“My bike is old now (98) It's an exact replica of the V&M Limited Edition of which 25 were made to celebrate Honda's 50th Birthday,so gets a lot of attention. It's not got the bored out 1200cc engine from V&M,but everything else is exact,including the Penske shock,which makes an already fine handling bike considering the weight,even better! LSL steering damper,pegs and rear sets.Yes,she's heavy,but in all but the real twisty's,you'd never know and the added benefit is even after long journeys,where she munches the miles easily in comfort,you've got an amazing all rounder and the 'pose' value from the amazing Akrapovic sound track. She wants for nothing regarding maintenance and on 47k never misses a beat. If i had to be picky,brakes are a little on the soft side,despite a complete strip of calipers and new fluid. (Brakes are De-Linked) They're ok,but not awesome anchoring up from speed. Despite having 'Hel' braided hoses, (and don't forget the age) a better Master cylinder/discs/callipers or just one of,i'm sure would be a cure. Sitting on Pirelli Angel GT's, which i prefer to the Battlax 020's (not tried 023) she's great,wet or dry,but i've yet to get an idea of tyre wear yet.A Blackbird can be had for not a lot and are a great all rounder and bullet proof reliability if looked after. Common faults, (i've had none) Reg?rectifyer/ poss cam tensioner (common Honda) and linked brake overhauls pricey+ the customary Clutch Basket rumble unless you pull the clutch in,but rarely affects reliability.Bar risers are a good idea as well,to take the weight of your wrists and i've fitted an MRA touring screen (Good Quality,but couldn't sacrifice looks for the aero. Lol) I've had loads of bikes over the years and if you're old skool like me and ok with the weight,it's superb and i'd recommend it. My best bike to date and it goes like stink all the way up to 69mph Officer ;) Ahum. Faults?? None i can think of. I love it!”
“The Blackbird is still one of the best sports tourers, there are still quite a few with low mileage around. It is an ideal bike for 2 up touring, with a full set of Givi luggage it is a very capable machine. The seat is not the most comfortable for long journeys but there are some really good seats around, I had mine made at Else Custom seats (www.elsemade.com) 01945 410719 this guy will make your seat exactly as you want it, mine has made it possible for 200 miles without a stop. Overall I love Blackbirds this is the 4th one I have owned. They are very reliable.”
“My only comment is how difficult and expensive it is to change and raise the handlebars. Otherwise a brilliant around machine capable of high mile ages with no problems. Excellent build quality.”
