Six weeks ago yesterday, I had a total hip replacement. Still a little gimpy but I had my six week checkup today and when I asked about activities that were still proscribed motorcycling wasn't on the list. Honestly I have taken a few short rides earlier in the week, being careful getting on and off.
So this afternoon I rode over to Black Butte Reservoir and back, about 60 miles. It was great! I have had a hip problem for years that resulted in serious pain after less than an hour in the saddle. Riding is now pain free and flexibility makes riding much more pleasant.
Wish I had had this done before the West Coast Rally last year! I look forward to more seat time with exuberance!

Ben

Well folks, I am doing it. I've been fantasizing about quitting my job and hitting the road on two wheels for quite some time now, and come August that dream will become a reality. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the implications of this decision, doing a lot of second-guessing, but more than anything following my heart and soul and forging ahead with the plan. This thread will be my proverbial thought bubble for the months to come (sorry in advance), there will be lots of questions, concerns, inquiries, random musings, scattered ideas flowing into it.

I hope to learn a great deal from this amazing forum. I am confident that I will because I already owe so much of what I know to the wise and humble members of it. In return, I will try to drag y'all along on this ride of a lifetime and maybe impart some wisdom of my own by the end of it. Things are still in the pre-planning stages but here is how I have things arranged in my mind so far:

Leave Springfield, Missouri the first week of August. Very likely will be hauling my bike to New Mexico to start the trip proper. A friend who is very familiar with the same route strongly discouraged me from riding across Kansas/Oklahoma that time of year. Two to three loooong days of flat, hot, uninspiring riding to start the trip off are one thing, doing the same thing at the END of a multi-week/month trip to get back home are the other. I have a truck, I'm not too proud to use it in this instance, it'll save me a handful of miserable riding days, it'll be much closer to the bike out west say something should happen, and literally no-one is going to downgrade my trip by saying "aww man, shoulda ridden from your doorstep, woulda been so much cooler..."

From New Mexico, the world is my oyster... Well, the western half of the country at least. My sister lives in Taos, very well may leave my truck with her. Northern NM is supposed to have some great riding which I intend to explore first and foremost.

From there, Colorado. Southwest part of the state is also supposed to contain some killer roads and attractions that I definitely want to hit. From there, start making my way up north. I am thinking and hoping that August will be a good time to ensure safe passage through the numerous high passes, hopefully, some natives will direct me in this area as I am as green as they come to this sort of travel. If you haven't been able to guess so far, I am biting off a lot on this trip, hopefully not more than I am able to chew. Worst case scenario I hightail it back home and lick my wounds/ego. Best case scenario I have the experience of a lifetime and come back a new man with the confidence to tackle challenges I never thought were possible before. We shall see.

From Colorado, I would prob keep heading north into Wyoming where my uncle lives. Maybe ride through Yellowstone, maybe not. Into Montana from there, west into Idaho where I definitely want to hit some of the Sawtooth range as I visited there some years back and was blown away. From there into Oregon where my grandfather and a friend live, hopefully making it all the way to the coast. That's more or less my 'big goal' of the whole trip, is to make it to the coast in one piece.

My return route back to Taos is not as clear in my mind yet, would love some feedback on that. I would really like to get over to Utah to explore that amazing state, but unsure if riding through Nevada or Arizona in late August/early September is an awful idea or not. I suppose I could head back to Idaho from the Oregon coast and drop down into Utah from there.

As far as time goes, that's the best part of this whole trip. I will probably put some feelers out for my next job, but I am purposefully not wanting to set any sort of deadline on when I need to be back home or a start date for employment. I very well may find a prospective job out on the road, who knows. My girlfriend and I are looking to relocate somewhere new and this could be a very good scouting opportunity for just that.

I have the number of 4-6 weeks in my head, but that's a pretty rough estimate. Could take less time, could take more.

Oh, I guess it's worth mentioning what I will be riding. LOL. My trusty '13 CB is hopefully up to the challenge, tough luck if not cause it's all i got! Accordingly, interstates/major highways will be avoided like the plague, though I am aware they will be necessary at times.

I am beyond excited/nervous/scared/eager to embark on this crazy trip, to be molded by it into something new and better. I have felt a very strong pull to do something "big", something that thrusts me out into the unknown that gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to really look inward. I hope that this is that "big thing", and that I don't die/go crazy in the process.

I look forward to hearing y'alls input in the coming months.

I just now read this, and deep, deep RIP to this rider. A motorcyclist was killed yesterday when he struck the back of a firetruck that was backing into traffic on my street, less than a block from my house.

This happened where my street makes a 90 degree turn. Fast drivers and riders love to take that curve at high speeds, and there are frequent crashes. On both sides of the turn, there are flashing yellow lights, 35 mph speed signs, and due to the frequency of high speed crashes, concrete barriers dividing the two directions of traffic in the curve to prevent head-on crashes.

On a daily basis, I hear every manner of fast vehicle taking that turn at high speed - motorcycles, loud V8s, raspy imports, you name it. For some reason, it's a magnet for speeders. Every few months, that curve is shut down to clear up a crash, and we have to turn around and take "the long way home" to get to our gate.

Late yesterday afternoon, I went home early to work on our washing machine in the garage. I heard a sport bike at full chat heading into that curve, and thought to myself, as I always do, "man, that sounds fast". I didn't hear the sound of the crash, but heard the throttle cut off, figuring that he was through the turn, past the "fun part" of the road, and had throttled back. The fire station is just down from the site of the crash, so if there were sirens at all to respond to the crash, they wouldn't have registered in my mind - I hear sirens from that department all the time.

