bike until I changed out the bars.  Went from stock bars to drag bars and the difference was night/day.  For me, a slightly crouched position is more comfortable as I always felt like I was sitting on my tailbone with the stock bars.  I have a 36-37" sleeve (I'm an ape!) so the reach to drag bars feel plenty comfy for me.

I also bought a spare set of peg assemblies from someone a while back thinking that I would try to mod them somehow (weld an extension maybe?) to lower the peg by an inch or so....but haven't tried that yet.  As the bike stands now, i'm pretty pleased with the riding position, so I'll probably keep it the way it is with the drag bars and may not even mess with the pegs.  I did a trip with a local group this fall and after riding 300 miles/5 hrs, I felt pretty good.

So yes, I think that tall guys can get comfortable on a smaller bike...you may just have to tweak it a bit.

[tango911]

agree indy, but im 6'1,  the 550 is perfect for me,  the 750 in todays standards is still a small bike, but prob the best fit for anyone over 6' that wants to ride vintage hondas.
look at the diff perspectives vs the Honda Dream

69 Dream  vs.  71 CL175 Scrambler


69 Dream vs. 74 cb550


69 Dream vs. 96 XR250