I am sure there is a logical reason, but I hate that I am limited to one search every 30 seconds. When I am in a store and I need information it really sucks. Is there another tool, can I just use google?

1. The CB1100 must be the featured bike in the photo. Caption the photo with the date and the location.
   
2. Feel free to alter your photo to make it look better, but don't cut and paste into another photo just to qualify.
   
3. The photos should be new photos, not something you had on file and especially not something you posted elsewhere in this forum.
   
4. You may post multiple qualifying pictures in a month, but the background has to be different (e.g. you can post two pictures of your bike in front of a train station, but they have to show two different stations).
   
5. Not really a rule, but don't stop trying to get a picture for a particular month just because someone beat you to the first post for that month.  We want to see lots of pictures.
   
6. The same user cannot pick the photo subject on consecutive months.  If the first photo comes from the same user that posted the first photo in the prior month, the second user posting a photo will get to pick the next background subject.
   

• Sunflower
  
• The Starry Night
  
• Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette
  
• Orchards
  
• Wheat fields
  
• Ear
  

• Gas price sign at your local station with current price of gas;
  
• A Park sign...can be a State or local Municipal Park. If it's big enough to get it's own sign, it qualifies; or
  
• An unusual sign.
  

• if you’re not riding, show us where you hung your new calendar; or
  
• if you can ride, your bike parked under the biggest tree you can find.
  

• If you are still riding, your CB with a train. Could be a whole train, part of a train, a currently running train, a static, historically displayed train; or
  
• If you can no longer ride this month, your bike shown with your oldest motorcycle-specific tool in your arsenal.
  

• Option 1: A picture of your bike with some architectural thing that doesn't seem to serve any practical purpose other than decoration.
  
• Option 2: A picture of your bike with a "Motorcycle Only" parking sign.
  

• If you can ride, a picture of your bike where the largest thing in the background is the same color as your bike. (For example, doesn't need to be Candy Glory Red, just red will do)
  
• If you can't ride, a picture of your bike with the tool that you think is the single most valuable tool to the service or maintenance of your CB1100.
  

• If you can't ride: A picture of a piece of riding gear that's the same color as your bike
  
• If you can ride: A picture of your bike with the most interesting road sign that you can find that is not a stop or speed limit sign.
  

• Pick a great place to ride your CB1100
  
• Check yourself and your motorcycle to make sure both are road-ready
  
• Gear Up with Appropriate Safety Equipment
  
• When you arrive at your special place, take a picture of your helmet on your motorcycle and post it on the Forum
  
• Return home safe and sound
  

There's a thread in the Other Stuff / Motorcycling - General area called "If You Could Own Just Three Motorcycles..." where I posted [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=12131&pid=195038#pid195038]my list. I cheated and picked four. Well, today I acquired the third of four on the list. It's a 2014 Triumph Thunderbird ABS with just 5,000 miles.







Why a heavy cruiser? Why a Thunderbird? As I explained to Mrs. Stichill, "The Thunderbird stole my soul in [url=https://f800riders.org/forum/showthread.php/285057-The-Cheese-Weasels-Do-Death-Valley]Death Valley." Near the end of [url=https://f800riders.org/forum/showthread.php/285057-The-Cheese-Weasels-Do-Death-Valley?p=2466153&viewfull=1#post2466153]this post I describe some of the objective reasons I was impressed with it. But honestly, the Thunderbird simply delights with its character and charisma. When I'm in the saddle the bike makes me literally giddy. I feel like I'm on top of the world when riding this exceptional machine.

In the photos, the bike is still dripping dry after a quick wash. I got up early and left home this morning at 5:30 AM to drive north to the Triumph dealer in Cleveland where the Thunderbird was being offered for sale. Its condition exceeded expectations and the price was right. The test drive (in the rain) was flawless. The sale was executed and I proceeded to trailer it four hours back home in horrendous downpours while dodging the giant potholes on I-71 between Cleveland and Cincinnati. Tremendously nerve-wracking drive. When I arrived home at 6:00 PM, the bike was absolutely covered in road grime...oh the humanity! I did a quick wash and blow dry and parked it for tonight because I had to go inside and finish getting ready to catch a 6:00 AM flight to Arizona for a week of vacation! Then the next week I fly to Germany with only one day at home in-between. With any luck the weather will be nice and I'll get in a little more seat time that day.

