Hi Steve, many thanks for the comment, yes it's been too long since I've done any TH-cam videos! I sold the Blackbird two years ago. TBH I've had so much going on, divorce, moving house, my TH-cam videos have taken a back seat! I'm currently riding a Honda NT1100, my 3rd bike since selling the Blackbird! I'll have to dust off my cameras and create some more videos, I promise to keep them shorter! 🤣
@@Hinckley_Biker I am really sorry to hear about the divorce. I have been there and I know how it can affect so much of one's life. You make really constructive and intelligent videos. I hope that you return to doing them.
@@dezmondwhitney1208 Many thanks, yes things are back on track in my life now, I'd like to return to making some TH-cam videos again, especially as do a fair amount of touring now!
Much credit to the DIY route! A lot cheaper too! Can be good fun, so long as you're not up against it time wise, or dealing with a previous owners stripped thread....
I enjoy doing routine service stuff myself, just the valve clearances I leave to the dealer, I am in a fortunate position as a friend of mine is a bike mechanic! Cheers for the comment 👍
This video has just been brought to my attention so that explains my answer so long after it was uploaded to TH-cam. Are you surprised by your findings? This kind of (dis)service is prevalent in the UK and is not just limited to motorbikes. You pay dealer prices and get shit service from them. You're as well doing the work yourself and retaining the purchase invoices for the jobs you carry out during your ownership. A potential buyer, further down the line, will be able to see for himself that you've cherished the bike and a smooth transaction will result. That air filter is in the same condition as I see day in and day out. Shame on the dealerships.
Beautiful BB on the outside though the inside looks like its been smoking two pack a day! 😂😂 BTW spark plugs are super easy to replace on the Bird. Forget what the book says with removing radiator etc, best remove tank, airbox and change from the top, easy👍
My filter maybe was worse then yours.The owner was not mechanically useful & shims were not checked for over 10yrs when he sold it. May have to check valves for sealing. Dealers I do not trust & do my own tuning etc. Cheaper too.Lol.
Man that is one dirty filter. I have very little faith in dealers I am afraid. I have had some interesting times. I now take mine to a smaller workshop where I know the mechanic and can discuss the bike with the fella that works on my bike.
dealers are horrible for shit like that. they always find something (expensive) that needs fixing .but never fix the simple stuff you came in for. you got to go behind them like they were a child.
That is disgusting, I don't let dealers touch mine unless it's a recall or something I couldn't do myself, but I don't have older high milers, I wonder what the servicing dealer would say if approached 😧😉.
It doesn't make you feel confident taking your bike to a dealer for a service! My past two bikes were new so I had them dealer serviced as per the warranty, but with the Blackbird I will do it myself bar the valve shimming if needed, it irritates me to think some people pay good money for a full service and probably only get a oil and filter change!!
That air filter is in an absolutely awful condition. As you say probably still the original one fitted in the factory. I would say each of the those dealer service stamps in the owners service manual for services have been rip offs as the services have clearly not been done properly. Work charged for and not done. Appalling. The stamps aren't even worth the ink they were printed with. It is a testament to the bike that it has remained running fairly sweetly. Whether car or bike I AVOID main dealers indeed any garage whenever possible. The few occasions I have been all I smell is BS. I guess if I ever bought a new bike then it would have to be main dealer serviced to maintain the warranty. Btw I would also change the coolant and brake fluid as well. Also maybe you should check the brakes pads and put some fresh in such as EBC sintered double H as last time you were saying they didn't bite when cool only when warmed up. A local independent garage I did finally trust to ONLY MOT my cars and bikes told me I took better care of them than they could. The main mechanic was also passionate about cars and bikes.
Many thanks is for the reply Alex, it is a sorry state of affairs when you can't trust a dealer to carry out a service to the book, a friend of mine just happens to be a Honda trained mechanic so no worries for future servicing! Brake pads and fluid are next on the list, cheers buddy and Merry Christmas
oh my friend, welcome to the scam world of mechanics. Since my mechanic changed my cluth with a repair kit and did not clean it, outside and inside, i had no cluth lever, since then i make aalll my bike stuff myself. He even did not see that my brake lever had not the dust cover... They are incompetent for shit and they don´t care for shit about your bike, they only want your money. Learn and do all your bike stuff yourself.
Good advice! The only thing I won't attempt is the valve clearance, a motorbike service centre has opened not too far from me and they have a great reputation already so I'll use them, thanks for the comment 👍
That filter has come out of the factory with the bike!
Yep! I thought the same too, at least the oil was clean! Thanks for the comment.
Moral of the story... if you want a proper service, better to do it yourself (in almost all cases)
Hi mate do you still make TH-cam videos? I like the ones you did on the Blackbird, good commentary and informative.
Hi Steve, many thanks for the comment, yes it's been too long since I've done any TH-cam videos! I sold the Blackbird two years ago. TBH I've had so much going on, divorce, moving house, my TH-cam videos have taken a back seat! I'm currently riding a Honda NT1100, my 3rd bike since selling the Blackbird! I'll have to dust off my cameras and create some more videos, I promise to keep them shorter! 🤣
@@Hinckley_Biker I am really sorry to hear about the divorce. I have been there and I know how it can affect so much of one's life. You make really constructive and intelligent videos. I hope that you return to doing them.
