I was just posting on another topic about dealerships and pricing, and it reminded me of something I've been curious about. There's this small local Honda dealership. I think it's been around since probably the 1960s; it has an older mom-and-pop feel about it.

What I find odd about the place is this: They always have leftover new bikes on the floor. Seems like the inventory hardly changes. Last I checked, they still had a 2010 ST1300 sitting there brand-new, still asking $14,000 for it (looks like it was $16.5 new, only 5 model years ago). They have a low-mile used '08 XR650L that's been there over a year now, and they're still want the same money as they did a year ago. I inquired about it this summer, and politely asked if they were open to negotiation...and the person just looked at me and said, "You don't think it's worth $4,600? We do. What exactly DO you think it's worth?" This wasn't friendly...it was like, "How dare you even ask?" I just said "Thanks for your time," and walked away.

That little encounter basically ended my relationship with them, such as it was. But it's left me sort of curious. Do they have some kind of special deal with Honda, being an old-time seller, such that they can just sit on bikes at no cost to themselves? Is the business a money loser for some other purpose? Are they just bad salesmen, and if so how have they managed to stay open 40+ years?

Maybe somebody with sales experience can speculate...

I used to ride with 5 or 6 guys in the early 80's when we were the only ones in town with sport bikes.
Now days, I'm almost always a solo rider, have had a few people at work and even a neighbor follow me home to ask if I wanted to ride with them someday, I usually politely decline.
Even on bicycles, it's part of my personality to ride solo...
also saw this article on FB...
http://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/tip...-in-groups

Jack Miller will be riding an open class Honda in MotoGP next season!

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2014/Mille...P+campaign

Will young Marquez follow?

Came close to pulling the trigger today on a 2014 CB1100 Std. The dealer was advertising the bike at $9397 which, compared to all the other ads seemed like a really good price. I also learned that it included a Yoshimura RS-3 slip- on that was installed by the dealer. Sounds great, right? I get a finance break down and see the usual suspects: tax, license, doc, and freight fees. I also see a $575 "ADM" fee. I balk at the fee, not knowing what it is and am told it's an "additional dealer mark up" fee that covers putting the bike together (front wheel plus tightening bolts) and to "keep the store alive."

In the end, I called a time out. It just didn't feel right. Felt like I had been duped. Lured in by the "low price" only to have them add some arbitrary fee based on who knows what. I'd rather have seen the higher price up front without the fee that gets added on after the price is negotiated and agreed upon. Am I just naive? Is this what all dealers do? I looked at the paperwork for my VFR and there's nothing like this listed.

This weekend I am planning to do the initial 600 mile service on my 2014 CB1100. Ferret’s How-To thread on this 600 mile service is a big help but I have a question on chain adjustment. If my chain needs adjusting, do I need to loosen both left and right axle nuts and then turn the each adjustment bolts equally? This sound the most logical but I have also read that all I need to do is just loosen the right axle nut (27 mm) and just turn the right adjustment bolt.

This may sound like a stupid question but I have never adjusted the chain on a motorcycle (my only other motorcycle was shaft drive) so I just want to ensure that I do it correctly.

Obviously, I dont have one but I am curious and I know a lot of factors come into play. My CB750 is between 3k-5K rpm probably 85 percent of the time. My old 1200 Sportster lived between 2500-3500 rpm.

I know how and where you ride play into this a lot. Curious if some of you 1100 riders can comment on this.

Is it just me or does it seem like there are a lot of people joining with their new CB1100's lately?

Has anyone done/heard of modding stock exhaust on these to make it louder or deeper? Just wondering if baffles can be removed or holes drilled in them. Ive modded other exhaust systems in a similar fashion and had good luck with sound and performance.

We've had a couple of threads lately about 2013 owners who are considering, or even attempting to buy a 2014 now. I confess that I've had the same thought more than once. I'm pretty happy with my '13, but there are many things about the '14 I like better...although to be honest, there are things I don't, too.
In my usual analytical way, I decided to sit down and weigh the 2014 model "pros" against the "cons". Feel free to add anything I may have missed (I'm talking Deluxe version here, for argument's sake):

Pros:
I REALLY like the silver cylinders. A LOT.
Ditto the red side covers (though I've gotten a set from Samurider for my '13)
Two exhaust pipes make a much more "balanced" look (but then , I've always liked the 4-into-1 of the CB400-4, too, so...)
ABS
The digital dash is very cool
Much better seat (but I've also already solved that on my bike with the Tiro seat)
6th gear (thanks for the reminder, powerdogg11!)
And most of all, as much as I hate to admit it: overall, I think it's a nicer looking bike

Cons:
I don't really like the solid color wheels
The additional 50-ish lbs. over the '13 - and I find the '13 alarmingly top-heavy already. Not sure I'd like what that may do the feel of the bike for me, especially at low speeds, since part of that extra weight is no doubt due to the larger gas tank
As much as I like the new digital dash, I also like the retro look of the instruments on the '13...
Higher price tag than what I paid for the '13

So, yeah, the "cons" list is a bit shorter, but I'm not so sure the "pros" list I've come up with warrants me running out and selling my '13 any time soon.

Samurider and we bike, we have all spent a ton of time looking and buying parts for our beauties...

Many of us face the same problem (to us); the exhaust volume and tone.

On those sites, all of the exhausts are for the 2013! Us deluxe owners have two, I haven't found a single company who sells dual slip ons.

So other than Moriwaki...and other than full exhaust systems..I'm strictly talking slip ons...what other options do we have to get louder and deeper?

And if not slip ons, what kind of surgery can we do?