the Ferret
Daily rider since May 1965
Yes shaft drive and hydraulic valves to boot, so no valve adjustments. What a concept
Is the classic sport-touring motorcycle doomed to extinction?
- Thread starter Andrew Shadow
- Start date
I wish Honda would have made a interstate version of the Night Hawk, would be the perfect bike for me.
A shaft-drive Nighthawk would have been the CB750S in Canada; in the US it was the CB700S.
Donk
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2010
- Messages
- 296
- Location
- Burlington, WI
- Bike
- V100 Mandello /Norge
- 2025 Miles
- 003007
I had a Honda Ascot VT500. V-thiwn, 500cc, 6 speed, and....drum roll please..shaft drive! Plus it was wicked cool looking. High on the list of what the heck did I sell that for.
This is just a picture I found not my bike.
This is just a picture I found not my bike.
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
I've been looking. Why? Well, can't really explain it but seems like it may be time to move on. The ST's drive splines are a little worn and the exhaust is rusted to the point where it has a hole. Yeah, I know both of these can be addressed, its just money and time. NC750X seems a reasonable replacement. I can live with a chain, an auto oiler takes care of that. Or an F800GT. ABS and slightly lighter wouldn't be a bad thing. The NC750X would probably slow me down a bit, again, not a bad thing....
OP
OP
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Sounds like a big change of heart from you.
Many of your previous posts sounded like those of someone who would have the ST1100 for as long as it would run, never any indication of any desire to get rid of it.
the Ferret
Daily rider since May 1965
Funny.... an NC 750X is my daily rider. I don't normally wear ear plugs. Yesterday I wore some, and on yesterday's ride, EVERY TIME I looked down at the speedometer, I was speeding. It's like I lost the sensation of how fast I was going, because I couldn't hear the wind. Not hearing it (due to ear plugs), not feeling it (due to taller touring windshield), and just riding how I felt like riding (a good comfortable pace) is a recipe for tickets lol.
Sadlsor
Site Supporter
I've been wearing earplugs for years on every ride, short, long, or in between.
Even so, I started too late.
But I get tired later than I otherwise would, without them.
Even so, I started too late.
But I get tired later than I otherwise would, without them.
the Ferret
Daily rider since May 1965
and you (everyone) should wear ear plugs! Especially younger folks who have lots of time left to hear things. I just never did...neither does my younger brother, we just grew up riding without them and our hearing has suffered for it. Motorcycles, shooting guns and listening to rock-n-roll certainly did not do our ears any favors. We both have tinnitus bad 24/7/365. Now at 74 and 72 years old we both feel we are beyond help when it comes to wearing ear plugs while riding. I encourage my son who is only in his mid 40's to wear them when he rides, and if I'm still on the planet when my grandkids move from the dirt/back yard to the street, (the closest possible rider will be 13 this year), I will certainly encourage them to wear them. I wish I had.
my point of the above post though, was an NC 750 doesn't mean you are going to slow down, you have to consciously force yourself to slow down no matter what you are riding.
OP
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Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Logic that has always escaped me. If there is already significant damage and hearing loss it seems to me that it is even more important to protect what remains as there is less race track to go to becoming deaf. I do agree with your point about the effects of riding with ear plugs however. They make the ride feel deceptively slower than without them.
I am not in the market for a different motorcycle but, unlike most other newer motorcycles on the market, the NC did catch my interest. Weather protection is important to me because of where I ride. How does the NC, in stock configuration, compare to the ST1300 as far as weather protection goes. Is it significantly worse, significantly better, more or less the same?
the Ferret
Daily rider since May 1965
I know.....I think I've just given up on trying to save my hearing. Basically ,I don't think I have much time left (but who knows) and I'd rather just ride and not worry about it. I've also never found an earplug I've found satisfactory for either installation or comfort. I've tried custom molded kits, tapered foam and silicone gel. None I am particularly comfortable with.
I think most of the NC riders find the stock windshield rather lacking and go to a taller shield. MOST opt for the Madstat in a shield height per Madstat's recommendation 18-22-24". Not only is the Madstat available in different heights and tints but I believe somewhat adjustable for angle. They are also pricy compared to other shields. Perhaps @dduelin will see this and respond.The shield on the NC is a fixed position shield.
I went with the Givi touring shield which I find adequate, but then again, I'm a "good enough" kinda guy....HJC modular helmets, Tourmaster Jackets, pants and gloves, stay at Comfort Inns, and I have no issues with eating McDonalds or Wendy's if you get my drift. I don't run a GPS, or a TPMS or any number of the "must have's" riders swear by these days. Just an old guy riding a motorcycle. I don't do custom seats, or upgraded suspension bits, or sintered brake pads, or synthetic oil, or Lithium-Ion batteries, or ...... lol. I just buy motorcycles and ride them.... a lot.
