• 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 )

Hi & Info reqd

N

NJAY44

Registered User
Hi all and thnx for having me~just picked up a very std looking 2004plate xx3 Bird and meh.....its super clean, in the Candy Glory Red and is a one-owner from new!
LIKES:silky engine, enough oomph for me
DISLIKES:heavy rear end styling, no adjustment for suspension, brake system, low seat height, rubber covered pegs
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM: anyone who has done a Cbr1000rr rear subframe conversion or similar, anyone who has done a VFr800 swingarm conversion, anyone who had done a fork conversion using Honda forks preferably as i dont want to swap manufacturers really, anyone who has used an aftermarket shock as i cant believe how shit the std one is
Apart from that i may actually ride it sometime
PS:pair of new BT023s going up for sale as i'm heading in a different direction tyrewise
 
N

NJAY44

Registered User
Its just way too basic ScottyUK~just gone through mot and doesnt leak or sag or that but it has rebound adjustment and ......err did i mention the rebound adjustment?~ive used most makes so hoping someone else has experience of something like a Nitron or perhaps a Wilbers? as i havent used either brand before and would like ride height adjustment but not wanting to spend Ohlins/BiTurbo money on this bike
 
noobie

noobie

Clueless in most things
A jaws rebuild on the rear shock & spring can be built to your weight and style of riding so more you specific but will still have the same adjustments but less of a need to adjust. Look up also the 6mm shim mod, dead cheap, easy to do and helps.

On the forks, zx12r's and busas have been used and certainly the 12 gives a benefit of better brakes. A jaws kit will de link the brakes if they are an issue for you

Speaking of Jaws, when he comes back from gallivanting I'm sure he's doing a vfr rear on a bird??

The thing is, I get the idea your more used to tuning and multi adjustable suspension trickery, if that is the case and your expecting that now then you have probably bought the wrong bike.

The bird like the busa, was designed for sports touring and high speed and as such the money was spent on the engine and aero dynamics, it was never designed to be a track day sports bike.

Pegs are an easy swap and you can get a comfort seat with extra padding to rise the height a bit but again the 6mm shim and replacement shock will probably help more
 
andyBeaker

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
NJAY44 said:
Hi all and thnx for having me~just picked up a very std looking 2004plate xx3 Bird and meh.....its super clean, in the Candy Glory Red and is a one-owner from new!
LIKES:silky engine, enough oomph for me
DISLIKES:heavy rear end styling, no adjustment for suspension, brake system, low seat height, rubber covered pegs
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM: anyone who has done a Cbr1000rr rear subframe conversion or similar, anyone who has done a VFr800 swingarm conversion, anyone who had done a fork conversion using Honda forks preferably as i dont want to swap manufacturers really, anyone who has used an aftermarket shock as i cant believe how shit the std one is
Apart from that i may actually ride it sometime
PS:pair of new BT023s going up for sale as i'm heading in a different direction tyrewise
Click to expand...

Are you sure you meant to buy a Bird? A lot of issues thereh1d1ng2

Unless your first name is Valentino personally I would suggest that fettling and improving the standard suspension is the way to go - there are decent gains to be had, but remember the Bird is Brunel engineering by current standards, it weighs as much as a cross channel ferry so realistically you might be trying to seek improvements that just will never be there.

Alternatively, if your name is Gates then chucking a pot of cash at it might get what you Seek. Or not.

Alternatively if your name is Brunel and you have a decent machine shop then go for it.

Either way, enjoy the Bird for what it is, basically a totally awesome motor in a frame that handles pretty well for a big, sorry, very big bike that is an uber comfortable mile muncher once a decent seat is stuck on it.

It will never be a gsxr........
 
Cougar377

Cougar377

Express elevator to hell
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Seems like there's not much ticking the boxes for you....

Why buy a hyper-tourer and put a sportsbike subframe on...? :dunno:

Why put a singlesided swinging arm on at all...?:dunno:
Just buy the VFR800 and be done with...

I'm assuming you did your research before buying a Bird so you'd already know about the braking system. If you want sportsbike braking buy a sportsbike.:-0)

Seat height is about par for the course for almost all big sports and sports tourers - not just the Bird. :bang:
Get a monster trailie if you're well over 6 foot tall.

Sports tourer = Rubber pegsbl4hbl4h

I suggest that you trade your Bird for Honda's alleged state of the art "successor" - A VFR1200.

Ride that for a month and then trade it in for another Bird.

Seemples.

Nitron shock is an excellent replacement for the stock one.
Front fork springs are shit but the JAWS conversion works wonders.@tu*

P.S. Welcome to the forum....:-0)
 
ianrobbo1

ianrobbo1

good looking AND modest
Welcome to the site, it's your bike and your option as to what you do with it, @tu* the options as already posted are good uns, if you decide to do any conversions please take pictures and show us "cos were nosey sods" LOL a lot of optional parts can be bought from http://www.jaws-motorcycles.co.uk/ knowing you'll get the right parts for the bird every time, and even if you buy from somewhere else it's always handy to know about them, normally competitive prices and good postal service, any problems "Karen" the owner is "normally" able to sort them out with a phone call, though one or two over many hundred, may say differently, :wank:

BTW piss taking is the norm, unless on the "Help" forum, and as soon as you've got your serious answer, all gloves are off for the piss take :eek:
 
slim63

slim63

Never surrender
Club Sponsor
Never mind what others may say its your bike & you can do what you want with it, I for one fully understand the desire to make it both your own & different from all the others out there @tu*

