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The new bike arrived Friday. Riva has a giant warehouse and assembly operation in an industrial park. The sales guy took me there to see the new bike come out of the crate and get built. This is serial number 29.
Posts by The Spaceman
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GEICO isn't as dumb as most insurance companies!
I just got off the phone with GEICO insurance. You don't have to have insurance on a bike in FL (go figure), but even if you aren't financing, it seems pretty dumb not to cover it.
Anyway, I went through the quote process with the agent, using the coverage I had on the Vee. That was $495 a month. The agent came back with $1,350! I asked the guy if he was rating it as a supersport. "Yes, it's a CB, so that's how we're rating it." I explained it's an 80 hp bike, more of a cruiser, and asked him to speak with a supervisor or look the bike up on the Honda website. Luckily they're intelligent enough to do that, and he came back with a new rate of $280 per year, with double the coverage amounts the Vee had. I have to say, it's pretty unexpected when a call-center agent has that type of flexibility and authority to make decisions.
I just got off the phone with GEICO insurance. You don't have to have insurance on a bike in FL (go figure), but even if you aren't financing, it seems pretty dumb not to cover it.
Anyway, I went through the quote process with the agent, using the coverage I had on the Vee. That was $495 a month. The agent came back with $1,350! I asked the guy if he was rating it as a supersport. "Yes, it's a CB, so that's how we're rating it." I explained it's an 80 hp bike, more of a cruiser, and asked him to speak with a supervisor or look the bike up on the Honda website. Luckily they're intelligent enough to do that, and he came back with a new rate of $280 per year, with double the coverage amounts the Vee had. I have to say, it's pretty unexpected when a call-center agent has that type of flexibility and authority to make decisions.
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I know. I put them up on Google+ and tried to link from there, but I must be doing something wrong.
However, Stromtrooper Forum : Suzuki V-Strom Motorcycle Forums doesn't have any issues displaying photos (even though they use the same forum engine MO does). So you can see them here:
And now for something completely different... - Stromtrooper Forum : Suzuki V-Strom Motorcycle Forums
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Not a forum member? What the heck does that mean? By God I was on MO when it was 2400 baud modems and green phosphor text!Actually, they don't display unless you're a forum member.
See, this is why liberals can't govern!
I'm watching Claude Rains slowly poison Ingrid Bergman in "Notorious.". She just figured it out when Alex grabbed her cup away from another stinking Nazi who was going to take a sip
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"Forums." "Memberships." Your modern world frightens and confuses me. I'm just an un-frozen cave-man lawyer. These "cell-phones;" are there tiny demons inside speaking to me? I don't know. But I do know that when a forum like the one at Motorcycle.com can't support it's built-in feature of simple, low-resolution photo uploads from it's paying members, that's an actionable failure to meet implied contractural obligations created when Vertiscope accepted those member's fees. The liability for damages and punitive compensation could easily extend into six-figures; high six-figures when attorney fees are considered. Nobody wants to see this issue come to litigation, but perhaps that's all that will get the attention of the management.
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2,447 Posts
You are SO right. I've owned a lot of bikes, but this is the third I bought brand new. The others were a VFR and the DL1000.
This one is by far the best. It has the retro panache of my '77 Low Rider, but in a package of Honda quality and tech. The engine is the smoothest I've ever ridden, with the possible exception of a Gold Wing flat six. They say its only 80-some hp, but even being ridden in break-in mode it feels like a lot more. Perhaps that's due to its "2-seat sports car" design; without all the bodywork, luggage, windscreen, etc. All I know is that it reminds me of when I traded in a Honda Element for my Mini. Both great cars, but I never jumped out of bed early to take the Element out for a drive.
Luckily I'm off till Monday, its cool and sunny out, and I don't have anything else to do.
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Thanks Buzz! I sent you some shots of a few "Easter Eggs"...little unexpected features that you only find after going over the bike in detail.
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So true. The VFR had 110 hp, and it didn't rake long before I got nailed at 125mph. Barely missed impounding and jail. Last night I was trying to get the CB up over 5k revs on surface streets and aside from first gear I couldn't.
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Going from a DL1000 to a CB1100 feels like trading a Suburban for a Z-4. Both are great vehicles, but they’re totally different. The CB is far more compact, it’s shorter, lower, and the center of gravity is noticeably lower. Even getting on the bike is different, which is a good thing for me as I’m still recovering from breaking my hip. I doubt I could climb on a Vee right now; I can manage boarding the CB.
Sitting on the bike my feet are flat and my knees have a bend. With the Vee I could flat foot, but barely. The CB is very easy to pick up off the kickstand and balance. Again, that’s a very good thing for me at this point. Under way the ergonomics are upright for the upper body, and a “mid-bend” (between a sport bike and a cruiser) for the knees. Very little weight is on the hands or wrists. The seat has a nifty cover the likes of which I have not seen before. It’s grainy but smooth…which makes no sense, but it is. The foam underneath is quite firm, reminiscent of the seats in a Mercedes or BMW car. The seat is comfy for an hour, but much more than that I’ll be on the AirHawk (which fits nicely).
