Just wondering what drew people to the Blade? For me its the great reviews i keep reading about them, the price and deals that seem to be about at the moment and the fact that there are not to many around Andover with the newer model (the in thing here at the mo is the GSXR750 k6 onwards). I have also owned a few sports bikes but never the Honda. The GSXR 750 K7 was a cracking bike for the road and track not to much power and always behaved for me. I found it really helped with my riding on the road and track. Then i went to the 2008 R1 and initially found the bike too much for me on the road, front wheel seemed to be lifting over every little bump and this was quite unsettling for me approaching corners at naughty speeds i can tell you. I stuck with her though, had the suspension tweeked a little (found out the top yoke was 2mm lower on one fork in the process!) and started running Diablo SuperCorsa sp tyres. Bike felt way more planted and gave me confidence back in the front end. I am sure once i have ridden the Blade it will confirm everything i have read about the bike. Anyone else come from the Suzuki/Yamaha fold over to the blade and what was your first impression?
Wanted to build a Streetfighter. Everybody had Gixxers with skinny frames. saw the naked Blade frame and that made my mind up. !!!
For me its the reputation (although the recent oil thingy is a bit upsetting), the history, and build quality. I use my bike to commute on but don't see why i should settle for the usual commuter fodder, so a Repsol 2010 blade is on my very short short list. The look of the thing just pulls attention from all quaters. I went off to the lake district for the day and only got back a few hours ago, i saw an all black (new shape) blade parked up next to another all black CB..... To be honest it did not look that impressive, i think the colour you get the bike in is so important, a bike like a blade needs to stand out and the Repsol edition does that in spades............ i will have a 2010 Repsol Blade, come what may.
I never wanted a sports bike. but when the new shape blade come out I loved the looks of it. It got rave reviews everywhere. So last year I wanted to change bikes and the only 2 sports bikes I want was the blade or BMW 1000rr. Test rode both. Both stunning bikes. But the bmw was 2k more. and did not have the mid range grunt I loved from my Speed triple. The blade has got this, comfy, looks great and everything I want. just as simple as that
I wanted a gixer 1000 but saw my repsol and loved the colour (and the price) now loving every min on the blade
went to look at an MV agusta but it was just being sold, sat on a 04 blade and thought "this feels nice", then i saw an 07 HRC and i had to have it
had triumph 955i daytona not the most reliable bike owned! After that went for Honda reputation of reliability and ease to ride. Blimey it shifts loving this 'boring' biking what a load of media tosh
For me it was the size . Its hardly any bigger than my old CBR600RR-7 , until you start the engine you wouldn't know your on a litre bike. I test rode all the litre bikes bar the ducati's and the blade was most comfortable on the road whilst still feeling aggressive enough for track days. The only thing im going to change Positioning wise is rear sets to put my feet back a little.
I owned a very modded 99 R1 and I just wanted a new bike, I test rode as many bikes as I could firstly the R1 as i thought i would love it to bits but got off it massively disapointed, feels to big, snatchy throttle quite ugly imo, then tried a couple of nakeds cb1000r and KTM 990 superduke both ok bike the SD is better but made me realise I still wanted a supersport. Tried the RSV4 factory, sounds amazing looks great etc etc but £16500 or £14000 for the R is to much and they are to track focused for me. Then went out on the blade and it is so so good, I cannot fault it (appart from it needs a can, which I have ordered), it looks great, handles superbly and 0% finance makes it one of the most affordable and you know its going to be reliable. This is all personnal preferance, everyone is different and I found not all bikes suited me or my riding style. The blade is the best out there IMO.
Had a k1 gixxer and a new kwaka er6n.Tristram (soonbedead) had a 2011 hrc for a weekend while his 06 blade was in for servicing etc.He came straight round to my work and said "you've gotta get one of these cos it rides so well and is bloody quick".I went out for a ride with him and it looked surreal watching him blast by my gixxer on a bike so quiet.When we took it back Kent m/c's threw me the keys and let me have it for an hour.An hour to the minute later I came back and bought one.I even to this day think I could have passed my test on one cos it is so easy to ride.
Holy thread resirectom. To add a stock blade ridden by a lady has been recorded at the sale flats going just over 200mph, not the clock but a true reading . So faster than 186
Bought my first Blade due to the fact a car driver knocked me off my Gixa while I was stationary waiting to join the traffic on an Island. I was given a loan bike, firstly they offered me a Blackbird which I told them to keep then I was offered a 06 blade, ummmmmmm quite fancy trying one of those, after riding the bike for 2 days the love affair started from there. Fantastic bike.
I had the urge to move up from my old ZX6R and originally went looking for an R1, i looked at & test rode a few, i even liked the full on way it lifted as it felt like i was in control and near to the limit, but when i started bidding on some 1litre bikes on ebay I got lucky when i found that i won the bidding on an '06 Blade and trailered it home from Scotland, turned out to be in really good nick and i'm really happy with it.
I had a VFR800 as I thought management may want to come on the back. That didn't happen so I decided to test a 600RR which as good as it was felt a bit too small, hence took it back and there was a Blade sat there Once I climbed on that baby I had an instant grin on my face! Decision made, the Blade was the only bike for me
had a z1000 fancied a change wanted a twin duc's too expensive,aprillia's to tall (5'6"me) ,see my rr7 hrc loved the look,sat on it loved it,rode it loved it,bought it
A 'stock' 'blade exceeding 200mph? Hmmm, I'm finding that hard to believe mate. Also; bits of this post I don't understand :- 'Holy thread resirectom.', 'recorded at the sale flats' Can you clarify and tell us more please?
