I think the Yamaha gp bike has the cross plane crank engine configuration which is the same as the m1 engined r1. Certainly when the bikes went past a Silverstone the engine sounded similar. Though the Honda gp bike has a totally different engine configuration to the blade?
Chalk that up as a win for the Yamaha marketing men then Neither of these bikes are anything like the MotoGP bikes (but you know that really).
The road R1 takes from the cross plane crank technology of the M1 but have massive differences. The road bike runs on 5valves per cylinder and the M1 4valves per cylinder. After that there is approximately another 500k+ of differences including "reinforced, cross drilled, anodized carbon rotator spools" whatever that means....
I just think t myself what is the point of 200bhp when you need electronics to reign it all in by killing power and applying brakes to probably less bhp than our Blades to make it usable on the road? It's just all the more to go wrong as well, only Aprilia has a well sort bike to begin with and that shows! The electronics enhance the bike rather than govern it! Unlike the other techno queens where without there leccy safety nets they wouldn't be in the competition.
Just taken this off the Honda exhibition write up from the N.E.C motorcycle live website. Honda | Motorcycle Live 2013 "Honda is gearing up for this year’s action-packed Motorcycle Live show at the NEC, where a number of its exciting new-for-2014 models will be on show to a UK audience for the very first time. Many of the new Honda models will have been unveiled only a few weeks earlier at the International Motorcycle Show in Milan (EICMA), so visitors to Motorcycle Live will be amongst the first in Europe to see the latest offerings from the Japanese manufacturer. We can’t tell you what the new models are just yet, but Honda will be making announcements in early November 2013, so watch this space and keep an ear to the ground for further news from Honda." Not long to go for an answer i guess
I agree with pretty much every word of that, although the other manufacturer's bikes would still be great without the over-use of electronics.
It's like going back some 20 years now with the likes of the early Porsches turbos with tremendous BHP given that the current tyre and brake technology at the time was horrible. It did not stop the likes of the car manufacturers producing vehicles that were too powerful and were not great to drive. Bike manufacturers have been doing the same, even back to the 70s when the early GT750 were born, sure it gained a reputation of being a handful but it sold really well. We all live in a world where some is to much like some of the exotic sports cars that can top 250 mph, but man has an ego that say's 'I can handle it ' So why can't we have some 240 bhp bike that is straight from Moto GP for the road? I now for sure that if you made one then buyers will magically appear.
We will never know mate because any road tests done are nearly always the best model used at the time of the shootout! I think the worse offender is MV Agusta F4R! It's actually laughable how unfinished and unreliable it is when it's not breaking down on road tests, there is a whole in the power delivery the same size as the one in your wallet after buying one!
Personally i think the blade offers one of the best overall packages available and here is why . . . . the cbr1000rr retail price is £11,600 and £12,200 with abs, the all singing and dancing bmw hp4 will cost you £16,700 whilst the aprillia rsv4 factory will set you back £16,932, this means the fireblade is around £4,500 - £5,300 cheaper, now lets see what bling you can add to the fireblade for that kind of money Full akrapovic exhaust system £1200 Bazzaz fuel module + traction control + quickshifter £ 600 Brembo M4 callipers £ 600 Brembo rcs m/c + fittings £ 300 hel braided lines £ 60 ohlins ttx rear shock £ 1200 K-tech front fork piston + spring kit £ 445 gilles vcr rear sets £ 370 sub total £ 4775 + £11,600 = £16,375 £ 4775 + £12,200 = £16,975 (abs) if you go for the non abs version and sell all the standard parts you could just afford to add a set of dymag UP7X wheels to the list i think this puts things into perspective a little bit better and makes the cbr1000rr a serious machine, i know which bike i would then be ridding out of the showroom
I am still in the Honda camp, but I was seriously looking at this offer. Motorcycles Direct Aprillia RSV4 1000 R APRC ABS Factory for £14,999 tempted? or just an Aprilia RSV4 1000 R APRC ABS for £12,349
Only downside with doing the above is the resultant Insurance problems with it being a heavily modded bike. Either getting a realistic quote in the first place and/or getting a fair payout on a claim. A lot of insurance policies now allow modded bikes but ignore the mods in a claim so you only get book price on a standard bike. The other 2 have another 20bhp or so on top. Resale will be significantly down as well.
Not to mention the grief of doing it all! If I was mr marketing man at Honda, I'd just keep everyone happy. Update the bike with more powerful engine, sexy refreshing look and go all European and offer different models. Cbr1000rr - £12.5k 190 bhp, same spec as current bike (maybe 3 mode Tc for getting to grips with bike) every mans superbike. Cbr1000rr s - £14.5k 190 bhp, Brembos, sexy suspension, nice wheels, and an s sticker! Cbr1000rr r - £17.5k 190 bhp, all as s with full toy whore package. Keeps everyone happy, includes the needs of the above 74 posts. I'd personally stop looking around and buy the S tomorrow thank you mr Honda.
Why is everyone ignoring these shoot out results? I don't disagree that Honda clearly need to do something to keep up with the bragging rights of the other manufactures, lets face it pub talk/Wednesday night cafe meets around gadgets and power make your penis look bigger. The press love new stuff and big it up, the consumer goes weak at the knee's to have the latest, bikes sell. I thought long and hard about changing the RRA this year, in the end I didn't. Was the 2013 Blade one of the bikes I considered, nope simply because its not different enough to what I already have. Personally my head told me "6k for some wheels, suspension and clocks, no chance" whilst the Aprillia was extremely appealing, I decided I'd keep the blade for now and spend some cash refreshing it. So they need to do something to stay with bragging rights, which in turn sells bikes. Lets be honest, 10-20bhp could be lost in a riders waist size not to mention the size of their nuts.
I think outright horse power is not the way forward for Honda,it is how easy it is to ride fast that counts for fireblade sales.Honda has been the clear winner for some time now.I'd prefer an easy to ride bike than an absolute animal.A new bike with all the toys needs careful riding to learn how the thing behaves,predictability could be why the fireblade is the king of the road. They half improved the current model by the fork and shock changes,but it's not enough to sway a current 08-11 rider like me.I want it to excell everywhere looks,performance,braking,handling etc etc before my wallet gets another bashing.It will come lads
I think you said it Sideways, anyone who has an RR8 and above theres no point changing them.. The RR8 is getting on a bit now and owners will start looking for a new bike (rich buggers that is) Why buy the same bike as they already have?? They could just get a new style faring kit from HK and job done! Well unless its burning lots of oil but thats for another thread
I'm totally with you on this one Jimbo! As i am currently upping the spec of the brakes, power etc of my RR9 knowing that this will have a huge knock on effect with insurance when if these additional parts were available in model revisions then insurance would probably differ by around 20quid rather than 100's. The additional 3k of slutty upgrades to the RRR model has certainly excited my imagination this morning at work mate
Tend to agree, but would you still try a 200 bhp one if they had it on demo at h's - yes! Know I would, and I'd prob by it because it would excite me. Lol power modes overcome this problem, and it suits everyone as you can just turn it off Winning and reputations sells bikes. So if the new one was an animal, they'd still sell shed loads. It won't be though, because its a Honda, and it's not their direction.
