09-30-2015, 02:45 PM
Today was an uncommonly clear and sunny day here in South Florida. We have been getting daily downpours off and on since mid August. My fuel tank was full and I had not ridden a "dry" ride without donning rain gear, so I decided to ride down to Isla Morada Key.
With the temperature in the 90's and just a few puffy clouds in the sky I headed south on the bike. I went down as far as the Tikki Bar off U.S 1 and had a greasy burger. When I got back to the bike I noticed a man in his 60's looking over the CB. As soon as he realized that I was the owner he asked, "Hey that's an antique aint it?" I prepared myself to give a full explanation on how Honda brought back the CB 1100 as a "retro" reliving the glory days when Honda revolutionized the biking industry. I was all set to explain the electronic ignition, the anti lock brakes, the sophisticated fuel control sensors, when I realized that he really enjoyed the fact that something so old could be made to look so new. Somehow I sensed that telling this man that this was a modern bike with only 8,400 miles on the odometer would not give him the same thrill as he was getting from admiring this old classic. So, I just looked at him and said, "yeap it sure is!" he stayed there and watched the bike until I got on the road. Later as I was riding home, I began to second guess myself as to weather or not I should have told him the bare truth. Then a revelation came to me. When Honda built the CB motorcycles in the 1970's they built a machine for the ages. The CB750 that I rode in 1983 is almost the same machine I ride today. The ride, the workmanship, the reliability, the look, and that great ride is still there! I've owned other bikes and it just wasn't the same. Today it's got the fuel injection and other bells and whistles my old 750 did not have, but it still close enough for that love affair I had in 1983 to be rekindled with my CB 1100. Todays ride totalled 250 miles of glorious indulgence. Not bad for a pair of antiques.
With the temperature in the 90's and just a few puffy clouds in the sky I headed south on the bike. I went down as far as the Tikki Bar off U.S 1 and had a greasy burger. When I got back to the bike I noticed a man in his 60's looking over the CB. As soon as he realized that I was the owner he asked, "Hey that's an antique aint it?" I prepared myself to give a full explanation on how Honda brought back the CB 1100 as a "retro" reliving the glory days when Honda revolutionized the biking industry. I was all set to explain the electronic ignition, the anti lock brakes, the sophisticated fuel control sensors, when I realized that he really enjoyed the fact that something so old could be made to look so new. Somehow I sensed that telling this man that this was a modern bike with only 8,400 miles on the odometer would not give him the same thrill as he was getting from admiring this old classic. So, I just looked at him and said, "yeap it sure is!" he stayed there and watched the bike until I got on the road. Later as I was riding home, I began to second guess myself as to weather or not I should have told him the bare truth. Then a revelation came to me. When Honda built the CB motorcycles in the 1970's they built a machine for the ages. The CB750 that I rode in 1983 is almost the same machine I ride today. The ride, the workmanship, the reliability, the look, and that great ride is still there! I've owned other bikes and it just wasn't the same. Today it's got the fuel injection and other bells and whistles my old 750 did not have, but it still close enough for that love affair I had in 1983 to be rekindled with my CB 1100. Todays ride totalled 250 miles of glorious indulgence. Not bad for a pair of antiques.
