Decision time is here ........

[mikew]

Boring or what ..................

Originally posted by joeboy
Hang on a minute Mike;BORING !!! Do you want to qualify that comment Mike, 'cos surely that depends on how involved you want to be when your riding the thing :dunno: and where you ride it?
Please define what aspect of the Blackbird is BORING. Do you mean sticking a pair of 300ltr panniers on it and a Top Box the size of a skip, then doing 10k miles in 5 days with a pillion on the back "boring" or some other form of BORING I'm yet to discover :}

Joeboy, you?re taking me out of context here.
My ?boring? comments were made during the first couple of weeks (days ?) of ownership. The expression I think I used at the time was ?open the throttle and it goes, pull the brakes it stops, point it at a corner and it goes around, but something was missing, Oh yeh ?.where?s the fun??. I did also comment that I found the engine ?uninspiring and soulless?
So in that respect I did find it boring. At the time.

Now since I?ve had a less than perfect example of a ?Bird, I?ve never been able to really explore the performance of the bike, so in some respects I still do find it boring. If I had the confidence to chuck the thing around like I used to with my other bikes, and not have the feeling the front was only loosely attached to the rest of the bike, then I?m sure I?d get on and cane the tits off the thing. I don?t normally hang around much, but my particular bike inspires no confidence to do that.
So I ride it slow and infrequently. And that is boring.

Hope that qualifies my previous comments, but like I said, it was Andrea that reminded me, my memory is not as good as hers. .:k


Also you said ? sticking a pair of 300ltr panniers on it? 300 litre ?????????????? christ I thought mine were big at 45 litres !


Regards

Mike

 

[fat bert]

Easy solutions Mike~~

I am left with a load of bits for a bike I haven't got. Expensive bits. Money down the drain bits

1] Nutters Bitz page

2] Ebay

Once you've got your cash back from Taz - you can buy what you like!

How about some compo from Taz to keep your mouth shut from the press?

 

[D.S.]

Ok Mike, you're forgiven mate.

:}
Er.... the 300 ltr panniers comment is a bit of an "in joke" really so apologies for that, but in all seriousness if you're gonna stick a top box and panniers on a bird why not go for a Pan or a BMW?

 

[mikew]

Re: Re: What puzzles me Mike W~~

Originally posted by mikew
Not at all.

Don't forget, I did a fair bit of "research" into the Bird before I bought one, because I wanted a big, comfy,sporty touring bike, so I narrowed my options down to a BMW R1100S, VTEC VFR, Futura, FJR, and Blackbird.

The BMW was too slow ;the VTEC ? ultimately I don't like the feel of the engine when the second valve set kicks in ; Futura, at the time only a new one was available, and they were expensive; FJR, simply don't like the look, so it came down to the 'Bird.

OK I give up. !!! I didn't consider the dustPAN, but let's face it, it is expensive, and not without it's own set of problems recently.

Suffice to say I settled on a 'Bird, the rest is well documented (now) history.:} Plus I wanted the performance side of biking, and the other choices didn't really offer.


regards

Mike

 

[mikew]

SOUND OF TRUMPET FANFARE !!!!!!!!

As promised, an update on the bitch bike.

First, a big thank you to PC Paul Wade at Splading who eventually came up trumps regarding the Smartwater UV light thingy to detect the prescence of the stuff.

Mine hasn't got any.

"Why are you happy?" I hear you say, well it starts to prove that my inital gut feeling, and those of others on the Forum, was right.

Second, an even bigger thanks goes to Mr Rich Wiles and his frame jig.

