NBT, The sub 5k commuter

[Taff]

actually quite a lot sub £5k with colour coded paniers as well.

I've only ridden it about 60 miles up the motorway and I'm super impressed with it, it goes, stops and handles really nicely and is mega easy to ride

more in depth review to come when I've got some milage on it

[KungFooBob]

I looked at one once, they have an adjustable seat.

The idea was on the low position the wife could ride and on high I could. Didn't bother in the end.

That one looks in fabulous condition.

[Noggin]

I rode one of those last autumn. Bloody excellent bike Downside for me (as a spazzy shortarse) was that it was top heavy. Normally totally fine, but on little mountain roads with hairpins I struggled. But that's more down to short legs and only one good arm than the bike!

Enjoy

[Bigjawa]

Mate had one. Probably the most "Honda" bike on the roads today. A modern UJM.

[Taff]

I looked at one once, they have an adjustable seat.

The idea was on the low position the wife could ride and on high I could. Didn't bother in the end.

That one looks in fabulous condition.

I was having a poke around it yesterday evening and was surprised by how far the seat can be adjusted, it looks to be about and inch up and down from its current position.

First problem revealed itself, the clutch was pretty heavy so I popped the lever off and cleaned & lubed the pivot, but now that the lever is moving nicely the master cylinder piston isn’t.

I’m going to try giving it a clean and bleed new fluid into it first but I expect to be buying a rebuild kit.

[Taff]

I bled the clutch but that didn’t really make too much difference, the movement was better but not quite right so I ordered a master cylinder repair kit.

Fitting that kit was amazingly easy, basically just removing a circlip, pulling some stuff out and putting new bits back in. It took longer to bleed afterwards.
So now the lever action is smooth but still heavier than I’d like so maybe I need to have a quick look at the shave cylinder end.

[Rockburner]

I bled the clutch but that didn’t really make too much difference, the movement was better but not quite right so I ordered a master cylinder repair kit.

Fitting that kit was amazingly easy, basically just removing a circlip, pulling some stuff out and putting new bits back in. It took longer to bleed afterwards.
So now the lever action is smooth but still heavier than I’d like so maybe I need to have a quick look at the shave cylinder end.

Maybe it's just a slightly heavy clutch?

[dern]

I test rode one of those years ago. Not what I wanted at the time but a very easy and smooth bike to ride. Nice.

[Taff]

Maybe it's just a slightly heavy clutch?

Yeah maybe it is, as it stands its hugely improved so popping another couple of bolts out to have a quick look at the slave cylinder end is not difficult or time consuming

[Bigyin]

Quite a popular bike among the instructor crowd as they are comfy for a few hours, powerful enough and pretty bombproof engines. Never going to set the world alight but ideal for what you need

[Taipan]

Maybe it's just a slightly heavy clutch?

Yeah maybe it is, as it stands its hugely improved so popping another couple of bolts out to have a quick look at the slave cylinder end is not difficult or time consuming

I thought the point of a hydraulic clutch was to counter a heavy clutch action? So I'd keep looking too.

[Taff]

Thoughts after the first week on the CBF

Remember that I’ve been riding a tiger 800 XC for the last 10 years and 63k miles so am very very used to tall seat height, low pegs, high and wide bars and a massive madstad screen that shelters me very well from the weather and a 21” front wheel.


In comparison, riding the CBF it feels small, not exactly 125 small, but it’s so different with its low seat (on the middle setting), low and narrow bars and the screen is right down out of the way that it feels small. The clocks are analogue, quite small and a long way away, I haven’t worked out how accurate the speedo is yet but I suspect it over reads by a fair chunk, the clutch reservoir and front brake reservoir block the view to the warning lights and fuel gauge, curiously, there’s no temp gauge, so all in all the clocks are not very clear but useable.



The rest of the riding experience is exactly as per its reputation, THE easiest bike to ride, enough power to make good progress but drop it down a couple of gears and it really can get a wiggle on, handling is neutral and easy to roll into corners and the brakes are quite a bit more powerful than the tiger’s. I recon this makes it perfect for winter riding, I’ll just need to get a much bigger screen before winter comes or dig out the heated jacket again.

So overall, is it a dream bike? Hell no, not from the first couple of hundred miles, but it’s probably one of the best bikes for the job so it’s a massive thumbs up from me

[Taff]

oh, I forgot the VFM, £3k for a barely used, tamed & bullet proof fireblade engined, full luggage easy tourer has to be difficult to beat.

[v8-powered]

3k? Bargain I'd say....

[The Spin Doctor]

I haven’t worked out how accurate the speedo is yet but I suspect it over reads by a fair chunk

If it's anything like my Hornet... genuine 27 at indicated 30, 56 @ 60, 72 @ 80.

[Taff]

I pulled the slave cylinder off and found the push rod had a fair amount of crap on it, so I pulled it out and cleaned it with a bit of scotchbrite. The action at the clutch lever is now loverly and smooth.

180 miles out of the first tankful which works out at 50 mpg.

tomorrow I'll be stripping off most of the bodywork to fit my cameras, scottoiler and fuggin loud horn and quadlock mount. I may ACF50 it as well while it's clean

[KungFooBob]

Nice zero cost fix, my favourite type.

[Taff]

Since the end of may I've done about 5k miles, and I'm actually starting to like the bloody thing despite it being the dullest of dull Hondas.

For commuting the power delivery is just bloody perfect, top gear roll on from 40mph is plenty enough to nip past a car, giving it a fist full in second and banging it up through the gears makes for rapid enough progress. The brakes are a lot better than the Tigers, I think they're still on the oe pads.
The steering is not quite right though, leave go of the handlebars at 40 and it'll go straight into a head shaking tank slapper, I can't feel anything when riding but I know it's there waiting. This is a common problem with the CBF and I don't have the time / energy to worry about it too much.
It goes around bends well enough that the chicken strips are long gone and I've caught a toe on the tarmac a few times.

The plan was always to keep this bike for a year and swap it out for something that I really like, and there's loads that I've been looking into...890adv, 1090adv, f900xr, Africa twin, z1000sx etc etc. but in all honesty, having just commuted to work and back in the pissing rain, I think this could be here for quite a while longer

[Cousin Jack]

Of course you like it - it is a Honda!

That is not "dull", that is "practical", workmanlike" and "fit for purpose", not to mention "reliable"
"Dull" is just a rumour spread by other brands that are infested with gremlins.

[Skub]

It could be just the front tyre. Even in this enlightened day and age,some bikes still don't behave well with certain tyre patterns.