So what do you all think to my latest project bike? I am really pushing myself out of my comfort zone with this build and I am so excited to eventually present to you a real transformation at the end - so many plans to unfold as we progress. Wish me luck!!
Dude, you’ve been virtually gifted a low mileage stock ‘Bird in gorgeous red that needs some expert TLC, some parts replaced, recommissioning, and a pro respray on a few panels. But you’ve already admitted that you’re “not that mechanically minded”, you really shouldn’t be attempting to do anything with this bike - other than cleaning it. Forget trying to ruin it by fitting a turbo. That’s for busa owners with gigantic over inflated egos - but very small peckers. Real ‘Bird owners can deal with the top speed record going to Suzuki - two decades ago. They know the bike is about a lot more than speed. Restore it to stock with original parts. DO NOT waste money on a paint job, and ride it to find out what I mean. Oh, and drop the Americanisms, it won’t help your channel go viral. Yeah I know, everyone else is probably blowing vape up your tailpipe, but you DID ask what we think.
Love a Blackbird. Way ahead of its time. Watch the ICU - i got water in the terminals and it fried.... Overy £1,000 (at the time) to replace so it had to go.
In case it's of use to you, a mate of mine has had one of these since 1999 so I've helped him maintain pretty much all the common problems with these. Whilst you're taking the stator cover off and replacing it, I would thoroughly recommend taking the stator out and seeing if there are any signs of burns (very common, he's had 2x stators in about the same mileage). They are very weak on the charge wiring and Regulator/Rectifiers so I would recommend the aftermarket Mosfet type Reg/Rec. I'd also recommend bypassing the loom charge wiring and going straight from the stator to reg/rec to the battery (bypass the loom and the old "earth block in the middle of the bike). The best place to go is West Country Windings in Matching Green (not too far from you), they do a complete kit. The standard reg/rec is also very poor and not a finned Mosfet and usually it's just a question of when not if they go pop and take the wiring and stator with it... (my mate's happened to fail the 1st time on the autobahn, too... ;) ) Anyway, enjoy, it's a great bike, hope this was useful :) Matt.
@@BikesofRye I'll second Westcountry Windings,they've been around for decades and their stuff is actually often better quality than original. Funny that Matt says they're close to you,when they started out they were a 10 minute walk from me in Plymouth,why a company based in Essex is called "Westcountry". I rode a mate's Blackbird once, just cruising along an empty road enjoying it then looked down and saw what speed I was doing,let's just say it felt legal but was not even close.
Okay you’ve done it now Rye. You know we’re going to expect at least a couple project bikes a year from you now. You’ve opened the floodgates, for every self-respecting motorcyclist loves a good build/adventure. Very exciting stuff👏
Good choice, I enjoyed that vid. Just bought a project myself, a 91 zzr1100 so you have out trumped me. It has been sat for ten years in a damp garage and showing corrosion everywhere it can, so will need a total strip down and recommissioning and I like you can’t wait to start it.
That sounds like you are going to have some work ahead of you there! If you remember to do so please send me before and after photos would be great to see and even maybe share
A stunning machine in its time..noted your ideas about tweaking it supercharge etc. Imo it was superb as built and to restore as original would be the best for it..
I had the exact bike many years ago. I and my best mate bought one within a year of one another 25 years ago…..he still has his, a blue one. Still a great bike even now. My blackbird was bought by another mate and he still has it some after 20 years. Turbine smooth engine but no doubt the oil etc in the suspension is … um …..crap! We even took them on track days 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I'm old enough to remember the launch of this bike everyone at the time was talking about it. I then owned a new launch model Yamaha YZF1000 Thunderace and travelled to Portsmouth with my mate to pick up his new Honda Blackbird in black and I have to say it looked damn good. On the way back every time we stopped somewhere everyone would talk to him about it.
Love my XX, had it for over 20 yrs and never plan to ever get rid of it. Excited to see the direction you go with, have seen them turbo'ed, Have ZX14 conversions done on the swingarm and updated USD forks as well. Gutted that Honda wrote this bike off while Kawi and Suzuki keep their bikes going.
Suzuki did write of the haabusa don't forget but decided to bring it back, i've got my fingers crossed honda will decide to do the same move and make a new blackbird! I think it would be a great move for them, many MANY want another
What you are going to have after your project works have been done i already have 😊 When a blackbird is made like new it’s absolutely phenomenal You don’t need to do anything else One day these bikes will again get the respect they deserve because they are truly other level even today
I been riding Honda's since the 1970's. I have owned 3 Three Honda 1100 bikes. I have ridden a Blackbird, just a couple of years ago, and its just as fast as you wanna be. I was thinking about buying the one i rode, as a spare bike, just for fun, but found the riding position too extreme for my old, beat up body. But the power is addicting !
I had a 2004 in matt black with gold wheels. Amazing ride, i would have kept it but some git decided to steal it while i was in Holland at the end of a road trip. I´ve got a 2015 ZZR 1400 now which i love but the Blackbird will always be my favourite, it was just so easy and comfortable to ride all day on. Moved a bit when you wanted to have a rip and was so easy to maintain....Honda build quality for you.