When I turn my left blinkers on all 4 front and rear flash, my right blinker works in the off or on the right position, I haven't mess with anything electrical with this bike, oh yeah, it's a 2013 model if it makes any difference, anybody know what my problems is? Thanks

Good night the qualifying was fast and furious. At one point they had like 20 riders within a second. Right now the top 5 are covered by 2 1/2 tenths of a second.

So grid for tomorrow top 4 rows

1 Marquez
2 Vinales
3 Dovisioso

4 Rossi
5 Miller
6 Morbidelli

7 Quatararo
8 Crutchlow
9 Nakagami

10 Petrucci
11 Lorenzo
12 Espargaro Pol (KTM)

and i saw there a fine bike...

My teenage son and I just returned from a trip to Vanson Leathers in Fall River, MA from central Ohio. We drove. Sorry, but we had only a couple of days and a round trip of over 24 hours on the road eliminated the CB1100 as a viable option for the two of us, so we loaded up the Civic instead.

I’ve been wanting to make the trip for years. They have a solid reputation and when you pick up one of their jackets, the quality is immediately apparent. Plus, there’s plenty of info about some heavy hitters who’ve had “gnarly get offs” at speeds I only achieve during takeoff listed on their website to further illustrate how good their stuff is. They make the real deal, no doubt about it. That being said, I wanted to at least try things on before I spent the money.

Since I had never been to Fall River, I decided to call and see if I could get hotel and restaurant recommendations. When I called, Kim Van Der Sleesen, sales manager and wife of President Mike Van Der Sleesen, answered. I told her what I was planning to do and she ask me for my email address. She then sent me a very nice email with a link to use to drive there, a corporate discount code for the Hampton Inn, restaurant recommendations, and a link to a nearby attraction. A week before I planned to be there, I noticed they were having a spring sale. In an effort to be somewhat thrifty, I sent Kim an email asking if I could get a raincheck on the sale prices. She assured me that they would give me the best price they could and probably honor the spring sale discount. I then picked out the style of jacket, MK2 CSRX Sportrider, and pants, MK2 Sportrider, I was interested in from their website, made a list of some additional items, packed up, and headed east with my son.

Upon arrival, the yellow door at the back of the big old building let us know we were at the right place. We went in and were immediately greeted as we entered a large warehouse type of room surrounded by racing suits that make up a museum collection. I couldn’t help but immediately feel if you’re into motorcycling, this is a special place. One of the things that struck me looking at some of the suits that had clearly been involved in serious get offs, was how well they had held together. Even the small letters remained firmly attached to whatever leather the pavement had left.

We then went over to the room that constitutes the retail store. We were surrounded by jackets and pants. They have so many styles to choose from that if you can’t find something that moves you, you probably don’t have a pulse. My salesperson was awesome and answered my questions, some of which required asking the people who make the items to find the answers. Since I had already narrowed my choice to the sportrider, a timeless Vanson classic in my opinion, I moved to the try on phase. I tried on several sizes and began to narrow it down. They even have an ancient UJM sitting in front of the typical dressing room mirrors to help give you the full effect. After trying on several sizes, I found the size that was a close fit, but still a little tight in certain places. That’s when I found out about oddities. They will slightly alter a standard item for an additional 15% without it becoming a full custom item and incurring the additional expense if that’s not what you’re going for. After discussing the fit with a pattern maker, you can see her in the Moto Pickers at Vanson Leathers YouTube video on the Vanson website taking measurements, whose expertise was immediately apparent, I was all set. Then Kim took us on a tour and what a tour it was.

