I'm planning a 1300 mile trip on the bike in 08. Does anyone have any advise about problems that might arise on a hurricane over a trip that long, i've kept up the maintenance on it regularly... i'm just trying to make sure all my bases are covered before i get on the trip.

 

I did a little over that many miles in two days, year-before-last on my CBR. I had the Speedometer Joint fail during the ride. This is a plastic coupling (Honda OEM part # 44808-MR7-013) that fits on the bolt head of the counter sprocket and connects to the end of the speedometer cable. Other than that, it was a great ride.

Robert Bashaw
www.RideHSTA.Com
LoweST Warm N Toasty Arkansas
CBR1000F
ST1100A2 STovokor
VFR800A5 Interprize

The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are
quite capable of every wickedness. - Joseph Conrad

 

Carry some tyreweld, and check your battery water level before leaving. I did 750 miles solo in a day last year on my old '90 - 4 fuel stops and 11 hours. If you haven't done a long one before, and don't know the route, check the road conditions. Take along a buddy if possible, (a definite must in Africa,) - and keep your mobile phone charged. It's the best way to ride, Hurricanes just gobble up tarmac ! I envy you !

 

Bring some chain lube and a full roadside repair kit.

 

Here is my ride report from that weekend ride.

Speedometer Joint

Just so you Arkansas potheads know, you don’t smoke this joint! This is a plastic coupling (Honda OEM part # 44808-MR7-013) that fits on the bolt head of the counter sprocket and connects to the end of the speedometer cable on my CBR1000F. This will be the fourth time I have replaced this gizmo. Every 10K miles the counter sprocket strips out the plastic joint and the speedometer quits working.

I googled the part number and several other people have had the same issue on many different Honda bikes. There are some creative solutions but nothing better than a replacement part. You would think Honda would take the hint that the part is defective and redesign the darn thing on a future production run. But, no, plastic parts deep inside a motor spinning at an ungodly rpm is good enough!

Every time this happens, I have to order the $2.50 part, pay $10 shipping, wait 30 days, take the bodywork off the CBR, flush the speedometer cable with camp fuel or cigarette lighter fluid, re-lube the cable with liquid graphite and reassemble everything. I cannot think of anything else she may need under there.

This time the speedometer joint quit working after leaving Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. I was in east Alabama on AL49 north headed towards Heflin, AL. It is disconcerting to look down at speed, see the speedometer bouncing and eventually stop. That was Saturday afternoon and I was listening to Robert Cray’s blues, “The Dream” in which years later he still dreams of her and all she has left him is “The Dream”. In his sleep, he reaches out for her but wakes up his wife instead. Damn, just be sure you get the name right or there could be a disappointment.

I guess that is how the CBR must feel when people mistake her for a BMW.

For me, it is never a disappointment when riding the CBR. No matter what type of riding she can do it all.

It appears the speedometer joint is the only fly in the ointment when it comes to the CBR. She growls her way into Douglasville, GA where we get a room for the night. Sunday morning bright and early, we are at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and as I am preparing to leave, a guy on a Harley pulls up, gets off his bike next to me and tells me that the CBR is the best-looking BMW he had ever seen. I thanked him and said, “but it’s a Honda”. He poked his fingerless gloves in his back pocket and said it was a good-looking bike anyway and moved on. Maybe it is the silver metal flake paint, maybe because it is the tankbra covers up the Honda & CBR decal. I don’t know why they think she’s a BMW.

I move on to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park then up stream to Stones River National Battlefield and on past Nashville where I stopped for gas again. I pull off the Interstate and into a Shell station and a guy walks up as I get off the bike.

The guy says, “I heard you coming in from the intersection, it sure is nice to hear a perfectly tuned motor. I wish I could get mine tuned like that.”

I thanked him and start to refuel when…

The guy says, “I really like the paint color. Mine is red.”

I shift my weight to the other foot and half wish he would go away but I told him that was a good-looking color.

[size=3]The g

 

My limited touring experience advises you to take 2 items.

(1) Gaffer tape
(2) Cable ties

My centre stand spring failed in Belgium and was cable tied in placethen oddly a number plate screw broke and I had to gaffer tape the plate on. Neither of these things could have been foreseen and boy wasI grateful for friends who had the tap and ties!!!!

Have a great trip.
Phil

 

Nice to see another California model ! Looks like you had a good time,,,,,,and you're not the first guy to have passers-by think that a CBR in silver is a BMW - I've had a few too....!!
Have a great New Year

 

Get some *** time, VERY IMPORTANT.
You need to toughen the buns or you will regret it about 200 miles out. Do some 50-mile days and then a few 100 milers. Plan your rides so that your body is rested before the long one. I have done 2,950 miles in three days on a CB750 with a 3/4 helmetand no windshield with tropical storms on my return leg. I didn’t get worn out until about 100 miles from home. I was running along about 75 to 80 MPH in very highwinds and rain all through out the night and into the day. I was running along side semi trucks that were blasting me. I was dodging owls all night. I was thinking about stopping but figured, what's the point? I was not tired or soar at that point and I was making good time as I had been riding for more than 24 hours. I was putting in a lot of saddle time before the trip and thinking back, that was a very important thing.

 

I see that you are from manchester. Where are you off to? For piece of mind (like others) I carry a small tool kit and a few odds and ends, like bulbs, cable ties, oil and a tyre repair kit. Also make sure that you have a good breakdown/recovery so if push come to shove, you can at least get home. This service should be supplied by your insurance co. I use footman james, who don't charge the earth.

 

I have done two longer trips over the past two years, 2500 and 3500 mile trips, and besides a speedometer joint, nothing have ever faild, broken, fallen off ect. Didn't even use one drop of oil.

These bikes are just bullet proff!!!

One thing for yourself though. Bring enough water, dehydration is your worst enemy on longer trips!!!