• Welcome to the new B.I.R.D. Forum. Please be sure to read the "New Member / New Registered ? Please Read" thread in the Coffee Shop. This contains some important information. To become a full member ( £5.90 a year ) simply click on your user name near the top on the right I hope you enjoy the new site ................ Jaws ( John )

How many Bird owners?

Do you still own a Blackbird?

  • Yes, wouldn't be without one

    Votes: 26 76.5%
  • No, but I'll have another one one day

    Votes: 3 8.8%
  • I'm an ex banker & like me, no one should own any kind of motorbike

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • No but I'm not giving up on bikes yet

    Votes: 4 11.8%

  • Total voters
    34

Lee337

Confused Poster
Club Sponsor
Out of curiosity, how many of us who frequent the forum are still Blackbird owners?

Hands up, I'll start, I no longer own one but at least I still ride a bike.

Maybe I'll have another one one day.
 

Ajeman

Registered User
Read Only
I still have mine, but unless I can sort the handling issues it won't be for much longer!!
 

Jaws

Corporal CockUp
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Well my main bike is the 1200 gs ( actually , if you go by most used, its a 125 Sym Crox ! ).. But I jhave not been without a Bird since 1998 and when the project bike ( ! ) finally gets its plastics back I shall be using that far more often
 

Blackblade-rry

Member
Club Sponsor
Bought a few months back, it’s only taken me 17 years to get one. Back then it was a toss up between a Bird and a Blade as a replacement for a VFR, and I still have the Blade, so I guess it was the right decision then.
Needed an alternative beast of burden to try to get Mrs. Blackblade into longer distance stuff, as she doesn’t get on with my other bike with luggage, hence buying now.
Time will tell, but so far so good.
 

Ned52

Been there, and had one
Club Sponsor
Sold my BMW K1300s Great bike but too many problems = too many beer tokens
and got the Black bird to replace it.
:)
 

Pow-Lo

Make civil the mind, make savage the body.
Club Sponsor
Got shot of my ‘07 ’Bird (and Speed Triple) two months ago. Loved the Speed but couldn’t get on with the ‘Bird. I had a ‘97 ‘Bird from new and had to sell it under a cloud. Had the chance to pick up my latest one 7 years ago, never bonded with it, never got on with it. Picked up my GS Adventure today and rode home in stair rods. I hate riding in the rain, proper poof like that me, but if I had to do it again then there’s no other bike I’d rather to do it on.

That’s two Panzers in three days.
 

Lee337

Confused Poster
Club Sponsor
Got shot of my ‘07 ’Bird (and Speed Triple) two months ago. Loved the Speed but couldn’t get on with the ‘Bird. I had a ‘97 ‘Bird from new and had to sell it under a cloud. Had the chance to pick up my latest one 7 years ago, never bonded with it, never got on with it. Picked up my GS Adventure today and rode home in stair rods. I hate riding in the rain, proper poof like that me, but if I had to do it again then there’s no other bike I’d rather to do it on.

That’s two Panzers in three days.

Picked up a Triumph tiger a couple of weeks ago, 165 mile ride in pissing rain. the Tiger performed better than my waterproofs. Don't think I would have attempted it on a Bird, I'm not the best rider in the wet.
 

richardgore

Old Hand
Club Sponsor
Still got the Bird but haven't ridden it for about 5 years (getting too old & stiff for the riding position). Can't seem to bring myself to get rid of it. It's on the lift right now and I'm working on it tomorrow to bring it back up to tip top condition over the next few months.

Bought a R1200 GSA in 2011 and prefer that for long range trips around Europe and so on. Just bought an R1200C cruiser for shorter trips.

Still like the Bird being in the garage though.
 

Squag1

Can't remember....
Club Sponsor
First blue one April 2006 (registered 2001)
Swapped for a silver one March 2012
(registered 2007)
 

Pow-Lo

Make civil the mind, make savage the body.
Club Sponsor
Picked up a Triumph tiger a couple of weeks ago, 165 mile ride in pissing rain. the Tiger performed better than my waterproofs. Don't think I would have attempted it on a Bird, I'm not the best rider in the wet.
Surprised you picked up a Tiger after John’s experience. I like them but would always pick the BM.

I’m a shit rider in any conditions. Worst on here by a country mile. And then some.
 

derek kelly

The Deli lama
Club Sponsor
Had an 04 stealth black one from almost new (that didn’t have a scratch on, Ian) sold it when my arthritis got too painful & thought my biking days were over, moved house & new route to work had lots of tempting twisties so bought a Yammy 125, problem was it was killing my wrists ringing it’s neck to get the speed for the twisties, bit the bullet & bought another Blackbird, problem is now my knees are knackered & lower back pain.
I can see a time when I will have to let go & my biking days will be over, hopefully that time will be a long way off.
 

ianrobbo1

good looking AND modest
Still got the bird, sorted the ride and handling out, but getting a bit old and weak to chuck it around, so bought a cbf1000, similar weight, but carried a lot lower, gelled with it immediately, then had another two strokes, that fucked me up big time, I cant lift my leg over the bike, too weak to even stand Yvo's Hornet up off the side stand, so I've the Bird in the back of the Garage, and the Biffer in a thousand bits getting fettled, as it's on a bike lift, and I don't have to stand or lay down too do owt, pissing eldest son off no end having to undo tight bolts for me. :coleman::rolleyes:
 

Centaur

Site Pedant
Club Sponsor
Sadly, too old now to risk falling off a bike so bikeless and missing it like I've lost my legs. I had four blackbirds over the years and wish I could have another. Getting old is only just better than the alternative. :crybaby2:
 

Squag1

Can't remember....
Club Sponsor
Sadly, too old now to risk falling off a bike so bikeless and missing it like I've lost my legs. I had four blackbirds over the years and wish I could have another. Getting old is only just better than the alternative. :crybaby2:
Boomer trike :D
 

T.C

Been there, and had one
Club Sponsor
I woud still have mine had it not been for the fact that I have been advised/told to retire from riding.

So mine has gone but not through choice :(
 

ScottyUK

Filtering Through
Read Only
Have mine ('07 with 92k miles). Have bought another bike but 'bird is likely to continue taking the punishment all year commuting dishes out. Not many bikes can handle it so well although now getting getting the odd issue with wiring breaks.
 

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Just an observation - not a lot of positive comments about Birds in this thread.....
 

jeffa

Been there, and had one
Club Sponsor
Sold mine to my nephew, i loved my Blackbird but shoulder problems [not caused by the bike] forced me to change models, i would have another straight away if space allowed, got 800 tiger and restored cbr600
 
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