[TheDuck]

Thought it about time I gathered a few words and pickies together for any that may be interested in my project Bird.
Firstly "The Duck" was named by JAWS after I called it "Kwakbird" after I had fitted the ZX12R front end.
The bike was bought as a write off and was in a sorry state. (1)
A thorough strip down was carried out (2&3)
Fit ZX12 forks and rebuild (4&5)

 

[TheDuck]

Bars can be a pain if you want to avoid the inner fairing panels (7)
Different brakes are easier if you establish the clearances (8)
Job done (9)

 

[heisti]

applause

 

[TheDuck]

Ride around for a few months to make sure that the new fork set up works and generally enjoy the bike.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
But that just isn't a project they should be ongoing and a spot of extra power is always good even if this is to remain a road bike on our camera infested roads.
Lets try something new is always my mantra, so after some long chats with Richard Albans at TTS we hatch a plan.
1195 and supercharge - I like to be different and this just hasn't been done before. Silly bhp could be achieved but since I want this to remain a friendly road bike we decide 200bhp at the back wheel would be the ticket.

 

[TheDuck]

Mission accomplished
............... and after my first 100 miles today this is going to be fun!

 

[TheDuck]

But as I said earlier projects never end!
I'm currently machining up a rear brake bracket so I can get rid of the large std caliper and fit a 2 piston brembo unit.
You can't believe how much swarf I produced milling this from a solid billet

Oh and I've got my hands on some later ZX12 fork bottoms that take radial brakes ........... something else to consider :smilebig:

 

[TheDuck]

Couple more shots

 

[HANKSXXX]

Great job...How about a ride review?
I'll bet that blower is a lot of fun on the street.
TTS has a great reputation too...I wish they were local...
Enjoy the ride...you've done a great job...:thumb:
My hats off to you...:clap:
Hank

 

[CanadianBird]

Wow, impressive to say the least. Well done. Cost??

 

[GrahamcUK]

:thumb: Nice one mate . I look forward to seeing more pics of The Duck and hearing how she runs.:clap:

 

[steveb]

Wow, impressive to say the least. Well done. Cost??

lus1::thumb:

 

[TheDuck]

Thanks for the positive comments, I'm certainly well pleased.

A little too early for a sensible ride review I need to get know what this machine is now all about. What I have noticed so far is that it has two personalities. Be lazy, stick it in top and it just drives from 3000 revs to stupid speed without breaking a sweat in double quick time - almost like riding a single speed automatic. Ride it as a bike should be ridden and it is fun with a capital F. Power wheelies and rear wheel spin appear to be just a twist of the wrist away if that is your thing!
I will be interested to see what the man from Motorcycle News thought (v positive according to TTS) since I had dropped the rear suspension and fitted old wheels and Avon Storms before delivering the bike to TTS - the handling will not have been at its best! He took it to Bruntingthorpe where most speed testing is carried out in the UK and hitched up some datalogging kit so I should find out what it will do with standard gearing and touring tyres!

TTS has a great reputation too...I wish they were local...

yes I'm lucky they are only 100 miles up the road from me and not only is the work good they are good to deal with. :thumb:

Cost is impossible for me to discuss, TTS used 'The Duck' as a development model (first Blackbird they have supercharged) so I was offered an attractive deal :thumb: Richard will now have the information that he needs to produce a kit for resale and I will continue to give feedback on any findings that I may have. Oh and I also had the internals modified and strengthened - J&E pistons and Carello Rods etc to go with the 1195 rebore which added to my costs.

 

[TheDuck]

Well I've been having a couple of chats with Rupert Paul (Motorcycle News and Bike Mag) and he enjoyed the bike and was impressed not only with the motor (who wouldn't be) but also the fork, brake and rear suspension conversions that I have carried out. He and the tame racer tester picked up on the rear being low causing slowing of the turn in but understood why the bike was in that state since the roads were under water the last time I rode it.

