Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Votes - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Honda GL650
Author Message
Nortoon Offline
High Mileage

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,409
Joined: Jan 2015
Post: #1
Honda GL650
Went to a vintage motorcycle rally last Saturday. There were the usual European motorcycles and a few Japanese ones on display. But the one that caught my eye was a Honda GL650 in the parking lot. It looked very much like this one.
   
Although I had seen the smaller GL500 Silverwings, I had never seen one of these before. It's a 650cc V-twin with shaft drive. No greasy chain to mess with.

Too bad medium sized inexpensive touring bikes are no longer made, except Yamaha's European 700cc Tracer.

2017 CB1100 EX
07-19-2017 10:33 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Cormanus Offline
Moderator

Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,660
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #2
RE: Honda GL650
That's both a lovely bike and a wise thing to say, Nortoon.

In the prevailing world view, if it doesn't have a capacity in excess of 1500 ccs and weigh better than half a tonne, it is not an acceptable bike to cruise on. Such proposition, while an opinion to be pondered, is rubbish. You can cruise happily on a well setup 750cc bike. As I continue to age (because 10W 50 doesn't seem to stop it) and decay continues, I hope such an option appears in the market. If it's right that Boomers actually rule the world, it will. A modern, fuel injected CB750 Four weighing in at 2/3 of the CB1100's curb weight would be just the ticket for a last hurrah.

Of course, it is possible that the boomers' bigger-is-better view will trump that wish.
(This post was last modified: 07-20-2017 02:50 AM by Cormanus.)
07-20-2017 02:50 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Henrik Offline
Running Like a Top

Switzerland
Posts: 547
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #3
RE: Honda GL650
There was the Honda Deauville. It almost has a cult following in some places in Europe specifically for the reasons above: reasonably sized touring bike with shaft drive! Not necessarily the best looking bike, but extremely reliable.

İmage
07-20-2017 04:45 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Cormanus Offline
Moderator

Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,660
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #4
RE: Honda GL650
Can't make the link work, Henrik.
07-20-2017 04:57 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
redbirds Offline
Been There

Patterson, GA, USA
Posts: 4,591
Joined: Jan 2014
Post: #5
RE: Honda GL650
Mid displacement bikes make excellent tourers. My old '73 R75 fitted with a Vetter fairing and some throw over bags was a comfortable long distance bike. Easy to service at roadside, great fuel mileage, light weight and safe handling. I had friends who owned the GL650 and they were fine rides and reliable as well.

The Deauville was sold in the US as well but sales were weak and it was dropped. A pity as it was a good bike. Used examples are quite common and go for fire-sale prices.

1 Cor 13:4-7 (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
(This post was last modified: 07-20-2017 05:45 AM by redbirds.)
07-20-2017 05:42 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
ClassicVW Offline
High Mileage

New Jersey, USA
Posts: 1,415
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #6
RE: Honda GL650
NT700 was only sold here in U.S. 2010 and 2011. Cormanus is right on with his comment about the belief of 'needing' a huge bike for touring. I actually owned 2 NT700s at different times. (Deauville to the rest of the world) It's the Honda Accord of motorcycles. Very capable but very boring. If you can get past the boring part, it's fine. I couldn't.

--George
[i]"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day that you find out why" [/i]-- Mark Twain
07-20-2017 06:57 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Hondahawkrider Offline
Running Like a Top

Maryland
Posts: 311
Joined: Feb 2014
Post: #7
RE: Honda GL650
(07-20-2017 06:57 AM)ClassicVW Wrote:  NT700 was only sold here in U.S. 2010 and 2011. Cormanus is right on with his comment about the belief of 'needing' a huge bike for touring. I actually owned 2 NT700s at different times. (Deauville to the rest of the world) It's the Honda Accord of motorcycles. Very capable but very boring. If you can get past the boring part, it's fine. I couldn't.
Honda screwed the pooch on the NT700.. badly..

The price was stupid expensive for what it was.. The deauville especially the previous model i.e. 650 was a hawk gt with hard bags. I had a hawk gt and loved it, I was seriously interested in a NTv when it came out.. Howver, I wasn't interested in one at 10G when they came out.. The initial hawk gt came out in the late 80's , so we're talking about a 20 year old concept that's been reworked/updated. For less $ one could pick up a used st11/1300, which while not as flickable, is an excellent sports torturer..

That said, I've seen good slightly used ones for sale.. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used one, it's just I don't have a need for one now...

[u]'13 cb1100[/u] came with black grab rails, headlight & side covers, hagofuku front/rear fenders, and cats eye blinkers.[u]Added by me[/u]: Staintune Slip-on, Moriwaki sliders, Sport Trunk Seat, Lucas black taillight
07-20-2017 07:26 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
ClassicVW Offline
High Mileage

New Jersey, USA
Posts: 1,415
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #8
RE: Honda GL650
"expensive for what it was".... I agree with that. The same has been said about our CB's MSRP.
And the fact that by the time people knew it was being sold, it was gone.

If I can resist the urge to get what's new right away, The past 4 bikes I've bought were very low miles examples that were technically 2 model years old, but the cost to me was at least 30% and sometimes 40% off the new MSRP.

