Blackbird & comfortable - an oxymoron?

[hotdogpork]

I've owned my BB for 2 years now, but I still don't get it. (I've been riding for about 17 years, mostly on cruisers).

Before I bought the bike, I've read numerous online reviews citing it as a comfortable bike. Two years on and I still can't see how a BB is comfortable, especially for long distance touring. BTW my heights is 1.75m.

The worst aspect of it all for me, is having to crouch to reach the bars. The correct riding position is a crouch in order to get the forearms parallel to the ground. How can a riding position that demands that you hold your upper body weight up with the strength of your abs and back muscles be considered comfortable?

How long can you folks do that for before feeling pain? For me it takes no more than 10 mins for my back to ache. Am I not getting something, or is there a different posture for touring?

Then there's the legroom. Even though I'm not very tall I find it a little cramped.

I'm finally going to change to VFR bars this weekend so I hope it'll be much better.

So what am I missing, or not getting? Feel free to tear me apart.

Funny as this may sound, the most comfortable bike I've toured on was a dirt bike, with its upright sitting posture. Granted I couldn't go very fast, but the riding position was very comfortable.

After sitting on an ST1300 last week, a light went off in my head. To me, a comfortable bike needs to have your legs positioned below your butt so you can stand up on them (rules out cruisers with forward controls as all the bumps are absorbed by your spine and not your legs), and a nearly upright sitting posture so your weight is mostly on your butt and not held up with your back or stomach muscles.

Which leads me to wonder, why do bike manufacturers make sport tourers (like the VFR) and even standards and nakeds which require you to hold up your upper body weight with your back muscles? I slight forward lean is good to counter the effect of wind but most of the riding positions lean forward (to me) excessively.

That ST1300 is looking very, very tempting to me now......

[Red Mick]

I tried a 'bird at the first launch (96, 97 ?) found it too much of a stretch, I'm 190 in new money. Years later, I tried again, decided I wanted it whatever, then fitted Jaw's bar risers, sorted .

Later, I fitted lowered pegs from Dave on CBR1100XX.com. Now it's all day comfy, I've done 500 mile days on it, no problem. Even SWMBO loves the pillion accomodation, although not on the original seat, we bought a Melboy seat from a Bikersoracle member

Yes, I know I've spent a bit on making the bike fit me, but I like the bike so much, it's been worth it.

[hotdogpork]

I tried a 'bird at the first launch (96, 97 ?) found it too much of a stretch, I'm 190 in new money. Years later, I tried again, decided I wanted it whatever, then fitted Jaw's bar risers, sorted .

Later, I fitted lowered pegs from Dave on CBR1100XX.com. Now it's all day comfy, I've done 500 mile days on it, no problem. Even SWMBO loves the pillion accomodation, although not on the original seat, we bought a Melboy seat from a Bikersoracle member

Yes, I know I've spent a bit on making the bike fit me, but I like the bike so much, it's been worth it.

Mick, thank you! Some questions if you don't mind.

Between Jaw's risers and the VFR bars, which will move the bars back and up more? If the risers are going to do the job for much less, I might as well go with them.

How does your SWMBO sit? Does she sit upright, or lean onto your back? Do you have some kind of backrest for her? Mine complains that she hates the sitting position.

Thanks again!

[Red Mick]

I tried a 'bird at the first launch (96, 97 ?) found it too much of a stretch, I'm 190 in new money. Years later, I tried again, decided I wanted it whatever, then fitted Jaw's bar risers, sorted .

Later, I fitted lowered pegs from Dave on CBR1100XX.com. Now it's all day comfy, I've done 500 mile days on it, no problem. Even SWMBO loves the pillion accomodation, although not on the original seat, we bought a Melboy seat from a Bikersoracle member

Yes, I know I've spent a bit on making the bike fit me, but I like the bike so much, it's been worth it.

Mick, thank you! Some questions if you don't mind.

Between Jaw's risers and the VFR bars, which will move the bars back and up more? If the risers are going to do the job for much less, I might as well go with them.

How does your SWMBO sit? Does she sit upright, or lean onto your back? Do you have some kind of backrest for her? Mine complains that she hates the sitting position.

Thanks again!

I've not tried, or even seen the VFR bars on a 'bird, so cannot comment on that.
SWMBO is 150 tall, she likes to sit upright as her arms won't go around me We've always had a top box on the bikes, in fact the Givi is about 25 now! I've also had a soft pad made for it at my local car upholsterers, to soften the back rest, givi's own being like a board, mucho brownie points for me there.

[TESLACOIL]

They are not never could or ever will be comfortable in stock form.

The design culture/marketing is taken from 1995 to present Superbikes

Blame the GSXR750 and the Fireblade

Sport bikes gaves us good everything - power, handling brakes style

everything but Comfort !!!!

The bird sole pupose is top speed - which means low bars and low faring like a Bonneville streamliner

Now the bird is the most Luxurios SPORTS BIKE you can buy

the world has waken up to the fact that average joe likes all the nice bits of a sport bike..........

knowing you can do a stoppie when a volvo pulls out = confidence

being 150lbs lighter than the same bike made in 1980 = cant arguewith
that

knowing the bike can make THAT corner when you'v gone in waay too fast = relief...pooh in your pants is better than coming off

huge power without having to rev = lazy joe average is happy

light cluch brake operation = no acging fingers

average joe wants your SPORTS BIKE NOW ! - just put a bloody comfy seat on it and raise them bars up and back 3inches at least !
and sum1 work out how to get a fairing on an upright riding bike that doesnt look pants !

[TESLACOIL]

My first bike was a honda CM125
a perfect learner machine - it looked big - it was comfy - and did the job of around town riding and the odd 50mile jaunt too perfection


move on 20 years - i rode a Honda MBX125

I was doing stoppies and cranking it over with confidence - wow !

