Letters
LETTERS
350 VERSUS 360
I’ve just finished reading the road test of the Honda CB360 in the March ’74 CYCLE WORLD. I agree with everything you said. I’d also like to pass along some opinions of my own.
Just after the 360s came out, I began looking for a new machine, and I planned to stay with Honda. I was thinking along the lines of a 350cc CB or CL. After arriving at the Honda shop, I looked over both the 360 and the 350. I also took a five-mile test drive on each. Granted, five miles isn’t a lot of mileage on which to base a comparison, but it was all I needed. I purchased a CL350.
After reading the 360 road test, I dug into my CYCLE WORLD files and found the November ’72 issue, in which you had test results of a CB350 that you tested for a year. After reading the 350 test again and comparing test results, I decided that for what the 360 offers, it’s not really worth the extra 100 or so dollars.
Test results on the 360 show actual top speed to be 96 mph; the 350’s is 90.63 mph. The extra 5.37 mph is really unimportant since you can’t go faster than 5 5 mph anyway and be legal about it. For 31 more ccs, that isn’t much of a boost in top speed anyway.
The front running lights/turn signals are a great idea, but the purchase of a 360 isn’t a must for this feature. An investment of about $13 for a set of 360 turn signals and an hour of spare time have provided me with front running lights and turn signals.
The same thing can be done to the rear of the bike. Using the original housings, front turn signal indicators from a car were modified to fit in the housing using a two-filament bulb (number 1157 or the equivalent). The rear takes a bit more time, but it works. The more a cyclist can be seen at night the better.
The braking test of the 360 was not too impressive compared to the 350 Lest. From 60 mph the 360 took 145 ft. to stop; the 350 took 138 ft. Your 350 test also shows that with 4500 miles on the odometer, the 350 only took 125.3 ft. to stop from 60 mph.
Assuming that the 360 you tested was relatively new, the quarter-mile time raises a question. The 360 clocked 15.19 sec., while the 350 clocked 15.17. It’s only .02 sec. different, but .02 sec. could win a quarter-mile run.
I’ve been a Honda owner and faiWRr a long time. I try to keep up on everything Honda does. But I sure don’t know why they felt that this 360 was the bike to make. It’s too bad both bikes aren’t being produced. Then the potential buyer could compare the two for himself.
But, if any of you out there in cycle land are considering the Honda 360 as your next mode of two-wheel transportation, try to find a shop that has both 350s and 360s (there are still some around). Ride them both, try to pass a nice comment on to the dealer about his new 360, then drive a 350 home. I’ll bet you’ll be glad you did!
Jeff Beck Wichita Falls, Texas
We’re certainly glad, Mr. Beck, that you read our tests so carefully and use our results as part of your criteria choosing a new motorcycle. There is^n your letter, however, a rather glaring contradiction or lapse in logic.
In regard to quarter-mile times, you say that the .02-sec. difference between the 360 and 350 can be quite crucial, while you say earlier that the 360’s 5.37-mph-higher top speed is not important because of the new 55-mph speed limit laws.
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First of all, if speed is so important to you in the one instance, why not in the other? And secondly, what about those days not so long ago when the speed limit was 65 mph? Were you then able to utilize the 350’s 90.63 top speed and still “be legal about it?”— Ed.
SPECIAL THANKS
For those of us who feel that the day is gone when people cared and would lend a helping hand, I would like to relate an incident that happened on our annual trip from Columbus, Ohio to Daytona, Fla. for the Daytona 200.
We Uad almost gotten around Atlanta, Ga. on the outer belt, when my Triumph threw a chain and the clutch key sheared when the chain locked around the engine sprocket. This happened at around 4 p.m. in rush hour traffic.
After 1 had pushed the bike up an exit ramp for what seemed like a mile, I called all the Triumph shops in and around Atlanta. They were either closed or three weeks behind and couldn’t work on my bike. Finally 1 talked to Bobby Pendley of Yamaha-Triumph in Doravill, Ga. and he agreed to pick up my bike and repair it.
It was about 40 miles around the outer belt to his shop, and I fully expected a rather stiff pickup charge. And, since it required keeping a mechanic four-and-one-half hours overtime to do the repair job, 1 could see a very large bill building up.
