I have been browsing around and still dont know anymore than I did last month. I thought someone said November was the month Honda would bring out their lineup for 2015 but I may have been mistaken. Does anybody know for sure?

You may have seen the recent news that Japan is suffering a "surprise" recession. Current exchange is the best it's been for US consumers in many years: $86.49 to 10,000 Yen!

If you've been holding off on buying some accessories, now may be the time of reconsider.

Days 4-6: Sydney

I got to Sydney earlier than I needed to spend time with my son, who does not share my joy in motorcycles, and catch up with an old school friend, who does. So there was little seat time. I did, though, make the acquaintance of a number of Sydney's boutique beers and the hostelries that supply them.

I've a photograph or two to share.


Sydney’s two harbourside icons


A neat Yamaha 500 chained to a pole in a street

Turned out that the Sydney HQ of the bike shop Deus ex Machina (discussed [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=4287]here by mentallyguitarded) was just along the road from where my son lives. He’s not in the least interested in motorbikes, but he enjoyed the clothes and the coffee shop.

A bike at Deus ex Machina fitted with surfboard rack

There's a story as well.

[url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3809&pid=56189#pid56189]Sometime in the past Pterodactyl and I worked out that, on the occasion we both rode a long way to meet, our respective wives had both been concerned that we were each off to meet an axe murderer. On the Sunday evening, I was invited to dinner with Pterodactyl and his wife. I sent Pterodactyl a text: “Shall I bring the axe? As I got into the car, Mrs Pterodactyl (a lovely person) said, “Hello. I’ve got my axe!”

We had a great dinner at a noisy and pleasant restaurant just back from Bondi Beach. A good steak and an excellent Shiraz.

On Monday (Day 6) I got another shot at the Harbour Bridge. Here it is, seen from the saddle of the CB employing the Ferret technique for photos on the move.

Pamela and I left for Ocala, FL yesterday at 5AM so that we could arrive at Indian Motorcycles of Ocala by opening time. They're hosting the Indian factory ride show over the weekend and we hoped to beat the crowds to sign up for a ride. Arriving at 9AM we discover that they had opened an hour early and there is a long line at the ride sign-up already. We finally get signed up for a turn on a Scout in the third wave and spend the morning browsing the inventory of this fantastic dealership which sells Honda, Kawasaki, Can-Am, Triumph, Polaris and Victory as well.

It's late morning with perfect riding conditions when we get our turn on the Scouts. I haven't ridden a cruiser in years and am immediately struck by how weird and totally unnatural this riding position is with your feet forward and your body compressed into a "C" shape. The seat is very comfy, for me at least. Pamela and another lady tester declare the seat a torture device, designed for male bums. The ride takes about 20 minutes and covers some rather bumpy sections that I expect to transmit some hard hits from the limited rear suspension travel but not so. I think the large tires with their flexible side walls absorb the worst of the jolts. The most surprising aspect of the Scout is it's handling, completely natural and confidence inspiring. The bike flicks willingly into a turn and holds any line easily, very un-cruiser like. The motor is just about perfect with great torque from right off idle and very smooth. The fuel injection is well sorted and not a sign of throttle snatch. The brakes are adequate but sub par compared to the CB. Another disc up front is needed. Set up on the test bikes varied it seems. Pamela's bike had a heavier clutch pull and a bit of throttle snatch that made her ride less pleasant than mine and I've already mentioned her opinion of the seat.

Overall, I like this bike but it would never replace my CB1100. Another Indian model with the same motor but better ergos would tempt me to have one as a second ride.

The trip to Ocala took us past many of our favorite places that we frequented when we lived there. One of these is Lochloosa Lake near Hawthorne,FL. We spent many good times there bass fishing and bird watching. Pausing at the lake for lunch on the way home it was as we remembered it, beautiful. Bald Eagles soared overhead and a Tri-colored Heron on the boat dock accompanied our break.

In my research for the CB1100 history thread, I have come across multiple iterations of our CB 1100. It is apparent there are 7 main colors

Candy Alazarin Red, Candy Glory Red, Pearl Milky White, Black, Silver ( I've seen Indy Silver quoted), a deep dark blue, and a lighter blue called Pearl Spencer blue.

Some had tank stripes, some not.

Some tanks held 3.9 gals some 4.7 gals

There have been light silver side covers, dark silver side covers, Candy antares red side covers, and black side covers

There have been black side cover decals and raised chrome or gold side cover emblems

There have been 4 into 1 and 4 into 2 exhaust systems

There were black motors and silver motors

There were black wheels with polished edges, black wheels with black edges, silver wheels with polished edges and spoked wheels

There were 3 seats.. Low. Regular, and the cross stitched seat

There have been 5 speed and 6 speed transmissions

There have been std instruments and upgraded instruments with gear indicator and trip computer

There have been ABS and non ABS

Lets say Honda let you walk in and order your CB 1100 with any combo of colors and features you wanted ....

What would you choose or would have chosen differently than the bike you got?

For me, I love the motorcycle I ended up with ( 2014 Dlx) and the only possible change I might have wanted was a black tank without stripes and black side covers with raised chrome emblems on the side covers.(maybe I would have chosen spokes..I can't decide lol). I have always loved black and chrome motorcycles. Then again the red on my dlx is so pretty!