Pulling away, the bike is crisp and quick. It’s hard to say exactly yet because it’s still in break-in mode, but it feels like the performance is equal to the Vee. That makes sense given the horsepower to weight ratios of both bikes (about 80 for the CB, about 100 for the Vee). I think once the CB is broken in, it will be faster. I haven’t opened the throttle more than 2/3 as yet. The engine is much, much smoother than the Vee. That also makes sense since it has double the cylinders for virtually the same displacement; and it’s axiomatic that the more power pulses per rotation, the smoother the engine. There are absolutely no FI issues like flat spots, hesitation, etc. It makes the infamous FI problem with the Vee even more annoying; if Honda can meet EPA requirements without leaning the engine to death, why can’t Suzuki?
The forks are adjustable as the Vee was, the (two) rear shocks for compression with a tool. I left them in the factory setting, which feels quite tight but without being harsh. The bike corners beautifully; I’m far more confident on it in the curves than I ever was with the Vee. Maybe it’s just because it’s smaller and lower to the ground; but it feels like it’s on the proverbial rails. I’m no knee-dragger, but there are no chicken strips on the CB’s rear tire. If only we had more curves in South Florida…
The CB is geared low. You can get to fifth very quickly; running about 4500 rpm at 80. If I were planning a lot of touring on the bike, I’d look for a larger rear sprocket to drop highway RPMs. Obviously with no fairing or windscreen there’s a lot of wind pressure at highway speeds. I don’t mind that for day to day riding; having spent most of my riding career on standard or naked bikes. There is no aftermarket windscreen for it yet, and the way the handlebars and instruments are located generic handlebar mounted screens probably won’t work. Hopefully someone will come up with a screen for it soon.
The fuel mileage is a big question at this point. I picked the bike up “Full,” but the reserve warning started blinking at 105 miles. It’s a 3.9 gallon tank, so that would mean it’s only getting around 25mpg. I’m hoping that either the dealer put just enough gas in it to show “Full” on the gauge, or the engine is still very tight and using more gas than normal. I remember a big change for the better in the Vee’s engine performance when it hit 1k miles; perhaps the CB will be similar.
The esthetics of the bike are amazing. In the Honda video produced by the CB design team, they kept talking about how they “really worked on the details of this bike.” It’s very true. Many parts look like they are aftermarket upgrades; everything from the case covers to the foot levers are upscale. The frame tubes are huge…at least compared to what I remember from other cradle-frame bikes. The paint is as good as or better than what I’ve seen on any bike (short of a CVO Harley or full-on custom), including “obscure” parts like the frame and swing arm. The paint on the gas tank looks like its 20 layers deep. There’s a lot of chrome, including the fenders, the exhaust, fasteners, and a other parts. What isn’t painted or chromed is polished aluminum. There is very little plastic on the bike, just the side covers and a couple of small engine covers. Already thousands of virgin carnaubas have died to preserve this bike, many thousands more have yet to make the ultimate sacrifice. But they will, because they know their death will have meaning.
I’m very pleased with the CB and have zero buyers’ remorse. As I stated at the beginning, it’s as different from the Vee as it could be and still be a liter motorcycle. But I was ready for a change; the Vee was at its best touring, which I did at most 2 – 3 times a year. I’ll still be able to tour on the CB (not as comfortably), but I think my day to day riding will be a lot more fun.
Sitting on the bike my feet are flat and my knees have a bend. With the Vee I could flat foot, but barely. The CB is very easy to pick up off the kickstand and balance. Again, that’s a very good thing for me at this point. Under way the ergonomics are upright for the upper body, and a “mid-bend” (between a sport bike and a cruiser) for the knees. Very little weight is on the hands or wrists. The seat has a nifty cover the likes of which I have not seen before. It’s grainy but smooth…which makes no sense, but it is. The foam underneath is quite firm, reminiscent of the seats in a Mercedes or BMW car. The seat is comfy for an hour, but much more than that I’ll be on the AirHawk (which fits nicely).
Pulling away, the bike is crisp and quick. It’s hard to say exactly yet because it’s still in break-in mode, but it feels like the performance is equal to the Vee. That makes sense given the horsepower to weight ratios of both bikes (about 80 for the CB, about 100 for the Vee). I think once the CB is broken in, it will be faster. I haven’t opened the throttle more than 2/3 as yet. The engine is much, much smoother than the Vee. That also makes sense since it has double the cylinders for virtually the same displacement; and it’s axiomatic that the more power pulses per rotation, the smoother the engine. There are absolutely no FI issues like flat spots, hesitation, etc. It makes the infamous FI problem with the Vee even more annoying; if Honda can meet EPA requirements without leaning the engine to death, why can’t Suzuki?
The forks are adjustable as the Vee was, the (two) rear shocks for compression with a tool. I left them in the factory setting, which feels quite tight but without being harsh. The bike corners beautifully; I’m far more confident on it in the curves than I ever was with the Vee. Maybe it’s just because it’s smaller and lower to the ground; but it feels like it’s on the proverbial rails. I’m no knee-dragger, but there are no chicken strips on the CB’s rear tire. If only we had more curves in South Florida…
The CB is geared low. You can get to fifth very quickly; running about 4500 rpm at 80. If I were planning a lot of touring on the bike, I’d look for a larger rear sprocket to drop highway RPMs. Obviously with no fairing or windscreen there’s a lot of wind pressure at highway speeds. I don’t mind that for day to day riding; having spent most of my riding career on standard or naked bikes. There is no aftermarket windscreen for it yet, and the way the handlebars and instruments are located generic handlebar mounted screens probably won’t work. Hopefully someone will come up with a screen for it soon.
