revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Some friends on a tour of France popped in a couple days ago. because when your mate runs a £10k a week villa and you can stay there for free for a couple nights, all of a sudden your tent isn't quite so appealing

The five of us decided to take a trip into Saint Tropez. It was suggested that I ride Karen's Honda rather than my SMC-R, then Izzy asked if i'd mind taking her passenger.

Talk about Baptism of fire. I'd never ridden a bike larger than 1000cc, never ridden a cruiser, never ridden an automatic.
The first 50 yards were on the deep gravel drive, Then Izzy got on the back and the next 200 meters were on a deteriorated track!! A few miles of lovely sweeping bends, then straight into thick traffic. I was actually pretty pleased with my efforts, picking through the traffic fairly well and not having to 'paddle' too often.
It was only when we parked up by the yachts in Saint Tropez was it pointed that I'd been given the bike in "sport" mode, which went some way to explain why I found the throttle to be like and on off switch ! Apart from that, my only real issue was that it didn't matter how many times I reached for it, there wasn't a clutch lever
Having found the regular mode, the ride home was smoother, though I also liked being able to manually change gear with the buttons on the handlebars and change to sport mode while riding, which was dead handy when we came back through the sweeping bends.

All in, I don't think cruisers are for me (yet) but I was suitably impressed by the automatic, if you get a chance to try one, you probably should.

I always had what I felt was a, slightly perverse , desire to have a go on one of these. Preferably on a longish trip across Europe or something like that.



I suspect it was that engine in 'not a Goldwing' that was the interest.

When you repeatedly reached for the clutch lever that wasn't there,you are fortunate there wasn't a rear brake lever instead. Don't ask me how I know...

I had the loan of an auto AT a while back, horrible, horrible thing.
Apparently the newer 1100s are a giant leap forward in rideability
If you start asking 'where can I buy a leather waistcoat/chaps' it may have had more of an effect on you than previously mentioned

Love my 1100 DCT Africa Twin. But I always say, you have to know how to get the best out of the DCT by using the +/- gearchange switches (think flappy paddles on a car) to really enjoy it, or just avoid D mode!

Wow. That Honda looks amazing. Gonna sell the GSXR when I get home

Yorick wrote: Wed Sep 17, 2025 1:48 pm Wow. That Honda looks amazing. Gonna sell the GSXR when I get home

You’d be as well to, you use about 50% of its potential, maybe even less.

mrsTaff has got the 500 version of the rebel and I recon it's a cracking little bike.
Comfortable enough for her to do a couple of hundred miles in a day,
I've replaced the very budget shocks and popped an arrow can on it, so now it sounds like a big twin and doesn't crash through every little bump on the road. The riding position is a bit like sitting on the bog

Count Steer wrote: Wed Sep 17, 2025 8:15 am I always had what I felt was a, slightly perverse , desire to have a go on one of these. Preferably on a longish trip across Europe or something like that.



I suspect it was that engine in 'not a Goldwing' that was the interest.

A buddy from the US (long may he ride the Highways in the Sky) spun the back end up coming out of a junction down in the S of France on one. I was leading the ride on my GSXR and the back end went squirrelly. The Valkyrie did a 270 degree rotation and went backwards into an Armco barrier. There was a scratch or two on the bike's exhaust, the Armco had a big dent in it. Unfortunately, John and his wife both came off, and came off second best.

mrsTaff has got the 500 version of the rebel and I recon it's a cracking little bike.

Neighbour down the road has one, I had to take it for an MOT for her but the mechanic had moved back to wales & she'd inadvertently booked the MOT at garage 175 miles away - as much as I thought it a half decent bike I wasn't about to ride it that far.

I rode the DCT NC750, did not like it one bit (no foot change).

I was hoping that the e-clutch as fitted to the CBR650R would be extended over the Honda range, as it is takes nothing away from the enjoyment of riding a bike. But it appears they want to push DCT.