The CB1100 Community Forum

In 1968 I was 18 and had been riding for 3 years. I had moved up from a 50cc Aermacchi and was riding a 67 Honda CL 77 (305 Scrambler). I rode nearly every day. My father rode (Harley dresser), my older brother rode (Honda 450), my older sister and her husband rode (Honda 160) and my younger brother rode (Honda 150).

One day a lady in a green 54 Buick made a left turn in front of me and I center punched her front passenger door and launched over the top of her car landing on the other side. I was wearing a Buco open face helmet, and high point goggles. I was knocked unconscious and laid there like that for 45 minutes I was told. I had a broken nose, broke 7 teeth, my right hand and wrist were broken and my right big toe was broken. Had some gravel imbedded in my lips and gums.

While recovering at my parents house, one day my mom asked me what kind of bike I was going to replace my 305 with? I told mom that I was thinking about quitting riding. The wreck hurt and I didn't want to be hurt like that again. My mom said that if I quit I would regret it the rest of my life. That I loved riding and that I would miss it so much. She told me to think about it, which I did.. a lot.

She was right. I did love riding and I couldn't give it up. I replaced the 305 with a new 69 CB 350. There have been a lot of motorcycles, and I have travelled all over the US, some of Canada and 5 countries in Europe by motorcycle since then, and had I given it up, I would have missed all of those adventures almost all of which I shared with my wife who loves riding nearly as much as I do. If I had quit riding I would never have been able to share that with my son who loves to ride as well. One of the best decisions I ever made was to continue riding.

So...have you ever considered giving up riding?

I had given up riding for 3 or 4 years( after riding for 20+), than got the bug again, started looking at Bonneville's, saw the CB1100, now back to riding and love it again!

Hope all goes well...

Hiker..explain why you quit.

I quit ridding from 1987 until 2003. My GS1100 was in storage. My daughter was just born and my son was 5 yrs old. I had lost interest and the risk with two small children made my decision. I had the itch in 2005 and bought my XX Blackbird. I have caught up since then with ZRX1200, Superglide, ST1300, GSXR750, CBR1000RR and the CB1100. I made up for lost time I guess.

Ferret, my mom who's 86 still says your on that damn bike when ever i go to visit. My wife use to ride when we where teenagers but has not been on a bike for 38 years.

Edit: I been lucky to never have been down on the street. Many mishaps in the dirt.

No. Never. Even after two pretty horrible accidents.

(06-18-2014, 11:58 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Hiker..explain why you quit.

I had put 35K miles on my 86 600 Ninja, 65K miles on my 86 900 Ninja by 1990, than the 900 Ninja was kept around for 20 years or so even though I moved on to other hobbies( hiking, biking, etc)
and I had lost my nerve...the few times I did take it out to keep it in use, I was scared.....eventually sold it to my brother so he could take better care of it.
I'm still not as care-free on my CB1100 but love riding it....I don't feel the need for speed like I used to either, and if I put the saddle bags on it, can ride slow without anyone laughing at me :-)

I rode British motorcycles back in the 50's, but gave it up to buy a car since I couldn't afford both at the time.
From 1958 until 1991 I didn't even think about motorcycles - especially after 1963 while raising a family and with my nose to the grindstone.
A co-worker re-introduced me to bikes in early 1992, the year I retired. After numerous visits to bike shops over the winter, just to hang around and for something to do on a cold Saturday, I was bitten and had a new NT650 Honda Hawk by April.
My retirement years have been wonderful and I've ridden in many parts of Canada; the USA and in Chile and Peru. It was while I was in Peru that I crashed and dislocated my shoulder to the extent that I needed shoulder replacement surgery.
That happened in July and by the following April I was back in the saddle and as fit as I ever was.
In spite of what happened, not once did my wife say that I should give it up and not once did I ever consider it.

wow Rocky. Not thinking about motorcycles for 33 years. Did you not even read motorcycle magazines during that time? You know pick one up at the grocery check out or read one while at the DR office? lol

(06-19-2014, 01:36 AM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]wow Rocky. Not thinking about motorcycles for 33 years. Did you not even read motorcycle magazines during that time? You know pick one up at the grocery check out or read one while at the DR office? lol

No, I never did.
As far as I was concerned that part of my life was behind me and I concentrated on my career and family. I didn't even look up when a motorcycle went by.
Even though I had ridden a BSA 650 twin from here (Halifax) to Boston and back in 1957, I put it all behind me and never expected to ever ride again.
A younger co-worker got into motorcycles for the first time around age 45 in 1989 and began to encourage me to take it up again. At first I resisted and wasn't a bit interested, but a couple of years later after he dragged me to some of the bike shops many times over that winter of 91/92, and I saw what was available, I was awestruck and soon wilted.
The Honda bike shop had a brand new 1989 Honda NT650 Hawk still in the crate and wanted to get rid of it for an amazing price.
My buddy said that if I didn't buy it he was going to - just to have it.
I bought it and have never looked back
The past 21+ years have been some of the most fun times of my life because of motorcycles and the many places I've been on them.
My 10 day ride through the Canadian Rocky Mountains in 2010 was simply amazing. I thought the Andes Mountains of Chile and Peru were wonderful in 2008, but not compared to the Rockies.
Wonderful memories because of motorcycles.
I'll be 77 this year, and in excellent health with not an ache or a pain, so I don't expect to be giving this up anytime soon - barring anything unfortunate.

I was in kinda the same boat. Played with bikes in my teens & early twenties then put that part of my life on hold until I got other things done. I did still check out the moto rags from time to time. But that was pretty much it.

Glad you got that Hawk, Rocky, and got back into it. You have a great life story there.