We all love riding, and who would pass up the opportunity on a beautiful early summer weekend? Well... me, if it was this weekend.

It was a long day in the saddle on Friday. 350 miles to be almost exact on the Blood Bike, and I was getting tired. As I got closer to home, I started to see the telltale signs... A tragic hipster on the side of the freeway frantically trying to kick-start a dead chopper with a Mexican blanket seat and overdone patina on the tank. Groups of black leather-vested riders on the other side of the freeway, looking back, waiting for their slower riding buddies to catch up. As I got a few miles from home and just wanted to gas up the Beemer, park and kick my boots off, I came up behind a few slower riding newly-hatched Harlistas, still sporting paper temporary tags on the backs of their bikes, nervously navigating The 5 during rush hour. I don't have time for Amateur Hour... I hit my strobes and they half-panic thinking I'm a cop and move over for me to pass. 

Stopping at my usual 7-11 gas station and convenience store on Chapman Ave, I pull up to the only pump that isn't surrounded by a bunch of Harleys. I get a glance from these guys as I dismount and pull out my credit card, but they don't know what to make of a bright yellow BMW that clearly isn't part of their world, and they do not engage. I fill up, slide down a dead-end side street, go around a barricade and into my condo complex. Taking off my helmet in the garage, I can hear a chorus of loud V-twin pipes thundering in the distance. 

It's Born Free Weekend! I live off of Chapman, which heads East a few miles from my place into Santiago Canyon, the destination "twisty" canyon road in Orange County. It's not that twisty, but does offer sweeping turns through a somewhat hilly canyon, and at the other end is Cooks Corner, the O.C. equivalent of Malibu's The Rock Store. In the middle of the canyon is a vast event space in a somewhat wooded area, used year-long for company retreats, boy scout jamborees and all manner of things. This weekend it hosts Born Free, a biker festival second to none. Thousands of bikers decend into the area to commune, show off their bikes, stroll row after row of vendors ranging from mom-and-pop t-shirt shops selling gear with logos your Mom would not approve of, to major companies like Motul and Bell. 

The canyon road becomes an endless stream of screaming freedom, with bikes hurtling in both directions in and out of the canyon. O.C. Sheriff and CHP bikes, stationed in the turn-outs along the road are tag-teaming each other as they pull out to nab unsafe riders. Bikers tap the tops of their helmets in warning as they pass each other. 

Born Free is my annual guilty pleasure, combined with a long hike. It's 98.7 percent Harley, but I love to people-watch, and Harley or otherwise, communing with other motorcycle lovers is always a good time. However, it's the last place I want to be riding one of my motorcycles. Plus, the vast parking area for the show is a huge dirt field. You all know how I feel about dirty bikes, and at the end of the day the constant dust cloud raised by bikes and bro-dozers coming and going does its damage.

So, I hike in. At the end of the day, coming and going, it's a little over 20 miles, including the steps to mill around and check the show out. I have to admit I love it. Much of it is one Harley after another, and if they're not of the spectacular variety they sort of blend together. There are other makes, and some of them are stunning. Here are a few. The one notable Honda was a custom CBX, with a candy grey tank sporting a Honda car logo on the tank - the newer lower-case script, which I've only seen on the Prologue electric car, an interesting choice.

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Spending a week cruising up north, visiting some friends, feeling mixed feelings about America, and riding back.

Highlights to include cruising up hw1, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, detouring down The Lost Coast to Shelter Cove, and carving through The Avenue of the Giants.

My longest ride since getting the CB about 6 months ago. I’m expecting about 800 miles and 13 hours in the saddle, just getting there and back. Probably a bunch more in day rides while I’m up there. 

The CB is kitted for touring with its windscreen in place, rear rack and saddle bags loaded, highway pegs installed, and GoPro mounted. Ready eat up some miles!

I’ll be back with some updates and photos throughout and after the trip!

My ABS Pulser on front and rear wheels were covered in rust.  I carefully sanded at 500 grit and some fine steel wool.  
My question is if I can put a thin clear coat of paint on these to keep from rusting again? 
Hoping the actual sensor will still work with a coat of paint on them.  

