Hi,

Do you guys know how to decrypt the VIN number of a CB?

Are they all the same (jap, honda, model=CB11) and they only differ on the last figures as consecutive serial numbers, or is there any other info in it?

Just curious.

I thought I would write something about my motorcycle beginnings, that might bring back fond memories to older riders, and maybe a smile to the newer riders. Back in 1967, between my Freshman and Sophomore years in High School, I worked all summer on the graveyard shift at an all night restaurant washing dishes and busing tables, to make roughly $300 for my first motorcycle. I was 16 at the time, and wanted my own transportation, primarily to and from school. I bought a new two stroke Blue 1967 Suzuki K11 Challenger Sports single cylinder 80cc. A couple of weeks later, I let my best buddy ride it briefly, and within a couple of weeks after that he bought a new Honda CL90.
By 1968 between Sophomore and Junior years, we were both on a quest for more power. Back then, by law, the minimum displacement for use on the freeway was 160cc. My friends pockets were a little deeper than mine, and he traded his CL90 for a new 1968 Honda CB350. I, on the other hand, traded my K11 for a used Blue 1967 Suzuki TC200 Stingray 200cc twin street scrambler. Oh the "street scramblers", high chromed exhaust on both sides with chrome vented heat shields! The street scramblers all had steel skid plates under the crank case that had to be removed ( if you didnt remove it, oil always found its way onto the top side of the skid plate ) to do an oil change, which was a pain though.
The two strokers were always more affordable than the comparable displacement 4 strokes, and were almost always kick start. Yes, I did envy my friends electric starters. My parents surprised me by having the dealer add turn signals to the TC200. When 1969 rolled around, me, my Best Bud, and another friend lived, ate drank, and and slept motorcycles. We lived in the suburbs of Chicago, and I had a friend that lived in Ann Arbor Michigan, which is not far from Detroit. The three of us decided it would be an adventure to cut school on a Friday (with parental approval ) at noon, take our bikes on a road trip to Ann Arbor, crash at my friends house for the weekend, and return Sunday afternoon. This was a time when Easy Rider had just come out, and a very young Jack Nicholson was in a movie called Hells Angels On Wheels. So, in the spring of 1969 the three of us hit the freeway one Friday at noon with two 350cc and one 200cc motorcycle/s.
The trip was about 260 miles one way, and now I would no more think of getting on the freeway on a 200cc motorcycle than I would think of flying, but we were young and felt invincible at the time. Cruising speed then was 60 to 65 mph., so with stops for gas, about 4.6 hours one way. Then too, back then those displacements were reasonable for the time unless one went with a Harley, British twin, or Moto Guzzi. We considered the Moto Guzzi an unattractive beast, and both Harley and the British twins of the day leaked oil as well as being somewhat unreliable. Then there was safety gear. Other than helmets, our gear was what we could piece together, mostly from generic use items. I had a Buco 3/4 helmet ( full face really did not hit mainstream motorcycling until the early 70s ), with a flat shield, a borrowed leather jacket, plain leather gloves, jeans, and ankle high leather shoes with a strap across the instep. We all had bed rolls with clothes and sundries rolled up inside, in order to sleep on the floor of my buddies room at his house. Just before the trip I bought a cheap sissy bar for my bike, just to strap the bed roll onto, and took it off right after we got back.
On the road, little kids in Mom and Dads station wagons would give us the two finger "Peace Sign" in admiration. That weekend in Ann Arbor there was a Battle of the Bands at a local teen hangout. When we rolled up to the event on our motorcycles with out of state plates, we were instant celebrities. When we got back, my Father took a picture of the three Road Warriors on our bikes in the driveway of my house. I am on the left, and my best Bud is on the gold Honda. We had taken our helmets off for the picture, and our third friend had already taken off his jean jacket as well. We also had a certain amount of celebrity back at school for a while, once word of our escapade made the rounds.
Shortly after the trip, I sold the Blue TC200, and used the proceeds to upgrade to a used Black 1967 Suzuki TC250 X-6 Hustler street scrambler. That is one of only two of the many different motorcycles I have owned over the years that I wish I still had. I did not know it at the time, but very few of the street scrambler versions of the X-6 Hustler were ever imported to the U.S., and consequently aside from being a very slick machine, is now a high dollar collector bike. The other bike I wish I still had, was my 1974 CB750 Four in Freedom Green. The 750 was right after college, and I can remember putting up the title to my 1972 Ford Pinto Hatch Back (horrible car, but it was what I could afford at the time) as collateral with the bank for a loan for the roughly $1,500 the CB750 cost. I rode my 750 everywhere weather permitting, so much so, that I had to park my Pinto on a hill to coast pop start it because the battery would go dead from non use.
I have attached pictures of the Blue K11 that started my love of motorcycles, the road trip Blue TC200, the Black TC250, and the return of the three Road Warriors. Sadly my pictures of the 1974 CB750 all disappeared over the years. I had a Harley Soft Tail Springer Limited Edition CVO for the past 10 years before I traded it for my 2017 CB1100EX. So, now I have come back to the closest thing there will probably ever be to my beloved 1974 CB750, albeit a more technically advanced and superior version. The Harley weighed in at around 750+ pounds, and now at age 65, was getting to be more than I was comfortable with wrestling in local traffic. The CB1100 is a joy to ride in all situations, and it was the right move at the right time for me.
I Hope that my stroll down memory lane will stir similar memories, and be enjoyed by my fellow CB1100 enthusiasts.

