TX1100F

So I'm changing the oil for the first time today. The left and right and lower fairings are off. Anything extra I could/should quickly check while it's a tad naked? We're heading out to eat. I'll check later tonight for your collective ideas. Thanks in advance!

CBR Blackbird or VFR Interceptor??? :icon_think: Not a historian but I thought FI was introduced on the XX in '01. And that the VTEC engines were on the new-ish VFRs ('02+). Your "mechanic" and seller may be full of misinformed beans... :icon_duh: Standing to be corrected.

Still on the OEM Bridgestone BT57 Battlax front and rear. 7800 miles so far. After reading opinions on tires here and other forums, I will either stick with Bridgestone or go Michelin.

We have a 2000 Toyota Sienna. Shut up. Brought it into the dealer for a replacement (forgot what it was but I didn't have the time to do it myself). A fellow 'Bird owner (Paul - silver '02???) at the parts counter highly recommended a service team for me to do the work. We all talked (me, service lead, and Paul) and decided to do the 80,000 mile service since it had 120,000 on it. Anyway, they did a Seafoam deep creep or something like that to the intake system. I forgot how damn well that van ran!!! Over the years it slowly degraded and didn't notice it. When we picked it up, it was like a new vehicle. I am absolutely sold on SeaFoam.

OK... I think I've had a breakthrough of sorts. It's somewhat convoluted but gels in the end. Last fill-up after sissy commuting riding was 29mpg!!! shit. :icon_wall: As it happens, after filling up and closing the cap and jamming earplugs and strapping helmet and one last nose-pick, I hit the starter and hear the dreaded BRIP-click-click-click-click sound. Dead battery. Make a call, get jumped , make it home. Begin searching this site for battery recommendations. My quick search turned into research. I found a comment to the effect of low voltage conditions make for bad computing. Hmmm... Makes sense. Still looking for a battery though. Read about R/R issues on the way. Bummer. Read about CCT issues. Simple fix but dammit, Honda, why! Fuel pressure regulators too. I took a side trip on that one. I have been smelling gas for a long time. When starting of course, but also sitting at lights, idling in parking lots, and at the end of the day filling the garage with fumes when I got home. I don’t see dripping gas. It all seems to be blowing from the pipes. So fuel pressure regulator check in the near future. But then think back to low voltage and bad computing... :icon_think: So after seeing all the comments about Yuasa and loving/hating gel cells and Interstate batteries etc etc etc, I did what I've done for 20 years and headed to Wal-Mart. Filled my new Wally World Special and charged it overnight at 2A. Installed in this morning. Freaking Magic! So since I bought my Bird 3 months ago or so, the FI light has ALWAYS stayed on for 1-2 seconds immediately after starting. I was about to start funking with the wiring loom. As an aside, I could also count the beats from the starter. About 4/second. With the new battery installed, the starter spins fast enough that I can't count the beats per second but it doesn't matter as it fires up almost before it physically hit the button! Sorry. Got excited. I saw some Discovery Channel thing on String Theory. Continuing - and the FI light never lit at all today!!! And after parking it in the garage after work, I didn’t smell gas!!! Freaking Magic?!? Could it be that the whole (short) time I've owned it, the (assuming OE 2001) battery was slowly dying and dropping voltage and running the alternator harder and thus giving me progressively worse mileage and an FI light on startup from low initial pressure and bad computing so much so that is made me trail the remnants of an extremely rich mix??? I will top it off in the morning and report what MPG I get in a few days. Fingers crossed. I hope this thread can help out some poor bastard in the future... Thanks for the years of discussions, ideas, and data folks! :icon_clap:

So for the same price I can get a new in box HJC CL-15 or a new in box HJC AC-11 I'm leaning towards the AC-11 since it was their "high end" until the AC-12 replaced it. Opinions on these two HJC helmets? Thanks folks!

Last fill-up, after Sea Foam, and driving nice... 31MPG. Time to hit the shop manual and google. -and maybe the Honda dealership for a XX brain scan. I won't bug you guys anymore with this until I get a breakthrough.

