tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post3569442944921599042..comments2024-03-22T18:01:20.065-05:00Comments on Geezer with a Grudge: #63 Bikes That I Love and You (apparently) HateT.W. Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-3548403405243660262014-07-14T23:03:50.286-05:002014-07-14T23:03:50.286-05:00Sorry. You're right. The CB is based, in some ...Sorry. You're right. The CB is based, in some ways, on the same technology as the NC bikes, but I had the wrong prefix. I just discovered yesterday that I had completely forgotten that Honda still had their 650 DP bike in the mix, too. Old and senile. <br /><br />The NC takes a little adapting, but after a bit of familiarizing it starts to look pretty decent. A friend has one and he has pulled down a couple of near-90mpg tanks in the mountains. I could love a cruiser that managed that feat. T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-4537834772336031362014-07-14T10:23:43.330-05:002014-07-14T10:23:43.330-05:00Is there an NC500? I know there's the CB500 s...Is there an NC500? I know there's the CB500 series, which might be what you mean. Looking at those, you're right... the CB500x only weighs in about 50 pounds more than the CM450, which seems high, but is still manageable, especially if the center of gravity is as low as it looks like it should be. I hadn't looked at those before, I don't think: I'm surprised at how practical they seem to be.<br /><br />I've also been tempted by the NC700x, which looks like a decent bike for riding locally and a great bike if I actually started doing the longer distance riding I'd like to do. I've talked to a few people who are claiming 70+ mpg doing long distance touring on the NC700, which is appealing.<br /><br />So I suppose someone IS making the kind of bike I want. It might be time to start setting aside money and getting the Rebel and CM450 prepped for sale... <br /><br />(I'm still not a fan of the look of either the CB or NC bikes, though. They're not horrible, but I don't much like them either.)Andy Mckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11381746284574559808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-59936047870077626512014-07-14T09:11:27.995-05:002014-07-14T09:11:27.995-05:00I have no experience with them, either, but I susp...I have no experience with them, either, but I suspect the Honda NC500 series might fill that bill pretty perfectly. I guess it depends on what you call "lightweight," though. T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-72241675863985364072014-07-11T16:18:39.356-05:002014-07-11T16:18:39.356-05:00Hah. Yeah, appearance is pretty much a personal p...Hah. Yeah, appearance is pretty much a personal preference thing. I like the look of the old Japanese standards, and things like the Royal Enfield B5. The PC800 is far too covered in plastic for my preferences. Like I said, though, utility makes up for that almost entirely.<br /><br />That said, except for appearance I pretty much agree entirely. I wish someone would make a modern lightweight 500cc (or thereabouts) bike that I felt comfortable riding on the highway. My CM450 is close, but it's old enough that I'm nervous about going too far on it. Probably if I were more mechanically skilled I'd be more comfortable, but I only have time to learn so many things.Andy Mckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11381746284574559808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-64953526889553566382014-07-11T16:05:14.983-05:002014-07-11T16:05:14.983-05:00I suspect we have a completely different definitio...I suspect we have a completely different definition of "horribly ugly." In my view, there is no such thing as a decent looking cruiser; they go from awful to putrid, regardless of manufacturer. The PC800 is incredibly functional, which is the baseline for attractive in my opinion. It has a function, other than some sort of girlyman lifestyle expression like cruisers, and the form follows that precisely. <br /><br />Since I wrote this one for MMM, in 2006, there have been a passel of bikes that "you" don't like and I have liked a lot. I'm used to it by now. Whenever pretty much anyone says "nobody [insert your descriptive phrase here]" they are talking about me. I've been nobody for so long I quit looking in the mirror for my reflection.T.W. Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078254371483458356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950664143576637249.post-51859022975690826022014-07-08T07:19:42.375-05:002014-07-08T07:19:42.375-05:00I've got to say, I think the PC800 is a horrib...I've got to say, I think the PC800 is a horribly ugly bike. But if I saw one for a good price, I'd probably buy it anyway, purely for the utility.<br /><br />As to the Silverwing... I had one, in reasonably good shape except for the ignition, and I'll probably always regret selling it. It was the right choice, but now I actually want to make long distance rides, and it would have been perfect.Andy Mckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11381746284574559808noreply@blogger.com