Thanks for your help.

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While my question does apply to the CB1100, it also applies generically to most modern motorcycles sold today. I'm posting my question here because I know we have a lot of very talented, and experienced people who frequent this site, and I am hoping someone can provide some informative feedback.

While performing a valve adjustment on a system that uses the small, metallic shims to achieve the proper clearance, has anyone ever encountered shims that have worn to where the surface that contacts the top of the valve stem is concave (cupped), and therefore is not a parallel surface to the opposite side of the shim?

I believe that I just encountered this condition on my VFR800. I performed all my valve clearance measurements, removed and measured all the shim thicknesses, selected the new (thinner) shims required to achieve the proper clearances, and reassembled everything. Upon remeasuring all the new clearances, I discovered the two exhaust valve clearances that I put .003" thinner shims into did not change at all! I double-checked all my measurements before and after reassembly, and triple checked my math. Even if my math was wrong, I know that the replacement shims were .003: thinner than the shims I removed.

I initially blamed myself for just doing something stupid, but when I did a search on the internet concerning this subject I discovered that I am not the only one who has experienced this problem. I learned that my old shims were most-likely cupped where they contact the valve stem, and when I used my caliper to measure the shim thicknesses (the laser-etched markings were not visible), the flat, parallel edges of my caliper could not provide an accurate measurement. I tossed my old shims into a jar, along with the dozens of other shims I have accumulated over the years, so I can't go back and reexamine them now because I don't know which ones they are.

However, I did just order a point micrometer from Ebay, which will accurately measure the shim thickness, even if they are cupped. As soon as I receive my new micrometer I'll finish my valve adjustments (I've only disassembled the rear cylinder at this time).

If anyone can provide some information on this topic it will not only be valuable to me, but I'm sure there are other members who visit this forum who would find this information helpful

Thank you.

Greetings, CB1100 friends. Hello from Glendale, CA!

I ride a 2017 CB1100EX, I'm the second owner, and I've had it since 2022. The first owner made a few mods to give it more of a Cafe Racer - a front cowl, drag style handlebars, aftermarket turn indicators, and mirrors. I've lovingly restored the bike back to stock because I think Honda really nailed it.

Happy to be here on the Forums. 

   

Although I have not had the good fortune to meet any of your children, I am sure they would report that you are a great father.

My father was a man of his time. He was born in 1930, at the onset of the Great Depression. His mother passed away a few weeks after giving birth to him, and his father worked himself to death on a farm in the Texas Hill Country. My father was raised by my great-grandparents and his aunt. There was never a boy more cherished or adored than my father.

He loved cruiser motorcycles and fast cars. In his late teens, he left motorcycling behind following a minor accident on his Indian Chief. Years later, I asked him if he was frightened by the experience. He told me no. The reason was simple: "None of the pretty girls would get on the back of the bike after they heard about the slide I took." I suspect my great-grandmother also influenced the decision. She never cared much for her fun-loving, high-spirited grandson to ride "one of those loud motorcycle things."

My father joined the military and served in Europe, Japan, and Korea. He earned the nickname "Bull," and it would not surprise me if I have some brothers and sisters scattered about Austria, France, Germany, Korea, and Japan.

My earliest memories of my Dad involve working on cars with him. Officers would bring their cars to our house, and the "Master Sergeant and his cute kid" would tune them up and fix them. I knew what a Phillips-head #2 screwdriver was before I went to kindergarten.

My father thought I took things far too seriously and did not set aside enough time for fun. He may be right. But I learned a lot from him, even if I am a little tamer. Happy Father's Day to everyone, and if you care to share something about your Dad or your experience as a Dad, I am sure the other members of the Forum will celebrate the moment with you.

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[pièce jointe=1472]
Photo souvenir du 17 mai dernier...

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It's listed over on ebay but if a member wants it, let me know here and I'll cut you a Community Deal.

I used it with the their largest, Marlin windscreen and am now selling it, so take that as the review that it is. I think it would work better with one of their smaller fly-screens where the wind would crest into your chest instead of your helmet.