Kylie is as bent as ........... (I was going to say "Bert", but that wouldn't be nice would it :} ) suffice to say that the headstock, lower yoke and one fork, if not both, are all damaged.
Once the bike was installed on the jig, it became immediately obvious that all is not right. The front wheel is 10mm to the left of the centre line of the bike, and is cocked over to the left even further at the top of the wheel.
Rear alignment checks out to within 0.5 mm.
Rich also suspects the bike has been clocked to the tune of 10K MINIUMUM as the digits on the speedo don't line up as acurately as he has seen in the past, and this would bear out what Jaws originally thought about the engine on Kylie being "nice and loose for a 4.5K bike".
In his experience, to sustain the sort of damage to the headstock on a 'Bird that mine has, it would have been a fairly heavy sideways shunt, and would probably require virtually all replacement panels, which may account for the "no Smartwater" from above.

Earlier in the day Rich had found that Taz, when their "top techncian" fitted the new head bearings (which I now seriously doubt were ever replaced, regreased maybe) failed to notice that the lower bearing dust seal was missing. I confess that I hadn't noticed it myself, but then I wasn't taking the thing apart.

When confronted with this evidence this afternoon, all I got from super tecky was " well it was missing when I took it apart"

Now that obviously opens up a whole can of worms. He has just admitted that
a: it wasn't there to start with, meaning the head stock has been removed previously,
b: that he didn't see fit to say anything to anyone (read THE FOOKIN CUSTOMER !!!!)

Also when pushed, he admitted that the bike had not gone for a frame alignment check, just a wheel alignment check, despite telling me the frame story. This is the same guy who failed to notice all the things wrong with the bike when I first took delivery of it.


In one way I am extremely happy with these findings because a part of me was starting to consider that the problem was me and not the bike. I am a very relieved man.

Tomorrow I will be confronting TAZ Motorcycles in a very strong position.
My opening shot is a full refund of all monies spent, including the accessories, a loan bike whilst all the issues are sorted, an apology from both the sales manager for the fookin run around he has given me, and from supertecky ...... in front of all his work mates, just so they can see what a twat he has been.

I am prepared now to consider another Blackbird, with a genuine low mileage. I am pretty sure that Taz will want to repair the bike, but given the possible mileage discrepancy, what else is the bike hiding? I paid good money for a low mileage example, and that is what I want.


My final thanks are to all of you on the forum. You have put up with me beating on about how crap 'Birds are (more recently how bad mine is), and no-one has lost their temper with the repeated story. I've tried to keep my sense of humour over all of this, but after a while, I was starting to despair of it ever being right.
You are a great bunch.

It just remains to see what tomorrow brings.

regards

Mike

 

[Cyclops]

Good Luck

with TAZ tomorow and give em the sack of shite back

No wonder it didn`t handle well:B

Keep us posted.
:yo:

 

[richard]

Thank fook for that Mike light at the end of a very long tunnel (may be)





Cheers

richard & Linz

ps keep us informed m8

 

[D.S.]

Mike, obviously you'll mention things like

Trade descriptions acts and solicitors if ya don't get total satisfaction. To be honest, you've been more than patient, so time to get tuff. Give me a call if y need a good solicitor in this field.

 

[mikew]

knowing my luck ............

Originally posted by richard
Thank fook for that Mike light at the end of a very long tunnel

............ it would be a fookin train coming towards me !!!:}

mike

 

[PsychoBikerBen]

Jesus !!!!!

I don't know how ya stopped yourself from torching their gaff !!!
You really have had the bad end of a shitty stick.
If I where you - get ya money back and go for another Blackbird (cos they really are a pleasure to ride if they're kosher) but buy it fromsomwhere else

If they give you all ya money back and apologise,be calm until ya rech the door,then turn around and tell 'em they're all a bunch of f%ckin' cowboys and that they're mechanic couldn't assemble a turd in his own ass

Good luck mate and hope to hear good news.

 

[fat bert]

Don't want to say "Told you so"~~~

BUT

"TOLD YOU SO" !!!!!!!

 

[Cyclops]

Trust Fat Bert

to try to have the last word

 

[davet]

Don't let them get away with it sound like you av em by the balls
If they give you any shit we will send the boys round.

 

[Steptoe]

R#?