Anyhow..what would you pick and choose if you had been able?

Note: For those desperadoes confronting winter and with not enough to do, I’ve made sure the pictures of the daily route link to the original on the Google Maps engine. That way, if you’re interested, you can drill down a bit into some bits of the route.

Day 1: Pomona-Dorrigo

551 kms

[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zwzS5Q1Lo7Yk.k1JeRqqOnf6s]

I woke tired, after not sleeping terribly well. It was less than 48 hours since I'd got home from the [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=4373]LionsTT and I’d spent a bit of that on the road—a 100km round trip to get the bike serviced and another 300 km round trip to deliver my wife and her friend to the airport. Another 400 km day!

I planned to get away early and failed. Because I was going to be away nearly a month and had to include camping gear, I'd added an extra bag to my luggage and it took a while to figure out how it was all going to go on the bike. So, by the time I left Pomona it was mid morning and, although the weather was glorious, it was getting decidedly hot. For the fourth time in 3 days I took to the Bruce Highway and pointed my nose south, getting off the freeway after 164 kms when I turned onto the Mt Lindesay Highway just south of Brisbane.

That part of the trip was uneventful, except for an incident which I’ve described in another thread. I was getting near to stopping for fuel and a break and was approaching some lights when I decided to change lanes to get the jump on the cars in front of me. I didn't check carefully enough and was just moving to the left when I realised there was a large, white van, about to mow me down. Luckily, oh so luckily, I was in time to leap apologetically back into my lane. Moral? If you're getting tired and your concentration is starting to wander, get off and take a break. Don't wait for your planned stop.

I refuelled at Beaudesert and headed south trying to decide which of the Lions Road or the Mt Lindesay Highway I should ride again after a weekend spent traversing both. I decided on the Mt Lindesay Highway and a terrific, twisty ride to Kyogle, where I stopped for lunch. The place was beginning to feel like home.

You leave this mountain to the left on the way across the Mt Lindesay Hwy


This lot hang about on the right


The Queensland-New South Wales border. You only have to stop if you’re carrying livestock

When I stopped I discovered a water bottle had leaked in my top box so I took everything out and spread it on the lawn in a park to dry while I ate lunch. I was worried that all my tickets for the MotoGP and the ferry to Tasmania might be irretrievably damaged; mercifully they weren't, so I stowed them in a waterproof bag. My top box and containers with liquid seem to share a mutual antipathy, but more of that later.

It was really hot as I set off, aiming for Dorrigo. To get there, I had a straight ride of 132 kms to Grafton and then another slower 115 kms on the pretty and winding Nymboida Rd. I hoped to make it before kangaroo time and then dark.

By the time I refuelled in Grafton, the temperature had dropped and clouds were gathering. The forecast was OK and, if there was rain, it wasn't likely to be bad, so I headed out. It's a lovely ride through Nyboida and gradually up the side of the Great Dividing Range. The road surface is basically good; the scenery is lovely; and, even better, there's lots of twists and turns to keep a rider interested.


Of course, by then it should have been clear the day was not meant to go smoothly. When I was about 40-50 kms out of Dorrigo and searching for the Tyringham Rd that I'd turn on to for the final stretch, the drizzle set in and the light level lowered. I stopped and put on my waterproof gear. The last bit was no fun at all—drizzle, fading light, low visibility and an unlit country road. I was relieved to get to the pub in Dorrigo, have a shower, spread out the contents of the top box then get some dinner. It was a pizza and very good to boot.

Anyone else see the dec 2014 issue of cycle world? They compare the 2014 deluxe with the Indian Scout, BMW R nineT and Moto Guzzi Griso. They rave about the refinememt of the Honda yet it comes across as boring so once again its not the winner. Picking the Griso as the winner just made me chuckle.

I have started a thread with some history of the CB 1100. I wonder if some members from other parts of the world would be able to provide any info on the CB 1100s that were imported to YOUR country such as years imported, tank colors, any pinstripes on tanks, side cover colors, motor colors, wheel colors, Hiss, ABS,IEV etc

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=4403


I have sent PMs to several members of the forum from outside the U.S. ...Canada, Italy, Spain, England, Russia, Thailand, Estonia, South Africa, Newfoundland, Switzerland, France, Japan, ...15 countries in all hoping to get some useful information.

Any and all info would be appreciated. Feel free to post here, in the other thread, or contact me by PM.

Thanks

Mickey

Laid down some patio block to park the bikes on. Ramada idea got deep sixed by zoning codes (need to have a three foot gap between the back fence and any structure, over hand included). On to plan B.

But here is a shot of the two bikes together.

The wife and I are in Long Beach for the Progressive International Motorcycle Show. Well, more accurately, I am in Long Beach for the show and she is here to get away for a couple nights and meet up with a friend tomorrow while I check out all the bikes! I plan to take lots of pics and will post them hopefully by Sunday. Of course, I'll be talking to Honda about their plans for the CB. Any questions you guys want me to ask?

I already saw two HD Livewire bikes ride by. They look awesome. I'm hoping to be able to do a demo ride. Just have to remember, no blipping the throttle on decel!