I’m going to be glued to this series in the hope it will finally get me to get mine back on the road. It’s very similar to yours but not been crashed so a bit easier. I have a straight bar conversion for sale if you are interested. And also two lower fairing panels which you can have. One of each but different colours.
This model looks still very good and I really like the analog dash. Prefer it more than the later models. Great bike, hope to see the restoration soon.
I'm definitely a Honda fanboy. Lovely lovely machines. An icon, that many say is the best Honda ever built. Some say the best bike ever built by anyone. Should crack a genuine 175mph quite easily. Good price for relatively little damage. For probably less than £1,500? you’ll have a cracking bike there. Looks all a Haynes-manual spanner rating of 1 or 2, possibly a 3 in there, no 4 or 5. All good. I’d ditch that scott-oiler right away as part of the restoration. Filthy dangerous things that have no right to be fitted to any motorbike - the dream they sell and reality are miles apart. A mini can of lube will keep you going for a couple of weeks on tour. The Blackbird was my 7th Honda in between several other bikes from different manufacturers over 25yrs of riding. I went from a 98 VFR800 to an immaculate 06 BB. What a beast. First day, roads wet, pulled onto a dual-carriageway behind a car doing around 35mph. Mirrors, indicator, life-saver; then my world started going sideways for a few seconds. Fortunately I didn’t snap shut the throttle and managed to save it. Very very close! Much as I loved it, smooth power, way it cut through the air (with a standard screen) at higher speeds, ergonomics, fit and finish [insert all typical Honda accolades here] ..it was sold 6 months later. For me, it was a little frustrating in that the low down power, although reasonable, was not a patch on higher rpm power. Once out of first gear I was then always in danger of several points/a ban. Ironically, the VFR800 with 65% of the power, felt much quicker a lower speeds, it had significantly better tank range, better comfort, much better headlights, never got anywhere near as hot, rear shock pre-load could be adjusted at the side of the road, slightly more comfortable and fairing alot easier to get on and off! Am now looking at last gen VFR800 as next bike.
Thanks for sharing that was great to read. I will certainly be careful of it once I ride it since after all there are no rider aids and a hell of a lot of torque!
I had one, 1996 pre injection. 9000 miles in 2010. I did multiple French and European trips on it. I once got from Calais to Rouen in 50 minutes on it. Throttle on the stop in top gear it was like being in a computer game. Reliable, solid handling, smooth as silk, lovely suspension, comfy, mental fast to this day you don't need more performance. 34 years i've been riding.
Great machine mine clocked huge mileage with only a cam chain tensioner needed and a solder repair to the factory diagnostic plug which corrodes at the connectors and creates a false injection warning light.
It might not go according to plan all the time, but the sense of achievement you'll get when you get there is so worth it. Looking forward to the next installment.
I feel like a lot of people (cagers) laugh when they see people on old bikes, but for anyone who likes motorcycles or all things two-wheels, it's pure nostalgia and a thrill to ride something so awesome from back in the day. I'm excited for update videos on this thing!
@@BikesofRye hi, I had one of those and I got up to 170mph and then I bottled out 😜 it’s a very fast bike Standard, so it must be over 200 after you’ve fettled it👍🏻
Hello. I have had a few blackbirds. Still have my 2001. I had one same colour which had 4 into 1 akropovic exhaust, power commander, delinked brakes, an awesome bike. Be aware that there is an electrical fix which needs doing (if not already done) to save the ecu. Enjoy the build you have picked a brilliant machine.
The Blackbird isn't the one for turbos/etc. You'll want a 'busa for that. Much better architecture for boost. Take this for what it is - comfy, fast and very long lasting. I'd scrub the sides of those tyres before riding it though. That line of grease still on them is probably why the poor thing ended up on its side. Oh and check everything twice. There's nothing more dangerous than an old, fast bike if it hasn't been kept up properly or if the people doing the work aren't using good practice. Brakes, suspension, wheels, bearings, tyres - go over the lot with a fine toothed comb and double check torques, lok-tight if required and general condition. If someone was using it as a commuter they may not have seen the need to keep it up to 180mph standards but thats the reality if you get enough road and a good wind. Its going to make a really nice bike and for the money - even after transport and repairs - its a bargain.
Nice find, I have a 2000 (W plate) model 76,600 on the clock, had a 1200 big bore conversion done by TTS Performance at 30,000 still strong and sweet as a nut. Look forward to seeing the end product.
cant wait to see the rebuild bud i just finished the thunderace rebuild and its running like a dream for a old bike it sounds lovely and cant wait to see what mods you do the the blackbird
I’m 63 and I’ve been restoring and repairing bikes since I was a teenager. 70,000 miles isn’t even half way through its life. Ignore the odometer and enjoy the bike.
I bought a 2001 blackbird off a friend a few years ago with exactly the same damage that this one has. The generator cover was broken, and fairing, mirror and exhaust damage. I bought a aftermarket fairing in the same colour as your one from China. Absolute bargain. It fitted well and the bike looked like it had just come out of the showroom. Good luck with your project.
One of the greatest bikes Honda ever made in my opinion. I had a 2003 fuel injected in the same colour and it was probably the best bike I ever owned. The torque and acceleration from the old "bird" was immense, shame to say mine had also previously had a low speed fall hence why I sold it, that and the temptation to go very fast!
