The 929 Fireblade thread

[308mate]

Searching through eBay with only a four-pack or Corona and a dream, I started looking for a track and occasional road bike.
For 1800-2500 quid, it appears you can have a 929 Fireblade in varying states of repair. The upper end of that budget gets you a pretty reasonable example with 25k ish miles and some history and maybe a couple of nice parts. To me that seems like an awful lot of bike for the money.
Ideally I’d have the 954, before you say it. But the budget simply won’t stretch to that as they seem to be a step up of about a grand to circa 3500.
But I’ve spent some time with a 929 (a mate loaned me his for two weeks many years ago) that had an end can and PC fitted. I remember it as being very comfortable and stable and still bloody rapid. Not the most flickable thing but no slouch either. Very good build quality and a bit heavy compared to the GSXR or R1 of the day.
All that said, I think for a bit of nostalgia, a top quality bike, a decent track hack and a respectable occasional road trip, I think it’s bang on.
So do I have rose tinted glasses on? I seem to recall servicing is expensive because spark plugs are hard to get to or something. Occasional gearbox issues, did I read?
Any other suggestions for 1000cc at around that budget?

Edited by 308mate on Sunday 17th June 23:30

Edited by 308mate on Monday 18th June 09:03

[Birky_41]

There is an expert from Switzerland that'll be over soon...

[Jazoli]

They are nice bikes, as you have described, mine was fast, comfy and well made, the differences with the 954 are few really and certainly not worth the extra grand, alternatives are the ZX9R (faster, simpler to maintain, old tech) or the K1/2 GSXR1000 (try finding an unfked one now)

Also they were the lightest fireblabe made, and lighter than the R1 and GSXR you mentioned.

[Ho Lee Kau]

Birky_41 said:

There is an expert from Switzerland that'll be over soon...

I am not an expert, I just like my 954.
To me it feels fast, light and comfortable, but gets hot quickly when not moving at a good clip and has jerky throttle around 3000rpm (mine is stock, no aftermarket exhaust, no PC).

Edited by Ho Lee Kau on Monday 18th June 11:22

[dern]

I loved mine. Had it from new and kept it for ages. Put 40k miles on it and used it all year round some years.

Problems I had were...
- stator fried a couple of times
- spark plug spat out of the engine and took the thread with it (reasonable sure I hadn't cross threaded it as was always careful). This was at 30k miles from memory and took the head off to put an insert in. Bores looked like new and carried on like a dream afterwards.
- fuel pump fuse inexplicably blew on a motorway trip so replaced the fuel pump
- went a bit manky after a couple of winters of abuse but coped mechanically very well
...that's it, rest was just servicing.

Spark plus are as easy to get to as on most bikes of that type, a pain in the arse. Put some time aside and work through it.

[PTF]

Bought one earlier this year. Paid top money for it (similar to the lower end of the 954 market) but it was one owner, 12k miles and very very tidy.

It's ace. Front end like a scalpel, comfy, solid feel, forgiving yet firm suspension, and bonkers fast.

I also have a ZX9. That's got more aggression and character, but feels older (analogue clocks, fuel tap, framework supporting the top fairing/screen, boring looking forks), and is a physically bigger bike. The fireblade feels 5 yrs newer but they were actually made only a year apart. I bought the blade after buying the ZX9, and the blade is so good i'm selling the ZX9 as i simply can't see me riding it again.

[chris4652009]

I've just picked up a super clean minty McMinter 2001 with 16k on the clock for £2999
First impressions are very good, seat is quite hard though.
watching this thread with interest

[308mate]

chris4652009 said:

I've just picked up a super clean minty McMinter 2001 with 16k on the clock for £2999
First impressions are very good, seat is quite hard though.
watching this thread with interest

Was that private or via a shop?

[308mate]

Jazoli said:

Also they were the lightest fireblabe made, and lighter than the R1 and GSXR you mentioned.

Interesting. I had the 2001 R1 at the time and back to back through the seat o' the pants scales, the blade felt heavier. But it might have just been its girth talking.

