You might want to check State8 in Peninsula Ohio. I stopped in there yesterday for some detailer, and lo and behold, almost tripped over Black Beauty sitting on the showroom floor.

Bob

Started snowing, it was 34 degrees out, but the roads were too warm for it to stick. So I got dressed to ride and pushed the ST out and fired it up. Snow was coming down pretty hard and was turning into little sleet balls or something, accumulating on tank bag and bar mitts as the bike warmed up. Took off and everything was fine. Windshield/front of bike started to build up with slushy/sleet like stuff. Only rode 40 miles.

(click on images to enlarge, then click on square box in upper rh corner to make full screen)

I liked this. So the rules are:

[li]Post must start with 'Nothing better than'[/li] [li]Post must include a reference to the CB1100, or at least, some other motorcycle, but if it isn't a CB, the explanation better be good or ...[/li] [li]Normal forum decorum applies—i.e. nothing vulgar or unsuitable for children.
[/li]

To get things going: There's nothing better than a balmy evening and a beer listening to the 'tink, tink' of my CB1100 as it cools from a long day's ride.

150 miles of canyons and desert roads from Los Angeles to Lancaster, CA. does anybody recognize the location? 4 cb1100s and a few triumphs.

I don't have one. I think there was mention of it when I bought it but don't recall. So, I'm kinda pondering gettin one for posterity... Then again I might just skip it.

Anybody use them? Out on the road?

I've used some honda oem tools but reach for something different and carry a bit more to boot.

The only reason I see assembling the tools (didn't see a part# for the whole kit) is to have it for re-sale. I think when I added everything up it was more than $50. I could buy a lot of tools for that at HF.

If something goes awry out and about I reckon I'll need a tow truck and a credit card instead.

Anyone heard from that guy? It's as if he suddenly just fell off the planet.

14 years ago, a member of the ST forum started a thing called the Moonshine Lunch Run. Over near Casey, Illinois, there is a little place called the Moonshine Store. This fellow on the ST board, Terry Hammond, was from the area and decided to get some ST riders together for a burger there. The first year there was reportedly 10 who showed up. The event grew every year. I think last year over 3000 showed up from every corner of the US and Canada.Not sure how many showed up this year but it had to be a record number. An older couple own the place and as I understand it the husband died, the wife no longer wants to run the business, and neither does their son. So this year would be the 14th and final Moonshine Lunch Run.

Ohiodeere and sirepair, two of my ST riding buddies asked me to go. At first I said NO Way. I'm ok with small crowds but don't do large crowds well. They convinced me I needed to go. Finally I said ok. Partly because I bow easily under pressure and partly because CB forum buddies Empty Sea and Offroad 4x4 and I, decided to meet up at the store later this year and I figured I'd at least find out where it was (not sure I can find it again though Sea lol)

Anyhow I met up with sirepair early on Friday morning and followed him and his daughter over. (his wife also followed us in her car.) It was very windy and a lot of the way we rode on an angle



we arrived at the hotel 331 miles later, where we met up with other ST riders (and Harley riders, and Beemer riders and Yamaha riders). That night we went to a place called Richards Farm for a buffet dinner with 300 or so of someone's closest motorcycle friends. Crowded, noisy, I was a little frazzled and left shortly after dinner. I thought it was crazy, little did I know lol

It rained hard all night and was still raining when we woke up, but weather radar showed it would quit a little after 9. At 9:30 we headed to the store (BTW heard bikes starting up about 5:30 am as others were leaving in the rain for the store)

Here we are getting ready to leave after the rain had stopped



I followed Ohiodeere over a crazy patchwork quilt of country roads, all arrow straight and all numbered.. 300, 400, 500, 700, 870, 1000. About 1/2 mile away from the store we started coming upon bikes parked on the side of the road.

looking north



Looking west



Good night, what had I gotten myself into? lol

People were literally everywhere! We actually found some good parking places (good if you call parking on a hill in wet grass good) right across from the store itself.



The burgers were good (although I had to have mine bunless to avoid the gluten) but here is a double Moonburger with cheese and bacon



Shortly after eating I left for home. Had to find my own way to I-70 in that crazy patchwork of numbered roads (some of the roads are gravel btw), but ended up following a guy on a Triumph sport tourer with Ohio plates, hoping he was headed for 70 as well, and he was.... thank goodness.

Rest of the ride was just slabbing it ... east on I-70 to I-465 south around Indianapolis, then east on I-74 to I-75 south around Cincinnati to I-471 north through Kentucky to I-275 north back into Ohio again and then Rt 52 east to home. Hit light rain for the last 100 miles.

