Rig’s Honda Blackbird

August 2008
After parting ways with my Triumph Sprint ST, I found myself in the bottomless pit of Internet forums, eBay searches, and local newspaper ads—desperately seeking inspiration for my next two-wheeled love. After a lot of scrolling and coffee, I stumbled upon a Honda CBR1100xx Blackbird being advertised by a well-respected member of the Honda Blackbird Owners Club. Even better, it was only 50 miles away! After some back-and-forth via emails and phone calls, my lovely wife and I made the trek one Thursday evening to check it out.

Long story short, after a good chat with the owner and a thorough look-over of the bike, I struck a deal and rode home on my new pride and joy! Granted, I’ve only clocked about 150 miles at this point, but initial impressions? Oh boy, I was thrilled. Everything they say about that beastly engine? It’s all true!

December 2008
Three months and 1,790 miles later, Flo (yep, all my bikes get names from my lovely children) and I have had some fantastic times. We’ve tackled commutes into the heart of Birmingham, spent long days on the road, and enjoyed some speedy blasts just for fun. She’s comfortable, stable, and most importantly, an absolute thrill to ride. And that engine—wow!

With 24,855 miles on the clock, it was time for Flo’s 24K service, which was performed to perfection by the legendary John at Jaws Motorcycles.

February 2009
Late one night while out for a spin, I had an unexpected encounter with what I can only describe as a sneaky block of wood lying in the middle of the road. Thanks to the darkness and lack of streetlights, I didn’t see it until I clipped the edge of it. Thankfully, I didn’t go flying off Flo, but I could hear a worrying noise coming from the front end. After pulling into a lay-by to inspect the damage under my phone’s dim light, I couldn’t see anything obviously wrong, so I limped home at a snail’s pace.

Back in the garage, a closer inspection revealed my right-hand brake disc had warped—great. A quick email to John at Jaws Motorcycles and the next day I had a shiny new set of Armstrong front brake discs. Not only do they look cooler than the originals, but my braking is now noticeably better. Bonus!

August 2010
Ah, Scotland—the land of breathtaking landscapes and… torrential rain. On a particularly soggy ride, poor Flo decided she’d had enough and the engine gave up in the middle of a massive traffic jam. After paddling (pun intended) her to the side of the road, I called the RAC, crossing my fingers that it wasn’t game over for our weekend trip.

Thankfully, the RAC hero diagnosed a loose connector to the fuel pump. A quick re-crimp and Flo roared back to life. Crisis averted, and the trip was back on!

April 2013
MOT time for Flo again, so I took her to The Bike Shop in Tamworth. Unfortunately, she failed thanks to some play in the rear wheel bearings. Time to order a fresh set from John at JAWS Motorcycles—plus the sprocket carrier bearings, while I was at it.

I originally planned to fit them myself, but life got in the way. So, off to The Bike Shop with the new parts in hand, and an hour later, Flo had a fresh set of bearings. The very next day, at 44,721 miles, she proudly passed her MOT with flying colors.

October 2013
With family commitments and the launch of my own Karate club (www.atherstonekarate.co.uk), my riding time took a bit of a hit. But I couldn’t ignore the increasing mileage, so I decided to replace the cam chain tensioner (CCT) as a precaution. After ordering the part from JAWS Motorcycles, the swap took a breezy 15 minutes—most of which was spent removing Flo’s plastics for better access.

Thanks to some tips from the Honda owners club forum (B.I.R.D.), the process was a breeze. Post-installation, I was blown away by how much smoother the engine felt, even though I hadn’t heard any rattles from the original CCT. Now, if only I had more time to ride…

February 2015
Time sure flies! I can hardly believe it’s been this long, but I’ve finally replaced Flo’s radiator. She was losing coolant faster than Bob on his Blackbird can finish breakfast when it’s Bonzo’s turn to pay! Big thanks to the good folks at East End Radiators in Glasgow for their advice and expertise.

April 2015
After 6 years, 7 months, and 30 days—covering a whopping 28,251 miles—Flo and I have parted ways. It was tough to say goodbye; this bike took me all over the UK and left me with memories I’ll treasure forever. But I’ve decided it’s time for a bit more comfort in my life, so I’ve upgraded to a Yamaha FJR1300. Only time will tell if it’s the right decision, but for now, it’s on to new adventures!