What are the odds? An old flame encounter...

[the Ferret]

Great stuff as usual pdedse!

I like my NC, veryy efficient motorcycle, light weight etc, but I love my CB. Probably the best bike Ive ever owned. The mileage on it now has made me put it in preservation mode ie: occasional ride status. Even so if I could only have one bike in the garage, it would be the CB, and I would just cut back on my riding.

[pdedse]

Beautiful ride! Do you think it would have been as doable on the W800?

Oh yes! The w800 cafe version I had was very capable speed wise, and I was out in this same neck of the woods last week on my RE INT650. Both bikes ergonomically are just a tad smaller / tighter than the CB1100, but nothing that would hinder one--except the "club" handlebars on the W800 cafe--too bent over and forward for me for long distances. 1-2 hours, no problem, and quite fun.

Where the CB1100 does a lot better is in the wind. It's sure-footed, and just plows throught the gusts even when these reach 30mph, which is not uncommon in the Columbia River Gorge. The INT and w800 both get blown around a bit...nothing dangerous, but noticeable.

Gas mileage dropped considerably riding the CB against the wind doing 75mp: 35mpg.

Great stuff as usual pdedse!

I like my NC, veryy efficient motorcycle, light weight etc, but I love my CB. Probably the best bike Ive ever owned. The mileage on it now has made me put it in preservation mode ie: occasional ride status. Even so if I could only have one bike in the garage, it would be the CB, and I would just cut back on my riding.

How many miles do you have now on the CB? Over 60k, isn't it?

[Hovmod_imp]

Wow, man, the ride alone was worth it!
What great scenery. Glad you didn’t sell the CB.

Get that stamina up and hit the road!

Was going to try a Portland to San Diego trip here in June, but daughter had too many plans...tentatively thinking early September, right after Labor Day. I thought I might try it on the INT650. Would love to stop by and say 'hola', compare bikes whether on the CB or the INT.

Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

I was pretty sure that was going to be the case for me. Mainly, I wanted an extra reason to ride in the area I did. Having owned a W800 prior, I didn't push a test ride. I wanted to "test ride" the visual aspect of the blue, and it didn't disappoint.

Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

If you mean on the brown W800 café, that fairing is stock for the café model. The bike in photo hadn't been ridden a single mile since I sold it last September, the only mod to it was the Grip Puppies. It looked dusty and a bit neglected.

Great day out pdedse. The W800 classic look is the best of the bunch, looks great in Blue and the Green model. I have ridden the older 2015 model with the rear drum brake, that updated version looks great. Cracking bikes with the old 360 crank layout which makes them nostalgically a bit special. Some round trip. I would of taken that red for $5K in a heartbeat.

Totally agree with all of that. In retrospect, I should have bought that bike for 5k, and then either ordered a blue tank and sold the red, or I thought later I could have the red painted green and cream, the colors of the 2001 W650:



I love this color combo and paint design on the 650--the tank pads flow with the cream and the overall tank design. Just beautiful. I think Kawasaki could have been a little more creative with the white tank stripe on the W800:



It's not a bad look, just that I prefer the curvy nature of the green / cream on the 2001.

Oh well, the one that got away.

If you mean on the brown W800 café, that fairing is stock for the café model.
Hehe, who inspired whom?

[pdedse]

Wow, man, the ride alone was worth it!
What great scenery. Glad you didn’t sell the CB.

Get that stamina up and hit the road!

Was going to try a Portland to San Diego trip here in June, but daughter had too many plans...tentatively thinking early September, right after Labor Day. I thought I might try it on the INT650. Would love to stop by and say 'hola', compare bikes whether on the CB or the INT.

Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

I was pretty sure that was going to be the case for me. Mainly, I wanted an extra reason to ride in the area I did. Having owned a W800 prior, I didn't push a test ride. I wanted to "test ride" the visual aspect of the blue, and it didn't disappoint.

Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

If you mean on the brown W800 café, that fairing is stock for the café model. The bike in photo hadn't been ridden a single mile since I sold it last September, the only mod to it was the Grip Puppies. It looked dusty and a bit neglected.

Great day out pdedse. The W800 classic look is the best of the bunch, looks great in Blue and the Green model. I have ridden the older 2015 model with the rear drum brake, that updated version looks great. Cracking bikes with the old 360 crank layout which makes them nostalgically a bit special. Some round trip. I would of taken that red for $5K in a heartbeat.

Totally agree with all of that. In retrospect, I should have bought that bike for 5k, and then either ordered a blue tank and sold the red, or I thought later I could have the red painted green and cream, the colors of the 2001 W650:



I love this color combo and paint design on the 650--the tank pads flow with the cream and the overall tank design. Just beautiful. I think Kawasaki could have been a little more creative with the white tank stripe on the W800:



It's not a bad look, just that I prefer the curvy nature of the green / cream on the 2001.

Oh well, the one that got away.

If you mean on the brown W800 café, that fairing is stock for the café model.
Hehe, who inspired whom?

Wow, that is similar... transparent part has a slightly different cut, but the silver base looks identical.

[Gone in 60]

This thread reminded me that I recently ran across one of my old flames!

Back in 2019, my '07 R1200R's ABS system was becoming troublesome. As many aging German machines do, they perform brilliantly until they become expensive to continue doing so.

It was time to fish or cut bait. Rather than pay over half of what the bike was worth for repairs, I sold it. Got very lucky too... the buyer was not phased by the wonky ABS, saying he just wanted the cleanest example of my bike he could find for his static living room collection. Ok, whatever floats your boat, right?

The guy paid me exactly what I ended up paying for my current CB1100 a few days later.

Lo and behold, a few months ago while checking out the new Cars and Coffee in San Clemente, perusing the long row of parked motorcycles, one of them had a familiar black tank with white pinstripes. It was my old bike. Still almost as clean as I had left it. I hung around and checked on it while I was there to see if it was still owned by the guy whom I sold it to. Nobody returned to the bike before I had to leave, so it remains a mystery.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Fun story Gone.

Nice snap too.