Most NC riders also go with some kind of hand guards mostly Givi I think. I don't use those either.
There is probably not a new bike that compares to the ST 1300 for wind protection other than maybe a BMW RT or a Goldwing, an even those guys buy new windshields.
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I can't recall the last time I rode with the windshield up. I tend to leave it down and enjoy the breeze. Course, most of my riding these days is spent commuting no more than 30 minutes.
OP
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Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
I like having good weather protection. I'm not looking for more breeze when there is ice on the seat and it is -5°C for the first couple of hours when I start out.
I keep the shield adjusted so that I am just looking over it and rarely move it.
the Ferret
Daily rider since May 1965
On my NC I run a pair of windshields. Right now, I am running my "touring/winter shield which I use for trips and for cold weather. I run it from Nov 1 to May 1, then I switch to my "summer shield" a stock NC shield cut down so that I can feel the wind when it's in the 80's and 90's. If I am going on a tour, I throw on the taller shield and switch back to the shorter shield when I get back home.
Pictured below are my summer shield (left) the stock NC shield (center .... which is not good for summer or winter or touring) and my touring/winter shield (right)
summer
winter/touring
I ran cut down summer shields on my ST1300 (below), and my FJR because I also like feeling the wind.
My other bike is a naked CB 1100 ..no shield at all.
Pictured below are my summer shield (left) the stock NC shield (center .... which is not good for summer or winter or touring) and my touring/winter shield (right)
summer
winter/touring
I ran cut down summer shields on my ST1300 (below), and my FJR because I also like feeling the wind.
My other bike is a naked CB 1100 ..no shield at all.
ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
Speaking of hearing protection. A little story of my own about how I came to use earplugs. It was TexStoc of 2002 that I attended, my third TexStoc after Moving to Wichita Falls TX in late 98. I had a friend from Bettendorf Iowa , A retired Army Officer who I had met at a previous TexStoc. He rode down from Iowa and stayed overnight at my place in WF and then we rode down together to Alpine TX. At this time I had been riding motorcycles for about 20 years and was riding a 1992 ST1100 at the time. My Friend was riding a 1991 SSM ST1100. Well to make a long story short, TexSToc was nearing the end and we all were about ready to depart and head our different ways home, when my friend noticed I was not installing ear plugs in my ears when we were mounting up. He immediately chastised me and educated me about the virtues of earplug use when riding motorcycle. Handed me a pair and ordered me to put them in my ears. Said he would not ride with me if I did not use earplugs. Him being a retired Army Officer and me being a retied Army enlisted SGT. I agreed to wear them. I hated to have something in my ears. Never did get use to wearing earplugs in my Army days when on the weapon's ranges. But there it was required. For some reason my military bearing rose up from a long retired sleep and it was "Yes Sir" and the plugs went into my ears. It took about two weeks of wearing earplugs to get use to them and now after 20 more years of riding I can not stand to ride with out earplugs in my ears. It is actually painful to ride with out them. Yes I do have a case of tinnitus, but I was still able to hear my grand daughter's laughter when they were younger. So with all this said I want to Thank John O for that Order some 20 years ago. Thank you Maj O and I salute you.
One bit of wisdom I like to share with my Younger friends and family is wear your protective gear. When I entered the Transmission trade safety gear was hard to get, earplugs? Roll up some toilet paper and stuff it in your ear. Washing parts in Solvent with bare hands, now wondering how I got blood cancer! So yeah my ears have a constant hiss and the right has lost some frequency's .
Sadlsor
Site Supporter
Just this morning I saw a farcebook reel of a Harley rider, jeans, sleeves cut off his shirt, no helmet (!), and he somehow locked the rear tire on a straight piece of road (!!), and lowsided... he was running a 360 camera, and it showed him tumbling on the highway, the bike slid a loooooong way unattended.
He got up severely rashed, including the left half of his face and head. An unnecessary mess, bright red, and from experience I know it will be painful for longer than even Patty's (unrelated) burned foot.
We don't post such gore on this site, so it's just a reminder... but you do you.
John OoSTerhuis
Life Is Good!
You are quite welcome, dear friend. A cherished memory. You did embellish the story a bit.
John
I just came from Florida. Not many are wearing gear/helmets, especially the cruisers. Lots of scooters in towns and nobody is in gear or helmets.
I'm not the one who would judge anyone's decisions for themselves.
BTW, how did he lock the rear wheel and went down? Went sideways? Got link?