Is the bird past it???

[Jaws]

it is seen as a tourer!!! which can have a fair lick of speed, hardly a trophy!!! in R1 and fireblade peeps get pissed off and start looking at their bikes if they can not overtake!!!.

Only the very latest of both bikes can do a Bird.. Anyone wanna give me a try on one of the older R1's is most welcome .. Dunno about the Blades.. never taken one on but am going by the figures only..

As for a trumpet.. sorry guys.. I do generally like to uphold the Brit end if possible but the ST is simply a non contender.. its 3rd division compaired to a even a bike that has hardly changed in 8 years !

 

[RHINO]

JAWS, ask Emma about a Blade (circa 1995) v/s the BB . I had one try and escape the 2 of us coming back from the Lincs ride out, not only could he not escape us, we passed him on a long straight (uphill) and kept him waaaaaaaaaay back on the the twisties too. The Blade, 'N'reg, could not catch me on the straights at all

 

[mikew]

anyway ....

"is the 'Bird past it?"

more like


"'Birds gone past 'it' "

(and insert just about any bike for 'it') :beer:




The Blackbird simply needs a facelift.

 

[Mid Life Crisis]

The Blackbird is the first road bike i have owned, all the other bikes have been enduro or MX bikes. Personally i am pleased with the BB, maybe with more experience my opinion will change.
From certain angles it looks superb, from others uke: but the overall package suits me. Good build quality, reliability, it will take luggage, JAWS and 1200Pete when things go tits up plus this forum :beer:

It may be 'past it' but i made the right choice :m

MLC

 

[Wolfie]

agree blu except i would not buy another and i dont do grinning. even down to the miles and age.

go boil yer head wolfie ..this is a blackbird forum or hadn't you noticed

is it??? wondered where i had been for the last 3-4 years!!! cheers for letting me know.

you ain't gonna convince us that the bird is past it ...ya muck stirring g*t

not trying to, just pointing out that there are better bikes out there including all rounders which people keep on carry on as the defence of the bird. :bang:

Course the bird is past it - its seven years old. In bike terms that makes it from the 19 century! But thats not the point, it still does everything it needs to do just as well as seven years ago, and because Honda got it right back then they've not really needed to update it. Out of the "big 4" it still outsells them all.

yes it is, yes it does everything as well as it did 8 years ago but there are now bikes that now do things better, or is some rose tinted fart now gonna tell me the bird was 8 years advanced for the time

Of course, time moves on, and those looking to change will probably go elsewhere if Mr H does'nt pull his finger out sharpish. The new Beemer and the new ST may well drag away current bird owners, I'm quite temted by the new ST myself, but I think for now a newer bird will be the answer.

it does and they have already, if you have to have a honda the tourer will go for the st, those who want more edge will go the blade route, if you could not give a shit what make you ride then there is plenty of bikes that can have and will tempt people away from the bird.

Good thread Wolfie

why thank you

IF Honda decide to replace it, they are going to have their work cut out to improve on the package we already have!! we all know that improvements can be made in most areas

disagree ian, it would be easy to improve the bird, adjustable suspension, better seat, ride height adjuster, higher bars, just a few of the popular mods on this forum, without going into more power, less weight, better ground clearance, bigger tank, smoother gearbox maybe even shaft drive if they go the touring way.

if they go the Fireblade route of minor changes/improvements they shouldn't go far wrong, shame they didnt take the oppertunity to do it this year

or for the last 4 years and the 3 years before the inj change

had a look at Wilfs list, ridden a few of them, some are shit others arnt, none has the entire "albeit" old,!! package the Bird has

i also have ridden most of them.

if a bike beats the bird on 3 out of 5 points is it not therefore a better all rounder??? most of the above list are better all rounders, some are not quite but have much better points that out weigh the bird in that same area.

 

[Wolfie]

Only the very latest of both bikes can do a Bird.. Anyone wanna give me a try on one of the older R1's is most welcome .. Dunno about the Blades.. never taken one on but am going by the figures only..

we passed him on a long straight (uphill) and kept him waaaaaaaaaay back on the the twisties too. The Blade, 'N'reg, could not catch me on the straights at all

so we are on to top speed again yes???? there is 4-6 different bikes with a higher top speed than the bird and at least 2 of them are restricted!!!

equal rider skill, in the twisties, same age and same condition the blade and R1 will out handle the bird no problem. How many birds are used or were used in powersports racing???? for the 3 years i follwed my mate a big fat 0 zero nada not one single bird what not?? it eats blades and r1 down the straights but can not do it on the track why not???? cause it does not handle as well as them of course!!!!

 

[granite]

finnish on my GS is crap- bm dont wont to know,my old FJ with 65000 had a better finnish--even older my 4/4 was better --myself cant wait to get the bird-roll on honda

 

[JungleJim]

Ask yourself......

Ask yourself......



Is the bird past it???


or is it just the owners...............man8um

 

[RHINO]

so we are on to top speed again yes???? there is 4-6 different bikes with a higher top speed than the bird and at least 2 of them are restricted!!!

equal rider skill, in the twisties, same age and same condition the blade and R1 will out handle the bird no problem. How many birds are used or were used in powersports racing???? for the 3 years i follwed my mate a big fat 0 zero nada not one single bird what not?? it eats blades and r1 down the straights but can not do it on the track why not???? cause it does not handle as well as them of course!!!!