They can do intergalactic mileage if looked after. I had a 1999 Fi blue(black)Bird around 10 years ago. It’s a Honda, with that associated build quality 👍🏼 Will follow with interest. 😊
I second that they are so over engineered its crazy! Thay do however have a weak 6th gear..............sometimes. Apart from that theyre bomb proof. If you can change the cam chain it, you might as well if youre opening her up but go nuts,👋 they're a great engine. My VFR currently has 169K on it and It hasnt even needed a valve adjustment yet and it gets ridden quite hard most of the time! Honda motors, simply brilliant. Looking firward to this and just subscribed. 👍
A lot of bike for the money, if only as a spares/donor bike. I hope you get it back on the road. I have subscribed and look forward to watching your progress. Got to admit the mileage is, well, super high. Then again, if it was well serviced they are very well put together, and have a reputation for great reliability.👍👍
I did the same colour in lockdown and went from red to black and gold. checkout Honda blackbird CBR1100XX before and after video.. no ABS that thing was a monster to handle too much for me. I enjoyed the rebuild. bought for £1700 sold for £3000 spent £2000.
Well done on the purchase 👍 I've just bought myself a cheap low mileage 2008 Tuono v2 gen 2 project. I have very basic mechanical knowledge but very little is wrong with mine, got a few months MoT too. Looking forward to this story.
I bought one for £1450 five years ago.Around that time,pre COVID,there were always cheap Blackies around.Nowadays everyone thinks their shite is worth a fortune.Cracking bikes and smooth as gravy.
What you have there is a relatively rare bike, if you have a 1999 Fuel injected Blackbird with black wheels and analogue clocks, then you have an unrestricted model. I had the same model but in blue! In 2000 restrictions were bought in to limit motorcycles not in power but in speed. The limit was 300kmh in the EU. The 2000 onwards model got a reduction in bhp, silver wheels and a digital speedo. It’s reported that the 99 model is capable of over 200mph.
What a suprise, I have been studying your vid and almost certain that this actual bike belonged to a friend of mine. We bothe agree, everything fits year mileage and damage, even the mot remaining. This bike rode like a dream before the accident without fault. It was low speed with a car driver pulling out, before the insurance company took it away it was based in Erith kent. If you want some pictures of the bike before it was wrote off let me know.
I had a 2007 and it was the best bike I have had. I sold it like an idiot. And really miss it. It’s such a good looking bike. Some of the bikes out now are ugly.
Good luck with the project 👍 May be worthwhile dropping the sump to look for any bits of swarf or metal and give it a good clean out, 1 tiny piece of swarf on my last project bike found it’s way to a oil jet on my zzr and cost me a gearbox rebuild 😭£££
I have myself a 1997 Carbed blackbird and she's lovely, she'll do 170 easily in good conditions, so I see no reason why yours shouldn't either! best of luck and welcome to the blackbird community :P
Keep it standard.....they were built to crunch miles....despite the light damage....its pretty mint....don't mess with it...and don't change the colour
Just a small point, a scottoiler is a brilliant device when its correctly set up and doesnt necessarily coat the rear wheel with chain lube as was said in the video. 25k on my first vfr800 and no adjustment and chain still excellent, a while ago ... 😊
There was a PB? Article on a dude that added upsidedowners a 929 swinger etc and made a killer bird there r supercharger kits for those in the UK great bike!
The're cracking bikes...still, it does most things really well, comfortably and more reliably than almost everything. I've got a 2001 with 53k miles on Avon Storm 3D XMs which work well and stay round. In my experience the battery is supercheap (£20 or so) and is a weak point no matter how much you spend, so Matt Mutane's Point below about the reg/rec is sound advice, forks are worth setting up for weight and volume, brakes (linked) are worth the time, cash and effort to get right and work well. Worth getting mirror spacers to avoid your elbows, Good luck with the gen cover!
My blackbird project sits at 43K miles and i would consider it as low milage bike. I've seen a couple of them with well over 180K and still going strong....
Don't remove the Scott oiler there brilliant just make sure you adjust the to the correct time per drip and it won't cover the wheel or the tyre in oil
On a very well known buying and selling site there is a red fairing . Edited site name and item number as last post disappeared. Great bike but still fairly plentiful...decent honest bikes not recorded on insurance database can be had for under £2k so arguably it will have a value under that when sorted....Ideally I wouldn't want it to owe me more than £1.5k max sorted. Early (non cat)FI would be my choice. Lovely bike to ride. Bar risers, peg lowering kit and gel seat are popular upgrades. Finding damaged cover paintint thst shouldn't be a major issue. Exhaust may polish up ....originals are actually desired by many. I would ensure suspension all good and set up for rider before thinking of NOS....for me these are quick enough and turbine smooth more than adequate out of the box if engine running well. If all keys or history not present you could try a polite letter & offer of token gift voucher/small cash donation to prior keeper....IF you saw their details on any paperwork or old V5 if/when available & to hand. I would be careful to scrub the tyres in....this may be why it slid down the road 🤔 Good Luck
❤superb, I’ve had 3 of them and loved every mile, my last one was a £1,000 ex police bike with 70k on it….I’ve seen them with over 400,000 miles on though 😅
When I bought my bike back from the "culprit's" insurance company they insisted that it passed another M.O.T. before they'd let me have it so they were not liable for selling me an unroadworthy vehicle. They didn't even look at,accepted my mechanic's estimate and when I asked basically said if it passed a "post incident" MOT I could have it for 500 quid off of the £2500 they'd offered. As I'd paid 2 grand for it the year before that was a result, paid for a new mirror and indicator,my mechanic bent the bars straight with a bit of scaffolding pole and it was good to go. I should say that he'd checked it first and said it was basically straight and despite being a mate he'd never have passed a dodgy bike,I'm still riding it 9 years and 50,000 miles later.
