6,000+ miles and the front Battlax is shot, and the rear is still good but it's getting squared off so I'll replace it too.
I know some of you have gone to a bigger tire on the rear, but I don't want to change the handling so I'm planning on sticking to the stock tire sizes. Does anyone have experience with the Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact? They come in the stock sizes but they got mixed reviews on Bike Bandit.

http://metzeler.com/site/us/products/tyr...logue.html

It's gotten so hot in the late afternoons, my thighs get baked to death as I get stuck in gridlock that stretches for miles and miles when I'm coming home from a full day's ride. I'm not going to lie....I worry alot when I find myself stuck in traffic and the ambient temps are in the triple digits. It used to not be this way, gridlock that is, but this city of mine's one of the top 10 mega-growth cities in all of the country. They're trying to expand hwys and streets everywhere, and that itself causes most of the gridlock.

On air cooled motors, I've heard that it's more beneficial to run 93 oct (vs. 87), which aids in reducing preignition when sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and thus reducing engine temps.

True, or myth?

When I look at retro-type bikes, I become distracted by plastic-banana styling features. Some, like cooling fins on a water-cooled engine, come off looking OK (but still "fake"). Some, like phony carbs or other bolt-on do-dads are more egregious to my eye. But the longer I contemplate the design of my CB, I appreciate how honestly it incorporates, yet subtly improves on the best design of 30-40 years ago. Every detail I see is "real", necessary for function, but carried out, unashamedly, with modern materials, design and manufacturing. Take the front end. Yes, it is a "retro" 5-spoke cast wheel, but the casting is airy and elegant. There are no disc carriers; the rotors attach directly to the wheel. The brakes have a smallish diameter within the 18" arc of the rim. They are grabbed by powerful, compact 4-piston calipers, bolted to fork sliders without need of hangers. It could literally be displayed alone as art. And that's just the front! Maybe next time I'll comment on that gorgeous engine.....

I know some of you have shared my pain when it comes to the stock CB1100 seat, and some of you are made for torture who don't notice that you are slowly being divided by two, the hard way.
Every year my dad and I plan a long ride, friends usually join us, and we all just pick a place on the map. The rules are this, we have 9 days..... yup that's it. What route we take, how long we ride each day, where we sleep and what we eat is all unwritten chaos, we wouldn't want it any other way. Each day usually starts by looking for squiggly lines on a map and connecting them together with random gas stations and local fair.
The last time we did this I was on a 1981 CB900C. What a strange and wonderful bike, definitely regret that sale. Shaft drive with air suspension front and rear. Those of you who have dealt with early 80s Honda inline fours are, no doubt, familiar with the character of aluminum puck carburetors. One of the places that bike excelled was the comfort of its seat! Not the best seat I have ever sat on nor would it win any beauty contest but 7 hour days weren't a big deal. The CB1100 in contrast will KO my legs 30 seconds into the first round.
So in preparation for this years ride I had a few ergonomic issues I had to take care of if I were to ever want to walk again. My main issue is simple, the bike was not built for a person with my height. I am 6' 2" with a 34" inseam which puts me out of most marketing target demographics of motorcycles. I felt very cramped in the cockpit with the pegs too high and my tank was starting to ask me where this relationship was headed.
I thought about the Corbin seat and even called them up to price one, but ended up giving Rich's a call. I have heard great things but was always warned that "it isn't cheap". So with a jar full of saved up pennies I scheduled a fitting nearly 7 weeks in advance, I think this is the norm. The day came last Saturday and the weather man told me that it would be wet, he was right. I jumped on the early ferry to Kingston Washington after riding an hour in a very determined rain. About fifteen minutes off a twenty minute ferry ride and I was at Rich's shop. A metal building tucked back in a small industrial park with a well manicured landscape and a trove of interesting projects.


I was greeted by Rich and his crew and was one of six bikes there to get a new seat fitted. The process started with Rich walking around asking us why we didn't like the seat we had. It was a mix bag from, I want to add a two up seat to my custom ironhead, to my R1200RT seats aren't good enough for me and my wife to tour the country on. I explained how my seat thought I was a wishbone and desperately wanted it's wishes to come true. Pepper obviously thought my bike was the coolest one there.


