The allure of the Blackbird

PJNXX

What was it about the Blackbird that first attracted you to it? Was it a magazine that gave it a favorable review? Was it a test ride on a friends Blackbird? Or perhaps the talk of ZX11-beating top speed? There's so many reasons.
My story began in '98 when I test rode a Blackbird at the Honda Hoot in Asheville, North Carolina. Before the test ride began, while in the staging area, I noticed that the rider alongside me had the VTR1000 Superhawk. I asked her if she would like to do a top gear roll-on acceleration contest once we got out onto the highway. She agreed, and as the line of bikes streamed onto the highway we stayed way behind the pack. We hit about 60 MPH, both bikes neck-and-neck and in top gear, gave each other the nod, and then WHACK! As we accelerated, I pulled so far ahead of the Superhawk that it was fading in my mirrors. When I arrived back at the staging area my girlfriend (now my wife) noticed the mile-wide grin on my face whn I pulled off my helmet. "You really liked it, huh?" she asked me. "This is the bike I want", I replied. A lack of finances precluded me from getting a Blackbird then, but my chance finally came in June, 2005. A guy in my area was selling his '99 bird with only 5,400 miles on it, all stock, at a great price. The rest is history. I already have 16,500 miles on it.

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-Paul

Warchild

I had a 1993 CBR1000F, so it was a natural follow-on.

Particularly when I saw Peter Hoovegeen's first year Blackbird at the start of the 1997 Iron Butt Rally. I know I had to have one right then and there.

Took 3 more years to save up enough coin to buy one. Scored a Titanium XX the summer of '00, started up Superblackbird.com that same week, and never looked back.

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- Warchild
http://www.superblackbird.com/

haWHYnXX

Yeah, I was on a VFR back in '97 when the BB came out and I was just in love. Wife and I rode 2-up a lot and I wanted a more stable platform for us but the ZX-11 was waayyy too short. Like you two, I lacked the fundage at the time. Then, the FI units came out in '99 and I was glad I waited. However, it still took another 6 years before I could afford it and when I started my search for a new ride, nothing came to mind except for the BB - go figure. Wife now has her own R6 and I promptly bought a Smuggler and love riding my 1-up XX!!

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-Vern

Hawaiian Island Stylin'

Jason-1999-XX

Have always been a Ducati fan. Ridden and owned them for 10 years now. I've learned to deal with the Italian quirks and crappy servicing schedules, the overpriced parts and sometimes lack thereof. I was looking for a daily rider/tourer that would perform and be reliable. The hours of research begin. Was a toss up between the ZZR 1200 or the XX. Test rode both. My heart will always be with Ducati, but while the Duc is under the scalpel my XX will be there for me. (Enter Power Ballad guitar solo here)

rcskisfast

I own a HD but always wanted a sportbike. Was camping in Durango, Co a few years ago and saw a red hayabusa "hot bike" and started looking at busas. Because I'm 6' 2" and like to ride for long distances I didn't think the busa was going to be comfortable enough.Was at a Honda dealer and asked the salesman what Honda had compared with the hayabusa he showed me a blackbird. I always liked the fit and finish of honda's so I kept asking other motorcyclists about the bird and got alot of positive feedback. Started looking at used XX's everytime I went past a motorcycle dealer so that I could get I feel for a good deal. My goal was to buy one after Jan 05. But in Nov 05 I walk into a Honda dealer and ask the salesmen if he has any Blackbirds and he shows me a brand new 03 with zero miles and a one year warrenty. I figure this is Devine intervention since I'm was reluctant to buy a used bird because someone probably had run the shit out of it! So the next day I came back, with an offer and we made a deal.

79cbxmike

We three were at the ICOA meeting earlier this year and Harlan pulls up next to me as we finished riding the Dragon and suggests I try the Bird on the ride back. Had a weak senior moment and climbed aboard, big mistake, before I got to the overlook I knew a Bird was in my future.

I don’t like the crotch rocket look in general (still don’t), but DAMN what a machine. After a lot of looking and loosing out on three Ebay Birds began to think God didn’t want me to have one of these and decided to go down to a local Honda dealer and just buy a CBR1000RR first thing Monday morning.

God must have intervened because I got an email from CT saying he had an 02 with 741 miles that was in better shape than the one’s I had bid on (“perfect” was his term). A member of the ICOA lived close by and agreed to take a look at it for me: “I looked at the bike yesterday evening and it is what it is..a new '02 with only 741 miles on the odometer. Looks fine to me!

Good Luck!”

Sent off 7400 bucks, paid $650 to ship it. Was going to fly up and ride it back but bad weather had set in and I couldn’t find anyone to watch my house and feed the dogs.

At first I was disappointed that my BlackBird was silver and was thinking to have it painted but silver has grown on me and it’s beginning to look better and better; still not a 79 CBX but tolerable.