Hi had one new in 2002 , it was an epic bike , at the time I also had a new hornet and a 954 fire blade ,I was a big Honda fan , I did over 30,000 mile on it , eventually changed it for a zzr1400 , because honda were rumoured to be making a 1300 , problem was the engineers couldn’t make it any better ,shelving it for , the vfr 1200 instead , 🏍👎 the zzr was the bike Honda should have made , like a blackbird but 20 per cent more power , rolling on the years I bought a Kawasaki h2 , I’d did 22,000 miles on that , yes I actually used it ,the most uncomfortable bike I ever had , never got comfortable from the day I bought it to the day I sold it , I remember maxing the blackbird out around 182 , the zzr would do 186 in 5th gear , with 2000 revs to go and a gear to go , the h2 was short geared can’t remember seeing anything above 180 , it would do more but it was to uncomfortable , ah I forgot I’m getting old 😂
So what do you all think to my latest project bike? I am really pushing myself out of my comfort zone with this build and I am so excited to eventually present to you a real transformation at the end - so many plans to unfold as we progress. Wish me luck!!
Dude, you’ve been virtually gifted a low mileage stock ‘Bird in gorgeous red that needs some expert TLC, some parts replaced, recommissioning, and a pro respray on a few panels. But you’ve already admitted that you’re “not that mechanically minded”, you really shouldn’t be attempting to do anything with this bike - other than cleaning it.
Forget trying to ruin it by fitting a turbo. That’s for busa owners with gigantic over inflated egos - but very small peckers.
Real ‘Bird owners can deal with the top speed record going to Suzuki - two decades ago. They know the bike is about a lot more than speed.
Restore it to stock with original parts. DO NOT waste money on a paint job, and ride it to find out what I mean.
Oh, and drop the Americanisms, it won’t help your channel go viral. Yeah I know, everyone else is probably blowing vape up your tailpipe, but you DID ask what we think.
What a sweet bike! 👍🏽
Love a Blackbird. Way ahead of its time. Watch the ICU - i got water in the terminals and it fried.... Overy £1,000 (at the time) to replace so it had to go.
As long as you have fun with it that’s all that matters. Nice to see you doing more of this than the reacts to idiot riders.
Turbo would be mad 😎
In case it's of use to you, a mate of mine has had one of these since 1999 so I've helped him maintain pretty much all the common problems with these. Whilst you're taking the stator cover off and replacing it, I would thoroughly recommend taking the stator out and seeing if there are any signs of burns (very common, he's had 2x stators in about the same mileage). They are very weak on the charge wiring and Regulator/Rectifiers so I would recommend the aftermarket Mosfet type Reg/Rec. I'd also recommend bypassing the loom charge wiring and going straight from the stator to reg/rec to the battery (bypass the loom and the old "earth block in the middle of the bike). The best place to go is West Country Windings in Matching Green (not too far from you), they do a complete kit. The standard reg/rec is also very poor and not a finned Mosfet and usually it's just a question of when not if they go pop and take the wiring and stator with it... (my mate's happened to fail the 1st time on the autobahn, too... ;) ) Anyway, enjoy, it's a great bike, hope this was useful :) Matt.
Superb!! Thanks for sharing I very much appreciate that
@@BikesofRye You're welcome - being old has it's advantages sometimes... ;) :D (like cheap bike insurance :D )
@@BikesofRye I'll second Westcountry Windings,they've been around for decades and their stuff is actually often better quality than original. Funny that Matt says they're close to you,when they started out they were a 10 minute walk from me in Plymouth,why a company based in Essex is called "Westcountry".
I rode a mate's Blackbird once, just cruising along an empty road enjoying it then looked down and saw what speed I was doing,let's just say it felt legal but was not even close.
@@mattmutane5502 no question about that, I have 1997 blackbird (carbed) and i'm 24.... Fucker will cost me £170 a month to insure -_-
I’ve got a 97 blackbird with similar miles and a few aftermarket parts I promise it’ll still hang with modern bikes
Is it going strong too?
in a straight line it could . I had a 2003. The 2007 1000RR I now have, handles the corners much much better.
Okay you’ve done it now Rye. You know we’re going to expect at least a couple project bikes a year from you now. You’ve opened the floodgates, for every self-respecting motorcyclist loves a good build/adventure. Very exciting stuff👏
That's the plan Dukie that is the plan my friend 😄
Good choice, I enjoyed that vid. Just bought a project myself, a 91 zzr1100 so you have out trumped me. It has been sat for ten years in a damp garage and showing corrosion everywhere it can, so will need a total strip down and recommissioning and I like you can’t wait to start it.
