How far would you go on an old bike? | GTAMotorcycle.com

How far would you go on an old bike?

happycrappy

happycrappy

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Just curious, as the title says.....How far would you tour on an old bike? I bought a 1975 CB360....very low original miles, and I know the previous owner well (bike mechanic). Just wondering what other riders would do, I thought about trying Vermont for a first trip
 
I don't think the age of a bike would bother me as much as the comfort... but it all depends. I took a trip circa 1990 on a 74... I started by heading east.. I got to Peterboro.. and decided to rest and take in the scenery.. so that was about a 2hr trip... next day i made it to Lake Dore, next day to Ottawa.. next day to Whiteface Mtn... and so on... I only traveled about 2hrs ea day., then stopped to visit...

I don't fit on CB350 very well any more.. I am "bigger" ... and it isn't as comfortable to ride long distance.... so assuming you are young, fit the bike, don't have any worries,,,, then you are on a pretty reliable bike, and I would say... be like Forest Gump... just keep going!

Once you get to Vermont.. Head south to Blue Ridge Parkway.. Tail of the Dragon... see you in Daytona for Bike week.. then back home by the coast ... Myrtle Beach, Hatteras, Washington,, Boston, Maine, Nova Scotia, PEI , NewBrunswick, PQ,. and back to Ontario...

I bet you could do that in 2 weeks!
 
Check the valves, change oil, give the carbs a bit of seafoam and you should be good to go.
 
I have a 1975 CB750 and am doing this trip this summer.
The red line is approximate and doesn't show a visit to Colorado. :)

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I wouldnt go far on an old bike that hasnt been properly maintained. But id say the same
Thing on a new bike thats been abused and not maintained. Id be more likely to ride an old bike than a new in the same condition just because all i need is a phillips and a few sockets to fix almost everything on an old bike.
 
How experienced you are with bike maintenance and repair would also play a factor.
 
I have a 96 Virago 1100, which comparatively isn't as old as your CB, and I was doing 1100-1200km weekends all the time last summer. Toronto to Georgian bay, up Hwy 6 to Tobermory, then back down the peninsula and east to Blue, Collingwood before hitting Barrie and back home. Once again comparatively nowhere near as long as the illustrated tour of the US, but for an inner city fella who rides with all modern supersport riders, I def felt like I was going far on an old bike :p
Just make sure your maintenance is up to date and your backpack is well packed ;)

-W

Ps ALWAYS carry a tool kit and It's VERY helpful to be mechanically inclined or have a rider who is with you on these adventures. My friends rad hose burst on his 02 R1 while we were on a dirt road in the middle of buttf*ck nowhere outskirts of Bracebridge. We pulled the fairings and the hose, doubled up on the 'Rago and rode to the nearest home hardware about half an hour away. Bought a similar diameter rubber hose and some clamps. Once back at the broken down machine we managed to pull over some locals and after a few tries found a guy with a hacksaw and some screwdrivers. Sawed the hose to the right length and got everything back together just as night fell. If we werent able to get the thing fixed we would've been sleeping with the bears waitin for CAA.

Im a firm believer that motorcycle ownership is very different from that of a cage, and every rider should know how, or be learning, to repair/maintain his machine. End of my rant :)

-W
 
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happycrappy said:
Just curious, as the title says.....How far would you tour on an old bike? I bought a 1975 CB360....very low original miles, and I know the previous owner well (bike mechanic). Just wondering what other riders would do, I thought about trying Vermont for a first trip
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IMO, Should be no problem mechanically since it's low mileage, and maintained by a MC mechanic. The size/light weight of the bike will make highway/freeway travel dicey though. Try to avoid those.
 
Suprised no one has yet mentioned Robert Pirsig and Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. The book is based on an actual road trip that he made 2 up with son on a bike smaller than your CB360 - about a 300cc machine if memory serves me. I've done week long trips on bikes built in the 70's. Follow the advice above and you should be good.
 
dirtbag said:
Suprised no one has yet mentioned Robert Pirsig and Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. The book is based on an actual road trip that he made 2 up with son on a bike smaller than your CB360 - about a 300cc machine if memory serves me. I've done week long trips on bikes built in the 70's. Follow the advice above and you should be good.
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I'm actually halfway through that book as we speak, lol. Luckily I'm no stranger to bikes or long trips, just not on a really old machine. Riding for 23 years, I've owned 34 bikes prior to this one, and just did the Cabot trail last year solo on my KLR (rode home non-stop....don't recommend that on a KLR!). The trips I plan with this little bike are very much keeping what old riders used to do in mind. I'm a big guy, but I don't intend on spending much time on the super-slab, and I'm really lucky finding this particular bike. The carbs have already been rebuilt, brakes and tires are new, and it has 6000 original miles, on the road for the last couple of years as well, so no barn rust!
 
My biggest worry would be plastic and that includes wire insulation. It dries out with time, connections corrode and come loose.

That said if you are OK with some possible roadside fiddling a simple bike shouldn't be a big problem.

One concern with older bikes is that if you do have problems some dealers won't work on the old stuff or have parts. You have to find the local Rosie Toes.
 
nobbie48 said:
My biggest worry would be plastic and that includes wire insulation. It dries out with time, connections corrode and come loose.

That said if you are OK with some possible roadside fiddling a simple bike shouldn't be a big problem.

One concern with older bikes is that if you do have problems some dealers won't work on the old stuff or have parts. You have to find the local Rosie Toes.
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If you worked on the bike yourself and what not, I wouldn't hestitate to travel anywhere with the bike, but its all about how comfortable you are with the condition of the bike.

Older bikes are like older cars, more stuff that'll fail and I'm just not sure I want to risk it all.
 
hope for the best and plan for the worst. Don't leave home underfunded, take the names and numbers of an owners club for the brand you ride, there are global support groups for nearly every brand, join one. BMW owners group is outstanding. Best tool you can carry is a Visa card with a large limit.
 
I took a 1980 Goldwing down to Front Royal Virginia and back. I knew the bike well though as I had been commuting round trip almost 300 kms per day with it for 2 years. I also spent a lot of money at Rosey Toes on the bike over those years.
 
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