DAMN --- it’s a machine!

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Michael Pavlick

Para045

Well I had not really heard much about the XX until last march when I went to get another bike after ~13years. My last bike was a 82 CB750F with a 900motor that I had owned and ridden almost daily for ~5years and I remember when the CBR1000F came out and I had always said that was going to be my next bike as the styling and feel just gave me wood ( still does ) but could not afford one at the time and the CB was doing ok. Then I met my SO and ~ 1 month later had a ~50kmh lowside in the wet but she hit a curb and flipped over and did a shit load of damage so she got garaged for ~3 years then sold. Come last March and I had been wanting a bike again for a few years and with fuel prices being what they were the missus actually encouraged me to get a bike again . As I had been so happy with the CB and had always wanted a CBR thou that is what I started looking for not knowing that they had been replaced by the BB, I also looked at a couple of VTR1000's and a couple of ST1100's but they just did not feel right to me and after seeing one of the guys at work had a BB I started asking him about it I started adding that into the equation but with a ceiling of $10 000. Now after quite a bit of looking I only saw one decent CBR1000F and they wanted $6500 for a 48 000km 96 model and there were a few 40 000km 97-99 BB's around for ~$8700-$10 000 and a couple of low km 05's for ~$14000 which considering I could buy a new 06 for $15990 ride away was a bit rich even if I had been able to afford more than $10 000. So if the dealer had dropped the thou down to a more reasonable $5500 or so I would have gone for that but he wouldn't so I started looking more and more at the BB, talking more to the guy at work, reading all I could about them, joined cbr1100xx.org, ozblackbird.net & BIRD and asked a lot of questions and test rode as many more BB's as I could and decided that I had to have one . I very nearly bought a red 99FI Bird but the dealer again would not budge at all on the price even though we would have paid cash there and then Then amazingly my sister comes over one sat arvo between night shifts after I had basically told a guy the day before I would buy his 30 000km bone stock 98 that the boyfriend of a woman she works with had "one of those bikes you have been looking for" and had known about it for a week, so I go around take a look at her and took it for a test ride and did the deal - 98 Titanium XX with panniers and top box, touring screen, steering damper, new chain + sprockets, 2 jackets, 1 pr trousers, 1 helmet, 2 pr gloves, disc + cable locks, bike cover, Ventura rack and bag, 4 new plugs + oil filter & numerous chain lubes $7500 - what a bargain. I have since put on VFR bars a CBR900RR shock & 1100lb Eibach spring, DavesXX01's peg brackets & HVMP heavy bar ends & I am as happy as a pig in shit

Pete-in-PA

It's that test ride!!! once you're in the saddle it's over!

I got interested in this bike at mid-Ohio at the Super bike races. Came home and read some tests and then found one in State College used.

They have a nice liberal test ride policy there at least for used bikes. After an hour riding it around I had to have it, and the rest is history.

TangorXX

I had been on the typical hiatus raising kids through the middle 80s and 90s hadn't been on a street bike since the early '80s (Z1R). I first really became aware of the Blackbird after the purchase of my '05 FJR in the fall of 2004 when I joined the FJR forum where Warchild was the driving force in the FJR community on root causing the infamous FJR "ticker" issue. Beyond the dead sexy looks of the XX, Warchild's dedicated Blackbird site and his knowledgeable posts put the Bird went on my "gotta" have list.

It looks like that wish will come true this weekend when I head to the Dallas area to pickup PNelson's '00 .

Can't wait!

OZDave

Liked them, bought one, happy with it!

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Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me!

red-oh-one

I thought the styling of a sport bike mixed with practical features such as bungee points and a comfortable seat attracted me at first. The top speed and new technology along with the fit and finish of a Honda was attractive. It was also a big bike and since I'm a big guy, I could see myself riding it. Unfortunately, I didn't buy one. I had a cruiser and a dual sport that were great. When BMW came out with the K1200S I thought about buying one, but the angular styling and high cost turned me off. I started looking for a Blackbird. I wanted to buy a "new" one from a dealer in Philly, but they tried to screw me. (Jacked up the advertised price by $1000 when I expressed an interest) I found a red 2001 with only 2800 mi. on it and bought it without riding it. I still look at it and think it's a work of art!

WILLSXX

I owned an 87 CBR1000F Hurricane around 96 and remember visiting my local dealer at the time.
They didn't have the bike yet but had the brochure for it.
The brochure had all of the shots they took at Bonneville and the bird looked so dead sexy I knew right then that one day I would own one.
I think I drooled over that brochure so long that I wore the pages out..
It seemed like the natural progression for me.
Finally got my 00 and then realized it was not really a progression this thing blew the 1000f clear out of the water...