That sounds like you are going to have some work ahead of you there! If you remember to do so please send me before and after photos would be great to see and even maybe share
A stunning machine in its time..noted your ideas about tweaking it supercharge etc. Imo it was superb as built and to restore as original would be the best for it..
Looks like your taking the channel in an exciting direction. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.. Keep up the good work...
Thanks, will do!
Nice, you could become the Mat Armstrong of the bike world!
I had the exact bike many years ago. I and my best mate bought one within a year of one another 25 years ago…..he still has his, a blue one. Still a great bike even now. My blackbird was bought by another mate and he still has it some after 20 years. Turbine smooth engine but no doubt the oil etc in the suspension is … um …..crap! We even took them on track days 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Nice very cool! Yeah I reckon after 70k miles the suspension needs a good service...
I'm just buying my own restoration project! Will be watching this with interest👍
Like wise!! Look forward to it
I'm old enough to remember the launch of this bike everyone at the time was talking about it. I then owned a new launch model Yamaha YZF1000 Thunderace and travelled to Portsmouth with my mate to pick up his new Honda Blackbird in black and I have to say it looked damn good. On the way back every time we stopped somewhere everyone would talk to him about it.
I have a Thunderace as my next project bike - I uploaded a vid of ot on my channel 😉
Love my XX, had it for over 20 yrs and never plan to ever get rid of it. Excited to see the direction you go with, have seen them turbo'ed, Have ZX14 conversions done on the swingarm and updated USD forks as well. Gutted that Honda wrote this bike off while Kawi and Suzuki keep their bikes going.
Suzuki did write of the haabusa don't forget but decided to bring it back, i've got my fingers crossed honda will decide to do the same move and make a new blackbird! I think it would be a great move for them, many MANY want another
Would be great to see Honda bring back the BlackBird - was a legendary bike and challenger to the mighty Busa.
So many say this about the blackbird... Honda with their reputation may just do so one day
What you are going to have after your project works have been done i already have 😊
When a blackbird is made like new it’s absolutely phenomenal
You don’t need to do anything else
One day these bikes will again get the respect they deserve because they are truly other level even today
I been riding Honda's since the 1970's. I have owned 3 Three Honda 1100 bikes. I have ridden a Blackbird, just a couple of years ago, and its just as fast as you wanna be. I was thinking about buying the one i rode, as a spare bike, just for fun, but found the riding position too extreme for my old, beat up body. But the power is addicting !
I had a 2004 in matt black with gold wheels. Amazing ride, i would have kept it but some git decided to steal it while i was in Holland at the end of a road trip. I´ve got a 2015 ZZR 1400 now which i love but the Blackbird will always be my favourite, it was just so easy and comfortable to ride all day on. Moved a bit when you wanted to have a rip and was so easy to maintain....Honda build quality for you.
Lovely bike mate. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!!
I’m going to be glued to this series in the hope it will finally get me to get mine back on the road. It’s very similar to yours but not been crashed so a bit easier. I have a straight bar conversion for sale if you are interested. And also two lower fairing panels which you can have. One of each but different colours.
Thanks for the offer I will let you know in time if I need the fairing cheers
I bought one crashed by a Belgian cycle race marshal, the front was wrecked. Entirely new front end required. It turned out absolutely lovely.
This model looks still very good and I really like the analog dash. Prefer it more than the later models. Great bike, hope to see the restoration soon.
I'm definitely a Honda fanboy. Lovely lovely machines. An icon, that many say is the best Honda ever built. Some say the best bike ever built by anyone. Should crack a genuine 175mph quite easily. Good price for relatively little damage. For probably less than £1,500? you’ll have a cracking bike there. Looks all a Haynes-manual spanner rating of 1 or 2, possibly a 3 in there, no 4 or 5. All good. I’d ditch that scott-oiler right away as part of the restoration. Filthy dangerous things that have no right to be fitted to any motorbike - the dream they sell and reality are miles apart. A mini can of lube will keep you going for a couple of weeks on tour.
The Blackbird was my 7th Honda in between several other bikes from different manufacturers over 25yrs of riding. I went from a 98 VFR800 to an immaculate 06 BB. What a beast. First day, roads wet, pulled onto a dual-carriageway behind a car doing around 35mph. Mirrors, indicator, life-saver; then my world started going sideways for a few seconds. Fortunately I didn’t snap shut the throttle and managed to save it. Very very close!
Much as I loved it, smooth power, way it cut through the air (with a standard screen) at higher speeds, ergonomics, fit and finish [insert all typical Honda accolades here] ..it was sold 6 months later. For me, it was a little frustrating in that the low down power, although reasonable, was not a patch on higher rpm power. Once out of first gear I was then always in danger of several points/a ban.
Ironically, the VFR800 with 65% of the power, felt much quicker a lower speeds, it had significantly better tank range, better comfort, much better headlights, never got anywhere near as hot, rear shock pre-load could be adjusted at the side of the road, slightly more comfortable and fairing alot easier to get on and off! Am now looking at last gen VFR800 as next bike.