We took a ride up in a freight elevator to the manufacturing floor and Kim discussed some of the company’s history regarding the move from Boston to Fall River. She started our tour by showing us where the leather was cut. It is either cut using a pattern by hand, the fasted method, or by a special computer controlled machine that is slower, but used specifically for oddities like my jacket. We then got to see every step in the manufacturing process and the tools for each one. I really enjoyed seeing the old dies, which are still used to stamp specific shapes, in addition to a newer machine that uses a water jet to cut out shapes. We saw the printouts that go with each jacket detailing the steps needed specifically for that jacket and found out there’s a lot of steps. We saw the baskets that contain the parts for each jacket and the conveyor belt that transports them to specific people along the line to complete a specific step, all controlled by software written by her husband. We saw how carefully the leather sheets are inspected for range flaws like scars and how each piece is marked for the assembly process. I found it interesting that the graphics and patches are sewn on while the jacket is still in pieces and as the jacket is completed, it moves from the ladies to the men simply because it becomes so much heavier. They even have a special machine to stamp “Vanson” on the metal rings used in some of their jackets. I can really appreciate that level of attention to detail.

There’s a YouTube video worth watching titled VANSON LEATHERS – WORLDS FINEST GEAR that shows a lot of the things Kim showed us in person and took the time to explain. In the video at 5:05 you meet Brenda. Brenda made sure my son had a Vanson oval and stamped the Vanson logo on a piece of scrap leather my son had requested for a souvenir. Awesome!

As we were being shown around, we came to a room where they keep the labels that are sewn in the jackets. Kim asked if we were familiar with the band Rush. I certainly am, but so is my son. She then told us how one of the band members rode and they made jackets for both the band and for them to sell while on tour. She then gave my son two different jacket labels from tours the band had done. That rocked!

We saw the shipping area where Kim explained how they had recently completed a large order for Supreme, a brand my son was familiar with as a high dollar fashion brand, and how they had to keep everything organized to send to places like Paris, NY, LA, and London. Although not a high dollar fashion type of kid, he thought it was really cool Vanson made jackets for them.

We saw the room where suits are washed and restored. Kim explained the process as we stared at an old suit being brought back to life. She further explained how damaged suits are sometimes repaired by removing and replacing entire sections.

At one of the stations we saw a very intricate custom logo. It was art in every sense of the word. Kim explained how they thin the leather so it doesn’t stack up or become too thick when requiring multiple layers. I noticed the back had an adhesive layer to help keep it attached to the jacket and then I understood how the graphics and letters on the suits involved in traumatic events had miraculously remained attached, they’re both sewn and glued. Clearly nothing is going to accidentally fall off something they make.

We then went back to the lower level behind the retail area where Kim showed us the computer used to design the multicolor custom suits. Nearby I noticed a rack of state police jackets. Kim explained how they make a coat for each academy graduate. She also pointed out a Powerade jacket they had made for the movie Talladega Nights and a Rush tour jacket among the jackets on display.

Although my purchase was a moderate one from a company who does work for professional racers, high fashion companies, movie stars, and music artist, I never felt that made a difference in the way I was treated.

Their website lists the top ten reasons to own a Vanson and it’s no joke. The #1 reason is Pride of ownership. Now I understand why. As we were getting ready to leave, my son and I both agreed that in a perfect world we would buy two jackets, one to use and one to put in a case on display.

I was so impressed with my experience, that I felt the need to take the time to write this and do my part to help emphasize the fact that Vanson Leathers is a spectacular company!

Customer for life.

A few months ago I started experiencing pain or soreness in the base of my thumb. It really makes gripping/operating the throttle difficult and painful. According to google it would appear I have developed osteoarthritis in the basal joint of the thumb.

For my daily rides I have been smearing it with Capzasin-P arthritis cream, which so far has had minimal effect. For today's ride I added a couple extra strength tylenol., and managed to get in an 84 mile ride without too much discomfort. I'm afraid this is going to put a real damper on my long distance riding, of which I had several long trips planned this year...to the Dakotas, to the East Coast and to the Rally in W Va, plus other possible trips.

I have an appointment with my family doctor on April 4 to discuss the situation, and have a good ortho doc if I need one.

Anyone else experience this sore thumb joint/base? Have it diagnosed? What was the outcome? Were you able to continue riding without much disruption?

Took some foto's to get ready to sell one of the CB's, probably my red 2013.

I got home from work and put the bike on the center stand. Figured I could wait five minutes and check the oil level. Well after thirty minutes the oil level showed a reading that was below the bottom line. Was the bike too hot to check? Or, am I low on oil. My next oil change is this Saturday. I guess my bike burns oil?

What do you think is going on?


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