The data logging figures are 'interesting' although at 0 - 100 they appear to show the bike is slower than standard (with std gearing) :huh:
Truth is they were very careful with the clutch since it had slipped a couple of times on the Dyno prior to the fitting of the heaviest springs that could be sourced! Perhaps a little too much torque The std bike aparently had its clutch 'abused' to get the figures.

The article will appear next week along with a short video of the bike going vrooooom down the runway. Shame I will be out of the UK for a few days, will have to catch up with any response at the start of the following week.

Preview here

Supercharged Honda Blackbird on the dyno -

 

[dracki]

excellent job,attention to detail allround,well done.

i'm interested in the fork conversion,what clamps did you use to match the forks to the chasis neck & what yoke did match them too
thanks

 

[TheDuck]

i'm interested in the fork conversion,what clamps did you use to match the forks to the chasis neck & what yoke did match them too

ZX12R top and bottom yokes with a std stem is the easiest way forwards. Remove the lockstops and build new ones in the appropriate place. Use ZX12R tapered roller bearings - fit straight in with no machining. Use 2 lock nuts on the stem to take up the difference in the length of the stem - the 12R is slightly longer and if this difference is not taken up then the top yoke is effectively free to rotate restrained only by the forks. This can also be accomplished with a suitable sized spacer or as I am doing on my 'Mk 2' by milling the stem to the exact length required. The top stem seal can be either a BBs modified or a ZX12R modified.
The bars are the only area that requires some thought since if std ZX12R bars are used they will foul the inner fairing panels on lock. I made my own with a slight rise and backwards sweep to them but positioning is a personal matter.

 

[Strek]

Nice job all around. What do you think of the zx12R forks.

 

[TheDuck]

Nice job all around. What do you think of the zx12R forks.

A vast improvement even when compared to the set on my standard BB which I have resprung/valved added preload adjustment and generally played about with.
When I initially looked at ZX12R forks I was expecting to have to play about with spring rates etc but having checked weights I ended up replacing the springs with a set of standard rate springs then it is a case of experience with the other settings. The journalists who rode the bike last week commented how well matched the forks / bike appeared to be even with the rear end low ...... its always good to have a second opinion (especially when it agrees with mine )

 

[Strek]

The journalists who rode the bike last week commented how well matched the forks / bike appeared to be even with the rear end low ...... its always good to have a second opinion (especially when it agrees with mine )

:rotfl::rotfl:
I keep telling my wife, kids, and the folks that work for me the same thing.
I think its starting to sink in.

Thanks for the fork info. I've always wondered about changing out the forks but the stock ones don't seem all that bad to me. I have considered having them mod to allow adjustability. Maybe one day. There was guy on here that put busa forks on his as I recall.

 

[TheDuck]

Thanks for the fork info. I've always wondered about changing out the forks but the stock ones don't seem all that bad to me. I have considered having them mod to allow adjustability. Maybe one day. There was guy on here that put busa forks on his as I recall.

You are right, the standard ones can be made to work fine with a few small mods (and ensuring that the springs and oil are replaced on a regular basis!) I'm still happy with the forks on my 'daily use' Bird and would not replace them since they do what they do and that is fine for the use to which the bike is put. The Duck was always different, the front end was trashed and given that opportunity I would have been foolish not to see what I could do.

I've read about the Busa conversion and if I remember correctly the head bearings needed some machining, can't remember if there were other 'issues'. All conversions SP1, Busa and ZX12R have detail 'problems', but it just wouldn't be a 'project' if you could just buy and bolt :rotfl:

 

[GrahamcUK]

All conversions SP1, Busa and ZX12R have detail 'problems', but it just wouldn't be a 'project' if you could just buy and bolt :rotfl:

I couldn't agree with that more.
On the SP1 you have to machine and add to the turn stops to stop the forks hitting the frame and machine the top york to get the steering lock to work.