Thanks for sharing that was great to read. I will certainly be careful of it once I ride it since after all there are no rider aids and a hell of a lot of torque!
I had one, 1996 pre injection. 9000 miles in 2010. I did multiple French and European trips on it.
I once got from Calais to Rouen in 50 minutes on it. Throttle on the stop in top gear it was like being in a computer game.
Reliable, solid handling, smooth as silk, lovely suspension, comfy, mental fast to this day you don't need more performance. 34 years i've been riding.
Great machine mine clocked huge mileage with only a cam chain tensioner needed and a solder repair to the factory diagnostic plug which corrodes at the connectors and creates a false injection warning light.
Thanks for sharing
It might not go according to plan all the time, but the sense of achievement you'll get when you get there is so worth it. Looking forward to the next installment.
I feel like a lot of people (cagers) laugh when they see people on old bikes, but for anyone who likes motorcycles or all things two-wheels, it's pure nostalgia and a thrill to ride something so awesome from back in the day. I'm excited for update videos on this thing!
We will see by the end how much I spent and work out what serious speed is achieved on a budget
@@BikesofRye can't wait to see the final result! You're my new favorite UA-camr.
@@BikesofRye hi, I had one of those and I got up to 170mph and then I bottled out 😜 it’s a very fast bike Standard, so it must be over 200 after you’ve fettled it👍🏻
Hello. I have had a few blackbirds. Still have my 2001.
I had one same colour which had 4 into 1 akropovic exhaust, power commander, delinked brakes, an awesome bike.
Be aware that there is an electrical fix which needs doing (if not already done) to save the ecu. Enjoy the build you have picked a brilliant machine.
im picking up a blackbird from a family member this week one owner 28k miles for under 1.5k cant wait
The Blackbird isn't the one for turbos/etc. You'll want a 'busa for that. Much better architecture for boost.
Take this for what it is - comfy, fast and very long lasting. I'd scrub the sides of those tyres before riding it though. That line of grease still on them is probably why the poor thing ended up on its side.
Oh and check everything twice. There's nothing more dangerous than an old, fast bike if it hasn't been kept up properly or if the people doing the work aren't using good practice. Brakes, suspension, wheels, bearings, tyres - go over the lot with a fine toothed comb and double check torques, lok-tight if required and general condition. If someone was using it as a commuter they may not have seen the need to keep it up to 180mph standards but thats the reality if you get enough road and a good wind.
Its going to make a really nice bike and for the money - even after transport and repairs - its a bargain.
You stole it for that money - well done! I’m looking for one of these eventually while they’re still affordable. Beautiful bike!
Nice find, I have a 2000 (W plate) model 76,600 on the clock, had a 1200 big bore conversion done by TTS Performance at 30,000 still strong and sweet as a nut. Look forward to seeing the end product.
cant wait to see the rebuild bud i just finished the thunderace rebuild and its running like a dream for a old bike it sounds lovely and cant wait to see what mods you do the the blackbird
Nice! This I cannot wait to complete and ride
I’m 63 and I’ve been restoring and repairing bikes since I was a teenager. 70,000 miles isn’t even half way through its life. Ignore the odometer and enjoy the bike.
I bought a 2001 blackbird off a friend a few years ago with exactly the same damage that this one has. The generator cover was broken, and fairing, mirror and exhaust damage. I bought a aftermarket fairing in the same colour as your one from China. Absolute bargain. It fitted well and the bike looked like it had just come out of the showroom. Good luck with your project.
One of the greatest bikes Honda ever made in my opinion. I had a 2003 fuel injected in the same colour and it was probably the best bike I ever owned.
The torque and acceleration from the old "bird" was immense, shame to say mine had also previously had a low speed fall hence why I sold it, that and the temptation to go very fast!
They can do intergalactic mileage if looked after. I had a 1999 Fi blue(black)Bird around 10 years ago. It’s a Honda, with that associated build quality 👍🏼 Will follow with interest. 😊
I second that they are so over engineered its crazy! Thay do however have a weak 6th gear..............sometimes. Apart from that theyre bomb proof. If you can change the cam chain it, you might as well if youre opening her up but go nuts,👋 they're a great engine. My VFR currently has 169K on it and It hasnt even needed a valve adjustment yet and it gets ridden quite hard most of the time!
Honda motors, simply brilliant. Looking firward to this and just subscribed.
👍
A lot of bike for the money, if only as a spares/donor bike. I hope you get it back on the road. I have subscribed and look forward to watching your progress. Got to admit the mileage is, well, super high. Then again, if it was well serviced they are very well put together, and have a reputation for great reliability.👍👍
Enjoyed your channel from the days I owned a street triple that I really miss, look forward to seeing the Blackbird project, Cheers
A familiar name glad to see you back commenting
I did the same colour in lockdown and went from red to black and gold. checkout Honda blackbird CBR1100XX before and after video.. no ABS that thing was a monster to handle too much for me. I enjoyed the rebuild. bought for £1700 sold for £3000 spent £2000.
Well done on the purchase 👍 I've just bought myself a cheap low mileage 2008 Tuono v2 gen 2 project. I have very basic mechanical knowledge but very little is wrong with mine, got a few months MoT too. Looking forward to this story.
