smr96

Okay after 2mos. and nearly 4k mi. I'm finally starting to fall for this bike. With over 60k trouble free miles on my last ride I guess I was hesitant! Anyway I'm familiar with the bikes history and that it was once considered the fastest production bike but it seems that now every liter bike makes more power and weighs far less. I'm amazed when I read articles about how modern 1000's are reaching nearly 100mph in 1st. While I haven't attempted the claimed 175mph top speed I have played around with redlining it in lower gears, 1st-70mph, 2nd-96mph, 3rd-127mph. The fastest I've gone is 146mph. The 'Busa was built to beat this bike and then the ZX12 and now the new-gen 'Busa and ZX14 are out but it seems that modern liter bikes are just as powerful or nearly while weighing far less. So if it's underpowered by todays standards not to mention heavy with poor suspension what's so great about them?

CanadianBird

Everything! Did you search, there is quite a bit of comments about the Bird. 138,500 kms/'02

shewie

You put 4k miles on and still have to ask? Seriously?

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

CBR1000F

Yesterday I saw a factory stock '07 GSXR1000 pull 161 hp on the Dyno. The only upgrade this bike has is a PCIII. With sub 400 lbs dry weight and a 14,000 rpm redline that makes for a very fast bike. It is also a bike that I am not comfortable riding. I like my '03 for the type riding that I do.

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TeXXan 1993-CBR1000F, 2003-CBR1100XX

Styles

The bird's appeal does take time to appreciate. You appear on your your way to recognizing the real difference between added proof and smooth performance. As with a fine sippin' whiskey, it's not the buzz you're after but the pleasure. Cheers.




Styles

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

GhostRider

Weight has little or nothing to do with top end speed. Fact is, you would be much better off with the bike weighing more as opposed to less when you get up there. Now, if you are talking about acceleration, the opposite holds true. Go ride the Busa, the ZX-14, the R1, ZX-10 or Zuk and then you will know what makes the XX the better all around choice.

thechamp55

The XX is I think the smoothest bike out there,, but then there are many bikes Ive yet to ride so I could be wrong. Point is its refined, way more refined than a gen1 busa or ZX-12R or any of the sportier offerings. Then there is the value argument over the newer offerings, which mattered alot to me. And as far as the ZX-10 Gixxer thou, R1, RR et all they are a differnt sort of machine for a differnt purpose. Kinda like comparing a Ferrari Enzo to an older Aston Martin Virage Vantage. They may be lighter and more nimble, but the XX is waaaay more comfortable and much better for two upping and still very very fast. Bedides, compared with liter bikes the broader power band, longer wheel base and softer suspension all conspire to make it much easier to launch the XX for mere mortals. This mortal has shown other mortals on "faster" machines taillights.

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Everyone Dies. Not Everyone Lives.

Scrappy

Is this a contradiction? I'm confused

PJNXX

Me too.

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-Paul

lois

Me three

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Call me "Captain Mudbucket".

lois

I mean you ,get the bike for what it is, and what it does.....if it ain't doing for you....then get a different bike.



besides, that's why I have two bikes...a gixxer, and a real bike...


Lois

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Call me "Captain Mudbucket".

cbxjohn

The XX is a lot prettier and stylish than the newer bikes, running around with their butts up in the air - all looking exactly alike. I can't even tell them apart. When I am in with other bikes, the XX is the one that gets the looks. Styling and class are bikes like the XX, the line of CBR1000F's (real comfort) and the earlier CBX's. Styling now is ugly!!!

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CBXJohn
If I've Ridden it, Redline Ruled!!
"Lucky for 40+ Years on Two Wheels "

thechamp55

I think he feels the same sort of way as when you were in middle school and you felt a slight attraction to the ugly girl for whatever reason inspite of what the world told you to like. He thinks the Blackbird is the ugly girl because its not an advertised squid machine. and while she is a little heavy she no ugly girl after all the chicks with a little meat have the best&

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Everyone Dies. Not Everyone Lives.

docsevicz

I just got back from Bike Week Laconia and didn't see another BB (except my bro's) all weekend. That was great. A couple of guys on Harleys stopped at the hotel we were staying at to stare at our bikes becuz they had no idea what they were. That was great. On the way home a 77 year stopped at the rest area I was at on his 1980 something Gold Wing and admired my bike, (he thought it was new) been riding Hondas his whole life. That was great. I rode it 3 hours in the pouring rain to get home at a steady 75 MPH. That was great. And that was just last weekend!