After an evening of watching a very competent and skilled mechanic, Ken Martin, work, and taking part in some very warm and friendly conversation, and being shown some of the Southern hospitality that you hear about, I was told that the total bill was $28.
When I asked about the small charge, I was told by Mr. Pendley with a big smile, “I didn’t want you to leave Georgia with a bad taste in your mouth.”
Needless to say I will always remember those warm, friendly and generous people. And wouldn’t it be great if all of us who are involved with motorcycles could be more like those true Southern gentlemen?
Lowell Sites Grove City, Ohio
XL350 TO THE AMAZON, ALMOST
Following is a brief account of my recent experiences that may interest your readers.
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Not long ago 1 departed Los Angeles on a new Honda, bound for Pucallpa, Peru and the Amazon. 1 have reached my destination without hardship, but the journey ended unexpectedly.
The simple, single-cylinder machine proved totally reliable and required only occasional routine maintenance. Rubber foot pegs helped calm the thumper’s vibration and, after break-m, it was comfortable between 60 and 70 mph. ! never needed more power.
A “OVá-gal.” Big River plastic gasoline tank was a snap to install, but it only holds three gallons and 1 was lucky to get I 50 miles from a full tank. Swallowing all sorts of foul gasoline, the bike was thrashed daily at 70-pius mph, with only an occasional ping. It would outrun 98 percent of the cars on the paved roads, and on the unpaved secondi^^ roads it was a champ.
Good paved roads, with frequent gas stations, now stretch over the entire distance to Panama, but there the road ends. Be prepared to wait a week or two before loading onto a freighter to Colombia; and wait with a weli-padded wallet.
I learned the hard way that South American customs are not as simple as those in Central America. A Carnet de Passage en Douanes (from the AAA) or a sizeable bond is required. Because of my limited time, and because the return of this bond is as dubious as the customs officials, I took the cheaper route and flew to Lima. My Honda took the slow boat home.
1 am a physician and will be working at Hospital Amazónica for the next four months.
Allan Abhj^ Pucallpa, Peru
INCLUSIVE INSURANCE
I am writing in regard to a letter about inclusive insurance from Paul G. Rochmis in your April issue.
1 own only one bike (a BMW R75/5), and have it insured with Reserve Insurance Co., 5115 Oak, Kansas City, MO 641 12. The policy has in it a provision for two or more motorcycles.
They offer full coverage very inexpensively, with additional discounts if you are over 21 or have been riding longer than a year. They also are fair (as far as insurance companies go). I hope I’ve helped a few fellow bikers.
David Braun Bryn Mawr, Pa.
TORTOISES NEED LAND TOO
The following letter was sent to mr by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. -Ed.
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“A lot of people don’t know why we are asking desert visitors not to use vehicles in our proposed tortoise preserve,” said Bakersfield District Manager Lou Boll of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The preserve has been proposed by BLM to help insure the preservation of the desert tortoise, a protected and diminishing desert animal that is also California’s State Reptile. The proposed area consists of the best habitat and the highest number of tortoises per square mile throughout their range.
BLM’s recent desert management program closed the area to recreational vehicle use, but a few people mistakenly continued to use vehicles and motorcycles in the area. BLM desert rangers patrolling the proposed preserve have contacted serveral parties and informed them of the high resource values of the area and that it is only open to foot travel. After learning of the area’s importance, the response has been excellent.
BLM recognizes that it will take time for people to learn of the reasons for closing the area, so it has developed an inexpensive way of providing on-site information. Interpretive signs will be used to show the area’s boundary and tell of the area’s unique values. The signs will be placed at major access points and along the boundary of the area.
“In this way, we hope vehicle users will provide the necessary cooperation to protect the area,” Boll said.
A copy of the interpretive sign follows.
The area behind this sign and shown by the above map has been proposed as a desert tortoise preserve by the Bureau of Land Management to help insure the preservation of a protected and dii^fcishing desert species. This area woulcwTe the only sanctuary in the United States for the protection of the desert tortoise. It consists of some of the best habitat in the tortoises’ range.
