CBR1000FR... SLOB

"It's only a SLOB (1)", bit like it's current owner, my latest purchase that
is, a 1994 CBR1000FR... (apart from me not being the bike, I once was).

Anyway... it's big, not entirely unwieldly like I'd been led to believe, and
seems to suit me a tad more than the previous incumbent, the Fazer.

I can only assume that the one I test rode about three weeks ago, like this
one when I first rode it, didn't have enough air in the tyres - since
adjusting the pressures to where they should be, it's proven to be a much
more spritely for its size bike, than I'd hoped.

And I can see why they have a reputation for being bullet proof in the
engine department - they're quite a docile beast, with the red line on the
tacho being mostly for show; you might as well change up just before 10k,
than travel the extra 500rpm to the red and beyond, unlike the Fazer that
liked to be thrashed well into the red.

Just make sure you're quite positive in kicking the gear lever, when you
want to change gear, as seems to be the Honda way, IME.

My first experience of this particular bike, was the journey home to Kent...
from Somerset. I wasn't paying that much attention to it, as I'd been
intending to come home 'the long way round', over a couple of days, but
illness on my part meant I just wanted to get home, so 200ish miles perched
on a behemoth, is just what you want in a scenario like this.

So it was of no surprise to me, having felt that off colour enough to not
even think to have done something as simple as check the tyre pressures on
the initial fuel fill-up just up the road from the previous owners place,
that it was wobbling its way through sweeping bends and roundabouts, all the
way home - par for the course, was the assumption of a newcomer to the world
of shite old litre bike ownership.

However, it impressed me then, as it does now, with the way it delivers its
power - where the Fazer would be willing me to wring its neck, constantly,
this bike doesn't make it such a must when you're for instance, in the
middle of town etc... and this in part, is also due to the differing seating
positions - the CBR is much more of a challenge to filter on, due to the
riding position / extra weight etc., all adding up to something in need of a
bit more respect in terms of low pedestrian speed manoeuvring.

My other main initial thought was, having done about 60 miles on it, 'my
arse / legs, ache - this is not quite the semi sofa on wheels I'd been
expecting' - I know you can get seats cut down for the more stumpy of this
world, but has anyone ever bothered to try and get a seat built up on
something like this; seems it would be one of the cheaper options to improve
the comfort factor for ones achy arse, anyway.

Economy seems fine, and overall, I'm well happy with it.

Next stop, rack and panniers - old before my time!

(1) Shite Lardy Old Bike

--
JackH

CBR1000 - Micra 1.3 (K11)

BOTAFOT #110 D.Bot (University Of Speed) - BOTAFOF #29 - GHPOTHUF #29

 

Sometime around Sat, 11 Jun 2005 01:04:43 +0100, JackH babbled on about:

Your sigsep is borked.

I ran a slightly older one for a while, They are a tad heavy however they
certainly can go when you want them to and seem to cope with two up
riding quite happily, cornering can be a bit cumbersome through fast
twisties fully loaded, however it is a SLOB. I seem to recall a poor
turning lock on them and dropped mine once during a very tight 3 point
turn. The good news is they have nice bodywork protectors for such events.

Exhausts appeared to be biodegradable and front calipers sieze if not used
for a couple of weeks, otherwise quite a good machine.

 

<snip>

All you need to do now is to book it into the Whinging Courier Chop Shop.

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's bike 2003 Honda NSR125R (Going)
Spare Bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Patio Ornament)
BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005), X-FOT#000, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, JackH amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

You're shite, lardy *and* an old bike?

Christ, your arse must be in tatters.

The best part about learning to ride one (imo) is getting the timing
right for corners. You have to turn it a fraction before you want to go
there so it'll flick. It's even better in traffic and a lot of fun can
be had.

Seriously, once you get the hang of it, they're very nimble.

Mine's best between 6,000 and 9,000. The extra 1,000 taking it to 10,000
and beyond is mostly for noise value

You'll get the hang of it. It's quite possible to stay stopped at the
lights for a few seconds without putting your feet down. Oh, and welcome
to the dark side.

You'll get used to that.

Good man.

 

Whinging Courier wrote

<Green with envy>

About a second is the best I have achieved with the bindit and that was
before I put air in the tyres.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, steve auvache amazed us all with this pearl of
wisdom:

The trick is to move your hips the way the bike is going to fall and
then moving the bars the other way.

Now that's my yearly secret out of the way I'm going to have a bath. I
feel dirty now. I'm also covered in bike filth.

