New Balckbird owner
 

Hi all !

I traded my CBR 1000 F -92 today to a Blackbird -97. I'm sure I'll annoy you with a lot of question later. Are there any special weaknesses or stuff one should know about thís bike? Things to look after etc ? It has some Yoshi thing to fix a flat spot around 5000 rpm, I dont know if it's a needle set or some electronic gismo yet. The bike runs very well though and I'm impressed with the power, the brakes and the silk lean engine running. I'll update this post with pictures when I have the bike at home at the end of next week.

Have any of you tested the Blackbird on track? I did with the CBR 1000 F and it runned surpricingly well. You can read about this on https://cbrforum.com/m_132217/tm.htm and there are pictures of the loved CBR there as well.

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

Welcome.

Mine is also a 1997, but I bought it in Nov. 2005. The more I ride it, the more I like it. I have mine set up more for sport touring, bar risers, higher screen, etc.

The '97 and I think '98's as well tend to have a problem with the Regulator/Rectifier (alternator) as well as sometimes the Stator. I replaced my Reg/Rect already with a new OEM part, which I am told by the dealer has been revised.

There is also another board specializing in the Blackbird, where you can look up and find out about anything. It is:

http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums/index.php?act=home

Good Luck and congratulations on your new bike!

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

Thanks, and good to hear you like your bike. I'll do the same mod to the R/R on the new bike as on the old CBR 1000 F -92. Sand the surface on R/R and frame to get metal-to-metal contact, and put a thin layer of heatsink compund between them. I beleive a fresh battery is also always good to have as a preventive thing. I'll use a GEL-battery as on the old bike, they dont evaporate acid and are thruly maintenance free.

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

I had not heard of your prior steps (sanding/coating) to prevent a problem.

I heard recently the REg/Rect fail due to excessive heat, so they revised them with bigger fins, etc.

I agree with the battery assessment. When I first started having problems that is what I thought it was, and since buying the bike used I had no idea how old the original battery was. Then when the problem came back, I learned it was something else. I guess you are in Sweden? If so, I imagine heat build up is not a problem.

It runs like a top now.

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

Regs... put a good extra ground, on the battery ground to the reg. I've heard the "clean frame" mod too. The saber/magna owners forum, discusses remedies in detail, extra heat sinks, fans. Including pyrometer test... One guy was able to reduce reg temp- 40f !!!!!!!
Clean and free, Ripp'n

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

R1000, Whata ya think 'bout that 'bird????? I think it is great to hear your impresions, back to back w/ the 1000f. My biggest two Q's, are ... Is it that much quicker,(not faster) and hows the handle'n compared w/ the 1000f, in the 85- 125mph twistys and sweepers Would the 1000f be about as quick, w/ gearing change... -1F / +2R Are the brakes, comprable?? That 'birds, I think, about 60lb lighter,does it show up in the handling, transition, and drive, out of the corners. I consider my 94 1000f, lots of fun... but w/ stock suspension fore and aft...and hefty wieght... What do you think?????

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

R1000, Whata ya think 'bout that 'bird????? I think it is great to hear your impresions, back to back w/ the 1000f. My biggest two Q's, are ... Is it that much quicker,(not faster) and hows the handle'n compared w/ the 1000f, in the 85- 125mph twistys and sweepers Would the 1000f be about as quick, w/ gearing change... -1F / +2R Are the brakes, comprable?? That 'birds, I think, about 60lb lighter,does it show up in the handling, transition, and drive, out of the corners. I consider my 94 1000f, lots of fun... but w/ stock suspension fore and aft...and hefty wieght... What do you think????? maybe I should sell the 1000f... get a 'bird, and get a 1000rr for sick kicks. I think you have some insight, back to back,that will help me decide, whats next. Thanks Clean and free, (still sick !!!!!!!) Ripp'n

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

OK Ripp'n,

The Blackbird pulls much stronger from 7 k and up to redline (11 k). It builds speed like a blody missile. It's a litte bit weak around 5 k where I believe the CBR 1000 F was stronger, mine CBR with the Laser system had major grunt in mid range. I first thought the Blackbird was a litte weak above 240 km/h, but found I have to stay on 4 and 5th gear a little longer which fixed that problem. In total, the Blackbird builds speed much better than the CBR 1000 F and has far less vibrations. You will love that if you run actively like one really not should [X(].

