"Ayup" from a Newbie

[Mitch]

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? ...

 

[Cougar377]

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? ...

Yeah....Don't. Listen. To. Andybirdless.

And welcome....you have all of the essential requirements neccessary to blend in nicely with the rest of the forum.

 

[Jaws]

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

 

[Mitch]

Hi Jon,
and thank you for that VERY comprehensive into.
I'd heard that Bird engines are pretty bullet-proof... I'm hoping my new-bike to be will be a 'keeper' as a result.

I'm no stranger to crashing (unfortunately) I rode my BMW K110RS home 13 miles after rear ending a Montego once (also a pretty tough bike). I'm mostly not responsible for my crashes... but.... Forgive me if I say I never want to experience how good 'Birds' are at crashing!
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

I was reading about the earlier models having soft fork springs and that progressive springs don't work on a 'Bird' Should I program in a fork over-haul on a 20K, 1998 model? And should probably have a new Regulator on the shelf, just in case...?

I'm thrilled to hear that the valve clearances are good for over 100K! Wish I was wearing that well!

All in all my excitement is building as I anticipate my new-to-me bike. Thanks again for the comprehensive intro

 

[Jaws]

I was reading about the earlier models having soft fork springs and that progressive springs don't work on a 'Bird' Should I program in a fork over-haul on a 20K, 1998 model? And should probably have a new Regulator on the shelf, just in case...?

Its true.. All the birds suffer from weak springs that needed replacing after just two years !
Most have been replaced now with 100mm longer linear springs and 100mm shorter spacers.
A rough tester is thus.
Pick up off side stand
Using front brake make bike dive on forks..
Gently lay bike back on side stand
Make a fist, thumb upper most little finger at the bottom
It should JUST slide in between front mudguard and bottom of nose cone..or slightly more scientific, a gap of 90 to 100mm

The rear is not much better ! 25k miles and thats yer lot... BUT.. Do not replace the thing .. Have it rebuilt It can be custom built specifically for you, and the way you ride.
As a guide, I charge £124.95 for a custom build
Oddly, as duff as the front springs are, the rear spring seems to last for ever , it is the actual shock that goes soft.
And once rebuilt they are usually good for another 40,000 + miles

 

[andyBeaker]

Get a car.

So much better in every way.

By the way, while JAWS may be technicallly correct about which model is 'fastest', in the real world they are all more than adequate for real life riding.

Oh, and ''welcome'.

Oh oh £5.50 spent sponsoring this site will more than pay for itself over time with technical help and advice.

Oh oh oh refer to my signature block for everything you need to know about Birds as a new owner

 

[Mitch]

I don't suppose any of you offer cheap insurance?
I renewed my Bennetts, Yamaha Thunderace insurance 2 days ago, and it cost me £50....
So I quite glibly thought I'll just call Bennetts and add the new 'Bird' to my existing policy. After all, it CAN'T be that much more, can it?

An extra £225! What do they make these 'Birds' out of, Gold-plated carbon-fibre????!!!
I better pay my £5.50 and hope to recoup my money by DIYing ;-)
@ JAWS - I'm afraid my plans for rear shock rebuilding and new fork springs may just have been delayed a little bit ;-)

 

[Jaws]

I don't suppose any of you offer cheap insurance?
I renewed my Bennetts, Yamaha Thunderace insurance 2 days ago, and it cost me £50....
So I quite glibly thought I'll just call Bennetts and add the new 'Bird' to my existing policy. After all, it CAN'T be that much more, can it?

An extra £225! What do they make these 'Birds' out of, Gold-plated carbon-fibre????!!!
I better pay my £5.50 and hope to recoup my money by DIYing ;-)
@ JAWS - I'm afraid my plans for rear shock rebuilding and new fork springs may just have been delayed a little bit ;-)

Yup.. ditched Bennetts a couple of years ago.. Switched over to MCE, who, so far at least, have done a decent job.
Did not even charge me last time I wanted to change bikes on it

 

[Cougar377]

Don't know if Murt's Bird is still for sale, but if it is then it's had everything done to it.