 

Whinging Courier wrote

I just can't get the trick with the bindit. It'll come I dare say but
it will need practice. I'll have to take a ride into town and back one
afternoon. One trip of that is worth three months of the slow riding
skills I am letting go rusty these days.

 

I've managed something like 30 seconds on a dirt bike (I know people can
do it indefinitely). One of the best bikes for this trick is a
ShiteoldBoxer, thanks to its low CofG.

 

That's actually quite a wise purchase. A hell of a lot of performance
and comfort, almost in the ZZR1100 class, for (usually) very little
money. And excellent build quality with it. And the later bikes even
look half-decent.

How much?

 

The Older Gentleman wrote

My Ole VT was quite good for this although not as good as the small
trailies by a long long way but I could rely on counting to ten once a
week if I was lucky.

 

Not for sale mate, sorry...!

;-)

£1495, with 11 months MOT, and brand spanking new goldie looking chain and
sprockets.

Heated grips, scottoiler, and allegedly new tyres... well if they're new, I
dunno - the rear looks distinctly like it'll be up for renewal, sooner,
rather than later.

Oh, and stainless 4 --> 1 Remus system, which is nice and boomy, but not
overly intrusive.

Cosmetically, no scuffs or cracks as such, but it's in 'used' condition -
hopefully I'll have time to get stuck in and give it a decent valet this
week, as I believe under the layer of grime, something semi respectable
looking, is lurking.

That, and it could do with a brake fluid change, as I found out when braking
from just over 9/10ths in sixth the other day - I'll take the time to all
the usual stuff, this side of a carb balance and valve shim service, at the
same time.

I note the previous owner didn't charge me any extra for the complementary
free bird shit it came with, stuck to one of the rear side panels, either.

And, while we're on the subject... am I ill or something? I actually find
the linked brakes a bonus, not a hinderance.

--
JackH

CBR1000 - Micra 1.3 (K11)

BOTAFOT #110 D.Bot (University Of Speed) - BOTAFOF #29 - GHPOTHUF #29

 

That's a helluva lot of bike for not much cash.

 

Not according to 'da ladeez'...

Ho yuss. Another on my 'must do something about, but never quite get round
to it', list.

Most of us were, in our formative years... ;-)

I like curry... too much, so no surprise...

I have to be honest, having just come back in from a bit of scratching on
it, it's actually not too sad at all, and for fast A road sweepers, it's
brilliant - much more settled than the 600s I've had, and I seem to do ok on
it in the wet as well, which must be one of the pluses of having something
that weighs over 30kg more than your previous bike.

I'm finding this already.

7k upwards for this, really... probably something to do with the aftermarket
pipe doing the usual trick (IME of slightly older four pot Hondas) of
shifting the main poke, further up the rev range.

--
JackH

CBR1000 - Micra 1.3 (K11)

BOTAFOT #110 D.Bot (University Of Speed) - BOTAFOF #29 - GHPOTHUF #29

 

Aye.

The fact there was, just a day after I picked it up, an urban tiger 'blade
in MCN for £1495 (MOT'ed, taxed, and seemingly original and in good order),
didn't take the sheen off this one little bit, of course.

The other fact it costs about half what a 'blade or ZZR1100 would, to
insure, helps.

--
JackH

CBR1000 - Micra 1.3 (K11)

BOTAFOT #110 D.Bot (University Of Speed) - BOTAFOF #29 - GHPOTHUF #29

 

The Older Gentleman scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Pans aren't bad for that as well...

 

Did the CBR of that era have linked brakes?

 

Aye.

And another bonus I've discovered today, is the fuel tank.

Not in terms of how much fuel it holds, but in terms of, if you undo the
front two retaining bolts, you can lift it up like a bonnet, and it has its
own stay that clicks into place as you lift - net result, fettling the plugs
on this, is nigh on as easy as it is on your average car.

--
JackH

CBR1000 - Micra 1.3 (K11)

BOTAFOT #110 D.Bot (University Of Speed) - BOTAFOF #29 - GHPOTHUF #29

 

My Ducati has this, except that there are no bolts - just a retaining
clip at the front of the tank. So it's even easier.

Ah. This may be why Ducati has an even better system than Honda.

 

CBR1000F had linked brakes from 93 on.

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..75830../..18846.../..3214./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4
'^' RBR Landmarks: 24 Pts: 400 Miles: 1589

 

GL1100 had linked brakes in 83.