Rode one of them to Reims - not impressed to be honest. Maybe I like corners too much. Dead torquey though. Oh dear. I wouldn't, not after a joke like that:wink:
So matey turns up for the fuglystrada, cuppa tea, we go through the paperwork, grab the keys and go out to the shed. Would it fucking start?! Bloody bike is a 2-wheeled Christine, stroppy fucking thing, I'm glad to be shot of it Not once has it ever failed to start in nearly two years of ownership, and the day I go to sell it...as it turns out the guy is a bike mechanic and saw the funny side of it, handed the cash over and left happy. Fucking thing.
How about a mid '90's Triumph Sprint 900, bag of sand should land a serviceable example, bit less chavvy than a tired old Blackbird
I've had two Sprints, a 955 Sprint RS and a 1050. They should be the perfect bike for me on paper, but I just can't get on with them. The 955 sent so many vibes through the handlebars I lost the feeling in both little fingers for a month (I'm not exaggerating either). And the 1050...the transmission was utter shite, the panniers weighed a hundred kilos before you put anything in them, and there's nowhere to put a packet of fags. To be fair to the 1050 it was by far the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, and I was chasing a 1098S most of the time, so the handling felt maybe worse than it actually was. People say it's an iconic engine, but I just don't buy that; it hasn't got the speed of an in-line 4 and gets comprehensively out-grunted by a big V-twin. The fuglystrada would kill it down a B-road with all of 80bhp. I spent more time tinkering with my 1050 than I have done with any other bike I've owned, but when I sold it I didn't look back once - I'm already missing the fuglystrada even though it was a fucking nuisance most of the time. Bikes aren't rational, if they were we'd all be on Deauvilles. I took the 1050 round the Nordschleiffe, I held it flat out all the way to the Czech Republic, I played musical chairs in London traffic with it, and it did it all with aplomb. Would I buy another one..? No.
Close this thread now Matt...the search is over already I'll soon be the proud owner of a Honda Blackbird; 56k miles, but all standard and service history for...£1200:biggrin:
I missed this thread somehow. I had a Blackbird as a company bike for a while, nice enough but lacked soul. I replaced it with a ZX12r, not my choice mind you, which was awesome in a straight line but not much else. The Honda will be fine, I just hope you don't get bored with it too soon!
