cb1300

[bludclot]

 
what's your views on honda's big naked? i rode one once but it was quite a rough example, i'm considering buying one...

[steeeve66]

They're expensive for what they are, I've always wanted one of the half-faired ones but the prices were always too high
They're lovely to ride tho, stable, planted etc. but not exceptional.

[ghostbiker]

I prefer the xjr 1300 myself.

[bludclot]

 
i've had air cooled engines before, they are too much work to keep clean.

[mcyoungy]

instead of the Fazer or as well as?


I reckon they're a good big bike, bulletproof but heavy. Won't handle as well as a Fazer thou though.

[The Male Whale]

i've had air cooled engines before, they are too much work to keep clean.

   and how is this relevant to this thread??? 
 
Whale

[mcyoungy]

i've had air cooled engines before, they are too much work to keep clean.

   and how is this relevant to this thread??? 
 
Whale

I prefer the xjr 1300 myself.

see?

[PieEater]

I test rode the GSX1400, CB1300 and ZRX1200 of the 3 I found the Kawasaki was the best mix of handling and performance being least like a sofa on wheels, though they all made me want to reach for pipe & slippers to some extent especially the Suzuki. 

[The Male Whale]

Ah! So a discussion a totally different bike on a thread titled CB1300 is relevant??
 
Good - I quite like the Pan European myself.
 
Lets see where that takes us. 
 
Whale

[PieEater]

Ah! So a discussion a totally different bike on a thread titled CB1300 is relevant??
 
Good - I quite like the Pan European myself.
 
Lets see where that takes us. 
 
Whale

Does this make you happier 
I test rode the CB1300 along with 2 of it's direct rivals from Suzuki & Kawasaki. For me the handling and performance of the CB1300 was between the GSX1400 and the ZRX1200 inasmuch as in my opinion the Kawaski is a better option than the Honda which in turn is better than the Suzuki. Personally I would suggest that if you are considering a CB1300 you should also try a ZRX1200 as like me you may find it suits you better.

[mcyoungy]

Ah! So a discussion a totally different bike on a thread titled CB1300 is relevant??
 
Good - I quite like the Pan European myself.
 
Lets see where that takes us. 
 
Whale

for what?

[purplebear7]

Hi Guys,
 
I had three Gen 1s more of less in a row .. but these days I can't ride a solo bike well enough to justify the risks, call it an old age problem    However . rather than give up biking .. I wend back about 45 yeas and got myself a sidecar (bit like a giant side stand  )
 
I've now got a 2008 Honda CB1300S (half fared model) pulling a small one off EZS sports sidecar.
 
No 'top speed' to talk about of course ... and I can't really comment on solo bike handling .. but Oh Boy what one hell of a fantastic motor .. more low down 'grunt' than your grandad's granddad!   
 
The bike is of course a traditional steel loop frame .. same as Gen 1 .. ideal for sidecar fixing .. but not (quite) as easy to work on as a Gen1.
 
More or less all in 'bulletproof' .. my only 'regret' is that it's fuel injection .. so no carbs for Mike to fiddle with 
 
Owners Handbooks are as rare as Rocking Horse Poop if you are buying a 'once loved' bike .. so try hard to get the book as well!
 
I'll be very interested to follow your trail Bludclot .. please keep me in your loop.
 
Stay Safe     Polar Bear
 

[PieEater]

Oh Boy what one hell of a fantastic motor .. more low down 'grunt' than your grandad's granddad!    
 

TBH the low down power delivery of these bikes was probably what put me off more than anything, more of a car type delivery than what I'm used to, requiring a totally different more relaxed riding style, hence the pipe & slippers comment. While I'm sure you can get a hussle on with the CB1300 and it's peers I don't think 'agressive riding' made it onto the design brief, the Kawasaki was the only one that felt to me like it would be up for a bit of spirited riding and was the only one I'd be confident in pushing which is why it would be my pick of the 'retro' brigade. Aesthetically I do prefer the Honda but for me it offers nothing over my Fazer and I doubt it would be as rewarding to ride.