The fuel mileage is a big question at this point. I picked the bike up “Full,” but the reserve warning started blinking at 105 miles. It’s a 3.9 gallon tank, so that would mean it’s only getting around 25mpg. I’m hoping that either the dealer put just enough gas in it to show “Full” on the gauge, or the engine is still very tight and using more gas than normal. I remember a big change for the better in the Vee’s engine performance when it hit 1k miles; perhaps the CB will be similar.
The esthetics of the bike are amazing. In the Honda video produced by the CB design team, they kept talking about how they “really worked on the details of this bike.” It’s very true. Many parts look like they are aftermarket upgrades; everything from the case covers to the foot levers are upscale. The frame tubes are huge…at least compared to what I remember from other cradle-frame bikes. The paint is as good as or better than what I’ve seen on any bike (short of a CVO Harley or full-on custom), including “obscure” parts like the frame and swing arm. The paint on the gas tank looks like its 20 layers deep. There’s a lot of chrome, including the fenders, the exhaust, fasteners, and a other parts. What isn’t painted or chromed is polished aluminum. There is very little plastic on the bike, just the side covers and a couple of small engine covers. Already thousands of virgin carnaubas have died to preserve this bike, many thousands more have yet to make the ultimate sacrifice. But they will, because they know their death will have meaning.
I’m very pleased with the CB and have zero buyers’ remorse. As I stated at the beginning, it’s as different from the Vee as it could be and still be a liter motorcycle. But I was ready for a change; the Vee was at its best touring, which I did at most 2 – 3 times a year. I’ll still be able to tour on the CB (not as comfortably), but I think my day to day riding will be a lot more fun.
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I understand what you mean about the type or frequency of the vibes. I'm finding the CB vibe to be virtually non-existent.
Did just that with the trip meter!
I waxed the **** out of the Mini and the Vee right after I bought them, and both still have like-new paint jobs 5+ years later. Not even swirls...of course neither has been in a machine wash.
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2,447 Posts
Right you are. Front smaller for lower RPM, right?
Schizuki, I think that "cure the paint" maxim was correct back in the day of enamel and lacquer paints. Nowdays with modern paints and oven-baked clearcoats I don't think its true anymore.
A couple things I've found about early waxing; you can keep the plastic headlight covers clear for years. Also metal like the leading edge of forks, polished wheels, chrome all benefit from regular waxing.
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2,447 Posts
Uh-oh. I've found a horde of accessories from Japan for the CB. This could be expensive...
Check out this polished aluminium cowling:
WM : Aluminum Bikini Cowl Set [ES12626]
Check out this polished aluminium cowling:
WM : Aluminum Bikini Cowl Set [ES12626]
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2,447 Posts
Where were you when I was married? "But Honeee, Sarnali says I GOTTA buy those new trolling rods NOW before our money turns into toilet paper!!
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I finally turned over 500 miles on the CB and have it out of the official break-in restraints.
Damn, what a fun bike! Sarnali is right, it's got more than enough juice for street use. I can hit 60 in a few seconds, and it runs along at highway speeds + with no issues at all (ok, it's a bit buzzy over 80 mph).
I'm also really enjoying the compact size and low COG. The bike encourages anti-social riding behavior like filtering forward, and lane splitting (MUST...NOT...SUBMIT).
Hopefully I can get up to the Blue Ridge Mountains next month. Still not sure if the hip will be far along enough to pull it off, but I really want to take this one down the Dragon and other area roads my buddy in Etowah knows.
JMD: if you're over 6'1" it's probably too small, but if you're 6' or under, I think you'd reaaly like it. I'm just under 6' and it fits me to a "tee."
Damn, what a fun bike! Sarnali is right, it's got more than enough juice for street use. I can hit 60 in a few seconds, and it runs along at highway speeds + with no issues at all (ok, it's a bit buzzy over 80 mph).
I'm also really enjoying the compact size and low COG. The bike encourages anti-social riding behavior like filtering forward, and lane splitting (MUST...NOT...SUBMIT).
Hopefully I can get up to the Blue Ridge Mountains next month. Still not sure if the hip will be far along enough to pull it off, but I really want to take this one down the Dragon and other area roads my buddy in Etowah knows.
JMD: if you're over 6'1" it's probably too small, but if you're 6' or under, I think you'd reaaly like it. I'm just under 6' and it fits me to a "tee."
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Thanks JM.
I am having to get used to no fairing/windscreen on the highway again. Up to about 70 it's fine, above that and it gets a bit much. There's a few fairings on that Japan website that would fix it, but I really hate to mess with the clean layout of the bike as it is now. I guess eventually somebody like Memphis Shades will make a removable screen for it.
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