Later on, my wife called, telling me she was going to be late getting home because the curve was closed again for a crash and she had to turn around to find another way into our complex.

Just looked this morning to see what the crash was, and learned that it was that same bike that I must have heard screaming into the curve. He struck a firetruck that was backing out from a side street. It must have been a very hard hit, as the three fire fighters in the truck were also injured. I pray for the family of the fallen rider, and for the fire fighters.

I go through that curve and pass the site of that crash at least twice a day. Knowing the distance of that side street from the point in the curve where you can see the side street, If I were going anything less than about 55 mph, I'd be able to bring a truck, let alone a sport bike, to a complete stop before I hit anything coming off of that street where the fire truck was. I can't imagine how fast that bike must have been going.

Very, very sad to read.

New cb1100ex and wanted opinions on above title. Pulsing brake lights should have to help reduce rear end collisions. Anyone install these? Reccs on best kits etc for the led bike? I have only been riding again a few weeks after(too long) 15 year break, and cars do not see bikes! Thanks

and not just half like the r9t
they say it shall come for series production

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjXVIjEDVqc

I've heard it said that a woman's prerogative is to change her mind. Sparky looked at trikes for days, Spyders and triked out Wings and decided that she would rather quit riding than go this route.

We stopped at the local Honda shop in Waycross to pick up some oil filters. There was a leftover 2015 NC700X on the floor-she sat in the NC's saddle and decided she just needed a lighter bike on the order of the two V-stroms she once had. The price on this 2015 had been lowered to $6900, hardly a good deal considering the age and the dealer was firm on this price. I called the dealer in Jacksonville where I had bought my CB, Cycles of Jax; They had a leftover, a 2015 NC700X for $4999. So off to Jacksonville (about 100 miles) and then back home with the new bike and since I had my helmet in our truck, I got to ride it home.

I am so impressed with the performance of the NC700. It feels so light and agile, great seat, smooth clunk free transmission. This may be my go to bike when I feel the CB1100 is getting too much for me.

Is anyone watching this year TT ? What about CAPO , did he go to the TT this year ?It is on Motor Trend late at night .

Hey guys, I've been doing some research on the K&N filter and how it differs from stock since I talked with techs from a couple shops in my area telling me to use Honda instead. I get a good discount due to working at CG and it will make a small monitary difference over time, however I only see it ok if it is as good as OEM or better. Through my searches I've only seen people with the original version of the KN204 not the revised KN204-1 we have.

What do you guys say? What's your experience since I've seen multiple people out there with K&N and multiple comfortable with Honda.

I have ridden almost daily since 1965 and have ridden my motorcycles to 42 states, 2 provinces in Canada, and 5 countries in Europe. Hit most of the popular motorcycle roads and destinations, (and many of the unpopular ones lol). I still needed 6 states to complete the lower 48. 2 in the plains, and 4 of them on the east coast. I had planned on hitting all 6 this year on two trips. One to North & South Dakota, and one to the east coast. With my wife unable to ride long distances any more, and with this colitis I developed 2 years ago and the arthritis that developed in my throttle hand 6 months ago and the 2 bad knees that have been bad for awhile, I'm guessing my days of two week motorcycle trips are over. It was a great run...no.... it was an awesome run!

Anyhow, last week my wife and I decided to take the car and go hit the east coast states I have not ridden in (I know not the same but we do what we can do).
We took St Rt 50 from home over to Ocean City, Maryland then turned north hitting Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, the 4 states I needed on the coast (along with a few others I had already ridden in...West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania). BTW we drove thru New York City, across the George Washington Bridge, across the Bronx and New Jersey turnpikes and I got to say I will NEVER go that way again...car or motorcycle!!!!. Good night what a nightmare and garbage dump to boot imo. On our way back from RI, thru New York near Albany it was open, clean and gorgeous, but I knew that as I had ridden my bike in that area before when Di and I rode to Bar Harbor, Maine 9 years ago.

In my hunting days I had driven through North and South Dakota on my way to hunt black bear in Canada so with this trip I have BEEN IN all 48 lower states (also been to Alaska Caribou hunting), so the only state I need to have BEEN in all 50 now is Hawaii.

I really, really wanted to do the lower 48 by motorcycle, but it just wasn't to be. I had offers from three great friends (fellow CB1100 forum members) to tow my bike close to each state and then ride thru the states with me, and although the offer touched my heart beyond measure, and will forever be appreciated, that is just not my style. I am (or was) a long distance rider to my core. So it's either ride...or pass. Thanks anyway guys! You have no idea how much the offer meant to me.

Anyhow I am back home now,with the plan to ride short local rides while dealing with the doctors to see if they can get me road worthy again. I have my yearly Men's Fall Trip coming up in a few months with my son and brother, my son's father in law and a nephew, and a rally or two (incl the CB rally in W. Va) that will depend on if I think I am able to make the rides. We shall see. I still have my hotel reservation for the CB rally and have not missed one yet.

My goal has always been to ride until I am 70, I've said that many times before. I have 11 months to go. I think I can make it but not in the style I am used to. One day at a time fellas. One day at a time.

That's all....I'm going for a short ride now.

This is by my limited experience the nicest group on line. I appreciate not just the love of the Cb but the love of motorcycles.
I've sold my CB and moved on to a lighter bike.
40+years of motocross and trail riding has taken it toll on me and I was feeling unsure of the weight of the CB. I hope nobody minds as I'll continue to read the post's with my morning coffee.
I've kept a few accessories if anyone is interested(16 model)
You meet the nicest people riding a Honda!
t.