10-07-2015, 02:10 PM
I've been riding since 1974. I've taken off a few years due to the fact that I could no longer ride the same type of motorcycle I had fallen in love with when I first saw the Honda CB 750. But now I am reunited with the machine I had once owned and cherished.
I decided to go for a ride today, but not just any ride. I wanted to go to Naples Florida some 120 miles from my hometown of Boca Raton so as to shop for "saddle bags" for my CB. I went direct route via Alligator Alley (SR. 75) and was in Naples in about an hour and some 45 minutes. I got to the motorcycle dealership and after some pricing purchased the Cortech Saddle Bags (they fit perfectly on the CB1100)
After a light lunch, I headed back to Boca this time via the Tamiami Trail (SR 41). If anyone is familiar with this stretch of road you will recall how it can be perfectly sunny one moment, then it darkens up and it pours for 1/2 hour only to emerge to brilliant sunlight. Today the sunlight never came. It poured from about 3:45 PM until I got home almost 3 hours later due to the traffic and the constant rain.
I made it to my house and it had gotten considerably dark. Normally, I will move one of our two cars from the driveway in order to ride the bike into the garage. Today in the downpour and tired from almost 300 miles of riding most of it with a fogged up face shield and in stop and go traffic, I decided to take a short cut. Instead of moving the car I decided to park on the grass open the garage door with the opener on my car's visor and sneak into the garage without removing either the helmet or the rain gear. Well I opened the garage as I had planned, but when I turned around I find my red beautiful baby laying on her side on the grass, new saddle bags and all. My first impulse was to try and raise her myself. Have you read the specs on how much one of our bikes weigh? Well it's only brought home when you foolishly try and lift it up! I saw a light emanating from my next door neighbor's living room and instinctively remember his size. He is well over 6' 11". I nocked on his door and in no time at all he was in his garage donning a pair of sneakers and trying to get a good handhold on the bike. After what seemed for ever we began to succeed in getting her first about 1/4 erect, then 1/2 and finally completely straight. The first thing I did was to start her up. She roared to life as always. Next thing was riding her into the garage, and last but not least throwing myself at my neighbors feet in adoration for what he had just helped me accomplish. I must ask him tomorrow if he smokes cigars. I think I will keep him supplied for the rest of his life!
I checked the bike over in the privacy of the garage and the only thing slightly out of place was the left Cortech saddle bag. Amazing! Not a scratch on her. It's slightly after midnight and before going to bed tonight I will go into the garage with a strong Maglite and I will check the bike again. Maybe after checking her seventeen times before this eighteenth time will be the one I notice some hidden damage not seen before. It was a long streak from 1975 until 2015 without dropping a motorcycle. My streak is sadly ended today, but it could have been a lot worst. Tomorrow, I promised the bike a bath and some lubrication. But first I have to get some cigars for my giant next door!
I decided to go for a ride today, but not just any ride. I wanted to go to Naples Florida some 120 miles from my hometown of Boca Raton so as to shop for "saddle bags" for my CB. I went direct route via Alligator Alley (SR. 75) and was in Naples in about an hour and some 45 minutes. I got to the motorcycle dealership and after some pricing purchased the Cortech Saddle Bags (they fit perfectly on the CB1100)
After a light lunch, I headed back to Boca this time via the Tamiami Trail (SR 41). If anyone is familiar with this stretch of road you will recall how it can be perfectly sunny one moment, then it darkens up and it pours for 1/2 hour only to emerge to brilliant sunlight. Today the sunlight never came. It poured from about 3:45 PM until I got home almost 3 hours later due to the traffic and the constant rain.
I made it to my house and it had gotten considerably dark. Normally, I will move one of our two cars from the driveway in order to ride the bike into the garage. Today in the downpour and tired from almost 300 miles of riding most of it with a fogged up face shield and in stop and go traffic, I decided to take a short cut. Instead of moving the car I decided to park on the grass open the garage door with the opener on my car's visor and sneak into the garage without removing either the helmet or the rain gear. Well I opened the garage as I had planned, but when I turned around I find my red beautiful baby laying on her side on the grass, new saddle bags and all. My first impulse was to try and raise her myself. Have you read the specs on how much one of our bikes weigh? Well it's only brought home when you foolishly try and lift it up! I saw a light emanating from my next door neighbor's living room and instinctively remember his size. He is well over 6' 11". I nocked on his door and in no time at all he was in his garage donning a pair of sneakers and trying to get a good handhold on the bike. After what seemed for ever we began to succeed in getting her first about 1/4 erect, then 1/2 and finally completely straight. The first thing I did was to start her up. She roared to life as always. Next thing was riding her into the garage, and last but not least throwing myself at my neighbors feet in adoration for what he had just helped me accomplish. I must ask him tomorrow if he smokes cigars. I think I will keep him supplied for the rest of his life!
I checked the bike over in the privacy of the garage and the only thing slightly out of place was the left Cortech saddle bag. Amazing! Not a scratch on her. It's slightly after midnight and before going to bed tonight I will go into the garage with a strong Maglite and I will check the bike again. Maybe after checking her seventeen times before this eighteenth time will be the one I notice some hidden damage not seen before. It was a long streak from 1975 until 2015 without dropping a motorcycle. My streak is sadly ended today, but it could have been a lot worst. Tomorrow, I promised the bike a bath and some lubrication. But first I have to get some cigars for my giant next door!
After that happens its seems everything is ok.
You got to make a friend of your next door neighbor and have some good enteraction which sure won't hurt (a good neighbor is like gold) Now you can clean'er up and keep scootin