This is cool. Jake is a great kid with exceptional credentials. Honda needs to get some new energy into WSBK, Kawasaki is cleaning up out there.

[url=https://www.sportrider.com/jake-gagne-confirmed-for-world-superbike-with-red-bull-honda#page-4]Jake Gagne Confirmed for WSB with Red Bull Honda

I came across this some time ago and have never seen a reference to it here.

I felt much the same way about my own 2013 after it'd been modded with Ikon shocks, the CB (Chip Beck) handlebars, a K&N air filter, and stainless steel Galfer brake lines/EBC HH pads.

[url=https://www.ridersdomain.com/magazine/motorcycles/reviews/2017-honda-cb1100rs/]2017 HONDA CB1100RS: A FEW INGREDIENTS SHY OF EXCELLENCE



Now, why didn't Honda bring this bike to North America? And why isn't it selling? The roads around here are thick with Triumphs of every stripe, XSR900s, various Ducatis of the Scrambler variety, and so on. Weight be hanged, I might have purchased one of these just based on this review.

Thinking about buying a 2014 Valkyrie to compliment by CB. Anyone own one of these or have any opinion about them? The bike is new and comes in either red or black. I think they are asking just over $13k.

I am considering a road Comet Cafe fairing for my 2017EX. As my tank is red, I am leaning toward the red fairing. Can anyone that has this set up post a picture or two showing what the INSIDE of the red fairing looks like, mounted on the bike, as viewed from the driver position? I assume that the shield Samurider lists for the 2017 is a Road Comet II version? Lastly, can anyone post a picture showing how the lower bracket attaches? I am guessing from what I have read in other threads that the upper of the two screws on the face of the horn bracket is the attachment point. However, if that is true, both of those screws are recessed into the face of the bracket, and I would assume a spacer would be used to fill the recess, which would then bring the Road Comet "L" bracket out to flush with the face of the horn bracket. On the other hand maybe the short leg of the L bracket goes behind the horn bracket secured with a nut, instead of on the face of the horn bracket? As others have mentioned, while it is an attractive and functional addition, it is not returnable and a fair chunk of change, so I am trying to do all the homework first.

I just need to add my comments about the noise the front brake makes at the last few feet when stopping, or with lite brake pressure going around a slow corner. I have this problem also and have tried several solutions. The bike has 5600 miles on it.

The things I've tried to include:
1. Coating the back of the brake pads with anti-squeal spray. (no change)
2. Changing the pads to EBC pads. (no change)
3. Installing new stock brake pads. (no change)
3. Scrubbing the front disc s with steel wool. (momentary change)

The only thing that helps is the steel wool, but this is only temporary. My 2013 CB1100 STD did not have this problem and the components appear to be the same Other than the squealing front brake, the motorcycle is perfect. Has anyone found and cause or solution?

just curious...
that air cooling down noise that Honda is so proud of....

do you guys hear it directly off the cylinder fins?

I don't hear any cooling down noise off the motor on mine right after a day's ride...

I hear what I believe is cracking noise from the exhaust silencer cooling down.

Is this what Honda means?

I've camped off the bike a number of times and the dry bags I have work fine. However, I dislike having to tie everything down with bungies and compression straps every morning and getting the bags just "so" that they don't shift while riding. Another issue is trying to quickly access things. Although that's a lesser hassle since most things I need immediate access to are in the tank and saddle bags.

I was up in Boise, Idaho this past weekend visiting a friend and stopped by Happy Trails. If you've never heard of them they're pretty well known in the ADV crowd for their USA made aluminum luggage and racks. The owner has been riding bikes for many, many years and is on site most days. Spoke with him at length and he just happened to have a rear top box with a blemish that normally sells for around $229 plus tax that he let me have for $150. I plan to use it for the 2-3 long rides I do every year around the Wind River Mt's in Wy, looping southern Utah on backroads and quick 2-3 day jaunts through Idaho. There's prob enough space in the box where I can get by with just the box, tank bag, and small backpack and possibly forgo the soft panniers. Four screws will mount it to OEM Honda rack tabs that are already pre-drilled.



Soft luggage set up



Kinda nice that it matches the fly screen



Side view



Comparative pic for scale.



With the lockable/watertight lid open. You have the option to removes the hinges and just use the latches in case you want to remove the lid when you open the box.

Ordering the mounting kit from Happy Trails. Comes with 4 small "hockey puck" rubber isolating washers that mount between the rack and the box. Nicely engineered small touch.

I need to buy a new cover for my CB. I cheaped out and got one from Walmart. In recent high winds (40mph) I had the cover more than tied down sufficiently. It didn't go anywhere but was ripped to shreds.
This time around I'd like to get a quality cover that will stand up to the elements.
Any advice on covers would be much appreciated. Thanks.[/size]