Mikew

Take the money and run

Turn round then

Go and find another bird from a more reputable supplier

Enjoy:beer:

Roger

 

[mikew]

The Final Phase ..........

........ has arrived.

I am not sure whether to be happy or a little sad right now, but the GOOD NEWS is :------


Taz have honoured their statement, and therefore Kylie is going back to them on Saturday morning, and I am collecting a FULL refund of ?5395.
When "confronted" with the evidence this afternoon, there was no argument at all. So in that respect I have to say that Taz have held true to their original promise, made some time ago, about if the bike was not kosher, they would refund in full.

The BAD NEWS is :-------










now what the bloody hell do I buy to replace it ??????

Ok, as Taz are refunding me in money rather than holding the value against another bike from them, I'm a free agent !! so like a kid in a sweetshop with a fiver to spend, I'm now looking for a REALLY GOOD deal somewhere.

Taz (obviously) are offering a number of bikes to tempt me with, the Aprilia Futura with fitted luggage being one, and a Thunderace (just like my old one, same colours etc) being another. Down side of the 'Ace is the luggage options, which is why I bought the 'Bird in the first place.

Then there is the BMW R1100S.
Or the Hayabusa.
Or the Triumph Sprint.
Or the V-Tec VFR ( er, no probably not on reflection)
Or .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..... do I even risk saying it .....blackbird :blush:


So yet another decision to make !!!

Once the bike has gone, I'll put up a post with the reg number for potential newbies to avoid.


So if I do go the Blackbird option (and given the amount of money I've spent on aftermarket kit for one, it would seem sensible to seriously consider another, STRAIGHT ONE, :} this time),

what colour should I go for this time?

slow red ?
common as muck blue one ?
red undercoated silver one ?
dirty titanium ?

or a really fast and sexy Black one ?!!!!! :beer:

votes on a poll soon I expect !




Final question, can I stay until I decide, pretty please?

regards

Mike

(the big kid in the sweetshop !)

 

[fat bert]

Looking for a bargain~~??

I know where there's a half-decent Blackbird for slale

Titanium
One careful owner
Never been ridden hard
Never been raced
Spend most of it's life parked up in a layby
Always maintained to the highest possible standards !!!!!!!
in fact never been above 100mph or 5K revs

Tryes as new - well on left and right sides anyway - very worn in the middle

Apply...................

cyclops@ipscomputers.biz

LOL :f :f :f

 

[mikew]

er, I'll pass that one ....

... just like everyone else seems to do !!!!

Sorry Cy, we all know you let Bert be in front, so you don't have to look at him in the mirrors!:beer:

regards

mike

 

[birdinflight]

Reg number..............

Mikew, might be a good idea to put in the frame number and engine number etc aswell.

Its a shame you couldn't have got legal advice on this as quite honestly that bike could have killed you.

Glad you got your money back and hope that a good deal comes along soon.

 

[mikew]

Re: Reg number..............

Originally posted by birdinflight
Mikew, might be a good idea to put in the frame number and engine number etc aswell.

Its a shame you couldn't have got legal advice on this as quite honestly that bike could have killed you.

Glad you got your money back and hope that a good deal comes along soon.

I may even scan and post the V5 so if the previous lying twat of an owner (who incidentally is currently a Blackbird owner, and if you are reading this, you know who you are) reads this, he will hopefully be ashamed.

But to answer your comment, yes the VIN numbers, chassis and engine will all be posted.

As far as legal advice, I have got a full refund, proving that I "could" have been killed would be difficult and expensive.

I also hope that a good deal comes along soon, I've now got a paid ferry booking the first week in May, but no bike!!

regards

Mike

 

[Jaws]

Mike, can I make a serious suggestion mate ?
If you like, you can come over here, gas up my Bird and take it for a 100 mile ride... not just a quick plod round the block..
That way you will be able to try a Bird that is pretty much standard as far as the engine and supension goes.
It may help you decide if another Bird is what you want or if you want to chose something else ..