Bye, Bye Blackbird…

With a decade-long lifespan, there’s a Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird out there for everybody…

- Bertie Simmonds

Courtesy of a Honda Blackbird, I have some metalwork in my left arm. Actually, courtesy of my stupidity and a myopic Volkswagen Caddy driver, I have a piece of metalwork in my left arm, but you know what I mean. I was riding a Honda Blackbird at the time of the incident, but never held a grudge against the bike itself. I love them so much I’ve owned two of them and would love a third.

And here’s why. It’s a beautiful bike to look at. With an 11-year lifespan, the bike changed little on the outside and it looked classy. Better still, the amazing build quality meant that a well-looked-after Blackbird still looks fresh and new today.

At its heart was typical tech for the mid 1990s: 16 valves, inline four cylinder, DOHC. It produced a stonking 164 claimed bhp with 91ft/lb of torque. The frame was as common as muck, wide ally beam frame – not that you could see it much as most of the bike was covered with slippery, shark-like bodywork, along with two snouts for a Honda ram-air system. Two polished cans jutted from the back of the bike to make the thing look classy as hell. Suspension was 43mm Showa right-way-up forks and a chunky swingarm equipped with Pro-Link rear suspension.