I will be replacing a left and right side engine cover and it appears that during assembly a gasket caulk was used rather than paper gaskets. Any suggestion on the best stuff to use, and also how to separate the covers away after the bolts are removed? Any tips are appreciated.

Hope I am using the correct area in the forum. I just bought a standard 2014 cb1100, no ABS.
It only had 1500 original miles. The front brake works really well, but the rear brake seems pretty anemic. I stomp down on it and it doesn't seem to work that well. Is this a normal thing for the cb1100?
As I stated above, I am new to the forum, so is the rear brake on the cb110's kind of weak or is it just me?
Thanks

This bike comes with 2 y/unlimited kms and 1 y roadside assistance.
The additional, 3rd party - 4 y warranty can be bought for about C$1300, good price compared to Honda.

Today, I went to a Guzzi dealer to take a look and sit on it.

Expectation:
As an Italian bike, I was expecting a visual impression, perfect finish & detailing - better than my '14 STD and DLX

What I dislike:
* indoor viewing/not much room between bikes
* black forks, painted fenders - front and rear in two different colors, black color and ugly shape of the rear fender, kind of grayish/silverish gas tank paint and its "trapezoidal shape" when viewed from above while sitting. Silver, not chrome gas cap
* completely black engine, lacking some contrast elements like silver or chrome
* awkward/large foot pegs, clutch and brake levers
* cable, not hydraulic operated clutch
* visible and protruding O2 sensors
* lacking centre stand, can be bought OEM for C$200

What I like:
* 6 speed
* lighter than CB
* >21L/5.5 gal gas tank
* comfy seat
* drive shaft
* Moto Guzzi brand

accept:
* single front disc brake
* spoke wheels, tubs
* rectangular mirrors
* too modern, instead of classic turn signals
* tail light - barely accept its black housing and shape, needs mods

Biggest impression, what I think, what worries me and the bottom line:
The biggest impression and amazing surprise is how easy, nimble and gentle was moving and tilting this Guzzi on the showroom floor = simple peanut compared to our CB1000

There is no doubt, I still like this Guzzi. The 2022 model comes in Blue Formale.
My biggest worry is Guzzi's trouble free riding and dealer network.

In spring, I will go to a dealer again, look at the blue one and request a test ride....
I expect easier handling than our CB due to lower gravity and larger/longer?? handlebar.
If engine performance and the bike behaviour impresses me during test ride, I will make my final decision and may say goodbye to my white STD , while keeping beloved DLX

https://www.motoguzzi.com/ca_EN/models/v...n-4s-2021/
https://www.cycleworld.com/story/buyers-...-guzzi-v7/

P.S. I know, I'm too used to CB

I recently put my bike up for sale on cycletrader. I am sure many people on this forum have also tried to sell their bike on cycletrader. There is a major security threat present on their website.

The major security threat has to do with the photos you post of your bike. Whenever your phone takes a picture it embeds data INTO the photo file. This data is sometimes called meta data and/or exif data. This data can store all sorts of information. The information includes the phone you use, time and date in addition to other information. It also records your location at the time of capture.

If you have been keeping track of the insurrection on this date last year you can find many stories about the idiots posting pictures, which includes this data. This is one way of finding them.

What does this have to do with cycletrader? Well, as I mentioned that location data in your photo is posted as well. It is not stripped from the image as Instagram or Facebook does when you upload a photo.

Finally, if I go to a post on cycletrader, say this post…

https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2014...5018469556


I can download a photo and search google for exif data. Find a website that will read that data, and show me where the picture was taken. This means that I can normally find where people live. I am not a fan of people getting that data so easily.

There are tools that will strip exif data from photos. You can get apps for your phone that can help you with removing this extra data before you post your photos. Below are some sites that explain what I am writing about:

https://photographylife.com/what-is-exif-data

https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/...386546443/

https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file...-file.html

And then for people who want to see exif data in use here is this site.


https://projects.propublica.org/parler-capitol-videos/

I started riding in 1965 but didn't start a mileage log until 2008, when one day I got to wondering exactly how many miles I actually rode in a year.

After this morning's ride I noticed I had passed the quarter million mile mark since I started keeping track in 2008 with 250,207 to be exact.

Wish I had started keeping track in 1965.