[pitternator]

I rode a CB1300S on a bike safe course, and was very impressd.Rock solid handling , nice suspension, very good quality build and I love the look of it in red/white. The polished alloy engine is a corker for looks and grunt.A great roadster / touring bike.Compared to gen1( a sorted one) its more relaxed, not as powerful, bit heavier to handle.Its not a cut and thrust machine, but great for doing what it does.

[bludclot]

 

instead of the Fazer or as well as?

this has been the subject of 2 discussions with the long haired general. in my world it's as well as, but she makes some points that i find difficult to argue away:
 
- i don't need a second bike when the first is already a toy
- i can't just buy a bike and use it as is and...
- the fazer was sold to her as a quick 2 week clean up and it actually took 5 months and over £1500
- the dining room is not a perfect fazer storage area while another bike gets garage time and space
- i claim to do any bike buying / selling in winter months and now isn't winter
 
so if i buy the blue one that's for sale near me it will have to be presented as a nice surprise to her or the fazer wil have to move on and, frankly, i'm not ready to move on the fazer for some time yet.
 

I test rode the GSX1400, CB1300 and ZRX1200 of the 3 I found the Kawasaki was the best mix of handling and performance being least like a sofa on wheels, though they all made me want to reach for pipe & slippers to some extent especially the Suzuki. 

i did ride a zrx1100 from the midlands to the south coast a few years back as a favour, in at least drizzle all the way. interesting bike, comfortable and about 35 - 40 horses at the rear wheel. the brakes needed marginally more stopping distance than the queen mary. i quizzed the owner about it and he was quite proud to have owned it since new and carried out all his own maintenance. he claimed that it only used a litre of oil per tank of fuel through no.1 cylinder and that the brakes were fine. i gave him my r6 to ride and when he returned he just said 'it's fast but the brakes are a bit sharp'. for 'a bit sharp' i pointed out that they worked. when i asked him about torque settings he said that he did everything up 'bloody tight'. perhaps not the best bike to judge the zrx range by.
 
the cb1300 that i rode was a bit better, but not much. again it had no real go and needed a real shove to get the bars past the dead straight mark whereby it would fall on it's side alarmingly, a combination of extremely knackered head bearings and a very squared off rear. it amazes me that owners seem to think that bikes in such states are 'fine, there's nothing wrong with it'
 

[purplebear7]

Words like :  'Aggressive' don't do very much for me these days (I had more than enough of that stuff in the past .. both  and  ) but I will hold my hand up the the 'Pipe and Slippers' tag.  Pushing 73 now (as well as the ivanised zimer frame) so my style is far more relaxed than you young whippersnappers  and I don't fall over when I stop.  Each to their own with the right tools for the job guys as long as we are all happy and safe, eh.
 
  PB

[pitternator]

a. owners do get used to deterioration in all vehicles, so always do ones own comparisons...
 
b. try riding a sorted well kept cb1300 cos they are genuinely nice to ride, no vices that I found...

[purplebear7]

Mines quite good on Tyres too 

[flesh]

I had 2 Gen 1's before I bought a CB1300 and kept it for 3 years. Also owned all of the above mentioned "muscle Bikes". CB is a great bike. Engine not as good as the GSX or the XJR and handling not as good as the ZRX but a better sorted all round bike. Build quality is generally good, although rear shocks and engine casings can corrode if not managed correctly.
Can be a bit vibey, especially around the 4-5k mark which annoyingly is around 70mph but this is often down to poorly adjusted balance shaft.
Main issue that "some" owners have had, and it is well remarked in the bike press is they can jump out of 4th/5th gear on "hard" accelleration. Did not find that myself and if you ar riding the bike like that they you have bought the wrong bike IMO. Only has 5 gears though which even after 3 years I still could not get used to.
Very comfortable and a good all round bike in a torquy way. Don't need to use gears much just stick it into 4th for most things. Would I buy another.....not at the expense of a Gen 1 or 2. Personally I would prefer to own a ZRX again if it was a choice of all the muscle bikes.