Honestly, I'd buy the XX if I could afford it (assuming you can remove all of those annoying decals ). I love my bike, but there is much to be said for owning the newer bike. Better parts availability, better handling, considerably faster, etc. It's all a question of what it's worth (or not) to you.

 

Define "must." Is it the law where you live, and people actually get hassled for it? If not, IMO there is no 'must' about it. If you're not gonna go that fast (and who is, really), then put whatever tires are appropriate for your use on it.

 

I think maybe general running costs may be higher for the BB , but only marginally , if you hadn't bought either then the BB would be the natural choice .

It may look strange to any prospective buyers of your bike that you've owned it for such a short time and so you may find it difficult to sell it for what you paid for it.

If I was to sell my bike I would replace it with a BB.

 

I'm no tyre expert but I think the 'C' rating applies also to the weight and power of the bike , not just the top speed . The BB produces 162 bhp which is about 138bhp at the rear wheel (or at least the carb model does). The stiffened side-walls are to help put this power on the tarmac , without ripping the tyre to shreds.

You may not use top end speed , but if you want to use full throttle? I know which tyre I'd use and if something did go wrong , would your insurance pay out if you were using sub-standard tyres?

I know we rarely push our bikes anywhere near there true limits , so I know what your getting at dietDrThunder and on a car I'd be with you 100% . But I only have one tyre at each end of the bike , I want it to be the right one

 

In the UK - The bike will not pass the annual inspection if the tyres are not "C" rated.

A tyre dealer caught fitting anything but "C" rated tyres to a blackbird is liable to prosecution.

The insurance companies will invalidate your insurance if you are found with non "C" rated tyres on the blackbird.
( One of the first things the police check on a big bike is the tyres following an accident )

In truth - for the small difference in price - I used "C" rated Conti road attack tyres on my CBR1000F and found them better than the standard fit conti road attacks.

It just that some tyres are not available in a "C" rated spec.

 

All good information and valid points. I appreciate the input. Waiting for the owner to call. I don't think this will be up for sale very long.

 

The 99 Blackbird is fuel injected, if that's important to you. And you can lose your license a little quicker on the Blackbird.

 

I've tried to quit looking at ads for just this reason. It drives me crazy. If I could, I'd fill the darn garage up. Then I'd call myself a "collector".

That's a huge horsepower bump and newer and a fuelie probably has several advantages.

Am I to understand that Canes are more upright than the BB? So you need risers (or VFR bars) to get back to "normal" (rather than "surf board paddling")?

 

well personally im not brand bias i go for what suites me and that goes model bias too really id do the BB no offence to the boys and girls that like the hurricane the BB to me is more defined and plus it has a extra 100cc's to boot :P if i had it as a option id take it

 

Lumbering older brother ..........stick with the Hurricane