revtothelimit - motorbike forum

I'm a bit late to this thread for some reason but bloody loved reading it! Awesome sounding bike

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sat Sep 04, 2021 10:38 am
I often wonder with these things how much of the "excitement" is actually "flawed". Modern stuff is often just too bloody good isn't it?

I kind of agree with that from the bikes I've had.

I bloody LOVED my Blackbirds. I rode them for about 8 years (broke the first one, unsurprisingly!)

But when I changed it and got a TL1000s (after a short stint on a Fireblade, the one with the small front wheel) well DAMN the difference in everything I experienced was amazing

The BBird did everything well, fast, smoothly. It DID go around corners bloody fast (to the surprise and disbelief of many!) and I even did my first trackdays on it. The second one had worn patches on the front fairings behind the wheel - so it could be leant over and cornered with some aggression!

But the VTwin - well Damn, I had to be a lot more involved with everything to get the same out. It made me work harder. But I bloody loved that!

I'd delinked the brakes on the BBird because it was essentially my first bike so I felt I should learn to ride without that aid. I'd raised the rear shock and dropped the bars on the forks (Ok, I didn't, a friend did it for me!). And yes, it made it more exciting and fun, but for the last few years of ownership I did describe it as a 'twist and go' bike. I'd have one again tomorrow if I had the garage but only for certain things. Long distance and carrying pillion and luggage it excels.


It could be played with but there wasn't ever the same thrill from that as there was from the TLs!!

It isn't top of my list of bikes that I want to go play silly buggers with!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255275235441 ... SwIaBhtowm

Buy your own here!

Hello gents, well a bit of an update on my 2 years or so now in the company of several FP1's

Needless to say from the off i know i am very lucky to be living the dream, the thought of ever owning a FP1 let alone riding one was one of those "pinch me" moments and was the pinnacle of my motorcycling career.
It still is - i can honestly say there is still no other bike i want as much or feel is my next direction and i am very happy with what i have achieved with a FP1 and all it has brought me (bad and good)

There have been loads of highlights, and a few lows.
The highs have been those early morning or late night rides out around Cheshire or North wales on my own enjoying my bike and its soundtrack, it has proved fairly comfortable to live with even at my old age and state of fitness, and it has excelled in many areas too.
Reliability has been remarkable for such a fickle machine, needing little more than fluids and some care and cleaning.
Items of weakness in 1400 miles have shown to be the Rectifier - a service item almost, clutch slave - a bit crap and Oberon are trying to match me one right now or make me some, also the Wiring loom has proved to be a little lame in a couple of areas with some connections badly soldered (if at all and are nothing more than twisted together)
Costs have been pretty stiff, but compared to running and maintaining a R7 (The real one not the new twin) this is actually a walk in the park but still a bit more than say a RC30 or RC45.
My FP1 has made the press quite a bit, appeared online and on social media from being spotted out in the wild, to passing it to Jenny (Tinmouth, i sponsor Jenny and she is a good trusted friend) for a few jobs here and there, so chances are any FP1 you have seen over the last 2 - 3 years is mine.

One thing that has been a bit of a surprise was parking the bike anywhere or pulling up somewhere like J&S or Betwys in a sea of bikes and bikers, and i can honestly say, no one has a bloody clue what it is or have any idea just how rare or special these bikes are.
If i saw one parked up i would be doing my nut and blowing my load and likely in a state of shock actually seeing one in the flesh let alone being used. Yet most simply either have no idea, don't care or really dismiss it as its an "old bike" and this i feel is more indicative of my difference compared to your average biker or bike nut. One chap even after asking what it was (and being told) said "oh so its a painted Triumph then" to which i replied "yeah mate" before finishing my brew and kitting up to leave.
So why even type this when most simply don't care or have any interest - well for the one or two that do and can appreciate to significance of someone actually using one as intended i guess.

Anyway back to the saga, late in 2021 by pure fluke i crossed paths with someone who was quite significant and part of the "Project Misty" team right from the very start of the bikes adaption for WSB and more importantly the road bike development. After lots of time on the phone and an exchange of stories, he let slip he had built a spare bike / rolling chassis based on one of the D frames (development frames and early race frames) and was complete just missing an engine and loom with loads of spares and tooling.
A price was agreed and i went down to collect it - and what a treasure trove that turned out to be.
Tooling, documentation and spares this was proper dream come true and still nearly 15 months on i am going through the technical data, marketing material, FIM letters and service data and even things like SVA certificates with manually written workshop data with revised specs and data.
However there were a load of CDRW's and DVD's included which where an unknown as he couldn't open anything.
Turns out there are CAD drawings of most of the bikes parts, frame jig details, - the data contained here is simply overwhelming i cannot emphasise enough the significance of the haul and after some discussion with my man in the UK and Malaysia, its quite apparent i have way more technical data than they do and are keen to share information.
What it has done is give me a positive advantage now to keep my Bikes running and for the long term.

Now when i say Bikes - i mean bikes.
With the original 2 zero mile bikes i bought back in 2020 and also the rolling chassis bike, i have since purchased another 0 mile bike bringing the dominating colour scheme in my garage to a Panache green and 4 bikes.

