new black bird

[Sadlsor]

Y'all got me looking again, so there's another 2 hours of my life I'll never get back.
But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of examples all across the country, but of course the mileage is piling up, and the prices are definitely climbing up as the availability diminishes. They still get wrecked a LOT by silly riders who cannot handle turning - or stopping - from elevated speeds. Harder and harder to find truly STOCK examples, and they're getting closer to a $5 - to $6K average. Not long ago, I found low-mileage 2003s (last year of production) for under $4K, but no more.
With ST ownership, be aware if you find one that is NOT regularly ridden, we now know the SMC is likely to be toast. They were first made in 1997, and I saw many listed as 2012 and later... so some are being sold by real ignoramuses, or scammers, or used bikes wholesalers who do not know anything about this excellent motorcycle.
There is a Blackbird forum I used to frequent, and that place rarely sees new posts with new content any more, except for people trying to sell their 1100XXs.
You can find it here: http://www.cbr1100xx.org/forums
There *may* be a sub-forum on ADVrider; not sure.

 

[core-aggie]

Harder and harder to find truly STOCK examples, and they're getting closer to a $5 - to $6K average.

Like this one that's listed
.
.

 

[Sadlsor]

Exactly.
I imagine the SMC will be a do-this-first, with those low miles. But that is nearly my ideal specimen... except it is the most hideous color EVER! for this bike.
Fer crying in a bucket, it's called the BLACKbird!!! Although the Canadian-spec red ones and blue ones are very, very pretty.
But black is the way to go. It's in the name, so why make a funky and ugly titanium? Idiots.
Nonetheless, with stock decals, bars, pipes and even un-butchered rear turn signals, this would be a very fine bike to own. (Be still my restless heart!)
As they become more rare, I don't see prices coming back down to that $4K point.
Lovely bike in my view, and I don't care if others don't like it.

 

[core-aggie]

But black is the way to go. It's in the name, so why make a funky and ugly titanium?

22+ years ago, I came this close ->||<- to pulling the trigger on a BlackBird , but opted for the newly introduced Hayabusa. Talk about an ugly color - that copper/silver 2-tone ... but I chose the black / greyish option. Mine was Number 12 to arrive in our metro area.
.

 

[sky.high]

Hold on now @Sadlsor our SilverBird is simply gorgeous, way prettier than black

 

[Sadlsor]

Hold on now @Sadlsor our SilverBird is simply gorgeous, way prettier than black

OK, I actually thought of that AFTER I posted.
My apologies for being so rash and impulsive.
The silver is quite nice as well, and I do like it... but not as much as the sleek, shiny black. I probably was just hung up and fuming over that ghastly "titanium" color. What a travesty to the majestic Blackbird. But that particular XX had everything else going for it, for sure.

 

[drrod]

Well, mine is the "correct" black color and, except for the VFR bars, is as it came off the showroom floor. I am glad they are starting to appreciate a bit. I was always puzzled as to why used ones seemed to be such a bargain at around $4k.
My estate will have to deal with it as I am pretty sure I will never sell it.

 

[sky.high]

Think I only paid around 5k for ours way back in 2011 with 4.5k miles on it !!! Since then we've ridden the heck out of it and got it even closer to being run in @ 17k LOL, every one a glory mile

 

[Chris09]

I looked at a 2003 Hayabusa [red / white] with some miles and some wear and tear, really nice guy selling it, it was this time of year, but I couldn't fall in love with it, I mean I probably would jump at what he wanted now, and a low mile ZX14 [black] around the time I bought my ST just over two years ago, I should have bought the ZX [also] it was pristine, low miles and a - don't want to deal with it during the lay up, plus I got married - price of $5,300 [Canadian, so that's about what, thirty four hundred bucks?] I made the right choice with the ST, no regrets, but I could not get my mind off the ZX that I did not need, should have bought all three of them for the amount of money that would have been tied up

 

[Chris09]

I think the color is gun metal, I think it's great and there probably isn't another one with nothing for milage, even if it's not your cup of tea at the moment, what have you got to loose?

 

[Chris09]

It is important to keep in mind that the BB is a sport-touring bike with the emphasis on sport. However, don't expect it to have razor sharp handling. It handles well enough to not be embarrassed in the twisties (raising the back slightly really helps), but where it shines is high speed stability, effortless torque/power and glass smooth. I have lost track of the number of times when I have looked down and discovered I was going significantly faster than I thought.
Ergonomically it is about half way between a dedicated sport bike and the ST. I put VFR clip ons on mine and that improved the riding position considerably. I still have the stock seat and find that about a 200 mile day is long enough on my old bones. But, Oh........what a great 200 miles.

It is the kind of bike that you get off of smiling and turn and look back at when you walk away.
Here is a pic of my BB and sky.high's RC51 on a lunch ride.


And mine in the environment where it shines!!

that's just such a cool pic, [cool pic of the month hands down] my gosh, make's you almost just, you know,... gotta have one.. don't you think Murray?

 

[Spikey]

CBR 1100 is a great bike once you get the charging system correct
super quick and handles very well and can hold its head up against almost any bike 15yrs younger
i have both ST and CBR and like a previous comment they are chalk and cheese
Cant go wrong with a Honda in my opinion

 

[Spikey]

This is mine out for the day this summer i have the full CBRxx luggae for it a good sports tourer

 

[Sadlsor]

I don't see no luggage...
And no Wingrack Ii for holding Givi's...

 

[Chris09]

lately not much out there for sale privately in the 13 to 14 category motorcycle section; a pretty decent looking worn out FJR and a late model Hayabusa for around sixteen [on CR which I think looks good and price... hmmm....] I saw the other day but that's about it, not a lot of listings, I also notice that the late season [private sale] number of listings is not near as it used to be, just my neck of the woods and I haven't been watching as much as I used to

 

[RaYzerman]

Kijiji has a '97 black blackbird in Calgary $2900, an '01 blue one in Montreal $3800. I'll go get the Montreal one for you Chris, deliver it to you in BC, say next July, properly road tested of course.

 

[Chris09]

So I'm working on the roof of a high rise this week, I'm out there a few days[well, not so high "20" stories, out there for a couple days, UBC south end of the Burrard Inlet, and I'm thinking, there's no birds, no seagulls, no crap, no bones, nothing when... I hear this bird call sounds like nothing I've heard before, go to the bottom of the elevator machine room stair case and there it is. The biggest meanest looking [Raven, Crow I dunno] black bird I've ever seen, I bet it was two feet high perched on the upper hand rail, this whole maybe mile or two around me has to be it's domain. It's got to be an omen.

 

[suejenn]

Wow, so I'm not the only rider that loves his XX. Have had my '03 since new and it puts a smile on my face every time I fire it up. I'm 70 years young and have been riding a very long time and have multiple bikes. The XX will be with me till I am no longer breathing. Is that a good review?

 

[Sadlsor]

I know the XX, as do you.
Thus, I don't care much what anyone else thinks about the 1100.
I loved it since first turning the key.
(Because "at first sight" is such a tired cliche.)
And i never stopped loving it.

 

[sky.high]

Anyone who does not instantly fall in love with a XX engine on fire up is dead ... and thats just the start,. Ours will not find another home in my life time either and if I do go first I doubt Jan would sell our BB even thought she does not ride it , she also totally smitten