Serious advice needed: Super Blackbird as first bike???

Serious advice needed: Super Blackbird as first bike???

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Discussion

TheCarMadDad

Original Poster:

317 posts

122 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Guys,

Before you all go off on one please read the rest of this post. I'm in need of sound advice...

So..... The opportunity has arisen for me to be given a 98' low mileage Blackbird for FREE.

Here's the story and why it is so close to my heart. I had a cousin who sadly passed away in 2004, he had an accident in the truck he was driving and died at the scene. For me in my teens, this guy was my idol, a gentle giant. I looked up to him and he kept me on the straight and narrow (kicked my arse a few times as well!). He got me in to bikes and took me out riding with him. The bike he had when he passed away was the Blackbird in question. Sadly I never had the chance to go on it with him. Since 2004 the bike has been garaged and ridden only very occasionally. It was gifted to his best friend who, due to work and financial commitments, hasn't been able to maintain and ride it as much as was hoped. So I've been offered the bike by my cousin's widow, in the hope of keeping it within the family.

So that's the background of the bike and you can see why I have an emotional attachment. The question is, does this just sound utterly stupid to be even thinking about?

I'm trying to weigh up the pro's and con's. I would feel so proud to own this bike, I would have no issue with respecting the bike and what it is capable of. However, I do not want to become a statistic. The fact the bike is free also helps! I thought that a restrictor kit will be sensible? Also, a lot of it for me is restoring it back to its former glory, stripping it all down, rebuilding etc, really getting to know her.

.... I dunno, my heart is saying yes, for obvious reasons! however my head is telling me to be cautious. But you only go as fast as your wrist tells it to, right?

Any constructive advice is really appreciated....

americancrx

394 posts

216 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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I would bring the bike home for sure!

Put it in the basement, ride for six months on a 125, then move up. 125s are free; you can sell them for what you bought them for.

"They only go as fast as your wrist tells it to" but your wrist might not know exactly what you want! You could want 3 extra horsepower, crank the wrist a couple mm, get 30, then get pulled back so far that your wrist tells the bike to give you all 150 horsepower and 175 MPH...

Octoposse

2,152 posts

184 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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Is taking the bike, but also buying a 125 to learn on an option?

Apart from the size and weight, I can't see that you'd be at appreciably more at risk on it than a smaller bike. Assuming you don't intend to wind it up to 180 . . .

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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You would not be able to ride it anyway, even if you wanted to, if it was your first bike, or am I missing something?

Jazoli

9,086 posts

249 months

Friday 18th April 2014
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If you are going to be sensible about it there's no reason you couldn't ride it as a first bike, after DAS of course, they are very easy to ride but are also pretty heavy and really quite fast and quite capable of leaving a very large hole in the scenery, they were the quickest bike in the world for a while and 140bhp is still plenty to get you into all sorts of trouble faster than you realise.

If the only thing you have ridden previously is a 500cc training school bike you'll most probably st yourself at half throttle anyway, which may help keep you sensible.

I can understand the reasons for you wanting it but I wouldn't personally recommend it, but that's my opinion only.

Rick448

1,677 posts

223 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Great bike to have if you have the licence to ride it. They can go from pussycat to pretty damn quick but are a great motor. With a few mods they can do most things. Keep it for sure, I love mine and will never sell it.

shadylee

754 posts

209 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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I've recently got a superblackbird,very smooth but that's quite deceiving as the tourqe can really catch you out if ham fisted

Utterly lovely bike to ride though,

Silver993tt

9,064 posts

238 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills. A bike like the blackbird is for experienced bikers end of story. Too many getting big bikes too early with catastrophic results, just not worth it. There will be plenty of similar (and better) bikes on the market in 5 years time.

13aines

2,153 posts

148 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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TheCarMadDad said:
.... I dunno, my heart is saying yes, for obvious reasons! however my head is telling me to be cautious. But you only go as fast as your wrist tells it to, right?
You sound sensible and have the right attitude already.

Get it home, store it, do a DAS course, and get something like a GS500 or even an SV650/ER5/ER6/Bandit for a couple months, riding lots, then when you're happy to, progress onto the blackbird.

Or just hop on the Blackbird after the DAS and be sensible, or even, as you suggested if possible restrict it for a couple of months.

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Silver993tt said:
You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills.
No offence, but what a load of old bks.



dai1983

2,902 posts

148 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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One word: insurance.

My guess is that as a new rider you will be paying the value of the bike for a fully comp policy. If you can stomach that then crack on. De link the brakes, Akira full system, remove the side stand and live the dream!