XXSTAR

Well about two years ago I was looking for a CBR1000F Hurricane I love the looks. but the only ones I found in shape I was looking for, was going to be 5,000.00 to 7,000.00. a friend call me and as if I was looking for a bike, told me he had a XX, went and look at it that was it, rode it and on the way back I new this was the bike for me. I have had many bikes and have many now. I will NOT sell the XX. I am going to get 2 or 3 more, when the right bikes come along. I am still going to get a CBR1000F Hurricane. I really don't think you can get a better bike for the money. I LOVE MY XX!!!!!!!!!!!

dunedain

I had many reasons

I had a 97 VFR and da wife wanted it.
I liked it, I bought it.

That test ride got me too!

When I did that "roll on test" I about pulled my arms off holding on and I was in. Adrenal Gland - CHECK!

I got hosed on a Buick Grand Nat'l deal and sid "fark it" I'll get another bike.

It was the fastest bike on the planet!

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Sua Sponte!

PJNXX

These are all great stories. It's great to read about how we got our Blackbirds. Keep the stories coming.

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-Paul

erlingj

It was in 2005 that I bought my first bike GSXR1100 “86 after I took my motorcycle license in 1990.
That broke down 3 months later and I had a difficulty finding spare parts and I got tired of having no bike to ride on.
I had my eyes on the GSXR1300 but my friend that is a Honda man told me of this bike Honda blackbird 1100XX I had never heard of.
Went straight to ebay and looked it up and was in love.
Found won in Texas made him an offer and the bike is mine.
Love it to pieces

MrT

I like well built fast bikes. I have a "thing" about riding something that can kick my ass ,,just turns me on. Same reason I married my wife.
MrT

smoothmotion

When my oldest son turned 16 I took him to purchase a brand new cbr600. Then I found out the price, taxes, small extras...then insurance, geez. Meanwhile, my son was downstairs looking at the used 97BB, said look mum, check this out. Well....was in excellent shape, dropped while stationary on it's side (couple small scratches), only 5000 km on it (3 years old). I said, if we get this one, we can actually ride it instead of not affording to purchase the gas. Was that simple, next day it was in the driveway. Fully paid for, insured and full of gas. He drove the thing all summer, mishap free until last couple of weeks, hit a culvert at night (road rash, scared the you know what out of him) I was near sick when I looked at all the parts, missing, broken, scratched. I looked him right straight in the eye, said, deal was I purchas it, you fix any thing that goes wrong. Took him 3,000. of his own money to put it back together. Then it took him two years to admit he didn't realize just how lucky he was until he went through the experience. Couple years later, bike was passed to his then 16 year old brother. That summer he was re-ended and the bike was written off. I purchased it back, rode it the rest of the summer myself, purchased a cbr600 for him which he started to race.
Following summer I sold the BB and purchased the last remaining 03 in the Maritimes.
Occasionally my oldest takes it for a few weeks each summer, he rides with his brother and me on the boyfriends fjr. We have a blast.
I simply love the BB and if I were to trade tomorrow, I think it would be for a ducati.

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Crystal

Ride it like ya stole it!

XXSTAR

" I simply love the BB and if I were to trade tomorrow, I think it would be for a ducati. "

CAN YOU BE BARED FOR THIS?? lol

flblackbird

First bike was a 79 Yam 650 Special when I was 16, been stepping up since...84 CB750, 89 CBR1000F, 01 RC51, & now the 02 Bird. Was lucky in getting the Bird, was my father-in-laws' but it was wearing him out & him the bike (6'4" about 305). So he decides he wants a HD & tries to trade in the Bird, the Harley dealer would only give him $1000 towards a trade, so he gave it to me , for my birthday!! I've put a little over 14,000 miles on her in a year & a half, & I wouldn't trade her for anything but the new MV Agusta F4CC (@ $120,000 MSRP). All the guys I ride with have CBR6's or ZX6's, or little gixxers...OK I ride w\a couple of Busa's also, but man...you gotta love The Bird!! I also love blowing away the factory rated top speed...I had her up to 186mph on I-95, before backing off, & there was still throttle left!!!

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Mike
02 Silver Bird
I'm a Yamaha tech., that's why I ride a Honda

Partsguy

I was never a big Honda fan but I was looking to move up from my CBR600 which was part of the reason I chose the Blackbird.I was selling all 4 brands of Japanese parts and Honda always had the best reliability,over the years I became a loyal follower.And the Busa was butt ugly and I prefer to root for the underdog.Then Kent Stotz built one that beat everyhting else on the planet and I wanted to build one that could beat everyone in Ontario.Still working on it.Pissed at Honda for not bringing out a better one though.

PJNXX

Wow!!!! That's an awesome birthday present. Very generous.

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-Paul

flblackbird

Yea, my father-in-law is a pretty good guy, even though he rides a Harley now, lol.

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Mike
02 Silver Bird
I'm a Yamaha tech., that's why I ride a Honda