FOXY, your missing the point, the BIRD is an ALL ROUND sports tourer,, you mentioned the Blade as being better than it.... In what way is the Blade better, don't say stuff like that and not give a reason for it. man8um
All the bikes if melted down and made into 1 bike would form the BIRD, you know it and so do the many many thousand BIRD riders.

 

[RHINO]

We know a majority of the bikes capabilities are down to rider input however i've only been riding 5 years so i would also add that the BIRD is a very forgiving machine too.

It's obvious to me that your wanting a change but why are you taking soooo long to decide which one to buy :dunno: SIMPLE coz you cannot justify selling the BB and buying a lesser machine for YOUR needs.

You find me a bike that will not only match the BB spec but beat it and also carry out all the requirments i need it to meet and i WILL buy it..


GAUNTLET THROWN 'Wolfie' :f

 

[Wolfie]

rhino, as i have early the blade will out handle , out brake, is better looking, comfort is around the same (depending on which blade) but loses out on top speed, which is not good enough to make it better than a blade.

a gold wing is better than the bird for comfort, and gadgets but it doesn't handle as good or brake as well therefore the bird is a better bike.

people keep going on about "the allround" package yet fail to look at all the points that make up an allrounder, the blackbird is maybe the fastest allrounder no doubt, but it is not the best brakes or the best handling or the best looking the most comfortable, economical etc etc etc .

there are other bikes that are better than the bird in more areas than the bird is better than them.

therefore they are the better all rounder.

 

[Wolfie]

the BIRD is a very forgiving machine too.

yes it is most of the time.

It's obvious to me that your wanting a change but why are you taking soooo long to decide which one to buy SIMPLE coz you cannot justify selling the BB and buying a lesser machine for YOUR needs.

Simple I dont have the money, as my job is still underthreat, i am not gonna put myself and my family deeper in debt for something i do not need.

You find me a bike that will not only match the BB spec but beat it and also carry out all the requirments i need it to meet and i WILL buy it..


GAUNTLET THROWN 'Wolfie'

How can i find you a bike???

they are different to each and every person!! my dad loves his cbr1000 to me it is a sagging sofa that needs thousands spent on it to suit me. Your tastes are different to mine even though the requirement may or may not be the same, example i like avons you dont, you are happy with its handling, i know that there are much better handling bikes out there.

Yes the bird does suit some people BUT it is not the best. other bikes have passed it by, in some areas by a long way.

 

[blumeeni]

A m8 of mine and stan's has an 02 blade he's not too good in corners not the bikes fault it's his lack of confidence skill whatever
we leave him for dead on corners then slow down on straights to let him catch up he then comes past like a fooking rocket except when we want to we can just open the birds throttle and he's left dead again I've ridden his blade a minter with just 3--4 thou on the clock the bird in my book is twice the bike after riding them back to back better engine,comfort,brakes just as good,handling only slightly behind cos of the weight

 

[Wolfie]

the 2002 blade as well as the 98 and 2000 ones that i have ridden, all had better brakes, the 98 was more comfortable, the handling was better on all three, the bird won the engine states.

 

[Aidey]

Wolfie, I've got to meet you some time. Your sense of the absurd, and your desire to "stir" are a very precious thing, long live originality. And please, more of it.

 

[Bubba]

The more that I read of this thread, the more I find myself agreeing with Wolfie.
As a lot of you will know, I moved from a dead bird to a mille, back to a bird again. The reason for the switch back? You try riding a Vtwin sports bike with a busted arm/wrist! I will admit that the bird is a more "practical" bike but I dont want practical all the time and I will go on record as saying the Mille, IMHO handled and braked better and was a hell of a lot more fun to ride than the bird. The bird feels like a bloody bus while trying to bustle it through a corner. Currently I am sitting here wishing I could change it but I cannot due to financial reasons so I will have to put up with it for the time being. I f i could I would change it for another Mille, a Fazer thou, 1200GS Beemer, Tiger, Hell, even a Buell FFS! As wolfie stated, it's all PERSONAL CHOICE, thats what is soo good about biking. Its what ever floats your boat, who gives a stuff what the other people think, its YOUR bike, YOU like it and thats what counts!

As it stands though, these are all just pipe dreams at the moment but my time will come and I will sample the delights and tribulations that owning a mark other than a Bird can offer.

 

[RHINO]

If i could afford to then i would have something else AS WELL......... i would probably have a TL1000R in blue 'n' white.. or even better an SP1 or 2 like bloody lucky ROXXO

 

[nitehawk]

I guess it's just down to personal taste, I've tried virtually every other comparable bike at one stage or another and the Bird just fits me like a glove. The ergonomics almost make me feel that the bike's been tailored to fit. :lick:

Only one I haven't had a go of is the new BM but I'm not really tempted by it, the BBird seems far better in terms of value.

 

[Wolfie]

The ergonomics almost make me feel that the bike's been tailored to fit.

that was the FJ1100 for me.

 

[paulh]

Wolfie.....you keep saying it's all about personal choice, and yet you aren't listening to just about everyone on this thread who are stating their own preferences!?

Instead you keep coming back re-stating yours?

Almost all of us in this thread say we love the bird because we don't believe there is a better all round alternative, and most of us read the mags and have ridden loadsa bikes just like you. You say there are better 'all-rounders' but hardly anyone agrees with you ..... isn't it a simple case of the majority being correct m8y (especially such an overwhelming majority!)

man8um

Maybe you are just plain wrong :} (But entitled to your opinion of course)