Your first bike

[Raj1988]

XS650

SR500

[George R. Young]

Honda CB160, sohc, 2 valves/cylinder, 2 carbs, 4 speed transmission, 360 deg crank (vibration). Took me around North America, 8500 mile trip (still my longest) in the company of a CB77 (305 cc) and Suzuki Hustler (250 cc).

[don_vanecek]

You did that on a CB160, wow! Well, I suppose as long as you didn't attempt to have the bike at full throttle all the time , it should have handled the ride. I imagine you stayed away from situations such as interstates where you would have had to of kept that little bike really rung out, OR did you do this during the good 55 mph days, tell us some more.

Back is 1968 as I was only getting an occasional ride on my brother's 50cc Yamaha, I just loved my friend Dennis' lovely CB160-which of course seemed like a bike bike. In later years I had a Yamaha 180 twin for a year or two and I could not imagine doing a trip like that on that Yamaha.

[George R. Young]

1969 just out of university, route 66 giving way to Interstate 40. Going an indicated 60 mph, probably more like a real 50 mph. Drafting trucks. Camping and cooking gear, shopping for groceries every day. A week at Mt. Tamalpais. Camp sites wherever, median of the interstate sometimes.

I had forgotten the CB160's other gem features but the pic brings them back. Drum brakes, squeeky front suspension due to the solid covers rubbing, cable rear brake actuation, mufflers with seams on them, centrifugal oil filter.

But the alternator kept going all the time. Great design feature, additional coil only connected when the headlight is on.

For its time it was great, now I demand more refinement in my touring. Shaft drive, GPS, campgrounds near restaurants.