CBR1100XX

Super Blackbird

Here are some Blackbird tales from some of Howl Owners:

Steve Hill

Martin Young

Nicole Wooding

Steve Hill's Story

Steve Hill has owned many bikes - in the last thirty years they have all been Hondas. Amongst his Honda loves there have been CBR 1000, CB1300, VFR1200, Crosstourer 1200, Africa Twin 750, Transalp 600, VFR800, CB500 another CB500. He's enjoyed a dalliance with a 400/4, a CBX750 and a Goldwing amongst others.

But just over three years ago he made a life-changing decision.

He bought a CBR1100XX Super Blackbird.

Since then, he has been totally smitten with this bike. For him it is the ultimate bike - a thing of beauty. And like so many Blackbird owners, he says he will never part with it. He hasn't stopped enthusing over it since...

Steve at The Classic Show at The Sammy Miller Museum

Steve at The Ace Cafe

Martin stops for refreshments

Martin Young's Story

What’s the best motorcycle ever made?

Yes, I know the answer is mainly subjective but I for one will be forever grateful to the little Honda employee who one day said ‘Hey Boss, why don’t we make the fastest motorbike in the world?

We all have our favourites and the Honda CBR1100 xx Super Blackbird is mine.

I was first introduced to the Blackbird whilst travelling on a bus near Farnborough. The bus stopped outside a well-known motorcycle dealer and there, outside the store was a new bike I hadn’t seen before. It was the CBR1100 xx.

Resplendent in Titanium metallic YR-183 M. I looked at it. I looked some more and discovered that this vision passed through every ‘love’ filter my eyes had, direct and deep into my brain. In much the same way I felt when I first met my now wife. I loved it,

very much. It had appeal in bucket loads. What grabbed me most was the fact that nothing about it seemed to jump out at me either as being slightly wrong or quirky. Taken as a whole, this bike looked perfect with pleasing proportions and classy styling. I’d look good on that I thought, nay I’d look fantastic.

When I got off the bus, I immediately bought a copy of MCN. I was so impressed with the spec that I put it out of my mind as there was no way I would be able to afford it. Maybe one day, when the kids are grown up.

Years later, I had the good fortune to come face to face with the Blackbird once again. It was offered to me, just like that. It went with a job I had applied for.

Martin's first Blackbird

Ready for the off

Glorious in Matte Gunpowder Black NH-436M with gold wheels. Once in my possession, I gave myself a respectable period to get used to it and rode it carefully, respectfully and reverently. Trying hard not to damage myself. How could Honda produce such a perfect motorcycle. Over the next few months, I grew with this bike and learnt more about what it could and couldn’t do. I was ‘working’ on this bike all day, every day and what a comfortable office it was to work in. But let’s be honest. This was the fastest production bike in the world when first released and only now I feel qualified to make comment on the adjective ‘fast’. I no longer have that job, having retired from it but not without a celebratory wheelie across Tower Bridge. I was very fortunate enough to have ridden the Blackbird in just about every scenario, every weather type and every riding condition possible, and all with a huge grin on my face. I can personally vouch that the speedometer went up to 196mph but if I take the general error into account, it was probably about 182mph.

They gave me another one.

This time in parti-coloured grey. I used this bike right up to my retirement from that job. Perfection all the way. Sadly, I had to return the bike. It was years later when I thought about the Blackbird again. I had always missed it and longed to ride it again. I had bought a Yamaha SMAX 300 cc scooter just for a short three-mile commute to work. It had cost £4000. A mate of mine Iworked with, let’s just call him ‘H’, had a rather beautiful Blackbird in glossy Darkness Black Metallic NH463M with a smattering of Mr Sheen. I admire his bike from afar and close-up as it happens. I wanted one again. My own. It was during the last lock down in August 2021 I became aware that my scooter was still worth some money. More money, as it happened, than a CBR 1100 xx was worth. I sort of regard this bike as a modern classic now. I’d always wanted a classic bike. Maybe, a ‘Blackbird’ was the answer. Because I still had two or

three cats’ lives left, I decided to pursue my dream. The difficult part was, and everyone knows what that is, marital opposition and that had to be conquered first . I was sat in our sunny back garden chatting with my wife whilst looking at Autotrader. I casually mentioned the fact that my scooter was worth more than my Blackbird. Sorry, I meant a Blackbird. I happened to mention that I might go andhave a look at some. “I’ll go and buy one too then” she threatened. I laughed…a bit. Sifting through the good, the bad and the ugly over several weeks I found one. A 2005 model sporting Accurate Silver Metallic NH146M with 18k on the clock. Overall, gorgeous. “Quest over”? my wife asked. Following the statutory 48 hours of silent treatment I caught her on eBay and Marketplace buying her own motorcycle clothing. Yep, if you can’t beat them etc. etc. My wife loves going out on the back now, providing I ride at a pace that any OAP wouldn’t mind overtaking intheir Morris Minor. But she gets a great deal of enjoyment out of it. Plus, it gives us an extra marital dimension.

I got to thinking, Honda created this incredible machine, seemingly overnight to challenge the Kawasaki Ninja ZX11 without even breaking a sweat. And what a job they did, not only faster but much better looking to my mind. And what a sexy name. Named after the Lockheed SR-71, the worlds fastest production aircraft, say’s it all really. But then Suzuki gave birth to the Hayabusa, meaning peregrine falcon in Japanese. Very cleverly, because the favourite food of said falcon is blackbirds! Well, that wasn’t very friendly was it, or respectful. Suzuki spent so much time and money on the development of the Hayabusa and for what? An extra walking pace faster than the Blackbird. Makes me want to make a semi-concealed snorty humorous grunt because the one thing about riding the Honda CBR1100 xx Super Blackbird is that it has given me a deep-seated belief that I have nothing to prove. Having nothing to prove while riding a Blackbird is true freedom. Freedom from that troublesome sense of me at any rate.

Nicole's Story

This pic was taken at The Ace Cafe Xmas 2021 - now fast forward to Xmas 2022

Nicole is the proud owner of her own Blackbird...

Things I love about my Blackbird:

The design, the smooth handling, the luggage capacity and the seat comfort.

I bought my Blackbird from a private seller in November 2022, and although I haven’t had much time to ride it, this is by far one of the best bikes I’ve had. It handles very well, and I feel in complete control when I am riding it. It's heavy, it's sturdy, it's smooth, and most importantly, it's a Honda, it's reliable!

Nicole tries out Steve Hill's bike...then thinks...

''all I want for Xmas...is one of these...''

The smile says it all!

I always pick a bike which I feel is bottom-heavy, being lower to the ground makes me feel more secure when I ride it.

My Blackbird came with many extras, including bar risers, heated grips, the original Honda CBR luggage cases, two headlight protectors and a GPS! It had been lowered by the previous owner, who also trimmed down the seat. This suited me, as my feet were perfectly flat on the ground.

In the long run, however, I think I will either put the original seat back on, or take the lowering kit off; as I feel it might destabilise the bike. The only thing I’m worried about is dropping the bike or not being able to lift it back up, especially if it has fallen on me!

These days I have been practicing my slow speed maneuvers, as my IAM test is coming up soon. In future, I hope to take it on a trip up to Scotland, a ride to Wales, or on a tour of Europe.

Ready for take off