Well, not Stage 1 actually. More like Stage 2, with Stage 1 being the creation of an idea from a seed sown some time ago whilst reading links posted here and threads "elsewhere" about the distinct lack of available space for storage purposes on the Honda Blackbird. It's taken many months to create something innovative and practical to solve this recurrent problem of where to put ones clothing collection, spice rack, kitchen knife block, tools, washing powder, coffee machine and suchlike without spoiling the intrinsic SuperSportsTourer qualities of the Blackbird. I am at the early R&D stages of the finished product but hope to have it available within the next 14 years.
I have the raw materials ready and waiting as are my machinists and the lathes in my super modern machine shop. It really just needs a "bit of tweaking"
( I shouldn't say this really, but Mr Honda has been in let's just say "hush hush talks" with me about spreading this, if successful, across the whole Honda range, particularly the VFR 1200, which they think will seriously enhance it's aesthetic appeal)
The seeds were first formed, when, after 8 years of Blackbird ownership, I realised when touring, that I never had room on the 'Bird to take my record collection and small T.V with me. I have pondered over this, what I thought was an insurmountable problem until I read on the Dark Side several months ago I think, that someone had cut a hole in the rear hugger and infilled the void with a very small box section. Clever, but not very well thought out.
I immediately put a team of R&D engineers together, with me in the Chair and we worked flat out for the last couple of months, 24 seven as they say .
We finally came up with this. yes, yes, it looks a bit rough at the moment, but with a few nips and tucks here and there it will soon look the professional finished product that everyone will want. The first 500 off the production line I'm afraid, are already spoken for and will be shipped straight to Honda Japan in my motorhome for evaluation whilst I sample the delights of the geisha.
So, in a nutshell, this is what we have come up with. Please bear in mind the pathetic lack of storage in the standard Bird. With a slight tweak of the the subframe, realignment of the exhausts and the flexible "storage box" ( in any colour except Candy red of course ) the world literally will become your lobster, allowing you to tour for several million miles at any one time, ( or between services whichever one comes first).
Any constructive feedback will be greatly appreciated although totally ignored or even deleted.
Thanks for looking.
I need to do a bit more reshaping of the rear cowl