I'm on the cusp of fulfilling a bucket list wish...and acquiring a "Bird"!
On Wednesday, with a bit of luck, I'll become the proud owner of a 1998, black, 'Bird'.
If I wasn't such an old fart, I'd be quite excited... but it seems I'll have to settle for dribbling and mild incontinence.
I've sort of promised the Gaffer that I'll flog one of my other toys... but only if my new 'Bird' manages to capture my heart...
Any advice from the great n good of B.I.R.D? ...
Hiya Mitch, welcome to the forum
Advice..... weeelllllllllllllll..
1) forget what ever you thought you knew about mileages .... Bird engines ( unless fed fully synth oil or abused some other way ) are good for 1 million miles + without any major work
2) They crash really well. An odd thing to say but they are tough as old boots... but do be aware a new nose cone is nearly £500 ! And there is no such thing as a good 2nd hand one.. So try to avoid damaged plastics
3) The older t is the better it is. Birds got progressively slower and more juicy with each new model. A 1996 to 98 carb one will do 184.6 ( and I can vouch for that with certificates to prove it ! )but at anything less than 100 mph will return near as dammit 50mpg
The 1998 to 2001 EFI model 174 mph with mid 40's mpg at 80 ish
A 2001 to 2008 model has a top speed of 164mph and will return high 30's mpg
They all suffer from CCT's but they are a ten minute job to change, requiring only an 8mm spanner and an allan key
The EFI models suffer generator failure, the carb model reg reg.. but by now most will be sorted out
All the EFI models suffer a problem with the loom, but aain, there cannot be many left that have not had the fix.. It is well documented in the help section with a pictorial'how to fix it.
When ( if ) you get one only use semi synth oil ( takes 4 litres ).. valve clearances need to be done for the first time at 100,000 miles..Yep, you did read that right.
Book says 16k, and amazingly Honda MainSteelers always find one gap wrong and have to reshim it.. usually they manage to get this done without removing the cam box lid too !! Simply amazing !
In the 17 years I worked exclsively on Birds I never found ONE that needed adjusting before 100,000 miles