itsthemechanic

Four Horsemen, Whispering Death, haha! You nutters. But yeah, the Bird is the strong, silent type. Oh for what it's worth, my Fat One drew big crowds yesterday outside the school where I'm currently taking my hazmat course. Isn't it great when people gather to stare at a bike that's almost ten years old?

That's what's so groovy about it, it's really a timeless design. It'll still look cool in 2025.

deadman

Not only will it still look cool. it will be still going strong, These machines really are a piece of very good engineering all round, Near bullet proof.

Honda should pat themselves on the back for the Blackbird.

Cheers.
Brian.

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If ya not boppin, Ya in ya coffin. Rock and roll will soothe your soul.
Mods, 6mm Shim, 12 inch risers, Double bubble Windsceen, Homemade Ventura type packrack, Expandable to 82 litre, Rjays rack bag, Lowered rear end frame by 3 inches. Suspension is still stock, home made Cans, awesome.

thechamp55

I went to a party on the bike with a bunch of non-bikers. It was dark when I arrived, many of them knew I didnt have the ZX-12R anymore. When they asked what I came on I told them a 99 Honda 1100. They asked if it was fast and I said well yeah, but it was older by 6 years so not as fast as the Ninja. No one really paid it much attention. A few days later I let one of my close friends (Ed) borrow it. He rode to someones house where alot of the same people were gathered (in the daylight). They all remarked on how beautiful my friends bike was and asked him what it was. Ed said it was the new CBR1000RR, and that it was the fastest bike in the world, having 200hp and able to go like 220. They belived him. The next week I showed up in front of them on the same bike and they didnt belive it was my little old 160hp 99 and that Ed had been yanking their chain. They said it looked too modern and in too good of shape.

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Everyone Dies. Not Everyone Lives.

jonscott

What do you mean, "you people?!?"



It's not the most power that makes it what it is.

It's not the highest speed.

It's not the hardest acceleration.

It's not the best power to weight ratio.

It's not the cushiest comfort.

It's not the most elegant or radical styling and design.

It's the best combination of all of the above that make the Blackbird what it is, and what makes it continue to stand out from the crowd, even in the "modern" motorcycling world.

Two weekends ago I was at the ROT Rally, which is pretty Harley-heavy. Even the most hardcore H-D guys (that usually show not much less than disdain for sport bikes) gave my bird a nod of approval. A couple of custom chopper builder buddies of mine heard that I had a Blackbird, and they *had* to see it. The bike is THAT good.

Oh and something else.

Last weekend I rode from Dallas up to Wichita for a weekend full of shooting, and an Oklahoma State Trooper in a pimped out, blacked out Tahoe stealth freeway cruiser pulled up alongside me (effortlessly, I might add) at 90mph and motioned for me to pull over. No lights or siren, just a wave to pull over.

He said he didn't pull me over because I was speeding (I was blending in with a pack, after all), he just wanted to look at my bike. Turns out he loves Blackbirds but had never seen one in person before. We spent the next 45 minutes or so on the side of the freeway talking about bikes.

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When you see a car, think of the stupidest thing the driver could do, then get prepared for it to happen.

thechamp55

I dont know what this Tahoe had, but Im friends with the daughter of the man who owns Nelson Performance, a primarily GM LS and turbo tuner. For the Sherrifs of Three Rivers, he built a few twin turbo Tahoes. They run 14.0 supposedly. His advertising car is an Avalavche which has full interior he drives regullarly. On the 5.3L block it ran 12.2, now it has a 6.0L

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Styles

Sí, se puede, Dos Equis.





Styles

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"STyle is the fashioning of power, the restraining of power." A. N. Whitehead

CBR1000F

That is the point I was trying to illustrate. These are not the fastest but they are fast. They don't generate near the horsepower the GSXR's are capable of but still generate 140 at the wheel without reving to 14,000. They have old-school styling but aren't dated. They are heavy but so am I! And best of all they black!!

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TeXXan 1993-CBR1000F, 2003-CBR1100XX

thechamp55

well the fast ones are black...

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DeathWish01

the FASTER ones aint.....

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Take Two X's For A Spin And Call Me In The Morning!

Mike Voeller

thechamp55

no the fastest ones are. the faster ones are rain birds, rockbirds are the slowest. We've been through this at great length.