Just buy it and ride it.....

http://www.superblackbird.co.uk/index.php?threads/1997-bird-for-sale-mine.75612/#post-818457

 

[andyBeaker]

I don't suppose any of you offer cheap insurance?
I renewed my Bennetts, Yamaha Thunderace insurance 2 days ago, and it cost me £50....
So I quite glibly thought I'll just call Bennetts and add the new 'Bird' to my existing policy. After all, it CAN'T be that much more, can it?

An extra £225! What do they make these 'Birds' out of, Gold-plated carbon-fibre????!!!
I better pay my £5.50 and hope to recoup my money by DIYing ;-)
@ JAWS - I'm afraid my plans for rear shock rebuilding and new fork springs may just have been delayed a little bit ;-)

They are having a laugh.

The last policy I had was £80ish fully comp. And that in the south East where we are affluent as opposed to the dark satanic part of the country.

 

[Squag1]

My heart bleeds.
€360 for Bird -07 and 94 K1100.
Got 1 €130 back after silver RoSPA

Investigation going on here into insurance cartel.

 

[Mitch]

It's quite obvious that here in the Dark Satanic North we're semi-literate and gullible as FFFF!
So Bennetts will ge the heave-ho when it's time!
This 'Bird' ownership is already getting expensive and I don't throw a leg over it until tomorrow!
She just better be worth it... ;-)

 

[derek kelly]

Whereabouts In't North? I'm in Barnsley & my insurance for the bird is £97 fully comp.

 

[Centaur]

Whereabouts In't North? I'm in Barnsley & my insurance for the bird is £97 fully comp.

That's because your Bbird is horse drawn, Derek.

 

[andyBeaker]

That's because your Bbird is horse drawn, Derek.

He has moved on from that - just has to ride behind a man with a red flag now.

 

[Minkey]

Welcome to the mad house

 

[Ajeman]

Welcome to the mad house

 

[Mitch]

@Derek - Mansfield, mate. Not quite as far up as Barnsley (I taught at Barnsley college for a little while - great team and loved the experience). But all them southern shandy drinking' types )) think it's all whippets and flat caps 'Up North'... either that or 'The dark satanic mills of the North'... just sayin'

 

[Mitch]

Anyway, my fellow 'Bird' fanciers (both North and South... and those that don't know) I am now the proud owner of a (rather blingy) 1998 'Bird'! But I will defo need some advice as she (aren't they all "She"s?) has an intermittent speedo.

Now I'm not a fan of after market cans unless its to really enhance the performance of ones steed (and that takes serious bush-bosh and know how)... but SHE has a couple of Beowolfe end cans, and I have to admit to being rather impressed by the sound!

I can't compare between 'withs' and 'withouts', but the bar rises do seem to make a difference compared to my Yam Thunderace riding position. But the thing that's impressed me the most is the STONKING mid range and rush of power that doesn't stop UNTIL YOU CHICKEN OUT!
The front end has Ohlins springs and they are a bit harsh (I can feel more of the road surface than I'm used to) but I don't know about the back end. Too many new sensations and experiences for me to take in a lot of detail and say whether it's been fettled or not.

I'm gonna need some extra padding to accommodate my lardy arse on the longer runs.... the bog-standard seat (very Armitage Shanks) is not quite soft enough for my tender derrière.

The extra Kilos (compared to my Ace) are not that noticeable but... she won't hold a tight line. I don't think this is weight so much as suspension and steering geometry. However, I can't see me wanting to try and chuck her about too much.... a) because I'm a fat, knackered, lardy arse and can't do that any more, and b) I'm a fat knackered lardy arse and can't do that any more... have I mentioned that I'm an old fart to boot?

On the whole, I'm impressed and have now a much better understanding of why those that ride them rave about them
and those that have never ridden one are intrigued by owners tales and the MCN write-up!... and I'm only 5 hours into ownership!
Check out the pics (she doesn't have the large double bubble screen anymore, but I want one if anyone has one...)

 

[Cougar377]

@Derek - Mansfield, mate. Not quite as far up as Barnsley (I taught at Barnsley college for a little while - great team and loved the experience). But all them southern shandy drinking' types )) think it's all whippets and flat caps 'Up North'... either that or 'The dark satanic mills of the North'... just sayin'

To us porridge wogs you're just a midlander.....