626 miles total.

It was crazy, hectic, amazing, chaotic but I'm glad I went since there will be no more of that event

Sea not sure I can find the place again lol, and not sure I can do this in one day. It would be a long one for sure, but doable I suppose. Ride 4 1/2 hours, eat 1 hour, ride 4 1/2 hours lol.

I'm actually thinking of going with a 130 next time out. anyone else done that ?

My 2013 came with the blinkers mounted on the tall light bracket via a small other bracket.

I'm looking to mount them on the grab rail and am in need of some washer, or a bolt and a washer, that holds the turn signal to the grab rail. If anyone has these parts laying around I am in need and am willing to pay some cash money

Thought I would check here before calling a dealer.

Thanks in advance,

HW

K1600GT Ride Report:

I know this is off subject, but rather than trying to turn my CB1100 into a sport touring motorcycle I thought I’d just leave as it was intended and complement it with a dedicated sport touring machine. There is nothing wrong with having 2 to choose from right? ;-)

I had the opportunity (well actually I made the opportunity to celebrate my 62nd birthday) to ride a 2014 K1600GT today for 120 miles Interstate and 120 miles curvy back roads. They have a 2018 (not a demo) but they didn’t want to run up the miles on it. As for the interstate, I have to sum it up with 2 words….cruise control! I know there are cheaper ways to get cruise control than to spend 20-30K but what a relief it was not have to hold pressure 100% of the time. Having automobile like features like bumping it up or down in speed with a toggle and automatic kick out if the brakes are touched was impressive.

On purpose, I held 75-80mph for the entire 120 miles….testing to see if I could maintain that for several hours if need be for cross country touring. Despite having 20+ mph crosswinds with gust to 40mph, it’s quite doable. Between the adjustable windshield and the totally necessary Bose Quiet Comfort 30’s, it’s as close to be in a car as you can get while still on a motorcycle. You could really go up to 90mph and not tell much difference.

I found out later that one of the on the fly suspension settings “comfort” mode is not available on the 2017-2018 models….but this setting really smoothed out any bumps in the road for rough transitions like poor pavement repairs or uneven entrances to bridges, etc. I haven’t fully tested the new 2018 for the solution to this roughness, but more about that later.

On the way back, 120 miles on curvy roads, the “sport” suspension setting was needed. While the K1600GT might not be as “flickable” as our CB1100, it was fast enough in the twisties for me and more than made up for it accelerating out of the turn.

The 160 hp was totally impressive! Talk about passing on a 2 lane with minimal time in the left lane….it was fast and effortless….truly a joy!

I only rode a 2018 a few blocks as it only had 14 miles on it and they were trying to keep the miles down. I plan on going back next week to further test the new suspension mode on the new 2018 and how they compensate for not having that “comfort” mode.

I thought about getting a pre-2017-18 to get the comfort mode, but two features on the 2018 are so impressive I think it would just be dumb not to invest in the most advanced features available. I’m thinking these features could affect the resale value and expand the pool of buyers to those less comfortable in manually shifting.

1. Shift assist: For someone who has spent 45 years working to master the art of manually shifting gears, RPM matching, all while braking I was doubtful I would be impressed by this “weakening” of the motorcycle skill set required to ride. However, as I have learned smoother shifting is on the edge of clutch less shifting anyway, this system is literally just that plus one unexpected advance. Not only do you not have to clutch to shift, you don’t even have to de-throttle! The computer kills the engine for 1/50 of a second to take the pressure off the transmission gears to allow the shift to take place. Very similar to the paddle shifter that was on the Ferrari 430 Scuderia I drove in Las Vegas at a Speedway a few years ago. It was totally impressive and no human could ever match the speed and precision of this “speed shift.”

2. Reverse: I was expecting a noisy clumsy starter engaged reverse, but on contrary it is a transmission engine controlled reverse that reaches a max of 1mph that could come in handy in a pinch.

There other advances on this BMW that is not new for 2018 that our CB1100 doesn’t have like traction control, adaptive headlight, stereo speakers that could be heard at interstate speeds but the two above were the new most impressive features for 2017-2018.

I do plan on keeping my 2014 CB1100 Std. With it’s modified enhanced exhaust, any time I want to make noise (not that the K1600 doesn’t sound good too) and keep it under 60 mph, little to no interstate miles, it will be the ride of choice!