FJR guys this is for you,
I have had 2 FJR’s and they are great bikes. However, one summer day when riding my black 2008 I was fussing with the windshield and couldn’t find a good turbulent free position. I wanted cleaner air, so my plan was to cut the windshield down but instead I sold the bike. I am an emotional motorcyclist, and therefore have had many different bikes over the past 8 years. I get rid of them for no good reason. Drives my wife nuts.
I love the FJR motor and hardbags but I always wanted the FJR to be a little faster, a little lighter, a little less top heavy, have lower bars, handle better, and have a lower windshield for cleaner air. In my pursuit for the perfect, “for me at the time”, motorcycle I discovered the Honda Blackbird. It had all the characteristics that left me wanting with the FJR and, for a lot less money. You may be surprised to learn that it’s a good sport touring platform (but with no hardbags). We motorcyclists all decide what we can or cannot live with or without. So I purchased this 1998 bird (carb version), threw on some cortech soft bags and some new rubber and rode it for 3 seasons. I put 24k on it. My last trip was from Oregon to Glacier National Park. The Highway to the Sun was amazing.
The Blackbird pegs are a little higher and further back compared to the FJR and are great for that sportier sprint on your favorite twisties. Not as radical as a true sportbike (R-1 Yamaha or CBR 1000). The pegs didn’t bother me 1 or 2 years ago but now I’m 57 and my legs and hips can’t handle 300 mile days. And I need to go at least 300 mile days to get anywhere new. You can get a kit to lower the pegs about an inch but I never did. I hate screwing up the oem design and I need more room now anyway.
These bikes are very fast and very reliable and provide a good sport-touring platform. It has a wide range of cruising sweet-spots. My favorite is 80 to 95. It just settles in so nicely at 80 in 5th or 6th gear and still gets 40-42 mpg. That’s the other thing! The FJR needs a 6th gear. The blackbird in 5th gear at 80mph is turning 5k and is absolutely smooth. At 90 in 6th it’s turning 5k and is absolutely smooth. At highway speeds I commonly ride between 4500 and 6500 rpms. It really launches at 7k. Like the FJR, it’s not a peaky motor and doesn’t mind lugging about at 2-3 k. If your FJR is lacking that little something consider a blackbird. Consider my blackbird. I am now on the hunt for an old man BMW.
1998 Honda CBR1100xx Blackbird
34,500 miles.
New Dunlop Roadsmart 2 Tires.
Front forks professionally rebuilt, re-valved, and re-sprung by GP suspension of Oregon City.
OEM rear shock installed. Still has some life in it. For a little extra money I also have an Ohlins for it.
Good chain and sprockets. Replaced at 20,000 miles.
At 17000 miles I replaced the cam chain tensioner, not because it failed, but because the cam chain was a little noisy.
Regularly serviced. I have all of my service records but none from previous owners.
Bike history: I am the 3rd owner. I purchased it from the second owner in Wenatchee Washington, May 2010. At that time it had 12,000 miles. He purchased it from the original owner who bought it new in Yakima, Washington. It has lived most of it’s life in Eastern Washington. Which is good because it’s a warmer dryer climate. It has always been stored indoors.
It runs great. Looks phenomenal for a 14 year old motorcycle. You will not be disappointed.
$3600
PM me or call me: 503-508-1948
Direct email: [email protected]
High quality photos of my bird
https://plus.google.com/photos/112901721328742018123/albums/5784538620171832721?authkey=CKKzqMnB4vDHvAE
I have had 2 FJR’s and they are great bikes. However, one summer day when riding my black 2008 I was fussing with the windshield and couldn’t find a good turbulent free position. I wanted cleaner air, so my plan was to cut the windshield down but instead I sold the bike. I am an emotional motorcyclist, and therefore have had many different bikes over the past 8 years. I get rid of them for no good reason. Drives my wife nuts.
I love the FJR motor and hardbags but I always wanted the FJR to be a little faster, a little lighter, a little less top heavy, have lower bars, handle better, and have a lower windshield for cleaner air. In my pursuit for the perfect, “for me at the time”, motorcycle I discovered the Honda Blackbird. It had all the characteristics that left me wanting with the FJR and, for a lot less money. You may be surprised to learn that it’s a good sport touring platform (but with no hardbags). We motorcyclists all decide what we can or cannot live with or without. So I purchased this 1998 bird (carb version), threw on some cortech soft bags and some new rubber and rode it for 3 seasons. I put 24k on it. My last trip was from Oregon to Glacier National Park. The Highway to the Sun was amazing.
The Blackbird pegs are a little higher and further back compared to the FJR and are great for that sportier sprint on your favorite twisties. Not as radical as a true sportbike (R-1 Yamaha or CBR 1000). The pegs didn’t bother me 1 or 2 years ago but now I’m 57 and my legs and hips can’t handle 300 mile days. And I need to go at least 300 mile days to get anywhere new. You can get a kit to lower the pegs about an inch but I never did. I hate screwing up the oem design and I need more room now anyway.
These bikes are very fast and very reliable and provide a good sport-touring platform. It has a wide range of cruising sweet-spots. My favorite is 80 to 95. It just settles in so nicely at 80 in 5th or 6th gear and still gets 40-42 mpg. That’s the other thing! The FJR needs a 6th gear. The blackbird in 5th gear at 80mph is turning 5k and is absolutely smooth. At 90 in 6th it’s turning 5k and is absolutely smooth. At highway speeds I commonly ride between 4500 and 6500 rpms. It really launches at 7k. Like the FJR, it’s not a peaky motor and doesn’t mind lugging about at 2-3 k. If your FJR is lacking that little something consider a blackbird. Consider my blackbird. I am now on the hunt for an old man BMW.
1998 Honda CBR1100xx Blackbird
34,500 miles.
New Dunlop Roadsmart 2 Tires.
Front forks professionally rebuilt, re-valved, and re-sprung by GP suspension of Oregon City.
OEM rear shock installed. Still has some life in it. For a little extra money I also have an Ohlins for it.
Good chain and sprockets. Replaced at 20,000 miles.
At 17000 miles I replaced the cam chain tensioner, not because it failed, but because the cam chain was a little noisy.
Regularly serviced. I have all of my service records but none from previous owners.
Bike history: I am the 3rd owner. I purchased it from the second owner in Wenatchee Washington, May 2010. At that time it had 12,000 miles. He purchased it from the original owner who bought it new in Yakima, Washington. It has lived most of it’s life in Eastern Washington. Which is good because it’s a warmer dryer climate. It has always been stored indoors.
It runs great. Looks phenomenal for a 14 year old motorcycle. You will not be disappointed.
$3600
PM me or call me: 503-508-1948
Direct email: [email protected]
High quality photos of my bird
https://plus.google.com/photos/112901721328742018123/albums/5784538620171832721?authkey=CKKzqMnB4vDHvAE
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