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Speed ... Like the waves coming to the shore ... its in my blood and in my bones. Mark Knofler

WAMMYEYE

How many times do we have to discuss horsepower to weight and handling issues. The bottom line is the Blackbird is the best of both worlds. You can ride all day and get there pretty damn quick if you want to.

GhostRider

Agreed but I'll go ya one better, they haven't imported the XX into the US since 2003. The design is now 13 years old and yet folks will try and compare the XX to bikes that are current. This fact alone speaks volumes for the respect the XX has earned throughout the sport of motorcycling. I'm an owner and this bike flat rocks!!!

Poundstretcher

Try doing any distance on a sports bike and you will appreciate the Bird even more. How did they compare in the late 90's and how will they compare with Mr Honda's new bag of tricks?

thechamp55

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Everyone Dies. Not Everyone Lives.

dracki

i'm positive the bird is in a class of its own,in 20 years it'll still look absolutely fabulous were as all others;ie busa's,zx14's,fj's & even those hidious beemers which out date themselves before they hit our shores,i like the way Honda thinks when they design a bike,looks & performance for now & beyond,usually they get it rite,rarely wrong, so yeh these bikes are great,always were & allways will be.
they also go like the space shutle in a staight line & i keep up with all the modern bikes in the corners & half the time i show them just what experiance is & what my babys made of

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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

Strek

Was your bike given to you? I mean before I buy a motorcycle I do a great deal of research on the bike. I pick a bike that suits the type of riding I do. You know. One that I know that I will like. You point out that Race Rockets are lighter and faster. What a surprise to learn that piece of information. Yepper. Race Rockets sure are lighter and faster. Can't ride them for more then an hour at a time. Fun to ride. Yes. I've had the big touring rigs. Might as well be in a convertible. So its the sports touring bikes for me. The bird is the best performing best looking in that crowd. Best all around bike. ZX14 probably the closest. The zx14 ergos aren't as good for me. Busa is ugly IMO. Now if I was after more of a touring sports bike I would look at a concours or fjr. So how did you come to own an XX in the first place?

Poundstretcher

He wanted something Blech

dracki

your lucky i like blue nearly as much as Black

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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

dracki

& stop talking like your abo bro nieghbore across the pond down there, Nutterbutter

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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

uis048

Very rarely do Honda step from the well trodden path. For their period and the competion of the time, they (generally) make well constructed machines with comparable performance. They are also more than capable of cocking up regally:- Original VFR, the palstic maggot thing, (CX500?), any number of the smaller 250 - 400 twins , (add your own to the list).
But when they get something right, they are superb. The original Fireblades set motorcycling in a new direction and, (finally the point), the Blackbird, of its time, was like nothing elese. A grand tourer with clout. I don't suppose many of you have ridden the Yamaha Diversion 900. That weighed even more than the 'bird with a whole 96 BHP to propel it along, but it was good for its day if you wanted 500 mile 2-up comfort and a smooth engine. The ZZR 1100's were almost there, but suffered from handling woes and a buzz saw engine. There is a long list of things I find annoying about the design of the 'bird, but as a package, I would be hard pushed to name any other motorcycle that can be bought so cheap and yet delivers such a sublime performance package.

MotoRacerGabe

it's like anything new.
why would someone get a classic mustang when they could get a new one?
why would someone get a classic datsun Z when you could get a new Z?
or why get any old sports car when you could get any new one?
bike and cars are always getting better and better every year. of course a bike made in '97 is going to be outdated to todays standards.

the XX was first made in '97 and didn't change much. even after if got FI, it was pretty much the same bike. take a look at the GSXRs, ZXs, CBRs, and such; they change every 3 years or so. the blackbird stayed the same it's whole life.


i have ridden a new busa and zx14. i prefer my XX. the other bikes just dont feel as good.

deadman

Whats so great about a Blackbird, absolutely nothing,

But nothing else even comes close to it.

60 big sports bikes of every description and power lined up at the lights.

Three sets of lights later, One XX, one gsxr 1400 and a Busa, the only three left in the field. every thing else was left for dead,

When your doing 320 klms an hour, the 1400 and the Busa are 20 klms and 30 klms faster than the XX, Big deal. Brand new against a 10 year old XX.

Do 1000 or 1500 klms in a weekend, you will soon know which one you would rather be on.

My XX does these klms frequently and in total comfort, no aches, pains or cramps.