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itsthemechanic

You guys are insane and should all be institutionalized!

smr96

These bikes were named after the SR-71 Blackird, right? Anyone seen the new Transformers movie? If so you'll know where I'm coming from. Think for my next post I'll say "these bikes suck" and really get you guys fired up!!!!

thechamp55

You'll never take me alive

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dracki

if you do,we'll have to release the hounds onto you, well atleast Shewie & Lois

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Attitude,Charisma,Mojo & Spunk. Thats what you have on a BLACK Blackbird & there the fastest.the rest of you just dream about that

annoying Shewie,Lois & Poundstrecher one post at a time

Poundstretcher

No these bikes are sucked ask the champ

dracki

is that what you ment to say

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Attitude,Charisma,Mojo & Spunk. Thats what you have on a BLACK Blackbird & there the fastest.the rest of you just dream about that

annoying Shewie,Lois & Poundstrecher one post at a time

Poundstretcher

Just looking at his new avatar

dracki

you like my chiky babe(avator),i do,she real fine

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Attitude,Charisma,Mojo & Spunk. Thats what you have on a BLACK Blackbird & there the fastest.the rest of you just dream about that

annoying Shewie,Lois & Poundstrecher one post at a time

Lynn

I wanted the bird when it came out in 98 here but had to wait until 2002 to get mine. I walked in to the dealer and said i want a blackbird he had to call out to Calgary to get mine and have it shipped in.
Like others have said it is not many things but it is a Blackbird.
How do you explain a v-max? It is what it is you have to ride it to understand it, the same applies to the Blackbird.

shewie

Oh, please don't compare the V-Max to the Blackbird. I had an old aquaintance approach me at the pumps and start telling me about his V-Max and how fast it is and how the carbs will feed other cylinders at higher rpms and how fast it is and how wonderful Yamaha is and how fast it is and that we should go riding sometime. I just stood there and nodded and smiled and quietly made a mental note to myself to avoid him from thence forth. Until I see him on the road.

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If you don't like the way I ride then stay off the sidewalk.

smr96

Don't think he's comparing the bikes directly. Just the following of each. You all pretty much agree that the 'Birds aren't the fastest,quickest,lightest,best cornering,best suspended,etc.... yet they have a "cult" like following. Same with the 'Max, which pretty much just accelerates fast in a straight line!

smr96

These bikes DO SUCK!!!!!! There I said it. Now "dracki" and "the champ" need to send their avatars to knock some sense into me!

dracki

you serious,you want me to send my chiky babe over,you wouldn't know what to do with a psyco dominatrix .
why do you think i bought a bird,i need something fast to make a quick gettaway,& sometimes just not being tide to the bed meens she has other plans & i can go out for a long ride & pray she's got a headache when i get back.

so if you want her over,you'll need 2 things;1,alot of Viagra & 2,the will to live & a handgun under the pillow just incase

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Attitude,Charisma,Mojo & Spunk. Thats what you have on a BLACK Blackbird & there the fastest.the rest of you just dream about that

annoying Shewie,Lois & Poundstrecher one post at a time

Poundstretcher

Gawd! it is turning into a Playmate site


Not that I mind

smr96

Maybe we need a 'Birds 'n Babes forum on this site?!!

thechamp55

Not quite they made me change mine, and its funny you mentioned the V-Max, it was someones avatar on a Max forum and I stole it.

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Poundstretcher

Suckers

heisti

you´re right.
the Vmax i know has 3200cm³, 6 cylindres, 300hp and is a two stroke.

for more info please see picture.

Attached Images

P6233674_.jpg (192.7 KB, 5 views)

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jamesmwaltz

Um.... try riding in adverse conditions or doing 1000 miles a day. Top speed is different than a good ride. Sport tourer not tourer or sport. Works well as either and I can take 2 months of camping supplies on one.
I had mine for 8 trouble free years with only regular service, oil tires etc. Never failed.
Compare it to any other bike by price as well.

jazznhouseof6

Unlike many on this forum, I haven't had the opportunity to own very many bikes. This is my third. My first was a '96 gpz1100. It hurt my neck on any ride longer than an hour because of the stretch. My second was the 02 vfr800. Nice bike, comfortable, quite, mild tempered and very forgiving of throttle and brake mistakes. It just didn't have the umph that I wanted in a bike, nor could you improve on the quite sound, even with after market pipes. so the radar was up for something new constantly, ZX11 (possible neck pains but the legacy speaks for itself), Busa (hideous looking, even though many say that it is comfortable), I looked at many, zzr1200, sprint ST1050, zx14, k1200s, and few others. I lucked up on the dubX for a sweet deal. This thing rocks. Ergonomically comfortable (more so than even the vfr), power when you need/want it, styling, and something different than what you normally see on the road.

There's no doubt in my mind that Honda was aiming for perfection and not winning a pissing contest when they designed the Blackbird.