Edited to say I meant remove the centre stand!

Edited by dai1983 on Saturday 19th April 09:05

TheCarMadDad

Original Poster:

317 posts

122 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Chaps,

Thanks very much for the honest replies. After much thought I think I will be getting it. However, I'm going to be sensible about it. I'll put her in my garage and work on her for a while, I'm in no rush. Whilst I'm bringing her back up to scratch I'll buy something with tax/test just to get some more experience. And when I feel ready, and only then, will I take the bird out and gradually get to know the fat heffer. I will also put a restrictor kit on for as long as it takes.

How do restrictor kits work exactly?

TheCarMadDad

Original Poster:

317 posts

122 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Ps, with regards to license & insurance, I have done my DAS and the cheapest insurance quote so far is £233 tpft with £575 excess or £550 fully comp with £500 excess. I will also be looking into doing an advanced riding course

MC Bodge

21,552 posts

174 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Thy insurance sounds cheap for an inexperienced rider.

I would agree with the other people. Become competent, confident and smooth on a lighter, less potent bike.

I have an acquaintance who has an older R1 with (seriously) the biggest chicken strips I have ever seen. I'm not sure how he's achieved them given the local roads. I suspect that it is not the ideal bike for him. He's happy though.

spareparts

6,777 posts

226 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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If you want to do it, do it. Great bike, less for being a hooligan than a license loser.

However, try and be sensible to get a feel for riding, take as many courses as possible to understand the dynamics and improve your rider skills, let your fear restrain you, and don't blame anyone if it goes tits up smile

One life, live it thumbup

Mastodon2

13,818 posts

164 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Silver993tt said:
You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills.
Hmm, not sure about that. 5 years experience to really start exploiting the Blackbird maybe, but this post makes it sound like if you don't do 5 years on a 125 you'll die a firey death.

Sounds like you've got a decent plan OP, an intermediate bike with less power and weight will do you the world of good in preparing for the Blackbird. The thing that would most concern me as a new rider is the weight of the Blackbird and the height of it - I imagine if you put a foot down on uneven ground at a junction and it starts to tip it would be quite and effort to keep upright given the size and weight of it, better to make those kind of errors on a bike you have less sentimental attachment to. Then, once you've got some practise in and you are a confident and capable rider, making the jump to the Blackbird will feel natural, and you'll probably feel like you can use some of the bikes potential rather than just being a passenger on it as soon as the needle starts to close on the redline.


spareparts

6,777 posts

226 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Silver993tt said:
You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills..
Bit Daily Mail, no?

Got a friend who got his DAS last year. 1st bike = Triumph 675R (stolen after 1 week). 2nd bike = 848 Corse (weeks 2-6, sold as he lusted after the Pani...). 3rd bike = Panigale Tricolore (week 7). He is a damn good rider and would easily dish the majority of riders here. No fear, MM93 style, and with immense road vision. Some people are just natural riders. Not everyone learns like you did.

SAS Tom

3,398 posts

173 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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Silver993tt said:
You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills. A bike like the blackbird is for experienced bikers end of story. Too many getting big bikes too early with catastrophic results, just not worth it. There will be plenty of similar (and better) bikes on the market in 5 years time.
5 years on a 125? I think I'd rather go to prison!

To the op just go for it, you'll love it. As long as you're not trying to set any speed records you'll be fine.

black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
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The only issue with getting a big/fast/powerful bike as a first bike is if you think your enthusiasm is likely to overtake your skill. It's not the first 3 months that are likely to be a risk as you'll be taking it very gently and being careful. It's the months after that when your confidence has increased but your skill hasn't. If you feel you can restrain yourself then go for it.

I would recommend getting advanced training after you have passed your test. Learn how to read the road and how to set up correctly for hazards.

The only other risk is that it takes a while to get your balance right at slow speed and while pushing the bike around. The Blackbird is a big bike and if it starts to fall over you'll not stop it. The best you can hope to do is slow it down. Be prepared to drop it and to live with the scratches and scuffs that come with that. Not everyone drops their first bike, but most do.

black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Saturday 19th April 2014
quotequote all
Silver993tt said:
You'll need at least 5 years on a 125 or similar bike to get your road skills. A bike like the blackbird is for experienced bikers end of story. Too many getting big bikes too early with catastrophic results, just not worth it. There will be plenty of similar (and better) bikes on the market in 5 years time.
I assume this is a bit of trolling but just in case ......

What evidence do you have that the likelihood of an accident for a new rider is greater on a big/powerful bike compared to a 125?