• 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 )

New Member / New Registered ? Please Read

bigwol

Club Sponsor
Hi all

I'm new to this forum - I'm 65 years old, and returned to bikes in 2014 after 40 year break, when a workmate sold me his 'Project' - a 1991 Yamaha XJ600 with no MOT which he bought cheaply, and then couldn't get running!

The price was right, as they say, and with the new parts he had already fitted, it was down to troubleshooting (and a few more bits!) I bought the bike in Nov 2014 - rebuilt the Mikuni BS32 carbs, brake calipers and forks over the winter, undid some of the 'maintenance' (fuel tank full of ethanol gunge, valves shimmed incorrectly - double the clearances required, apparently he had bought new shims when trying to get it running, but I think he got his sums wrong, they were way out. Luckily the 'Old shims' came with the bike, and 7 out of the 8 went back in!! I only had to buy 1 new one for the exaust valve on No.1 cylinder! I got it running well enough for it's MOT on August 2015 - it passed with a mileage reading 37,101.

Over the next year or so I updated the ignition - which I replaced with a plug compatible TCI electronic ignition module from Prague ignition specialists Ignitech, and last but not least fitted US made Dynatek high output coils.

Having got the bike running reliably - I've done over 27,000 miles since then, including training for and passing the IAM advanced test with Birmingham Advanced Motorcyclists, who I joined in May 2017, I'm now on the Committee as the North Area training co-ordinator for Birmingham, with the Covid pandemic none of us have done as many miles as we would have liked, but I got out for the odd run last summer, and look forward to more miles in 2021. I joined the BIRD forum as, having seen the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird used by several of our members all of whom love them, I'm actively looking around for a good used example - to add to my trusty XJ600 known as Gertrude (named by BAM members during a 3 day training course in Wales during late 2018 - though my XJ wasn't the bike which broke down that weekend! That honour went to the 2 day old, brand spanking new BMW S1000RR owned by our chief instructor which conked out on Saturday lunchtime and had to be trailered back to Brum.

Dave Wallis

GrRRtrude.jpg
 

Squag1

Can't remember....
Club Sponsor
Welcome from sunny west.
Hope you left your sensitivities at the door. People here never did anything their mother told them and it shows.
Lots of information and "mature conversation" :D
 

ogr1

I can still see ya.....
Club Sponsor
Welcome bigwol..
You seem far too cleverer to be on here.
Leave whilst you've got the chance.
 

DEG5Y

Been there, and had one
Club Sponsor
Sorry to inform you but biking history means jackshit on here as we hardly ever discuss them!

Welcome,
I'm sure Beaker will be along to show you the error of your ways!
 

andyBeaker

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Sorry to inform you but biking history means jackshit on here as we hardly ever discuss them!

Welcome,
I'm sure Beaker will be along to show you the error of your ways!
I am here to show everyone the error of their ways.
 

Dan9693

Member
Club Sponsor
Hi there all, just bought another Blackbird so thought I'd join this forum. :) Had one about six years ago but got rid of it after points on licence, regretted it ever since, hence the new purchase. I live in Essex not far from Epping and drop in to The Original Tea Hut from time to time. Happy to have this valuable resource at hand for any questions I may have; thank you everyone for making it what it is. Regards Dan
 

Jaws

Corporal CockUp
Staff member
Moderator
Club Sponsor
Hi there all, just bought another Blackbird so thought I'd join this forum. :) Had one about six years ago but got rid of it after points on licence, regretted it ever since, hence the new purchase. I live in Essex not far from Epping and drop in to The Original Tea Hut from time to time. Happy to have this valuable resource at hand for any questions I may have; thank you everyone for making it what it is. Regards Dan
Used to go to the hut myself sometimes, mainly to meet up with my cousin Sue on her Ducati.. that would have been about 10 years ago now since I last went :)
 

Squag1

Can't remember....
Club Sponsor
Hi there all, just bought another Blackbird so thought I'd join this forum. :) Had one about six years ago but got rid of it after points on licence, regretted it ever since, hence the new purchase. I live in Essex not far from Epping and drop in to The Original Tea Hut from time to time. Happy to have this valuable resource at hand for any questions I may have; thank you everyone for making it what it is. Regards Dan
Welcome.
But another, to me, means no 2 bike.
Well is it.

Know of a guy with 3 Blackbirds.
 

Artemis

Sweetie Goddess
Club Sponsor
Hi there all, just bought another Blackbird so thought I'd join this forum. :) Had one about six years ago but got rid of it after points on licence, regretted it ever since, hence the new purchase. I live in Essex not far from Epping and drop in to The Original Tea Hut from time to time. Happy to have this valuable resource at hand for any questions I may have; thank you everyone for making it what it is. Regards Dan
Wanna sweetie, little boy?
 
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