Why (or why not) a Blackbird?

[Squadron Leader]

G'day Blackbird Bikers

Have been a VFR driver for the past five years, until last year, when I succumbed to a need for greater speed and bought an '01 Fireblade... 10 months later, am finding it a bit on the uncomfy side for me, for commuting in particular as am not really a track day dude. I do 3 2-3 day touring trips a year, and tend to ride reasonably hard.

Have been thinking seriously about trading the Blade in for a Blackbird, as my impression is that the beast is (a) fast, (b) utterly reliable, (c) very comfortable, (d) capable of taking loads of luggage, (e) well handling, and (f) fast. I just thought I'd ask the question of you wise ones who are already converts, as to anything that I might need to know or think about...?

Haven't yet been on a test ride but aim to this weekend.

Cheers then

Squadron Leader

 

[gerryc]

Squadron Leader

w;;v

Judging from a to f above you seem to have a very good handle on it.
Big miles any way you like them its the tool. you may however find those 2 to 3 times a year are no longer enough.
Go for the test drive if you don't want one I'll eat my leathers ( that haven't been cleaned in a very long time)

 

[Squadron Leader]

Cheers matey! Now, just to find someone who wants a yellow/blue 01/Y Fireblade with 17k on the clock....?

 

[Allan1]

SL, hi.
I do the same number of trips abroad as yourself, last one was in Sept when we did Spain and France over 5 days. There were 3 of us, me on my Bird, a VFR and an Arse 1.

The viifer couldnt keep up with pace and constantly fell back, the Arse 2 broke down on day 3, the Bird - well what can say - effin brill. The Arse one put a conserted effort into getting away from me when were hit some twisties but I was on its arse all the time. When we stopped for coffee Sean was gob smacked that he couldnt loose me, and he's an ex racer!!!!

I also do Track days on my Bird and it mixes with the best of them, okay you have to muscle it about quite a bit, but there's not a lot get away from us. We tend to lose out on ground clearance (as my lower fairings will prove) which hampers cornering a bit.

The bike is so versatile, it can bimble along at 30mph or zap along at warp factor 9 in an instant.

Build quailty, reliability and performance make this bike what it is - fookin brill.
When I get rid of this one, what other bike do I want - ANOTHER BLACKBIRD please.

Buzz

 

[Jaws]

Welcome to the forum SL
No one mentioned the pretty good MPG you get as well as the performance.

You are not going to get too many people on here slag the Bird off, we are, truth be told, a tad biased, but speaking as someone who has to fix them rather than just an owner. I rate the overal package way about just about everything else out there.
A true all rounder that will take you across a continent and still put a big grin on your face..

 

[Cyclops]

Allen Wrote

The Arse one put a conserted effort into getting away from me when were hit some twisties but I was on its arse all the time

You forgot to mention that your braces were caught on his indiacator




Yep the Birds a good un










PS I will give you ?350 for the Blade



oh go on then ?400 but it had better be in mint condition ( atough the milage is a bit high )

 

[roXXo]

OK the Bird isn't a sports bike but it has a real good go at it for being such a big, lardy beast.
For me the Bird is the best all rounder bar none. It does everything I want a bike to do, including effortless 2 up touring. Been to France, Germany Denmark, The Czech Rep.
No problems , No hiccups. Nothing. Care free motorbiking.
This is my 7th year of Bird ownership and I cannot think of a bike that could replace it.
Get one. You wont be disappointed
:beer:

 

[Fat Bert]

LOL @ ELLEN

............... When we stopped for coffee Sean was gob smacked that he couldnt loose me, and he's an ex racer!!!!

Pinochio

Yeah.....Right....

ex Whippet Racer!!

 

[Allan1]

Yeah.....Right....

ex Whippet Racer!!

Hey Bertie boy, Seans the ex racer, not me ya plonker, read the thread right.

He competed in the TT and used to race for a team, I'm sure he'll be only too happy to rise to a challenge if you ask him..

In fact, if you wanna put some cash up, he's all up for entering in the TT as a privateer, he's asked to be gofers with him, so go on, you can afford it...

Buzz

 

[Fat Bert]

LOL He's bitten!!

I was referring to R1 Shaun from Burton on Trent

You know him - you tried to keep up with last last summer en route to Matlock?















Mackeral fishing is great this time of year - 10 hooks on a trace and more than one fish at a time!

 

[D.S.]

G'day Blackbird Bikers

Have been a VFR driver for the past five years, until last year, when I succumbed to a need for greater speed and bought an '01 Fireblade... 10 months later, am finding it a bit on the uncomfy side for me, for commuting in particular as am not really a track day dude. I do 3 2-3 day touring trips a year, and tend to ride reasonably hard.

Have been thinking seriously about trading the Blade in for a Blackbird, as my impression is that the beast is (a) fast, (b) utterly reliable, (c) very comfortable, (d) capable of taking loads of luggage, (e) well handling, and (f) fast. I just thought I'd ask the question of you wise ones who are already converts, as to anything that I might need to know or think about...?

Haven't yet been on a test ride but aim to this weekend.

