WOW, we have such a great Honda dealership here!
OK, so after work today -- I work 9 to 3 Mon - Fri. -- I rode over to the dealership. I explained how the CB was making my leg hurt so bad. Was not looking for sympathy, just telling them how it was for me.
Both Bruce and Linda (the owners / sales team) were very kind and gave me an old 1999 Honda 'Reb to ride for 2 or 3 days. I was at first VERY hesitant because the 'Reb looks so tiny! And I hear on you tube about how grossly underpowered and lethargic and slow these bikes are.
I owned one back eons ago, but back then I just rode back roads, no insurance, no license even! I grew up in a rural farm community. Times were very different back then!!! Back in 1990, my 85 Reb seemed like a big bike. Not anymore! LMAO!
I figured "what the heck!", they said with all seriousness that I was in no way obligated to take this or a new one. The entire reason I am riding
this one is to see if I wanted to buy a NEW one.
This '99 model has saddle bags and a chrome engine guard, and has almost 7000 miles on it.
On to my own personal "review":
First things first, I can not fathom why on earth people talk shit about the little Reb. Sure, you are not going to win any stoplight drag races with anything faster than your basic economy car, BUT, tis is in all reality, an economy bike! My own 0-60 time after 4 runs was about 12 seconds each time. 0 to 45 seemed very peppy! It was the 45 to 60 part where it started to slow the increase of speed. So in town, it was perfectly suited.
Remembering the WILL200 fell on it's face at anything above 50 GPS MPH, I took off down the 4 lane to the Kentucky Lake / LBL area. The posted speed limit is 65MPH on this road, with several 3% to 4% hills that are in the 1/4 to 1/2 mile long from bottom to top. So I got it up to 75 MPH with the greatest of ease (expecting to be doing about 60 MPH at the top of the hill).
Nope! 75 at the bottom, 75 at the top! 0_0
Make no mistake, the CB300 could have done it at 90 MPH.
Still, "Rebels are slow. Rebels are Slow. REBELS ARE SLOWWWW!!!" kept echoing through my mind. Oh, really? 75 MPH up a 4% hill is NOT SLOW in my book!!!!
So after a continuous multi road test ride over the course of nearly 2 hours and almost 80 miles, it brought up the BIG issue with me.
Comfort!!!
The bike, for the lack of a better example, rides like a Mercedes. I have a 2004 S class, so trust me, I have a long term sound knowledge base to compare this to!!!!
The seat COULD use just a wee bit more padding. Initially as soon as my but hit the seat it was like "Oh yeah!!!" Nearly 2 hors later the thick padding had flattened out a bit and was just at the beginning of feeling more hard than plush.
Now, keep in mind, this is on a 16 year old, 7000 mile used bike.
I would dare to speculate that the seat has lost at least some of its original firmness since 1999. The still new but never sold 2014 model in the showroom did feel just a tiny bit firmer when I plopped down on it before taking the used one out the door.
Having said all that, I know Yamaha makes the V-star 250.
And it sounds like a 600. Somehow, some way, it just does. The V-Star just flat out sounds great! But there is no Yamaha dealer here anymore. Closest one is over an hour away.
And I have heard from many folks that if oyu walk in with cash, they are fine. But try to trade anything at all in, even a Yama bought from them, and they just have no desire to deal with you at all. And it is not just one or 2 that have told me that. I have heard it MANY times over the years.
SO, my Cb sits in the shop getting a 300 mile checkup & oil change,
and the used Reb is in my garage.
In 2 days I will know the outcome of if I trade or not.
Oddly, the new Reb is $4300.00, where as my new CB300F, a much newer design high tec EFI 6-speed transmission, digital dash bike was only $3999. And they have been building the Reb, virtually unchanged, since 1985!!!! And the NEW Reb still uses a Carburetor!!!!!
Now, I will not go into detail about my personal feelings of "Carb Vs. EFI"
I will just answer with: I prefer carb(s).
Maybe because you don't have to be a ITT Tec grad with a fancy computer to work on them! LOL Or have a bike shut down on mile 233 of a 350 mile ride and leave you stranded because ONE of the 9 sensors went "What?" HAHAHAHA!!!!
And oh lord don't get me started on the new EPA Tier4 diesel engine troubles!!!!
Andywhoooooooooo, back to my story,
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ummmmmmm, "that is all I have to say about that" --- Gump