@@dezmondwhitney1208 Many thanks, yes things are back on track in my life now, I'd like to return to making some TH-cam videos again, especially as do a fair amount of touring now!
Much credit to the DIY route! A lot cheaper too!
Can be good fun, so long as you're not up against it time wise, or dealing with a previous owners
stripped thread....
I enjoy doing routine service stuff myself, just the valve clearances I leave to the dealer, I am in a fortunate position as a friend of mine is a bike mechanic! Cheers for the comment 👍
This video has just been brought to my attention so that explains my answer so long after it was uploaded to TH-cam. Are you surprised by your findings? This kind of (dis)service is prevalent in the UK and is not just limited to motorbikes.
You pay dealer prices and get shit service from them. You're as well doing the work yourself and retaining the purchase invoices for the jobs you carry out during your ownership.
A potential buyer, further down the line, will be able to see for himself that you've cherished the bike and a smooth transaction will result.
That air filter is in the same condition as I see day in and day out. Shame on the dealerships.
Beautiful BB on the outside though the inside looks like its been smoking two pack a day! 😂😂
BTW spark plugs are super easy to replace on the Bird. Forget what the book says with removing radiator etc, best remove tank, airbox and change from the top, easy👍
Lol yeah I she smokes more than me!! 😁 I have since changed the plugs, and like you say pretty easy from the top, thanks for the comment buddy 👍
@@Hinckley_Biker . Are you going to plum pud at mallory this year pal
@@grahamrushin4384 I'd would go but I'm about to move house and just have a lot going on at the moment! Cheers buddy
@@Hinckley_Biker never mind,maybe in the summer,always something on at mallory.good look with the move.
@@grahamrushin4384 many thanks, only moving to Hinckley so won't be far away!
That filter has never been changed. Crap dealer.
My filter maybe was worse then yours.The owner was not mechanically useful & shims were not checked for over 10yrs when he sold it. May have to check valves for sealing. Dealers I do not trust & do my own tuning etc. Cheaper too.Lol.
Yeah I like to do my own servicing were I can, at least you know it has been done! Thanks for the comment
Man that is one dirty filter. I have very little faith in dealers I am afraid. I have had some interesting times. I now take mine to a smaller workshop where I know the mechanic and can discuss the bike with the fella that works on my bike.
Me too, I have a friend (just the one!) who is Honda trained and usually does the bits I can't do like valve shimming, thanks for the comment Tim
dealers are horrible for shit like that. they always find something (expensive) that needs fixing .but never fix the simple stuff you came in for. you got to go behind them like they were a child.
Wouldn't let dealers wash my bikes let alone service them.
Yep! It makes you wonder what you're paying for?! Thanks for the comment 👍
That is disgusting, I don't let dealers touch mine unless it's a recall or something I couldn't do myself, but I don't have older high milers, I wonder what the servicing dealer would say if approached 😧😉.
It doesn't make you feel confident taking your bike to a dealer for a service! My past two bikes were new so I had them dealer serviced as per the warranty, but with the Blackbird I will do it myself bar the valve shimming if needed, it irritates me to think some people pay good money for a full service and probably only get a oil and filter change!!
That air filter is in an absolutely awful condition. As you say probably still the original one fitted in the factory. I would say each of the those dealer service stamps in the owners service manual for services have been rip offs as the services have clearly not been done properly. Work charged for and not done. Appalling. The stamps aren't even worth the ink they were printed with. It is a testament to the bike that it has remained running fairly sweetly. Whether car or bike I AVOID main dealers indeed any garage whenever possible. The few occasions I have been all I smell is BS. I guess if I ever bought a new bike then it would have to be main dealer serviced to maintain the warranty. Btw I would also change the coolant and brake fluid as well. Also maybe you should check the brakes pads and put some fresh in such as EBC sintered double H as last time you were saying they didn't bite when cool only when warmed up. A local independent garage I did finally trust to ONLY MOT my cars and bikes told me I took better care of them than they could. The main mechanic was also passionate about cars and bikes.
Many thanks is for the reply Alex, it is a sorry state of affairs when you can't trust a dealer to carry out a service to the book, a friend of mine just happens to be a Honda trained mechanic so no worries for future servicing! Brake pads and fluid are next on the list, cheers buddy and Merry Christmas
Hi-Flo do a good filter for the Bird, not expensive. Loads of people do them. Sportbikeshop is good and quick for parts. Hi-Flo are not £38.
I will bare that in mind when the air filter needs doing again! Cheers for the info and the comment 👍
oh my friend, welcome to the scam world of mechanics. Since my mechanic changed my cluth with a repair kit and did not clean it, outside and inside, i had no cluth lever, since then i make aalll my bike stuff myself. He even did not see that my brake lever had not the dust cover... They are incompetent for shit and they don´t care for shit about your bike, they only want your money. Learn and do all your bike stuff yourself.
Good advice! The only thing I won't attempt is the valve clearance, a motorbike service centre has opened not too far from me and they have a great reputation already so I'll use them, thanks for the comment 👍
@@Hinckley_Biker yeah, valve clearance and engine chain are serious words.