The desert tortoise can only exist under ideal conditions where habitat and temperature are compatible. They are capable of living to a ripe old age, but have a very slow reproduction rate. The desert tortoise is fully protected under California State Law and is officially designated as California’s State Reptile.
The preservation of this area is important in order to stop current activities that are causing ~a decline in the tortoise population. There are now about 900 to 1300 tortoises per square mile here, but their numbers are rapidly declining because of pressures from im creased desert usage. In other parts® their range, populations average 30 per square mile. Besides being illegally collected, shot, and run over by vehicles, the tortoises’ burrows are being crushed and their forage destroyed.
Effective November 1, 1973, the Bureau of Land Management’s interim critical management program for recreational vehicle use on the California Desert closed this proposed desert tortoise preserve to all recreational vehicle travel. Effective protection and non-use will depend largely on the cooperation of vehicle users. The area remains open to foot travel.
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REQUESTS A RIDING READER
I have been a motorcycle owner for three years now, and have learned a lot about riding; mostly by trial and error. I see all sorts of novice riders dumping their bikes because of “mistakes”— something they didn’t do or else did wrong. One that I know of is now paralyzed from the waist down.
It seems that there should be s<^^ book or books out that instructa person on how to ride and, more specifically, how to react in a panic situation. The few books that I’ve seen that are anything like what I’m talking about, start out by saying, “This is a motorcy-
cle. It has two wheels. . . .”
Everybody knows how to work the levers! I’m looking for some general rules on how to cope with hard braking, traffic, high-speed driving, irregular road conditions and other such things that you pick up only after years of riding. That is if you last long enough to find out.
Motorcycles, if not handled properly, can be very dangerous. Practically all of us have been on the ground because of a stupid mistake. I really don’t think that this has to be true. I am interested to know if you are familiar with any book or books of the type I have descrit^^
Jim Vann Wayland, Mass.
While we don’t know of any currently-available books of the specific type that you describe,Mr. Vann, CYCLE WORLD does hope to run an article on that very subject in the near future. —Ed.
175 COMPARISON
I read with much interest and enjoyment the comparison test of the Japanese dual-purpose 175s in the April issue. As always, I feel that you conducted the test with all aspects of fairness, and I found the results very surprising. In my small town locality, Honda and Yamaha more or less control the on/off-road segment of cycling, with a few Suzukis and Kawasakis thrown in for variety. Those four usually compos the Sunday afternoon field.
I personally own a Honda SL125 (of which I have no complaints), so I am trying to be as objective as possible. My father and a friend both own the 1973 version of the XL 175 and are happy with their purchases.
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You mentioned that the street/dirt ratio of the dual-purpose bikes averages out to around 80/20. I won’t disagree with that as a nationwide figure, but in my locality if you were to reverse the figures, it would represent a more accurate ratio. Hill climbing and trail riding are the main attractions .for the dualpurpose machines here.
My experience with the Honda has shown me that the front end is very hard to lift and that the bike will usually run out of traction or power first when climbing.
Also, I agree with your ideas on A Kawasaki as far as power is concernée^ know a rider who has little trouble staying with the 250s. My impressions of the Suzuki pretty well match yours. The Yamaha is what really disappointed me, as it did you.
All of my reasoning has been based on ’72 and ’73 models, and I don’t know how much of a difference there would be between these and the ’74s, so my basis is probably a weak one.
In conclusion, I was surprised at the final standings of the Honda and Yamaha in particular. I actually expected the opposite, with Kawasaki and Suzuki taking 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
CYCLE WORLD introduced me to the bike world, and I just hope you guys keep up the good work of producing the finest motorcycle magazine in the business.
Marv RuJ^( Hastings, Pa.
19 MILES?
In your January issue you roadtested a Kawasaki 400 Mach II, and claimed a whopping 44 mpg. Yet upon reading three other magazines testing the same bike, I found that they all got around 25.
One could believe a difference of five or even ten miles. But 19 miles? What gives?
John Klacik Aliquippa, Pa.
Our consumption figures are taken very carefully, and the printed figure represents an average mileage in allaround riding, on the highway and in town.
The Kaw 400 can be very economical, but when your throttle hand hefty, it’ll really gulp the fuel, other books must have taken their readings at the drag strip.—Lid. FJI