Each bike had a attentive sculptor that stripped their seat and started the magic potion boiling.
Off comes the cover!


Kelly (the artist) comes down stairs and offers advice on color and style. She has the eye. By practice I consider myself conservative when it comes to style, a less is more kinda man. However, Kelly was better dressed than I was so I took her advice.


After several test fits of Bubba shaving foam and me sitting on it or taking a short ride on it we had a shape. Bubba put a jell pad into the foam that I must admit, resembled what I think a silicon implant would look like. Then sent the seat upstairs for a cover. All in all the process took about 7 hours to complete! The conversation was good and Rich's shop was comfortable with lots of car seats sitting around to lounge in and a warm room with the game on. When my seat was complete I handed them my jar of pennies and caught the ferry back home.


And here is the finished product, it is by far the most comfortable motorcycle seat I have sat on, it is cosmetically bold for my taste but it is growing on me. It was about $200 over what a Corbin seat would have cost me by my calculations. Was it worth it? I think so, comfort is top notch as well as the materials. The attention to detail that Rich's team puts into the seats is worth a bit to me. However, you can make that decision yourself if you are in the market. I do recommend Rich's if you are in the northwest and want a custom tailored seat to fit your needs.

Have been looking at one of these pretty hard as an around town/winter bike. It would probably never leave the county. No passenger.

Would NOT replace my beloved CB1100.

Been searching the web and here and cant find any issues.

Anyone have any thoughts ? Pro or con ?

Mike

afternoon everyone, 850 miles on 2014 CB1100 since this April and i love this thing. quick question about the throttle feel, hesitation, jumpy-ness characteristics of this bike that i have noticed so far.

--at low rpm's in traffic...mainly in 1st or 2nd gear if i accelerate very slowly (snails pace) i feel like the bike is hesitating and/or the clutch is slipping. This happens between 2-15 mph i would say. The moment you give it more throttle there is no issue. its just at initial calm acceleration.

--jumpy. Seems like with very little throttle movement at low rpm's results in quite the jumpy reaction. There almost feels like there is a "thud" sort of reaction once you let off the gas and when you back into the gas while in gear after slowing down (not using the clutch).

I have been babying this bike before its first oil change so that i dont have any issues with engine/tranny break-in. i have only brought it up to 5k rpms a few times and it is nice and healthy. Seeing this thing is sort of brand new (2014 with 0 miles on it when i bought it in Feb) i feel like i shouldn't be experiencing any of this? This is the newest bike i have ever owned...the other bike is a 1980. I did some searching on here for similar issues...found a couple things where it is mentioned but not a lot.

Am i over reacting? Should i call the dealer? i guess im just used to the "old" stuff and haven't ridden anything newer than 2001.

Otherwise this bike is great. Super nimble. Brakes are spot on.

thanks everyone.

2017-2018 Suzuki Team: Andrea Ianonne and Alex Rins

Alexis Espargaro likey to take the last factory Aprilia seat.

Bradly Smith and Pol Espargaro on the factory KTMs for 2017-2018

Apparently, it is International Ride to Work Day 2016 today.

http://www.ridetowork.org/

So, having been cleared by my cardiologist on Friday to ride again, I rode to work.

My ride today started from the North fork of the West fork Willamette river.
This covered bridge is the beginning of my ride from one river drainage to another.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06103.jpg.html]
some pictures going upriver.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06112.jpg.html]
Stopped and talked these fellows from Washington traveling the back roads.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06116.jpg.html]
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06113.jpg.html]
Some large Douglas fir along the road.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06160.jpg.html]
A named grove of trees that I hadn't noticed on previous rides on that road.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06171.jpg.html]
They named trees after Presidents.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06169.jpg.html]
At the summit heading down to the South fork McKenzie river.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06183.jpg.html]
Beautiful meadow on the top.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06189.jpg.html]
Lots of curves on this road but this is the tightest.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06197.jpg.html]
South fork McKenzie.
[url=http://s694.photobucket.com/user/husky385/media/DSC06220.jpg.html]
I have more interesting pictures of this ride if interested.
Thanks
Kevin

I was originally going to call this "Alameda Shore Line" but I think NBA Finals fits also