98 Fireblade (918cc)

[Taipan]

I had one but didnt really get on with it. Found it very peaky, which doesn't work well for my style of riding. Had a couple of reg/rec issues and eventually moved it on. The 900 C1 Ninja I got afterwards I found to be a much better bike everywhere, broader spread of power and more stable. I just commute on abike though and am slow, so probably best to listen to the grown ups.

[wull]

I had one but didnt really get on with it. Found it very peaky, which doesn't work well for my style of riding. Had a couple of reg/rec issues and eventually moved it on. The 900 C1 Ninja I got afterwards I found to be a much better bike everywhere, broader spread of power and more stable. I just commute on abike though and am slow, so probably best to listen to the grown ups.

I’ve had a few 9r’s over the years, brings back so many memories, many enjoyable miles on them bikes. Like you say a cracking bike that did it all pretty well.

[Skub]

Another 9R fan here too. I had a C1.

Stick a decent rear shock in and you are away....well maybe a seat that wasn't a brick,as well.

[KungFooBob]

I'm off to see the bike in Swindon tomorrow. It's not cheap by any stretch at £4695 but it does look in very good order.


blade.jpeg

Just noticed. It's got the wrong coloured mudguard side panels. They're Black and should be white.

Maybe the previous owner preferred black ones, but I'd be double checking that area for damage.

[A_morti]

Another sort of fault that they all do... The choke cable has a plastic nut holding it to the top yoke. The cables go tight with age, folk pull too hard, and the plastic nut breaks. Put some silicon spray down the cable now and then.

[A_morti]

Just noticed. It's got the wrong coloured mudguard side panels. They're Black and should be white.

Maybe the previous owner preferred black ones, but I'd be double checking that area for damage.

That's a proper spotter comment there

On a much ropier blade, I've had where the mudguard screws were seized into the metal brackets under the side panels. Not a lot of ways to get them out without busting the plastic, as before you realise what's happening they spin and score the inside.

[KungFooBob]

Yeah, when they're seized so tightly that you apply to much force and it bends and snaps the brackets and they're not available from Honda anymore

IIRC a Truimph Gaytony mudguard fits well and doesn't look too out of place.

[dern]

Where the battery on these? There was a big thunk as it went over a speed bump and couldn’t track it down. Thought it might be an unsecured battery as it felt like that kind of mass.

Other than that it was lovely but so so similar to my 2007 that I’m wondering whether it would be simpler just to put that back on the road.

[Skub]

Where the battery on these?

Under the rider's seat,IIRC.

[A_morti]

My 98 started to make a pretty good thunk over speed humps. The shock had pooped its pants internally. New one solved it.

[dern]

It hasn’t had any suspension work at all.

[KungFooBob]

They're not a characterful bike, they do everything well, but there's no theatre to it.

If I had that kind of cash to spend on a sports bike, I'd be looking for a gen 1 RSV-R.

Or if it must be a Japanese il4, then an early R1.

[dern]

Assuming it needs a shock, a front end rebuild, it didn’t look like a radiator would be that far off and it needed new pads as the brakes were crap that puts it over 5k and that doesn’t seem too good a deal given that it wasn’t mint.

Nice guys at that place though.

It’s reminded me of one thing though, throttle cables and carbs are bloody lovely compared to lean maps and throttle position sensors.

[KungFooBob]

What about a nice GSXR1100, with some manly pink stickers.

[A_morti]

Assuming it needs a shock, a front end rebuild, it didn’t look like a radiator would be that far off and it needed new pads as the brakes were crap that puts it over 5k and that doesn’t seem too good a deal given that it wasn’t mint.

Nice guys at that place though.

It’s reminded me of one thing though, throttle cables and carbs are bloody lovely compared to lean maps and throttle position sensors.

If the shock was the same as mine, I think it had lost some or all of its rebound damping. It's a rebuildable shock, so that should be fixable if you didn't want to buy an upgraded one.

Fork rebuild isn't necessarily a given. If it's not got huge miles the bushes will be fine and if the adjusters move then probably just fresh oil and you'll be good. Pretty sure that's possible without removing the forks, albeit you'd need to jack her up carefully (headstock stand maybe)

Brakes ought to be very very good on these. If they're not then perhaps the dealer got too much silicon shine up spray on the discs and it'll burn off, or maybe the pads are indeed bad or contaminated. The calipers do have steel pistons which can eventually rust, but the gold calipers off a 929/954/600rr4 fit, are cheap, and have alloy pistons with a teflon coating which seems immune to weather.

[KungFooBob]

Nah, the brakes are dog shite compared to similar vintage Yamaha Blue Spots.

The OEM discs are pretty easy to warp if you use them hard too. I warped mine on track and replaced them with PFM's. Best brakes ever!

[dern]

Appreciate the advice but it just didn’t excite me very much to be honest.