I had discovered sports bike handling and brakes

move on 5 years - passed my test

Yamaha Exup 1000 - wow is this road legal?????!!!

unbelivable speed and stability - and the motor pulled so smooth from nothing ( thatl be the exup valve then)

i also discovered weight and low speed handling wasnt much fun - round town or paddling in tescos carpark

move on 2 years CBR600FM - oh the rave reviews blah blah parkeet
( i was thinking still quick no clunky gear change lighter and goes round conrners in town and country) -- i was right

BUT.....i hadnt taken for a test drive...my m8 drove it home,we stopped in asda carpark on route, i rode it across the carpark....sh1t...i rode back to where my m8 was standing....ballcocks.....IM SELLING I SAID

"wot he said" ...its the most uncomfortable vehicle i have EVER drive in my life.... and sell it i did the next month after doing less than 100miles on it

WHY.....well the rave reviews were all by BARRY SHEENE wannabelookalikes werent they DOH!!....

they R suckerd into the sexy look of a sports bike ( who isnt ) and the reason why the CBR600 is so rated is beacuse its the MOST UNSPORTY SPORTS BIKE that still looks like a sports bike ( the modern ones are more hardcore than the FM)

move on a few more years.. Kawasaki Eliminator 400
see eliminator.org
(soo badly wanted a 600 750 or bigger but couldnt find one)

wow i rediscoverd comfort....rediscovered handleing, after spending £100 on front end, fork oil up two thickness,braided hoses,dropped the yoke through the forks by 5mm

the perfect town bike was back in my hands...waahha
for those who dont know the eliminatorbikes had kawasakis inline4..the 900eliminator was quicker than a gpz900 due to the shorter gearing

the eliminator was kawasaki answer to the V-max..

IMHO the eliminator is the closest thing to a perfect bike...decent handling and brakes for joe average...loads of power inline 4...blow every snotty sports owner away at the traffic lights.....run ring round commuter (handling and power).......shrink harleydavidsons in your rearview mirror anytime anyware....take in the view on a countrylane...see over traffic in town....low seat height good for girls and gravelly pubcarparks.....need i go on!
The only flaw..and i mean the only flaw with the eliminator is the lack of motorway power(400 only) and the lack of fairing on a long journey

want to know how fast a 400 Eliminator is away from the lights...i shall post a video (when i work out how )of me blowing my m8 away and hes driving a BLACKBIRD ...ok i admit it was a greatlaunch i had, but he still dint catch me till i was in3rd

[TESLACOIL]

option zero - raise standard bars up the forks by 15mm - you can go 5mm past the top and still be safe ( remove weedy circlip to do this you will see it when you try it).....Free ! 5minutes

1 lower rear end by 1 inch - for free ! -

the handlebars rise to meet you and your position on the bike is rotated backwards a few degrees +plus easier to get yer foot down

there are two triangle plates on rear suspension they are not isometric
rotate the plates by 90degrees takes 20minutes to do


2 buy a fixed lowering link £80
takes 20 minutes to fit - same effect as above - 1 inch or 3 inches

options 1+2 can both be done - i recommend 2inches total - 3 or 4 requires you to lower the front end an inch(dropping yoke through the forks £60) or the handling will suffer

3 risers from jaws - up to 28mm + 5mm if you cheat combining option zero.....£75 time 20minutes

4 THE DOGZ...VFR800 bars ..factory look - they come up 2imches they come back an inch or so .... they are more level ...and the dont point down so much......downside £165 new....rare as hesn teeth sh...im looking for a pair now.....


none of the above require changing the hoses....but its a minor job and you are buying BRAIDED hoses arent you....anyone without braided hoses should be shot!


Option 5 get the risers and -- im soo clever swap the bbird bars over left on the right...remeber doing that on your racer pushbike

doing this ( dont work without the risers as well) will give almost 2 inches back and up and a much more level set of bars

option 6 spend 500 on an ohlins rear end or similiar and you will get around an inch lower rear end as this is one of the adjustmenst available

option 7 kidnap kawasaki bosses and force them at gunpoint to make a NEW kawasaki eliminator with a zx12 engine

optoin 8 watch my future posts on how i turn the slackbird into the ultimate sportsbike killing town+country cruiseing machine



CHEQUE IN THE POST PLEASE


( avoid cheap adjustables tyrpes as have been known to break )






more on these details on the other blackbird forums out there

[aspguitars]

I'm on my 2nd Blackbird now. The first, all I did was change the seat for a cut down lowered one and then put on the VFR800 Bars. This made quite a difference to the riding position. but it was still not that comfortable, I'm 5' 7" by the way.
I recently bought an old 98 Carb version that needed some TLC. This time I lowered the front end by 10mm and the back by the same. I then fitted Bar Risers from Jaws and also lowered the footrests. The difference is unbelievable. Not only is it really comfortable, but turns much quicker, as lowering the bike has obviously shortened the wheelbase.
Oh! I forgot to say that I had the seat re-covered with some comfort padding added.
So far I've spent about £1800 and it's not finished yet!
To date, it's the most comfortable and fastest bike I've owned, I love it.
Each to their own though!
Ade

[Titanblackbird]

Most i've done on the so far in a day is about 300 miles ,and didn't find at all uncomfortable im 5"8 and the only thing i have thought of, is lowering the pegs a bit,its a lot more comfortable than my storm was .

[Sircular]

Dear Hotdogpork, you could try getting the "Straight bar conversion" from "Jaws". It`s bin covered elsewhere in this forum,( & there`s pic`s). Also, does your bike got a "double bubble " screen ? These mods may make long rides more comfy for you. Regards, Sircular.