Either way, it certainly looks good and mounts easy.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/318422796452

Briones Regional Park has a rich history, with twists and turns as magnificent as the views. In 1829, Felipe Briones built a home on land he did not own. The Indians he displaced did not attempt to reclaim it. Native Americans understood they could not win a war because the Mexicans were better armed. Instead, they waged guerrilla warfare, allowing Briones to raise cattle and horses, which they often stole with great enthusiasm. They knew the rugged terrain and staged raids with great success. In a fit of desperation, Felipe pursued a group of raiders into the hills to retrieve his stolen animals. The natives seized the moment and killed him. What no one imagined was how formidable his grieving widow, Maria, could be. Within two years of his death, she secured a deed from the Mexican government for the ranch, had that deed validated by the United States Supreme Court in 1860, when California became a state, and found an unspoken détente with the Native Americans that enabled her family to prosper while the Native Americans navigated the complexities of the Mission System, riding "her" horses and eating "her" cattle.

Briones Regional Park is a great motorcycle destination, offering what I consider the best views of the East Bay. You can see incredible 360-degree panoramic views deep into the Sacramento Delta and out to the North Bay. On an exceptionally clear day, the vistas can even extend all the way across the Central Valley to the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. In the spring, the grasslands are adorned with yellow, purple, and orange wildflowers. Sadly, I am plant-challenged and can’t tell you their names, but I can tell you they are breathtakingly beautiful. Hawks and eagles also make appearances in the early morning and early evening. The land is pristine every day of the year.

There are no pubs or coffee shops or places to eat. If you want to eat, bring snacks. But Briones Regional Park offers walkable trails and fantastic facilities for hikers. The various summits rise 1,000 ft above where you park your motorcycle. Most grades are under 8%, though a few are steeper for brief stretches. The paths twist and turn like the road that leads you there. Essential facilities are clean and functional. In my long history in the East Bay, I have never seen bad behavior from the ranchers, cyclists, hikers, motorcyclists, researchers, and nature lovers who visit regularly. While many people have lost faith in government agencies, the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) commands the respect of the citizens it truly serves. It manages over 126,809 acres of parklands across 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and 1,330 miles of trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The district holds a pristine historical legacy as a pioneer in urban land preservation and maintains an exceptional public and financial reputation.

For those who just want a nice ride, there are two ways to reach Briones Regional Park: small country roads with little traffic, or I-680, a major thoroughfare with free express lanes for motorcyclists. Even at 65 MPH, the views are stunning. Your CB1100 will handle either route well. For those inclined to take the rural ride, I recommend resting your hand on the brake lever and keeping a slightly higher RPM than usual. You may need to stop or swerve quickly on narrow roads to accommodate cyclists, animals, and drivers entering the road. For those who prefer the Interstate, I strongly discourage lane splitting on I-680. The Interstate is well maintained, but heavy winds, big trucks, and distracted drivers are common.

I took the rural route to Briones Regional Park to get into the right mindset to experience nature. I returned via I-680 to share with you the Interstate experience and the ease of accessing the Park. As with all things in the East Bay, check your route before you leave. Accidents, crosswinds, heavy trucks, and maintenance can wreak havoc with the best-laid plan. I use 511 Traffic Alert to check current conditions and adjust as necessary.

For those who also want to hike, I have found motorcycle boots adequate because the paths are so well maintained. There are some climbs, but the ascents are less than 1,000 ft. After all, cattle still graze on the Briones Pasture, and true cowboys care for them now just like back in the day. Thankfully, the gunfights have given way to a sense of grandeur. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Ride safe and enjoy your weekend. David


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I-680 Commute

My own test with the bike on its centerstand spinning the front wheel while pressing the rear brake pedal and spinning the rear wheel while squeezing the front brake lever tells me that either the brakes are not linked, or that I'm bad at this test: as far as I can tell, neither wheel's spin is affected at all when applying the other wheel's brake. 

So, while the 2014 Deluxe DOES have ABS, the front and rear brakes are NOT linked?

Hoping someone can definitely confirm or deny.