Sounds great!
amazing content for the channel mate, these are the videos people want and the views alone tell you that! excited to see this build
I bought one for £1450 five years ago.Around that time,pre COVID,there were always cheap Blackies around.Nowadays everyone thinks their shite is worth a fortune.Cracking bikes and smooth as gravy.
I had a carb one with a full Yoshimura / Dynojet kit and it was brilliant.
Your project Fire blade
You want me to transform it into a Fireblade? 🤓🤣
@@BikesofRye lol! Blackbird singing in the dead of night... take this broken bike and learn to fly!
@@BikesofRye the motor is basically a bored out Blade though....
What you have there is a relatively rare bike, if you have a 1999 Fuel injected Blackbird with black wheels and analogue clocks, then you have an unrestricted model. I had the same model but in blue! In 2000 restrictions were bought in to limit motorcycles not in power but in speed. The limit was 300kmh in the EU. The 2000 onwards model got a reduction in bhp, silver wheels and a digital speedo. It’s reported that the 99 model is capable of over 200mph.
I had one one. Same colour too. awsome bike.that’s a bargain buy you got. @300£ on tyres on there… 👍
Yeah and it had 10litres of fuel in it too so that was about £100 🤣....
@@BikesofRye They can take E10 very happily, but I wouldn't over winter it with that in. (Esso Supreme near you is zero ethanol for laying up).
What a suprise, I have been studying your vid and almost certain that this actual bike belonged to a friend of mine.
We bothe agree, everything fits year mileage and damage, even the mot remaining.
This bike rode like a dream before the accident without fault.
It was low speed with a car driver pulling out, before the insurance company took it away it was based in Erith kent.
If you want some pictures of the bike before it was wrote off let me know.
Oh wow yeah be great to see photos!! Follow me on instagram bikes_of_rye if you don't mind and send me the pics!!
Let's hope for more projects I keep my fingers crossed it's worth saving great motorcycles greetings from Poland
I think so too!! Thanks for the support ❤
You paid £800 for it? You got to be kidding me!
Such a beauty! I had a big poster with this bike on it when i was a teenager.
I had a 2007 and it was the best bike I have had. I sold it like an idiot. And really miss it. It’s such a good looking bike. Some of the bikes out now are ugly.
Finally a great video of a normal priced bike!!!!!
A great video! Wow thank you that means a lot
Good luck with the project 👍
May be worthwhile dropping the sump to look for any bits of swarf or metal and give it a good clean out, 1 tiny piece of swarf on my last project bike found it’s way to a oil jet on my zzr and cost me a gearbox rebuild 😭£££
Thanks for the tips!
Had one in 2015 to ride across Europe, was an awesome machine
Will be putting this bike through similar challenge eventually 😁
I have myself a 1997 Carbed blackbird and she's lovely, she'll do 170 easily in good conditions, so I see no reason why yours shouldn't either! best of luck and welcome to the blackbird community :P
This could be an interesting one looking forward to it
Such great bikes, the BB is still on my must have list.
Looking forward to going along for the ride hopefully all goes well mate,can’t wait to see finished product pal 👍🏼👍🏼
Very nice to hear the price!
good luck whit it!
I think its timeless
I'm so jealous... I'd love a cheap BB like that! That's well worth fixing
I will share how much it cost me at the end... let's hope it ends up cheap after all 🙈
Turbo streetfighter it, a real man's animal!
But whatever you do will be interesting especially as you'll be learning as you go.
Turbo Streetfighter 😈 that would be naughty
That is a good find, I have owned 2 of these and am now on my second Busa. Have fun!!
Keep it standard.....they were built to crunch miles....despite the light damage....its pretty mint....don't mess with it...and don't change the colour
I love a rebuild can't wait mate
Just a small point, a scottoiler is a brilliant device when its correctly set up and doesnt necessarily coat the rear wheel with chain lube as was said in the video. 25k on my first vfr800 and no adjustment and chain still excellent, a while ago ... 😊
Good project..keep it stock...turbo for what?...its got more power than enough..
I'll second that, it's probably got enough power as it is. I have one word when it come to projects and rebuilds, 'keep it stock'
We shall see
Yeah, the Blackbird engine is not good for turbo's anyway. Better do some ecu flash etc. And a suspension upgrade.
Blackbird, the myth, the legend.
Now going to sub to follow the updates.. As told by you 😂 👍👍
Great video
Legend!
Looking forward to this series👍
Glad to hear it!
I'd love to do this kind of thing, good luck with it, I'm looking forward to see where this goes.
Thanks I am going to need some good luck 😅
Now you’re screwed, this is the best motorcycle content IMO. So much cack content. Looking forward to this one.
Thanks for the feedback!!
Spot on mate my uncle had one back in the day same colour on a 98 on a s plate. Looking forward to seeing what you're planning for it 😀
Very cool!
There was a PB? Article on a dude that added upsidedowners a 929 swinger etc and made a killer bird there r supercharger kits for those in the UK great bike!
Upside down forks yeah I wonder what bike he got them from?
Bad news mate, I bought an undamaged 1999 Blackbird with under 40k and an mot for £750. And the guy delivered it!