On a twisty road at 85 to 125 mph where the old CBR is working very good, I would say that it is the driver and not the Hurricane or the Blackbird that sets the pace. If you now how to drive and have some track experience you could outrun many -06 1000 CC sporbikes already with the Hurricane, which is very capable. However, I have a strong feeling that the Blackbird has a better potential on twisty roads. I have driven the Hurricane to the limit many times on twisty roads, pushed the front and had the rear to walk sideways. When I rode the Blackbird at the same - as much as I dare speed, it felt much better planted and I felt directly that I could have runned faster than with the Hurricane. The Blackbirds turns in better, which is noticed both in town an in high speed corners. It feels better balanced in transitions and is more a part of the body already on day one, compared to the Hurricane which also is Ok but not as solid and agile or flickable as the Blackbird. The Blackbird feels lighter in the front and dont fall in like the Hurricane, it keeps the line choice more precise. It feels as solid in curves as my GSX R1000 -03 but has much better ergo and comfort.

The brakes are awsome, there are six pistons calipers and I belive it stops as hard as my GSX R which was a real nice surprice.

Those where the impression from day one but the bike has already caught my heart. I'll update after the weekend when I've been running on my favourite twisties :)

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

R1000, Thanks... just the kind of info, that is very interperatable. Sounds like the 'bird, is what I'm NEEEED'n !!!!!!!!!! What tires, are on it???? Do you think it would be worth.. + 2 /rear, if a person could live w/o the 180mph top end, as I wiegh 275lb+ w/ gear. How does first gear strike you... taller, than the 1000f??. Is the 'box relativly CR, like the 1000f, about a 700 rpm drop, between gears. I saw a really nice 'bird, in a limey rag, w/ sp-1 forks. The guy said, w/ minamal stem mods, it was bolt on. I guesse, I'm ask'n if the 'bird forks are noticeable better than the 1000f, as there both unadjustabe for comp and rebound... I'll check to see if racetech ofers an "internals" upgrade...ah yes, a "gold valve fork kit". No progressive fork spings, I've heard, 'birds don't like'm anyway. Do you have stock pipes???? Thanks for your patiance w/ me, your help is very cool, THANKS. Clean and free, Ripp'n

RE: New Blackbird owner
 

I have new Metzeler Roadtech Z6's on the bike (180 rear) and it handles very good :). The understeer-tendency of the CBR 1000 F when pushed hard or in sharp corners, is completely fixed on the Blackbird which likes to be turned. The Blackbird have a tall gearing in line with the bikes speed ambition, but going up some teeths back, or down one front would certainly benefit the punch. People tend to avoid going down front, but as long as you go -1/front to 16, that will not cause extra wear problems to worry about, but will add about 6% tourque on the rear wheel on all gears. I did that on the Suzuki and really like the change and will not go back to stock gearing. I will most certainly do it on the Blackbird to when the set has to be changed, or even earlier since the front gear is very cheap and wear out first. You may even consider -1/front and +3/rear. I drove a passanger on the CBR once and we had a weight of about 130 kg togheter. I was surpriced how effectively the extra person killed the power of the elswere strong engine.

The first gear is taller on the Blackbird, in real tight curves where I used 2:nd on the Hurricane, I'm down to 1st on the Blackbird. I always felt the first gear was to short in the Hurricane since I'm used to the longer 1st that has become standard on all sport bikes. It also makes the gearbox less rough, as a re-gearing for more rw-torque also will do. You have more weight and might need to stiffen the front. The rear can be adjusted to meet large persons.

There are Öhlin stuff available both front and rear to the Blackbird, but I'm so happy with the better chassie on the Blackbird, so I'll leave it as is.