Mine does exactly the same thing. Really sucks when you're out of gas and the cap won't open. Had to use the Honda toolkit (flat screwdriver) to give it a gentle pry and it popped open. :icon_doh: I looked at it and it seemed to function as it should. So with screwdriver still out, I closed the cap and tried again. Stuck again. I found that if I turn the key to release the latch then pull the cap with my fingertips to the left, it will open sans screwdriver. My guess is that's it's not friction but out of alignment. I may loosen the bolts and retighten them tomorrow. Try unlatching the cap with the key then pulling (not with the key!) left or right while gently pulling up with the key. That may help you like it did for me in a pinch.

OK. Continuing to beat this poor horse... Took <whoever's> advice and filled up tonight and ran 170 miles up and down the Interstate. I also put in half a can of Sea Foam since that seems to be the elixer of choice here. Got 41 MPG running with traffic at average 82MPH but ranging between 65 and 90 MPH depending on how many lanes and how many trucks were in the left lane slowing down traffic dammit. So if my commuting mileage goes up from 32, then it's the magic of Sea Foam! If it stays around 32-33, it's the normal day-to-day magic of the Bird hauling my big ass around to and from work. On a side note: This bike is smooooOOOOOOooooth!!! And pretty damn comfy too (with the Corbin Smuggler). I've decided to not worry about a higher windscreen or VFR800 clip-ons (unless they fall in my lap). I am, however, waiting patiently for the peg lowering brackets.

OK dammit!!! 2001 model. Just rolled 6000 miles. No mods. Last 4 tanks were 32MPG, 32MPG, 33.5MPG, 32MPG. The 33.5 was with Techron cleaner. 11 miles each way to work. Never break 85 on the longest stretch of maybe 4 miles. Usually cruise at 73MPH. No stop-and-go traffic. 5 stoplights. maybe 5 stop signs. Two school zones. light throttle. shifts between 3200 and 4200 RPM. 260 manly pounds of man on the seat. When I rest my schlong on the countertop while on the scale it drops to 220 pounds. But seriously, what the hell could be wrong?!?! I wanna romp on it to get DOWN to 32MPG - not get that normally! Is it pissed at me becasue I rarely dig into it???

I've heard people say "new helmet every 5 years". But that gives me heartburn for a helmet that has never been dropped and still has good padding and liner and no (to the eye) deterioration of the... anything. like changing oil every 1000 miles. or changing a chain/sprocket every 1000 miles. or taking a shower every damn saturday. :icon_wall: i guess i shouldnt' ask abotu a new visor for my Bieffe I got in 1989. IT has truly been worn to shit and IS worthless. I guess it can go the my boys to play rock-throwing-wars with. OK... new helmets here I come.

OK, I cannot seem to find a supplier of Bieffe B14 (or "Pole Position") helmet parts (shield, pivot kit, side cover). Before I give up and get a brand that carries parts for more than 2 model years back, anyone got a lead for me? My parts-counter-brother laughed at me and the local dealer said he doesn't carry Bieffe stuff anymore. Got a web site? Anyone got spare parts??? :icon_pray:

I like my modulator. The Bird high beam is very cool and lights up the road at night better than any other bike I've had. But during daylight, your eyes are dilated anyway so the impact to the oncoming drivers is not too much although I agree that once you get close enough and gawk at it it could leave some spots. I like the modulator because it adds "activity" and catches their collective attentions. "What the hell is that flashing up there? A cop?" I seem to notice bikes with modulators more readily anyway. Same idea with bicyclers and the flashy LED taillights. No, it's not bright but it catches your attention.

"Every hour a motor runs is an hour of wear in the lubricant." Sorry I forgot another 2cents: An hour is an hour on the base oil BUT it would be my guess that there are additives that do not begin to work or protect until they have some temperature and pressure exerted on them. Sort of like baking a cake. try to frost one without sticking it in the oven for a bit! Again, this is a guess. Can anyone verify? Still want to know if motorcycle specific oil is different than standard automotive oil with the exception of price?