Cheers then

Squadron Leader

I hated commuting mine into London and with it's weight, budget suspension and linked brakes it's NO track bike and you'd struggle to hussle it along anything but nice surfaces (unpoliced "B" roads). BUT, it does what it says on the can. It is the finest sport tourer available IMHO and I would have no doubt about buying another if I wanted to blast my way across Europe or up and down the UK's m-ways/main roads, fully loaded, etc, etc. Totally reliable, durable, excellent finnish and still quite nice to look at. Service costs aren't too bad and tyre wear is pretty much what you'd expect from a bike like the Barge (dependant on tyre choice I guess...........Ding dong!).
For me, a question marks still remains on fuel consumption & I never got on with the Early Learning Centre brakes, but most do.

 

[tootyfluti]

I ride my BB through the rush hour in Brum. I find it easy enough to handle getting through the gaps and like the fact that hen you have cut it a bit fine there`s more than enouh power to see you safely out the other side.
Its a great bike and I personally love mine to bits. You should see the shopping list I`ve got to bling it up a bit!!
Take one for a ride and see how you feel R#?

 

[Coggy]

I've ridden mine through rush-hour Preston and it's fine.

Fuel consumption-my carbed 7 year old is doing 40-45mpg ridden gently.
I've only had it a fortnight...
R#?

 

[Dark Angel]

...I'm FED UP with Honda's Blackbird...

...I've had three - the latest is an '04 Matte Black machine, bought from new May-ish, currently with 16K on the clock...

...I ride winter and summer and my wife insists - at every available opportunity - on coming with me for a "quickie" or for an "extended ride" - whenever I release "The Beast" (lucky man that I am!)

...My average annual mileage is 30K (over the last 4 years) and the Bargebird is the best, two-up handling bike you can buy.

It will never let you down.

If you fit a ride-height spacer, cans, re-map the fuelling and fit a power commander it will keep up with most of the most-recent sports bikes.

It will ALWAYS be better-built, more comfortable and more reliable than ANY other bike you can buy - Full Stop

If you look after it properly, it will pass 200K miles "in service" with ease (apart from the front brake calipers - of which you should take extra special care!

You will grow to hate the fact that this ten-year-old bike has never been allowed (by Honda) to achieve its full design potential. (That's why I'm "fed up"!) c7u8

You will live in the hope that the Honda Blackbird - in ANY guise - will live forever.

It's a BRILLIANT machine and it will ALWAYS do MORE than you can ask of it...

GET ONE.

DA

 

[KevKing]

I chopped my VFR in for a Bird 6 years ago and am on my second one. The first hit oil and was a write off after 4 months but I managed 5 years before coming off this one. Its me, not the bike, honest. Still unsure about the linked brakes but otherwise the best bike for me. Build quality, reliability and comfort - but above all .....FUN! And when have you seen a Fireblade Bash?? They wouldnt have the tank range to get there, specially if its in way off Norfolk!
:yo: R#?

 

[Barsteward]

Threw mine down the road in Sept, Ive just got it sorted and went out for a steady bimble.......................... Thought I would ride it a lot more carefully after one or two broken bones. What do I know, the Grin factor takes over and you just can't help but go with it. A truly superb all rounder. :bow:

 

[Geoff James]

Well G'day DA - thought you'd gone and got a nice cruiser as befits your advanced years - how the heck are ya?

Must agree with your comments though. I'm putting mine to a 4000 k's in 5 day test in May and I'll tell you how comfortable it is then. Something tells me the double bubble is going to give my wrists some grief. I'm a short arse at 5' 8" and the wind blast has moved well off my chest. Apart from that, I honestly can't think of a better all round bike.

Cheers :beer:

Geoff

 

[Dark Angel]

G'Day, Whippersnapper...

Well G'day DA - thought you'd gone and got a nice cruiser as befits your advanced years - how the heck are ya?

...All the better for hearing from ya, mate! I must admit to having to use stepladders to climb aboard these days - but I can always go out on the 'Bird if the missus puts up too much of a struggle! :}

Ride Safe, Jamesy! :beer:

DA

 

[Gerrard]

B/Bird

I moved to Spain 3 yrs ago and they are not too keen on giving test rides, the want you to buy the bike first and have your money back (?) if you don't like what you've chosen which makes things difficult, so on recommendation from bike mags I had
I. Fireblade...which made my wrists ache.
2.BMW GS 1150..No good for high speed travelling and too heavy.
3.Fazer 1000...OK ish and you had to throw too much money at it to make it right.
4.Blackbird. Got a Matt black one, brilliant, the best bike of modern times. I have a d/b screen, race cans, Power Commander and hugger. As has been said it does everything so well. I rate this with my all time classics like GPZ 900s... GSX 1100s and ZX 9s
Well them's my thoughts anyway!

 

[BlackBirdBaz]

Good Morning Squadron Leader, What Ho ?

I moved up from an SP1 to the 'Bird and can honestly say I dont regret it. I sometimes yearn for the looks and style of the SP and then I look at my 'Bird and go all shivverry and think, WOW this is the dogs for me.

Cpl Baz.