I also started keeping track of days ridden when I retired in mid 2013 and as of the end Dec 31, 2021 I have averaged 300 days of riding a year.

As I near 72 years old and the inevitable end of my riding career one day, I can look back fondly at all the great bikes, all the miles, all the cool places, and all the wonderful people that the journey has provided.

Dang it's been fun.

Since I'm going to be picking up the CB300R from my Mom's house this weekend to bring home, I called my insurer, USAA, to put the bike on my policy. Although I already have two bikes on my policy, after putting me on hold, the representative came back on the line, telling me that USAA is no longer insuring motorcycles in certain states. My CB1100 and Bonneville have been "grandfathered in", since I've owned them for quite some time, but I could not add the new bike to my policy.

Having been a USAA member for many years, I'm aware that they farmed out their motorcycle coverage, I think to Progressive, but apparently they are no longer writing new motorcycle policies in some areas.

She reviewed my policy and saw that since I was a member for many years, and have multiple vehicles and my house insured through them, she would try to get a variance with her supervisor. She came back on the line after about 10 minutes, and said that she was able to pull some strings, and got the new bike on my policy.

Just a word of warning to anyone with USAA who's considering a new bike. May not be an issue where you live, but...

I grabbed this video off WildGuzzi but it’s too funny not to share!

https://youtu.be/tDKEV65AVLs

Does anybody know if this is a real site??

https://thehondacbforum.com/forum/

either they have literally an entire forum dedicated to the Honda CB with ZERO posts, or they're locked up so that I can't see any posts without being a full member.

Whois lookup indicates it was created in 2020 and the site claims to have over 14000 members...with zero posts? confusing.

For a number of reasons, none of which have to do with the marque, I am a member of the Chicago Region BMW Owners Association. They have a discussion board similar to this forum, although much more difficult to navigate (perhaps it's designed by the same folks that design BMWs onboard technology).

At the end of each year, they start a discussion requesting a year-end riding recap. It's in list format. Here are the first for items as an example:

1. Blaine Paulus 'Days on the Bike' Award: Total Riding Days:
2. Longest Continuous Daily Riding Streak:
3. Total Riding Mileage:
4. Number of Days w/Passengers:

There are 18 items in all and I dutifully responded to all. Item 18 is an essay question. "18. Best Day Riding (essay):" I thought you all might like to read it as it involves one of our esteemed moderators.

Disclaimer: The story you are about to read is true in sentiment, but may contain factual inaccuracies, exaggeration, and poetic license.

Might seem odd, but my best day riding wasn’t my best day riding.

“Weather looks good for a ride to Badlands on Tuesday.” I said to the other 5 as Isponged up the last bit of what were supposed to be two eggs over medium with a half-piece of my wheat toast.

“Why can’t they ever get it right?”

“The weather?” asked Mike.

“No, the eggs over medium. They’re always either runny or hard and not that perfect combination of both.”, I complained through a mouthful of toast and corned beef hash.

Jennifer noticed that they had a glue pad of touristy “Motorcycle Maps” by the door of the restaurant and scooted back her chair to go pull one off, saying over her shoulder “How far is it to The Badlands?”

“Further than what will show on that Black Hills area map – probably 130 miles to the visitor center.”

I knew not to say “260 miles round trip” to Jennifer because she would round that up to 300 miles and talk herself out of the ride because of the length. Jennifer is the newest rider of the six of us, three couples, that have shared these annual riding vacations since 2012 and she doesn’t much care for riding longer distances on her Indian Scout. She grabbed the map so she could verify my estimate. I explained to her, and to everyone else, that it’s a long straight stretch from Custer to Badlands excepting the 40 or so miles near Custer on stunningly beautiful and plenty curvy US16A.

“The good news is that Tuesday’s high temperature in Badlands is predicted to be in the lower 80s with temperatures here in Custer in the upper 70s. It’s a long day, but if we’re going to ride Park Loop Rd., it’s the best day this week.”, I said and then added that we would have a picnic lunch in the park and that put even Jennifer in a more enthusiastic state of mind.