[PTF]

chris4652009 said:

I've just picked up a super clean minty McMinter 2001 with 16k on the clock for £2999
First impressions are very good, seat is quite hard though.
watching this thread with interest

Mine's a 2000, 12k and was £3.5k from a Honda dealer. It's the black/silver/red scheme, which i think is the best colour scheme they did on the 929 (IMO!). Missed out on a 7k mile bike for £2700 privately, though that was one of the other colour schemes.

I paid top money, but having lost that much on the purchase of a new blade over 18 months and seen the money evaporate, i thought paying a few hundred quid more for a good 'un wasn't too big a deal and hopefully it won't depreciate at all.

[chris4652009]

308mate said:

Was that private or via a shop?

Private, looked at a few unloved ones before this one came into my life.
It is literally as new condition, I've seen 18month old bikes in less amazing condition than this 20+ year old beauty tbh
All the rectal work has been done as well as proof that she has been Honda dealer serviced and MOTd every spring regardless of mileage/use since previous one. one service and MOT shows only 400miles since previous. all mileage tallies with MOT certs.
I'm happy with the amount I spent

Edited by chris4652009 on Monday 18th June 13:22

[road_rager]

I had one about 10 years ago and did about 50K on it. Good quality finish, held up really well for me with year round commuting, quite fast but you soon get used to it, and was also pretty comfy. However my bike fried so many stators it just had to go, left me stranded on the side of the road a good few times, and that was with a standard one owner not messed with bike.

[Condi]

A PC does wonders sorting out the throttle response which at low revs is incredibly jerky. The exup valve and the motor can be problematic too. Other than that fantastic bikes.

[chris4652009]

Condi said:

A PC does wonders sorting out the throttle response which at low revs is incredibly jerky. The exup valve and the motor can be problematic too. Other than that fantastic bikes.

Mine is on Standard exhaust with PC and flapper valve mod then remapped to suit (by previous owner) .
I have the dyno graphs and receipt for work done. FI is better than most 929s I've ridden only slightly "fluffy" at 2k revs, nothing you really notice unless you are being deliberate to find it, other than that the injection is very smooth and predicable even when ridden on greasy wet urban environments , maybe the system likes the standard exhaust and PC custom map just cleans it up
I must say I was surprised how good this bike sounds on the standard exhaust, maybe that's due to the airbox flapper valve mod though.
Really gelling with this bike tbh, such a gem in all situations from two up and fully loaded to solo carving on open rural roads.
Oh and I must say the Brakes and suspension is incredible for such an old bike

Edit to add: the flapper valve mod is = Airbox flapper removed and exhaust valve locked in the "midrange" position

[Esceptico]

chris4652009 said:

All the rectal work has been done

Edited by chris4652009 on Monday 18th June 13:22

Sounds painful...

[chris4652009]

Esceptico said:

chris4652009 said:

All the rectal work has been done

Edited by chris4652009 on Monday 18th June 13:22

Sounds painful...

Recall

[curlie467]

chris4652009 said:

Esceptico said:

chris4652009 said:

All the rectal work has been done

Edited by chris4652009 on Monday 18th June 13:22

Sounds painful...

Recall

You've been recalled to have more rectal work done?

[chris4652009]

Ho Lee Kau said:

but gets hot quickly when not moving at a good clip .

I've noticed this to.
my 929 runs at 80c while moving along, as soon as city riding is on though it soon gets warmer, going up to 106c then the fan cuts in and pulls it back down to high 80s or so iirc . It's perfectly normal as long as the fan cuts in and pulls it down without the display changing from numbers to "HOT"

[308mate]

chris4652009 said:

Ho Lee Kau said:

but gets hot quickly when not moving at a good clip .

I've noticed this to.
my 929 runs at 80c while moving along, as soon as city riding is on though it soon gets warmer, going up to 106c then the fan cuts in and pulls it back down to high 80s or so iirc . It's perfectly normal as long as the fan cuts in and pulls it down without the display changing from numbers to "HOT"

No different than my BMW. 75-80 on the motorway, straight up to 104 in town and then the fan blows hot air on my shins. Though as not as hot as my 5VY R1 did.