7 Days of Seat Time :)

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

Here's the beginning of my little adventure. I'll write more when I get time. For now, here's a photo of trip meter on the odo upon my return to FL.

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

Here's the beginning of my little adventure. I'll write more when I get time. For now, here's a photo of trip meter on the odo upon my return to FL.

Working on getting the photo to load, in the meantime you can find it and many others on the Face Book page I started for CB1100 owners.
CB1100DLX Face Book Page
Check it out if you've not been there yet

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

So the story starts in October of 2000. 2 friends and I rode our bikes from central Florida up through Georgia, into North Carolina and back again, starting on a Saturday and returning the next Saturday. Our only caveats were: no interstate travel, no eating at fast foods or at restaurant chains. We brought tents and bags and alternately camped and hotelled. Myself on a Moto Guzzi Jackal, my friends Don on a Moto Guzzi California EV and Colin aboard a Triumph Daytona.
We had an amazing week. We visited with friends, we rode the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway and many great old 2 lanes. We traversed old single lane wooden bridges, visited historic sites, cruised through old towns with streets lined with amazing Victorian homes, Craftsman Bungalows, Italianate and plenty of rustic local styles including homes made of ledge and river stone. Old highway 441 through Georgia passes through historic towns like Athens and Rome, towns with old central squares with beautiful stone court houses and formally designed parks with stone statues of Confederate historical figures.
We toured Simpson Industries, several NASCAR race shops and ate great BBQ near Lake Norman.
We paid a visit to one of the last hot air balloon makers in Statesville NC. It was run by a friend who is a land speed record holder who rode a Moto Guzzi to a class record at Bonneville.
It was one of the best week long vacations I had taken in a long time. Once we returned home, local bikers started hearing about the venture at Bike Nights and other events. We started promoting the idea of doing a yearly trip. At the time a club I had ridden with for a bit, mostly Buell riders had started to wane. It was a little clique like and imo, rather insecure. However I made a few lifelong friends in that group and learned a lot. I think I was accepted because at minimum, I was riding a v-twin, even if it was aligned in the wrong direction AND my first invite to ride came with the caveat "if you think you can hang". Well, much to the surprise of a few, my Guzzi hung quite well.
We did a ride, every Sunday, out and about. I learned the best roads around riding with that group. And yes, even though you've probably heard the mis-informed BS that Florida is flat and the roads are all straight, there are great roads to experience here. But, I digress. As the club waned, I kind of took over and promoted it to the kids on sportbikes at a big bike night that was the most happening event every Thursday night. We opened it up to everyone and a lot of newbies to the sport liked that they could count on a ride every Sunday with a group of skilled ex-racers who showed them how much fun they could have by honing and improving their riding skills rather than slowly totalling their bikes by trying to be next stunter champ. So anyway, the next year we had a larger group. The year after, even larger. That went on for many years, the number rose and fell. A few years ago, we started promoting the idea of a spring ride in addition to fall. Now it's a standard.
And, that leads up to this year's fall ride. The one I rode on the relatively new CB1100DLX. Borrowed from my son. And for now, I'll leave you hanging, until the next installment Hope you enjoy!

[emptysea]

Nice preface...can't wait for the rest of the story

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

We met Saturday morning September 27 at a predetermined breakfast spot. Newbie Bud on an old Katana 750. Q on a Yamaha GTS, Lee on a Honda RC51, Lee's cousin John on his Gen. 2 FZ1 and a trip newbie, Jim, a buddy of John on a 1600 BMW he recently bought used, Mark on his Gen. 1 FZ1, my other son Scott, another newbie on my Gen.1 FZ1, Tim on a Suzuki SV1000, Paul on his Honda ST1300. You know the story of how I came about riding Eric's CB if you've read my other postings. My other son Scott wanted to trip, so I offered my FZ1 as long as Eric would loan me the CB.
So that's how the whole roster stacked up. We left right at 9 am sharp. Well, sort of. Newbie Jim committed the first Cardinal sin by showing up at the ride starting point out of gas. Imagine the frustration this causes. Everyone else topped off, lubed, adjusted, excited to go. We start out then we have to stop again for one guy who wasn't thinking.
Freestyling. That's what we call it. Only the most basic of plans. As a matter of fact, the best plan is to have no plan. We intended to make it to mid-Georgis then look for a place to spend the night.
But the ride - on the CB. That's what your interested in!
The CB fits my 5'-10" frame well. I'm very comfortable on board. I like how it feels light. Nimble even. At this point in the story the bike has 2500 or so miles on it. It's loosened up well. Accelerates nicely, brakes are excellent. We are taking some nice alternating twisty and rapid roads toward Astor Florida. The CB holds the corners well when cranked over. The Bridgestone Battlax's grip well. The suspension is good. The fork preload has been set 2 turns tighter, the shocks in the softest position.
I'm loaded with an additional 70 pounds. The bike feels good. Addressing some issues I've seen brought up on the forum - handle bar vibration: I'm riding anywhere from 45 to 75 mph. Curves, straights. Nothing out of the ordinary. Granted, I've had several v-twins in my stable. Perhaps that vibe has numbed me to the frequency produced by this smooth in-line 4
Wind blast/buffeting: not an issue at all, except approaching 85 mph. If you read my post about riding the CB home from Toledo, you know I cruised the last 170 miles at 80. I've found in the past, some who have been buffeted either were wearing very loose fitting jackets that acted as sails, or had loose cuffs allowing air inside causing the jacket to balloon up, flay to and fro, beating them uncomfortably. They should get a motorcycle specific jacket that fits properly and cinch the sleeves and cuffs using the snaps or velcro tabs that a quality piece of gear is going to have designed in to reduce wind drag.
Next, the seat: I had ridden the CB from Toledo to Orlando over a 3 day weekend. 470 miles the first day alone. Perhaps my posterior is well broken in from riding several thousand miles a year. I already have almost 5k miles on this one and I did another 2200 miles on my FZ1 earlier this year on the spring trip. I can say, this is one of the most comfortable stock seats I've experienced. Yes, I'm surprised. Happily
'Til next time!

[emptysea]

Nice report...hope there are some pretty pictures coming soon

I'd have left the noob at the gas station and told him to "freestyle" to mid-Georgia and call you when he got there. Lol

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

Nice report...hope there are some pretty pictures coming soon

I'd have left the noob at the gas station and told him to "freestyle" to mid-Georgia and call you when he got there. Lol

Had it been a normal ride that's exactly what would have happened. But this was Lee's cousins Johns friend who had never ridden with us before. He was given a pass. But, there's more to the story as we will see in a couple more installments

[HikerToo_imp]

I think this was covered in another post, but on Facebook I searched for
CB1100DLX and come up with one hit, so assume this link below is your page you mention but I don't recall seeing a link too?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/698698380199503/

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Nice report. I don't do Facebook so I will have to form a mental picture.

Cheers

[Motogeezer1949_imp]

I'll get pics posted hopefully in the next couple days.
Yes Hiker, that's the page.
Thanks for the comments!