bwflorence

Did that include the mounting brackets ???

Hey, Since Honda luggage kits are amazingly expensive, are there aftermarket pannier kits for blackbirds ?? ..who makes em and how much ??? Cheers Fred

Someone told me today that Honda no longer sell blackbirds in the USA. I looked on the honda.com website and cant see them. is it true ??

eastern creek turn two - stradas holding up well http://members.optusnet.com.au/bwflorence2...806JPM_2762.jpg

I put a set on about 1 month ago...did 100Ks on them and then took them to Eastern Creek for a ride day. They worked well..didnt give me any `moments` all day...though im definately not the fastest rider on the track. they started to squirm around towards the end of the day so I took that as a `ive had enough` message and went home. Edge grip is good...I had the pegs scraping a few times with no problems. no idea what they are like to slide..didnt push that hard. Im reasonably happy with them.

Well I put 200ks on the stradas and then took the bird to Eastern Creek for a Honda ride day. Being 10 years since I was last on a track it took a bit of time to relearn my lines and get my rhythm...but it all came back. The stradas worked well but got a bit hot and started to slide around a bit towards the end of the day...maybe I had them pumped up a bit much. Also got a go on a new fireblade...gees those things go but I reckon the bird has a better top end. Gotta say that the blades brakes are flippin awesome...man that thing stops quick. Only had a handful of laps so really didnt get much of a chance on it. Also shared the track with Wayne Gardner for a bit. Fuck he is quick. Went past me like I was standing still and disappeared within a few seconds.

Quite a few on the ozblackbird.net site rave about either PPower f+r or PPower f + PRoad r, at the moment I have a PR on the rear and have done around 4000km mainly commuting and it is ok but the front D208 is nearly bald and was badly cupped when I bought the bike 5 months ago although it has worn more evenly since putting the pressures up from 32psi to 42psi - made a big difference with turn in, should be amazing when I put a new Pilot Power on the front and a shim in the back Yeah...its amazing what a difference a few PSI makes.

Ohlins arnt adjustable ??

Thanks for all the comments... I settled on a pair of Pirelli Stradas. They came highly recommended by several bike shops. Not too expensive either and they have a good lifespan. BTW...TIRE is what happens when you get exhausted...you TIRE. A TYRE is what goes on the outside of your wheel.

Hi, Well, its time for new tyres on the bird. Ive always been a Bridgestone guy but im also open to new experiences. I want a tyre with a good mix of grip and mileage. recommendations ???

Hi, The hottest ive ever seen my bird at was 129C. It started flashing at 110. Still going strong though

A friend of mine bought a blackbird with 14k KM on the clock...it had a bad vibration too. Turned out it was a loose engine mount.

Hi all, Thanks for the replies.... Tyre pressures are OK....dont think the front tyre is squared off...but it does have 10.5k kilometres on it... Could be loose steering head bearings...how do you adjust them ??? Is it an easy process or am I better off taking the bike to the dealer ???

I have a foot in both camps...I run Motul Semi-Synthetic Gear shifting is easier and I think the engine runs quieter. I wont go back.

Hi All, I noticed the other day that when I take my hands off the bars while doing >70Km/h the bikes starts to headshake. It settles down at lower speeds. The bike is a 03 model with 10700 KM on the clock. would the steering head bearings go that quickly ??? Could it also be a dodgy tire ?? It has the original tires on it (Bridgestone Battlax).... so far, ive implemented a workaround...I dont take my hands off the bars anymore

Hi All, So its been raining all week and im sick and tired of struggling to see out of a visor that continually fogs up. If I leave the visor open slightly I get the occasional drop of rain and a continual wind blast in the face. The helmet is just over 6 months old (Arai Quantum) and I really did expect better in the anti-fog department. So, any advice on what I can do (cheaply) to reduce the fogging up problem ??? :icon_think:

Thanks guys...thats some good info there. ...and dont worry...the engine is fine. maybe ill just do a standard oil change after all....

Ive never tried it but ive been told that they dont mix well. The oil becomes milky and loses some of its protective qualities. It`s especially harsh on the clutch im told. I dont make the news, I just report it

Its out of warranty...its a 03 model. I dont think I wanna pay an extra $150 to a mechanic for labour charges when I can do the job myself.

Hey all, when I bought my bird I was told to run mineral oil for the first 6,000 Ks so the engine would `bed in` better. well, the 6000ks is up and I want to move to a full synthetic oil. I know you cant mix mineral and synthetic oil directly. Assuming you have to replace the oil filter, what else (if anything) should you do to get the old oil out of the engine ???

I heard from a guy that the new fireblade rear shock bolts straight into a blackbird. Dont know if its true or not though...

Same here...I ride to work (inner west sydney) through max 60km/h streets...never get out of 3rd gear. When I refuel I fill it right up...costs between $20-$25 (depending on fuel price). Never done a long highway trip so I cant compare....

Ive owned the bike for 2 months...and its only got 5000Ks on the clock. Ive never changed the air filter or spark plugs.

Sydney, Australia

Hi, I filled the fuel tank on my 03 blackbird, set the trip meter and watched to see how far id get. turns out that the fuel guage started to flash after only 180Km of city riding (thats 112 miles in the old money). That seems a little thirsty to me. Is that normal fuel consumption for a blackbird ???