Bike #4 has been done slightly differently though, i wanted to do a race rep, and the obvious default choice would have been a foggy or corser rep (certainly corser as i do have his race frame and swingarm) however for me there was only one choice.
The late great Craig Jones stood out to me and was one i felt showed huge potential and had a superb career ahead of him before he was tragically killed. After a bit of back and forth with his parents to check they were ok with me doing a bike based on Craigs race bike - they very much approved the idea which was fantastic and enough to get the wheels in motion as his dad sent me over Craigs numbers and decals and fonts making replication so much easier.
It has taken over a year since ordering the bike to it landing and then dealing with the painter and the specific requirements compared to the stock road bikes, and then a friend who did all the wrapping, decals and artwork.

I am delighted to share the result with you all.





The bodykit has now been swapped over with my high mileage well used bike and vice versa, so this will be potentially seen around Chester on the daily commute and around North wales / Cheshire.

So mods to the bike

The only mod i plan on doing on this point is to remove the unsightly undertray and rear light assembly (which is from a Aprilia SR50 scooter)
I plan on getting a plate welded to the underside of the exhaust with some captive dzus nuts so i can make a quick release strip containing some high intensity indicators and lights in a neat thin strip like was fitted to the PB Blade project i bought and a numberplate, all connected to the OEM waterproof connector on the loom.
This will neaten the back end of the bike up and make it a little less "starship enterprise" but also allow for a sleeker arse end and give a bit more clearance for trackdays when it gets a beefing and squats under my weight on the straights.

I like the bikes standard, but i have no issue in modding small bits on these.

GENT wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 10:06 am <snip>

One thing that has been a bit of a surprise was parking the bike anywhere or pulling up somewhere like J&S or Betwys in a sea of bikes and bikers, and i can honestly say, no one has a bloody clue what it is or have any idea just how rare or special these bikes are.
If i saw one parked up i would be doing my nut and blowing my load and likely in a state of shock actually seeing one in the flesh let alone being used. Yet most simply either have no idea, don't care or really dismiss it as its an "old bike" and this i feel is more indicative of my difference compared to your average biker or bike nut. One chap even after asking what it was (and being told) said "oh so its a painted Triumph then" to which i replied "yeah mate" before finishing my brew and kitting up to leave.

I'd just assume it was a replica as I didn't even know these type of bikes were ever sold on! Given that sportbikes of any description aren't my thing i'd probably just stroll past and not pay it any attention. Its not disrepectful or anything, just some bike people aren't into bike racing.

I'm nearly 40 and I'm probably about the youngest person you'll find who really remembers Foggy "in the day" or the FP1. Sadly it really is just an old bike to alot of people.

Me on the other hand...I'd spot the shade of blue/green 3 car parks over

Loads of people probably think it's a Mercedes F1 tie in

[/quote]

Potter wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:19 am Brilliant thread, I've just read the whole thing again.

Any news on what happened to the other 60-odd that were apparently in a UK warehouse? As far as I can tell they did actually exist.

Ah the MCN bollocks lol, they did kind of exist, however factor in the 75 UK built bikes had the racing allocation taken from that, so i think closer to 40 complete working bikes - at best.

So by the time that "scoop" broke they were already in Malaysia and impounded by the govt. the picture surfaced because a Chinese company were invited in to buy the remaining bikes, tooling and everything for a 7 figure sum, they declined but took a couple of pics for Due dil, one of which was leaked.

They did all end up in Malaysia with the exception of around 12 or 13 bikes which went to Switzerland as part of a good will gesture, and these then trickled out with most ending up at Lanzante and their consortium that bought most of them with the intention of restoring them to flog to wealthy folk for top money.

Taipan wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 12:07 pm
I'd just assume it was a replica as I didn't even know these type of bikes were ever sold on! Given that sportbikes of any description aren't my thing i'd probably just stroll past and not pay it any attention. Its not disrepectful or anything, just some bike people aren't into bike racing.

100% agreed, i have no interest in much before the 80's bikes, so can totally relate to this

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 1:21 pm I'm nearly 40 and I'm probably about the youngest person you'll find who really remembers Foggy "in the day" or the FP1. Sadly it really is just an old bike to alot of people.

Me on the other hand...I'd spot the shade of blue/green 3 car parks over

Loads of people probably think it's a Mercedes F1 tie in

Yep the colours seem to have made a resurgence recently with the FHO racing colours in BSB etc.

Its mad to think that the bike is 20 years old and it still looks stunning and quite cutting edge. of course compared to anything new and modern its slow and antiquated but the engineering gone into this is quite something, very much the Delorean of the bike world really.
There is deffo a book / Netflix documentary here on this bike

Bloody brillaint

Potter wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:15 am There is definitely a good story there, but as you've said yourself, I don't know how many people even know what they are, so how many would buy the book or watch the documentary.

Aside from that though, you've found one of those very rare things that has taken you on a real journey from a dream to an actual bike(s).

I'm still going to believe that the mythical warehouse exists though, one day I'll be chatting to someone and he'll mention some old bikes in a warehouse on a trading estate in Dewsbury, he won't know what they are and open up the door to show me sixty of them sitting there

Essex innit!

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new ... onas-fp1s/

But they went back to Malaysia...

A one miler just popped up for sale on my Friendface...

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 1607440056

£46500!!!!!!!