Google "radiobloke" & blackbird for some ideas of what can be done fairly simply @tu*
 
N

NJAY44

Registered User
Woo~thanks all (i think)c7u8
You're a very protective bunch lol but im taking it in my stride~
YES: i'm used to sportsbike stuff (currently the proud owner of a Nexray clad Yamaha R1M with some interesting mods including full BiTurbo suspension) but i also take the gf out so like something to play with that wont bankrupt me.
Noobie:love the links you sent me thanks.
NO: i dont think ive bought the wrong bike~this engine is soo neat i love it~the rest is a personal thing.
The VFr800 back end allied to a CBr1000rr shock (2012 onwards has a side facing reservoir so i wont have to resite the battery...yay!) and a complete back end from a 2013 Cbr1000rr thats currently winging its way over from the states should keep me out the pub for the forseeable.
Already sourced a set of 4:1 headers AND joy of joys ...a Leo Vince sbk carbon hex pair of exhausts someone crashed their ZZR1400 Kawa on~RH side survived unmarked phew! Havent weighed the stock system yet but i know the headers + can + modded titanium linkpipe come in at 5.2kg in total so has to be a good saving (Brunel on diet now lads).
Forks are going to be a ba****d-Busa keeps cropping up and the 2008 onwards ones are a good improvement but i soo wanted her to be like a Blackbird Evolution using Honda kit...more digging reqd methinks.
Jaws delink kit is a deffo if i keep the std brakes/forks but i think the money will prob go to a more permanent solution.
Happy to start piccing what i do (if its of any interest) and don't be shy taking the p (like THAT needed saying)@tu*
 
andyBeaker

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Personal opinion - I wouldn't get too excited about delinking the brakes: I did 150,000+ miles split between linked and delinked and in the real world I didn't find there to be much in it. But then again I wasn't one for pushing the Bird to it's limits.

However, a brake change could well make a positive difference - those on the Fazer 600 and Fazer 1000 that preceded my Birds were far superior, despite having less Pistons..........
 
slim63

slim63

Never surrender
Club Sponsor
I have to (sort of) disagree with Andy on the brakes :-0)

I think they are ok in touring mode but very poor when pushed on a spirited ride especially when you consider its a 170mph bike

A lot of people get on fine with them but for me the best thing I did was de-link, the problem there is it shows up the poor, soggy stock front end

A lot of opinions on this will depend on riding style with generally speaking he more touring orientated being happy while the more sporty riders disliking them

While on the subject of brakes it never ceases to amaze me how many experienced rider don't know how to brake properly h1d1ng2
 
noobie

noobie

Clueless in most things
I get the other brakes point of view.

The current set up has the front calipers with 3 pistons, 2 front related and 1 related to the back brake under the linked system. Once you de link my understand is that the rear linked piston on the front becomes redundant??? I'd like some clarification if that is incorrect?

If that was correct, again it's more my feeling than anything else, then you would have a 3 pot size caliper only working on two pots so why not get a meatier full size 2 pot system that would fill the footprint of the oem ones? I think the rear is the same with the linked brakes, a surplus piston when de linked.

Unless, the de link system you use then activates all pistons and not just way

I have a feeling I am waffling and guessing more than accurate which is why I hope someone will pop in for a fuller explanation

I do agree with Slims point that no matter what the brakes, it is largely down to the rider to adapt to the bikes handling, power and braking and if you do that then all should be well.
 
Ajeman

Ajeman

Registered User
Read Only
Out of curiosity, could you not just tee into the brake line for the 2 pots to link it into the 3rd pot?

The brake system is designed to push 3 pots so should work? All it would take is 2 fittings and a little bit of pipe.

Or am I missing something?
 
slim63

slim63

Never surrender
Club Sponsor
newbie ..............you are half right mate just a delink makes one piston in each calliper redundant, but it doesn't have to be that way, if you wish you can bring the other front pistons back in to play, no point in doing the back imho as its plenty good enough on just the 2 pistons

I have tried both options but the fact remains you are still working with basically 80's technology sliding callipers rather than modern opposed piston callipers, the difference in stopping power may not be all that much but the feel & controllability is in a different league altogether @tu*
 
slim63

slim63

Never surrender
Club Sponsor
Ajeman said:
Out of curiosity, could you not just tee into the brake line for the 2 pots to link it into the 3rd pot?

The brake system is designed to push 3 pots so should work? All it would take is 2 fittings and a little bit of pipe.

Or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yes you can but you do have to change master cylinder for one of the correct ratio & they are a git to bleed

The same applies to the rear in my experience the stock master cylinder wont give a decent brake & becomes very wooden when pushing just the 2 pistons a change of master cylinder will give a proper rather good brake
 
slim63

slim63

Never surrender
Club Sponsor
I forgot to mention you can also drill the callipers to bring the extra pistons into play, again its a git to bleed
 
noobie

noobie

Clueless in most things
There was a chap on here Rick? Rich? some might remember, but he had a titanium carbie and he had a owners thread that went on for ages as he did so many mods and also used it for track days. Last time I saw him post was the bike was for sale but I remember he fitted Brembo's?

I can't find any of his threads?

found it

njay this is worth a read http://www.bikersoracle.com/blackbird/forum/showthread.php?t=52768
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top