[net.cycle] Touring Query

macrev (11/30/82)

I ride a 1979 Honda CM400T, and it's beginning to look like I won't
be getting anything bigger for a while.  I want to take a trip this
spring -- about 1500 miles roundtrip.  The question:  Will my 400cc
bike stand up to two or three days of nearly constant revving for
six or seven hours each day? (I have to assume, of course, that my
body will stand the punishment.)  Is there really any reason that I
can't tour on a medium-sized bike?  Seems to me people used to do it
on even smaller bikes.

NOTE: My bike has 15000 miles on it.  At 55 mph it cranks 5200 rpm,
      and it's redlined at about 9500.


                                        Thanks,

                                        Mike Lynch
                                        BTL Short Hills
                                        (201)564-2571
                                        mhuxi!macrev

hsc (12/01/82)

We have, over the years, seen quite a few people touring (one-up)
on the old Honda CB350 twins.  My wife had a used CB350-IV (four 
cylinders, 325 actual cc's, 10,500 rpm redline, ~6,000 rpm cruise).
She took it N.J. to the Florida Keys and back, and also on a 10,000-mile
grand tour of the U.S. and Canada, including LOTS of mountains,
plus deserts, etc.  Only trouble in all that time was a weeping head gasket
that the Honda shop in Flathead Lake, Montana, fixed in less than a day.
She sold the bike to a friend when she bought her current CX500.
The friend recently tore down the CB350 because it had ~40,000 miles
and because he was taking a mechanic's course and wanted to practice.
The engine was in essentially perfect shape, so he dusted it off and put
it back together.
     "Constant revving" does not hurt modern bike engines; they love it.
Short (2~3 miles) trips, infrequent use, infrequent oil changes,
lugging in too high a gear, and (less often) drag-racing behavior are
what hurt.  
Change the oil and filter regularly, service the chain, and watch
the tire pressure and battery water, and your CM400T will take you anywhere.
Have fun, Harvey S. Cohen  BTL-LZ1C314 (201)576-6059 houxn!hsc
Lincroft, N. J.

kos (12/02/82)

#R:houxn:-32300:uiucdcs:8800004:000:470
uiucdcs!kos    Dec  1 17:18:00 1982

I would agree with the previous respondent.  I ride a '73 Honda CB450
(the old DOHC twin) and I have made several long road trips.  Never
a problem.  I do ride alone, however, and I could see two-up touring
putting an extra edge of wear on things, but it's been my experience
that the bike has plenty of power to spare, even at highway (> 55 mph)
speeds.  Your 400 should be just fine.


(By the way:  I live in central Illinois and ride through Illinois and
Missouri.)