Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey guys, looking for some advice...

Here's my dilemma... I really wanted a bike that was freeway-worthy so I can get OUT of the city for my first bike. I live in San Francisco so I can't totter down the freeway at 65 either, I have to keep up with fast traffic. I was looking at an SV650 but like cafe bikes oh-so-much better and the SV seemed like a lot of bike to handle as a beginner... I have a mostly stock 1973 CB450 on the line for $1100 that looks to be in pretty good shape though I'm not sure of the mileage. Do those bikes have enough punch to get up to freeway speeds safely? If I slap on new tires and refresh the front disc? Is it safe to spin a 40 year old motor fast enough to be at those speeds? Or should I be thinking of my first bike as an around-the-town bike and later buy the SV for a more practical get-out-of-town bike?

And on that note anybody ridden the cb450 vs the cb550? The claimed HP is only 5 more on the 550, and I'm assuming a twin would give me more torque , but the 450's motor goes back to the mid-60's... my buddy with the 550 says he won't take it on the freeway because it sounds like it's going to rattle apart and he can't keep up!

Any advice or insight would be GREATLY appreciated!

3 questions

1. Have you ridden the CB450?
2. Have you taken an MSF Course
3. Do you own and operate a car

I haven't test-ridden a 450 yet. Will do that before I buy it obviously but will probably have to buy it on the spot if I want it. I have taken the MSF course and have driven a manual since I was 16. I'm also very experienced with air-cooled engines though not motorcycles, I just finished rebuilding a porsche 914 so I'm not scared to do the work on it myself.

The CB450 has a top speed of about 100 mph.

It should handle freeway speeds just fine with sufficient revving.

Yes it's safe.

$1100 is way too much IMO. I wouldn't pay that much for a 35 year old parallel twin bike unless it was either heavily modded or in absolute pristine showroom condition with brand new tires and battery.

$700 is a much more fair price.

Yeah, every forum I've been on in the last two months has told me that the bikes I'm looking at are over-priced... everything in the bay area costs 25-50% more though. I'm considering buying a bike that's been sitting instead and doing the work myself, but it'll only save me $500. Would rather get right down to the fun stuff! Will probably buy a second project right away anyhow...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/655243434.html

I know the theoretical top speed is 100mph but is it realistic to expect the bike will still handle speeds like that after 40 years? Does anyone own one and run it on the freeway?

anticoriolis wrote:Yeah, every forum I've been on in the last two months has told me that the bikes I'm looking at are over-priced... everything in the bay area costs 25-50% more though. I'm considering buying a bike that's been sitting instead and doing the work myself, but it'll only save me $500. Would rather get right down to the fun stuff! Will probably buy a second project right away anyhow...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/655243434.html

I know the theoretical top speed is 100mph but is it realistic to expect the bike will still handle speeds like that after 40 years? Does anyone own one and run it on the freeway?

There's absolutely no reason it wouldn't. I ride with one guy on a 1974 Harley, a woman on a 1978 Harley. My bike is a 1987. They all run great.

If you really want it, offer him $900 for it if the tires are in good condition.


It's got 45 HP (a couple more than my bike that I use on the highway every day) and a 5-speed gearbox. Should be fine on the highway.

I had an '82 Nighthawk 450 (CB450SC) that could handle highway speeds fine. To maintain 75-80mph I had to rev it pretty high, and there wasn't a whole lot of passing power, but it was still fine.

anticoriolis wrote:I haven't test-ridden a 450 yet. Will do that before I buy it obviously but will probably have to buy it on the spot if I want it. I have taken the MSF course and have driven a manual since I was 16. I'm also very experienced with air-cooled engines though not motorcycles, I just finished rebuilding a porsche 914 so I'm not scared to do the work on it myself.

Well if you've never ridden a motorcycle I would discourage anyone from being on the highway for a while. You need to get all your skills up first imo.

Brackstone wrote:

anticoriolis wrote:I haven't test-ridden a 450 yet. Will do that before I buy it obviously but will probably have to buy it on the spot if I want it. I have taken the MSF course and have driven a manual since I was 16. I'm also very experienced with air-cooled engines though not motorcycles, I just finished rebuilding a porsche 914 so I'm not scared to do the work on it myself.

Well if you've never ridden a motorcycle I would discourage anyone from being on the highway for a while. You need to get all your skills up first imo.

I would agree with that too an extent, but it my opinion highways and interstates are less dangerous than regular city roads. Most car-motorcycle accidents happen in intersections, and there are no intersections on the interstate. Plus, you're pretty much just going in a straight line.

camthepyro wrote:

Brackstone wrote:

anticoriolis wrote:I haven't test-ridden a 450 yet. Will do that before I buy it obviously but will probably have to buy it on the spot if I want it. I have taken the MSF course and have driven a manual since I was 16. I'm also very experienced with air-cooled engines though not motorcycles, I just finished rebuilding a porsche 914 so I'm not scared to do the work on it myself.

Well if you've never ridden a motorcycle I would discourage anyone from being on the highway for a while. You need to get all your skills up first imo.

I would agree with that too an extent, but it my opinion highways and interstates are less dangerous than regular city roads. Most car-motorcycle accidents happen in intersections, and there are no intersections on the interstate. Plus, you're pretty much just going in a straight line.

Yeah I hear ya,

It's kind of the crux of the situation. Some of my friends feel this way too.

I guess it depends on what kind of city traffic you have etc. etc. etc.

But imo if you can't do a super quick counter-steer to dodge someones muffler that just dumped off their car you're in a lot of trouble.