--George
[i]"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day that you find out why" [/i]-- Mark Twain
07-20-2017 08:42 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Henrik Offline
Running Like a Top

Switzerland
Posts: 547
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #9
RE: Honda GL650
What constitutes boring when it comes to bikes, or vehicles in general for that matter, is hard to state. Saying that a bike is boring is obviously a very subjective statement, but as much as it may be difficult to say what bikes are boring, we should at least be able to determine what defines boring.

I would tend to say that for me to qualify a bike as boring it implies that the bike just does not stir any emotion in me. This is then really down to the sum of both the looks and the dynamics of the bike, as we can have a bike that visually does nothing for me, but riding it brings many emotions. The opposite can then be true as well, the visual aspect is very appealing but riding the bike does nothing. I suppose I should provide some examples of these to clarify a bit more.

Take a bike like the MZ Skorpion. On paper to start with it seems rather uninteresting with a 650 single cylinder engine from Yamaha and rather basic equipment. That engine certainly does not fill me with a desire to experience the performance it will produce! The look then really does nothing for me, and I find it bland leaning on ugly. Basically before riding it I certainly would qualify this bike as boring, and most likely would not bother to try it. But then I did try it, and I was immediately hooked. It does not provide any exceptional performance, and is not comfortable, but as soon as I would get the bike on a fun and twisty road, the emotions would flow! The handling was great, and it was light and agile. Basically it made me smile, and that at a reasonable speed (and price). So, no, not a boring bike.

Then I could take a Triumph Bonneville 900 (and may possibly and up receiving some insults here!). Looking at it really brings some emotions. Whenever I see one in the street, I stop for a second look. There are some more beautiful than others, and there was particularly a light blue limited edition one sold here that I was really lusting after. Thus far, absolutely not boring! But then I tried it, and I nearly fell asleep. Seriously, there was really a total lack of emotion here for me. Everything worked well enough, but there was no power, no torque, no exceptional braking etc. I found it exceedingly bland, and to be honest much preferred the Kawasaki W800 when it came to riding. The thing is, the Bonnie was to me better looking. So, again, not a boring bike, but if I only was concerned about the ride it would be boring.

Now what about the star of this forum? Well, I had read a number of tests about the CB1100 before going to try it out, and I expected to find it boring. Well, boring as far as the ride goes because there is certainly nothing boring with the looks! The thing is, riding it I did not find it boring either. Sure, it does not have an exceptional performance, and it doesn’t make a lot of noise etc., but what it does is that it is so perfectly engineered that it totally lets me enjoy the actual ride. That certainly provides me with a positive emotion, and so I so do not find it to be boring. I enjoy riding it in any environment and under any circumstance. I the city, moving slowly and stopping often, I enjoy it because it is so smooth and easy, and the appreciative looks (and sometimes vocal compliments) that I get make it all the more fun. Then cruising on a mountain road I can go at an easy pace and enjoy the scenery, or I can push a bit harder and the package delivers fun in spades. Outright performance is not stellar, but it makes it feel fun at reasonable speeds. I could go on, but I am sure you get the picture.

I suppose though that some will find the Deauville to be boring. The looks are rather bland, and I doubt anybody will find it to be a beautiful bike. It does not make any nice rumbling sound, and the performance is nothing special. Having tried one, a 650, I found it to be competent but uneventful. My biggest gripe at the time was the lack of torque, and so especially riding two-up it was in my opinion lacking in performance. As a result, I just really was not enjoying it, and moved on. To me, it was boring as it just didn’t stir any emotion. I know others that have found it perfect for what they wanted, and as a result they have enjoyed many tours on them, thus providing them with loads of emotions. For them, it is not boring!
07-21-2017 07:00 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
ClassicVW Offline
High Mileage

New Jersey, USA
Posts: 1,415
Joined: Aug 2014
Post: #10
RE: Honda GL650
We tend to remember the best memories and forget the troubles. The past couple of years I felt the need for some nostalgia from my first riding years. So, I bought (not all at the same time) a Honda Silverwing, a 900 Custom, a CB550F, and a Hawk 400. All were fun, but only as a second or third part-time ride. They made me realize I've been spoiled by modern shocks, brakes, fuel injection, and horsepower.
Oh, and less maintenance and "tinkering".

--George
[i]"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day that you find out why" [/i]-- Mark Twain
(This post was last modified: 07-21-2017 12:15 PM by ClassicVW.)
07-21-2017 12:10 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


[-]
Forum Friends
Premium Exhausts & Unique Parts from Japan

[-]
Recent Posts
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
Interesting dilema, Mr. P... my vote wou . . .pdedse — 08:16 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
The same bike not even broken in wit . . .Ollie — 08:09 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
I've been riding since I was a kid a . . .The ferret — 07:52 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
I am grateful for a cage that keeps me w . . .GoldOxide — 06:30 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
:rofl:The ferret — 06:04 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
A new Camry should last till the next Ic . . .Gone in 60 — 05:39 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
That is a very good story, Ferret. In . . .The ferret — 03:58 PM
Triumph Thruxton RS Final Edition
I don't know about that... they're easy . . .Gone in 60 — 03:50 PM

[-]
Statistics
» Members: 6,521
» Latest member: gregb6718
» Forum threads: 15,974
» Forum posts: 329,787

Full Statistics

>
Forum Jump: