My reasons not to buy a Honda Blackbird!

[Bikernereid]

Seriously, if the bloody thing won't start and you had to push it, I wouldnt be buying it either. That would truly piss me off.

Thanks nice to see someone else that appreciates bikes that actually start and don't require manual (pushing) assistance!!

[ital916]

Sorry to dredge, but can anyone from an owners point of view be able to do a little spool on the blackbird, i.e a bit of a ride report on how it is, pros and cons. I think they are magnificent bikes ...one of two of my dream bikes. *the other being a zzr1100 haha*. People think it crazy, wanting an 1100, as it will "kill you", but that all depends on the rider.

How do you reckon a zzr1100 would compare to the ol blackbird as they were around at roughly the same time intially. Any know major faults of the early blackbirds?

[PirateJafa]

People think it crazy, wanting an 1100, as it will "kill you", but that all depends on the rider.

My bad run of luck

Crashed! I hate my luck

The worst start to Motorcycling

For Fucks Sake! Fourth fucking bin! Give me a break!

Please mate, you're a nice guy, but wait a gooooood while until you feel you're ready to move to a litre. And then sit back and wait a bit longer.

I want to see you at plenty more Chillers yet to come.

[Kinje]

The not starting thing could be a regulator/rectifier issue. I had mine go on the CBR600 (06 model). Sometimes it would restart throughout the days riding but other times it wouldn't, and most times in the morning it needed a rolling start.

The cooked reg/rec also can mean the battery gets fried by overcharging. However, since getting them replaced (with aftermarket reg/rec NOT honda) its starting a treat.

[Blackbird]

People think it crazy, wanting an 1100, as it will "kill you", but that all depends on the rider.

How do you reckon a zzr1100 would compare to the ol blackbird as they were around at roughly the same time intially. Any know major faults of the early blackbirds?

Yep, the 'bird is very smooth in terms of power delivery but when you hit 7000 rpm, you'd better know what you're doing. They are also heavy mothers and if you're coming from a smaller bike, it can take you by surprise. As you rightly say, it depends on the rider but it builds power so smoothly, it can be deceptive. I did an advanced riding course soon after I bought mine 7 years ago and was pleased to have done so

'97 & '98 'birds were carburetted and need a bit more maintenance than the fuel-injected ones. IMHO, go for an injected one. Pre-2003 'birds had a weakness with reg/recs and alternator stator but if they fry, it's not hideously expensive to upgrade. Cam chain tensioners need replacing at around 60000 km. Takes less than an hour to do and costs ~$100. Other than that, they're pretty much bullet-proof. Some owners in the UK have done over 200,000 miles with nothing other than routine servicing.

[ital916]

My bad run of luck

Crashed! I hate my luck

The worst start to Motorcycling

For Fucks Sake! Fourth fucking bin! Give me a break!

Please mate, you're a nice guy, but wait a gooooood while until you feel you're ready to move to a litre. And then sit back and wait a bit longer.

I want to see you at plenty more Chillers yet to come.

Jafa you twat *in the nicest way mate*..the reason I had a bad start to riding was I listened to too many other people and did what I though learners "had" to do, I tried too hard too early. Group riding too early, trying to emulate what I thought was cool. I'm not a nutter, and guess what, I figured that out myself. I don't want to get my knee down or ride the twisties like a nutter. I'll get whatever bike I bloody well please, with the only input from other being known problems and ride reports. My safety is my right wrist.

Now that I've said that jafa, your a fucking good mate and you will definately see me at more chillers, but I'm doing my own thing with motorcycling now, I enjoy riding with you guys more than ever but learning to solo it is fantastic. I'm standing on my own two motorcycling feet. Litre bikes won't kill you, being a dickhead rider on one and losing respect for it will.

In hindsight, I would never have posted those threads, once a reputation is gained on here it is never easily lost, I would give you green bling if I coulld jafa but it must be spread around. +1 though to you.

anyway I DIDNT SAY ANYTHING BOUT GETTING ONE, I JUST LUVS THEM THATS ALL. AS YOU WERE.

[ital916]

Yep, the 'bird is very smooth in terms of power delivery but when you hit 7000 rpm, you'd better know what you're doing. They are also heavy mothers and if you're coming from a smaller bike, it can take you by surprise. As you rightly say, it depends on the rider but it builds power so smoothly, it can be deceptive. I did an advanced riding course soon after I bought mine 7 years ago and was pleased to have done so

'97 & '98 'birds were carburetted and need a bit more maintenance than the fuel-injected ones. IMHO, go for an injected one. Pre-2003 'birds had a weakness with reg/recs and alternator stator but if they fry, it's not hideously expensive to upgrade. Cam chain tensioners need replacing at around 60000 km. Takes less than an hour to do and costs ~$100. Other than that, they're pretty much bullet-proof. Some owners in the UK have done over 200,000 miles with nothing other than routine servicing.

Brilliant, I'll start wondering around and having a look for some. It will still be a while off but I want to start getting prepared. I've done two riding courses and am looking at a defensive driving one *for the formal reasons* and some more private tuition, specifically targeting when the bike does something unexpected i.e slides, and working handling a bit more. Again no guarantee I'll be getting one, probably just a wet dream for years to come haha.

I hear that they are heavy but once moving quite a lot of the weight disappears. I would prefer a bike i can sit "in", i don't quite like bikes that I'm perched on top off haha. Funnily enough I struggle to even reach the ground on a zx-6r. There is a vid on youtube of a blackbird owner winding her out on the autobahn....damn they fly....

[zeocen]

ZZR1100 and CBR1100XX are completely different bikes.
The ZZR1100 will end you from the get go if you're not careful and I don't care how much restraint you have in your right wrist, if you're not prepared for a sudden twitch going around a corner you're going to end up having a bad time.

The CBR1100XX lures you in with a false sense of smooth delivery until 7,000rpm, as Blackbird said. You better know what you're doing and no amount of tuition and courses can compensate actual road time and hours put in on riding on the road on smaller bikes.

That aside, god they are lovely bikes.

I had a 1992 ZZR1100, I hear they made them a little more timid after this year, the power was raw and real, it was smooth and was bullet proof. My old man had it from 60,000 up to about 90,000 and then bought a ZZR1200 and handing the reigns over to me, to which I had it tick over 110,000 with absolutely *NO* major work, just the regular services and that's it. It had so much more life in it, it was ridiculous. However, going around a corner and hitting unmarked road works, the back slides out from gravel and all of 240kg becomes VERY apparent and I am unable to control it - the bike is written off and I am hurting, bad.

I bought a ZZR600 after that which turned out to be a right lemon, poor thing had a hard life and was draining my wallet so I sold it and bought a 2004 CBR1100XX. This is hands down one of the best bikes ever made to date in my opinion, truely a dream bike and it was a dream to throw my leg over it every day, but you CAN still feel the weight, I'm afraid. You have to throw these beasts around corners. But I cannot fault either bike, they are just splendid to ride/tour on. The bird was slightly more comfortable than the ZZR, a lot had to do with the seat though, I had a Corbin seat on the ZZR which was very "sit in and stay", where as the 'bird I got a Rider seat and allowed much more room to move and was much more comfortable. Although I would say, lock to lock I think the ZZR had more of a tighter turn radius than the bird. I couldn't say which one I would get again, it would probably be the 'bird but my love for Kawasaki may sway me to the ZZR1200 if I ever go back to litre bikes. The ZZR1200's handling surpasses both of those bikes.

Unfortunately as stated in this thread I got more hours on work and no time to tour the 'bird was only used for commuting so it was guzzlin' mah gas and sadly, it had to go I decided to move down and do what I always said I was going to do, and that is work my way up the ladder, I don't see the point in skipping corners in a 'life hobby', I have all the time in the world to step back up to litre bikes HOWEVER, I am having so much fun on my ER6F, that, in this point in time, I just plain don't see myself ever going back to a litre bike because I am having so much fun touring/commuting/riding on this 'real world' bike!

Just some food for thought mate.

[skidMark]

quite nieve to be put of buying a bike because it had a flat battery.

First two bikes I bought in NZ both had farked batteries (one suzi, one honda).
An intelligent person knows its an easy and cheap fix and by no means has any reflection on the bike itself.

**but a good way to knock a couple hundy off ze price**

[ital916]

ZZR1100 and CBR1100XX are completely different bikes.
The ZZR1100 will end you from the get go if you're not careful and I don't care how much restraint you have in your right wrist, if you're not prepared for a sudden twitch going around a corner you're going to end up having a bad time.