Slick-50!!! Now THAT will make the whole thing run smooooooth. -and more aerodynamic from the inside out!

I had this problem with my BMW K100RS. the bushing on the rear shock was shot so there was a very slight cant to it. just enough to drag the brakes and heat the bastards up to sizzling on a ride of more than 20 miles or so. So much so that the parts would expand and twist enough to prevent any manual forward movement via my legs. I replaced the bushings and bled the brakes and it's run excellent ever since. Check your suspension components and wheel alignment.

I plan to go with the Honda recommendation. Synthetics and blends are awesome as the molecular chains are all the same length more or less thus less shorter chains to burn and char and less longer ones to gum up. It pisses me off when the damn oil change bandits make people panic when the oil gets more than 3000 miles on it. "If your oil has more than 50 miles on it, you could be damaging your engine. Stop by for an oil change! Only $126 for 5qts! Filters extra." I used to work in the research lab of a biggie oil company and the "normal" oil would be fine for 5k or 6k or more depending on additive packages and running conditions. The full synthetic PAOs would go at least 20k given filter changes at 5k or so. Personally, I use "normal" oil every 5k on my >2 wheeled machines (because it's easy to remember when it's due!) That all said and being out of the industry for 15 years, I have been sternly lectured to ONLY use Honda mcy oil (or an oil specifically made for mcys) as Honda puts in additives specifically made for motorcycles with clutches and gears in the engine oil. Yes? And also to only use synthetic blends instead of straight synthetic. Yes?

I found what is claimed to be a set of Helibars on eBay. Problem is that they certainly don't look like what is on the helibar website. [attachmentid=2372] Are they just an older model? ...and what helibars.com has... [attachmentid=2373] thanks all!

criticism gladly accepted! And you know what?!? Those are excatly the reasons I WANTED a 700S! Read many places that it's damn near bulletproof. I guess my brothers opinions were rightly aimed at my strong potential to get overwelmed and let things go unfixed or unmaintained with a stable of aged bikes deserving TLC (that i didnt give to my 1100F as it's now a restoration project). I am very happy he (and this forum!) changed my mind and I got my XX! One bike, one thing to focus on. damn ADHD...

For years I had a dream of owning a 85+ V65 Sabre, 91+ FJ1200, 1100F (that i have!), and a 700S Nighthawk. I talked with my motorcycle nut brother for months and he convinced me that 80's bikes are indeed, nostalgia and should be left as is. They will break and parts get scarce. His winning argument against them is that I would never set aside time to do all the repairs that WILL come up. So I got the '01 XX and will focus my short attention and lack of free time keeping it cherry instead of a garage of 20-something year old bikes dripping oil and gumming carbs. Leave it as is I say and enjoy the history of it. The 700S is a very cool bike.

NO NO NO! WD40 is not a lubricant per se. It is a primarilly a tool for Water Displacement. Thus the "WD". And I guess a surface slicker-upper and cleaner. [attachmentid=2299] It will dry out O-rings by washing off any oil/grease you've put on then the rings will gall themselves to little squishy deaths. And what little lubricant is in WD-40, is not good enough for chains. I will stick with Honda's recomendation and stick to 90wt gear oil unless someone out there can suggest a better one! I'm was in the shaft drive world for about 15 years...

I've had my XX for about 4 weeks now and I noticed that "whine" as I was drving it home. It almost sounds like a slow turbo winding up at low-ish RPM and heavy-ish throttle. I guessed it was electro-mechanical Honda magic. My '01 has 5400 miles on it and the guy I bought it from was meticulous about maintenance and cleanliness. I assumed this was a normal sound as the bike is a cherry. Is there some sort of additional air valve post-airflow sensor that is letting extra air in at/around WOT and creating the whistle-whirr-hum? (I dont have my shop manual yet...)