The Custer trip had 6 riders and, for a couple of days, Mickey and Dianne as support vehicle drivers. Both Mickey and Dianne ride and Mickey is one of the best riders I’ve ever had the opportunity to ride with. They were on a 4-wheeled road trip that conveniently landed them in Custer while we were there. Mickey also rides a CB1100 and has ridden all over the US, except for a few states and South Dakota was one of those. I promised him that he could borrow my bike while he was there so he could check off another state on his list.

We made the ride out there and it was as pleasant as could be. Not too hot. Not too windy. While straight, SD44 does have some very beautiful, if stark, vistas along its path to the park. We had a great time, a great lunch, and a slightly warmer than expected ride back toward Custer. I’ll be the first to say that 70 miles in 85 degree sun at the end of a ride is quite a bit more draining than the same stretch in 75 degree sun at the beginning of the ride. Nevertheless, that 70 mile stretch left us at the Conoco just outside of Rapid City and a short, mostly tree-lined, 45 miles from our hotel.

We soaked up some shade beneath the soffit of the Conoco building (as one does in these situations) and hydrated. Just then Mickey and Diane show up from their side trip to Wall Drug (which they both, understandably, disliked). Jennifer asked, not as coyly as she thought she was asking, “Mickey, wouldn’t you like to ride back to Custer on my bike?” To which Mickey replied, not as politely as he thought he was replying, “Not a chance.” Jennifer set her sites on me at this point.

“If you want to let Mickey ride a CB1100 on that nice road back to Custer, I’d be happy to ride in Dianne’s car while you road my bike back”. “REALLY Happy.” “Really quite VERY Happy”. A couple of looks from the other female riders told me that it was time for me to be chivalrous instead of condescending and I agreed to ride the Scout back to the ranch. Cheryl had the route in her phone and, since the Scout didn’t have a phone mounting bracket - not needed for most 20-mile rides (OK just the one condescension), Cheryl agreed to lead us home, Mickey on my CB in the 2 spot, the rest filling in, and Indian Matt bringing up the rear.

Cheryl has followed Mickey on several rides and has a high level of respect, well-deserved, for him and his riding skills. Cheryl doesn’t usually lead and has never had Mickey in her mirror. Mickey is a wonderful person and constructively blunt when it comes to observations about one’s motorcycling skills. She knows this about him and, frankly, wanted to impress him.

After negotiating us through some fairly gnarly intersections at the east end of Rapid City, she got us on to 36 and then on to 16A. And she was ripping it. From my vibrating perspective at the end of the line, I could see Riders 1 and 2 separate themselves from the rest of us. It was all I could do on an unfamiliar cruiser with mini-apes and a 3” ground clearance to keep up, but I kept up enough to watch her hit apex after apex with entrance speeds close to the posted limit and exit speeds significantly in excess of it. Her pearl white Arai helmet glinted in the remaining sunlight. While it is true that I mostly see her riding through my review mirror and so my view is limited, this was the best that I’ve ever seen her ride--ever.

In May, 2016, Cheryl fractured her right tibial plateau in a motorcycle accident. Her doctor said she would be lucky to walk without a limp and that she would not likely be able to run without pain. She was not allowed to walk for 5 months and then 5 more with crutches. I was not sure if she would ride again, but I was sure that I would support whatever decision she made. She rode again in May of 2017, less than a year after the crash. That first summer was hard. She was timid. But she got better every season. It’s been a joy to ride with her on this journey and it was just about as good as it gets watching her that afternoon from atop Jennifer's Indian Scout.

When we arrived at the Chalet Motel in Custer, Mickey said that he had underestimated her abilities to ride at speed and caught himself having to roll on some extra throttle to catch up. In typical constructively blunt fashion, he said “You were hitting those apexes perfectly and had a ton of speed. Keep working on those left turns”. She gave him a bit of a hard time about the blunt part, but took the constructive and complimentary parts to heart. The next day, it was just the two of us out for a short ride with me back in the front spot. Over the Cardo, she says, “You’re looking good, but you should work on your left turns.”

It seems odd, but for 2021, my best day riding wasn’t my best day riding.

Always thought it is not just interesting to know when a tire has to go, and how long it lasted, but also how much thread there was to begin with. So I measured tire thread on my new Metzeler Z8 (front).

- thread in the center: 4.5 mm
- thread on the shoulders: 4.0 mm

Just in case you're interested, add your measurements here.