The CBR1100XX lures you in with a false sense of smooth delivery until 7,000rpm, as Blackbird said. You better know what you're doing and no amount of tuition and courses can compensate actual road time and hours put in on riding on the road on smaller bikes.

That aside, god they are lovely bikes.

I had a 1992 ZZR1100, I hear they made them a little more timid after this year, the power was raw and real, it was smooth and was bullet proof. My old man had it from 60,000 up to about 90,000 and then bought a ZZR1200 and handing the reigns over to me, to which I had it tick over 110,000 with absolutely *NO* major work, just the regular services and that's it. It had so much more life in it, it was ridiculous. However, going around a corner and hitting unmarked road works, the back slides out from gravel and all of 240kg becomes VERY apparent and I am unable to control it - the bike is written off and I am hurting, bad.

I bought a ZZR600 after that which turned out to be a right lemon, poor thing had a hard life and was draining my wallet so I sold it and bought a 2004 CBR1100XX. This is hands down one of the best bikes ever made to date in my opinion, truely a dream bike and it was a dream to throw my leg over it every day, but you CAN still feel the weight, I'm afraid. You have to throw these beasts around corners. But I cannot fault either bike, they are just splendid to ride/tour on. The bird was slightly more comfortable than the ZZR, a lot had to do with the seat though, I had a Corbin seat on the ZZR which was very "sit in and stay", where as the 'bird I got a Rider seat and allowed much more room to move and was much more comfortable. Although I would say, lock to lock I think the ZZR had more of a tighter turn radius than the bird. I couldn't say which one I would get again, it would probably be the 'bird but my love for Kawasaki may sway me to the ZZR1200 if I ever go back to litre bikes. The ZZR1200's handling surpasses both of those bikes.

Unfortunately as stated in this thread I got more hours on work and no time to tour the 'bird was only used for commuting so it was guzzlin' mah gas and sadly, it had to go I decided to move down and do what I always said I was going to do, and that is work my way up the ladder, I don't see the point in skipping corners in a 'life hobby', I have all the time in the world to step back up to litre bikes HOWEVER, I am having so much fun on my ER6F, that, in this point in time, I just plain don't see myself ever going back to a litre bike because I am having so much fun touring/commuting/riding on this 'real world' bike!

Just some food for thought mate.

Hey zeo...thanks for the input, twas a good read. How does your 6f handle with all three bags on it (i.e panniers and box), looks like a beast of a touring machine, I've never seen one in touring kit before.

Yeah, I know, bad idea to jump big, or it could be THE BEST THING EVER . I asked bout the zzr1000 because that was the first bike I ever really saw, that and a kwaka ninja, old school. Both those bikes made me like bikes haha.

[zeocen]

Handles like a dream mate, I have faux clipons so I'm slightly more forward and feels like a real sports tour (midi ZZR almost). I use the top box 90% of my rides and panniers about 20% of my rides, top box I don't notice any diffence, the ER6's centre of gravity is to thank for that I'm guessing, with panniers you can notice the weight (if full to the brim) but I don't notice any less power. It basically does everything my big sport tours did, with money to spare on petrol! :P

[gunrunner]

Well there are about 53 ish of them.....

It all started off with OWNER wanting to take this bike out for a ride...

We pooteled to the local Honda garage to take said bike out for a ride. It started off with the nice man taking OWNERS licence etc and then we proceeded to the bike. Yes it looks very nice and sparkly but wouldn't start!! Flat battery. Nice man from the garage gave a push start after it has been briefly charged and OWNER proceeded to stall it (very 'soft' clutch or something like that ).

We took it out on the highway and yes it goes like the preverbeal but there is no sensation of speed and it is sooooo bloody quiet. It felt like riding in a windy car not on the back of a bike.

It was a pleasant and not too boring a ride through the windy roads to the cafe but when I got there I knew that I didn't like this bike at all and wanted to be back on our Fazer. I was hoping that on this bike I wouldn't be blown around but alas no and I also developed a very cold region and cold top of legs to boot.

Now for the main 53 reasons I wouldn't buy this bike. Being about 53 kilos I do not appreciate or enjoy having to push 224 kilos of bike and about 75 kilos of rider to get the bloody thing going!!

The ride back to the garage did nothing to give this bike a reprieve and nothing to warrant me parting with my hard cold cash to buy half of one.

And you are complaining about 224kgs ?