In OZ, most people know what a blackbird is, And they do respect this machine, because they know what it is capable of, It is one machine that does not get left behind by any thing else. Irrespective of size.

Yes, I love my Bird, it is one unique machine, and as you ride yours, you will eventually find out why, also.

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

Quote:
Originally Posted by Strek http://www.cbrxx.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif
Was your bike given to you? I mean before I buy a motorcycle I do a great deal of research on the bike. I pick a bike that suits the type of riding I do. You know. One that I know that I will like. You point out that Race Rockets are lighter and faster. What a surprise to learn that piece of information. Yepper. Race Rockets sure are lighter and faster. Can't ride them for more then an hour at a time. Fun to ride. Yes. I've had the big touring rigs. Might as well be in a convertible. So its the sports touring bikes for me. The bird is the best performing best looking in that crowd. Best all around bike. ZX14 probably the closest. The zx14 ergos aren't as good for me. Busa is ugly IMO. Now if I was after more of a touring sports bike I would look at a concours or fjr. So how did you come to own an XX in the first place?


He wanted something Blech
When I was in the Marines I had a friend who had never ridden before who wanted a bike. I shit you not, his requirements were that it was A)newish B) black and C) racy looking. He knew I had a Honda so eventually chose a 600RR (I tried to steer him elsewhere). He was fine though, regullarly traviling hundreds of miles a day. His only incident was when he tried to endo in a parking lot, but he had frame sliders and was unhurt. He enjoyed the bike but I still think he wouldve been better of on something else.

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Everyone Dies. Not Everyone Lives.

Strek

Brian,

I agree with everything you have stated here. What I don't get is how someone (smr96) would get a bike and not have a real good feeling for if they are going to like it or not or even have to ask the question (whats so great about these bikes?) to others in the first place. I think most people give a fair amount of thought to a motorcycle purchase. Kind of think through if it will fullfil your needs in a bike. Does it suit your riding style? Will the ergos work for me? Do I like the way it looks? Do I like its performance? He stated that he was familiar with the bikes history so it seems that he did his research. That was the point of my question in my post. The one where I asked smr96 if the bike had been given to him. I can understand perhaps buying a bike and finding out much later down the road that its not exactly what you want. I mean I used to have a goldwing and I'd never make that mistake again. BUT At least when I got that bike I was looking for a touring rig and used it as a touring rig. I wasn't surprised by what it was, what it did or how it did it. I just came to the point where I wasn't doing as much long haul distance touring and didn't like the feeling that I wasn't on a motorcycle when I was riding it. I changed. The bike was what it always was.

BackStreet

"What I don't get is how someone (smr96) would get a bike and not have a real good feeling for if they are going to like it or not or even have to ask the question (whats so great about these bikes?) to others in the first place."

Let me answer this IMO. In 2003 I went looking for a bike and started reading all the mags, reading reviews online, looked at the numbers. Looked at several in person. Sat on a few. Talked to the dealer. None of them was a clear winner but I made a choice. With a lot of opinions, statistics, reviews, technological differences, etc. sooner or later you have to pick just one.

I second guess myself. I hope he is being honest and just asking us that question, "What's so great about these bikes?" I love mine and I'm not sure I can really answer that question.

smr96

Okay I'll admit that I'm fickle. Probably why I've gone through 12 bikes in the past 20yrs! This '02 Blackbird is lucky number 13. I've had cruisers, dual sport/adventure, supermoto, naked/standards, and sportbikes. I even had the Honda Silverwing (yes the "scooter") that I went straight from an '02 ZX6R to looking for something different. I read and follow motorcycling to the point that its annoying, so yes I knew exactly what the CBR1100xx was all about when I bought it and fortunately the guy I bought it from didn't! Most of you seem to assume that I don't like the bike, which isn't true. It's a bit piggish but with my long commute the extra heft adds stability and I'm one of the few that actually likes linked braking. I wonder how many of you bought your bike new? I mean as a new model on the dealer's floor, especially before '99 when the 'Busa was released because if you did you know damn well that you had every intention of owning the fastest production bike ever made. It seems that most have now relegated it to a mighty fine sport tourer which is fine but I don't think thats what Honda intended it to be. I don't think someone looking at a new Hayabusa or ZX14 would tell you they're looking for a sport tourer but on the same hand someone with a ZX12 or maybe even an older 'Busa would probably consider those sport tourers does that make sense? Anyway I've seemed to have opened a real can of worms with this post and you can't say that you people aren't passionate about your bikes!