The're cracking bikes...still, it does most things really well, comfortably and more reliably than almost everything. I've got a 2001 with 53k miles on Avon Storm 3D XMs which work well and stay round. In my experience the battery is supercheap (£20 or so) and is a weak point no matter how much you spend, so Matt Mutane's Point below about the reg/rec is sound advice, forks are worth setting up for weight and volume, brakes (linked) are worth the time, cash and effort to get right and work well. Worth getting mirror spacers to avoid your elbows, Good luck with the gen cover!
Looking forward to this project
Just subbed, bought myself a blackbird a few weeks ago. Look forward to seeing what you do with it
Thanks for the sub!
70K is nothing on a Blackbird. Looks like a good project. Looking forward to watching!
Scottoiler when set correctly are awesome.
Looking forward to this Ryan 🔧🏍🛠
Thanks Graham 😎
Legendary bikes mate, I actually watched an episode on men and motors UA-cam channel
My blackbird project sits at 43K miles and i would consider it as low milage bike. I've seen a couple of them with well over 180K and still going strong....
Don't remove the Scott oiler there brilliant just make sure you adjust the to the correct time per drip and it won't cover the wheel or the tyre in oil
On a very well known buying and selling site there is a red fairing . Edited site name and item number as last post disappeared.
Great bike but still fairly plentiful...decent honest bikes not recorded on insurance database can be had for under £2k so arguably it will have a value under that when sorted....Ideally I wouldn't want it to owe me more than £1.5k max sorted.
Early (non cat)FI would be my choice. Lovely bike to ride. Bar risers, peg lowering kit and gel seat are popular upgrades.
Finding damaged cover paintint thst shouldn't be a major issue.
Exhaust may polish up ....originals are actually desired by many.
I would ensure suspension all good and set up for rider before thinking of NOS....for me these are quick enough and turbine smooth more than adequate out of the box if engine running well.
If all keys or history not present you could try a polite letter & offer of token gift voucher/small cash donation to prior keeper....IF you saw their details on any paperwork or old V5 if/when available & to hand.
I would be careful to scrub the tyres in....this may be why it slid down the road 🤔
Good Luck
❤superb, I’ve had 3 of them and loved every mile, my last one was a £1,000 ex police bike with 70k on it….I’ve seen them with over 400,000 miles on though 😅
Nice I paid 720 for a 1996 with 38.000 nothing wrong with it then paid £1000 for a 02 reg digital dash one with 100.000 really good smooth bikes
I bought one in Jan 22 as a project bike ,is not on road yet due to accident oct 22 still not fit enough, hope to finish it this year .
Looks a good buy. I have been looking at this bike as a 2 up tourer. Will follow with interest . Good luck.
You don't even know anyone is on the back when you are on the move.
When I bought my bike back from the "culprit's" insurance company they insisted that it passed another M.O.T. before they'd let me have it so they were not liable for selling me an unroadworthy vehicle. They didn't even look at,accepted my mechanic's estimate and when I asked basically said if it passed a "post incident" MOT I could have it for 500 quid off of the £2500 they'd offered. As I'd paid 2 grand for it the year before that was a result, paid for a new mirror and indicator,my mechanic bent the bars straight with a bit of scaffolding pole and it was good to go. I should say that he'd checked it first and said it was basically straight and despite being a mate he'd never have passed a dodgy bike,I'm still riding it 9 years and 50,000 miles later.
Great video mate. I've just subscribed, and looking forward to your future videos. That's a great project for sure. All the best.
Dave 👍
Nice one dude, looking forward to seeing how it turns out...
Hi had one new in 2002 , it was an epic bike , at the time I also had a new hornet and a 954 fire blade ,I was a big Honda fan , I did over 30,000 mile on it , eventually changed it for a zzr1400 , because honda were rumoured to be making a 1300 , problem was the engineers couldn’t make it any better ,shelving it for , the vfr 1200 instead , 🏍👎 the zzr was the bike Honda should have made , like a blackbird but 20 per cent more power , rolling on the years I bought a Kawasaki h2 , I’d did 22,000 miles on that , yes I actually used it ,the most uncomfortable bike I ever had , never got comfortable from the day I bought it to the day I sold it , I remember maxing the blackbird out around 182 , the zzr would do 186 in 5th gear , with 2000 revs to go and a gear to go , the h2 was short geared can’t remember seeing anything above 180 , it would do more but it was to uncomfortable , ah I forgot I’m getting old 😂
Pretty good condition for 70k. Nice solid sport tourer. i’m a zed fan.
Great choice 👍
Thanks 👍
Good luck. I'll be following this with interest.
Appreciate your support I hope to not dissapoint!
Wonderful bike!
Seem to remember the carb models were slightly more powerful though🤔
Is that true? I will be eventually getting it on a rolling road to see how much power it is producing
Ha ha, nice trolling of us FI folks 🤪
The early injection ones were without the cats in the exhausts and analogue dash, same as this one.
Still looks great today.
Look forward to your progress
Now this is the content we were looking for 😂
I'm back 😎
still one of the best bikes ever even to todays standards !
Looking forward to the updates
Love your videos
Love having you watch them 🤝🏼👍🏼
I believe an error was made in decision to replace engine. Repairing the casing was doable.