My clutch is fine felt good. Build quality I don't really care panels come off and track ones go on. It's under the panels that concerns me and it seems good apart from I notice the side engine mount bolts need tightening occasionally Fueling well who doesn't have a bike mapped nowadays Position well surely u try before u buy
All I'm going to say is...buy bikes because you want them, not because someone else says they're the best
Totally Agree ... I bought it because I thought it would be a superb comprise for a road superbike despite having Yamahas for years ... It's a good bike but needs further fettling to be perfect.
lol, I just swapped back from Honda (after many years) to Yamaha as the blades are just too cramped for me these days. P.S. IMHO all these bikes need shorter gearing, I generally find the stock gearing ridiculously high, for road use anyway.
I must admit I'm finding the blade a bit cramped compared to my old R1 ... But mainly on the knees which rearsets will sort.
When I watched the R1 launch a certain Mr Rossi said that with the new R1 offering 200bhp, it needed all of the rider aids for you to be able to ride it. Impossible without them. So is a 200bhp bike that much better when some of the riding is being done for you? I am not a fast rider by any means, and do quite like the fact that my Blade hasn't got all of the rider aids on it. Just my opinion
Even having the pegs back 20mm from standard on the Blade makes a big difference on the knees. I also suffered from sore knees until I fitted rearsets.
I love my Blade and will be keeping it for a while yet..... but I must admit that, when it comes time to change it, I don't see me getting another.......!
Fair one!!! But even if I think of buying another brand a voice in my head says "have a word with yourself"
Interested to see what honda will do with the next gen blade.. They have allways said road bikes don't need electronics (appart from abs) wonder if they will jump on the band wagon... I guess they have to with every other manufacture going that route if it's what the buying public want..
You may be right lambchops, I expect sales will be the key decision maker. Honda though have tended in the past to follow their own ideals rather than competitors. Fireblades for example have IMO always been bikes that are fast but not wild, while some of the other manufacturers went for all out power with maybe not the control they could have had eg early R1, ZX10R's and GSXR's etc. Bland is often a word used to describe the Blade, I just look at is as a very well thought out road bike, power with control and also reliability. If I was a racer or track day guy, the Blade would probably not be my first choice as I would get hacked off with being outgunned on the straights and having to make it up on the corners. Blades still have a lot of very usable low down grunt.
Exactly the issue I have ... I ran Gilles AS31GT on my R1 and was super comfy ... With the blade I feel my knees are too forward hence hips sitting high on the bike ... Going back and a tiny bit lower will sort it.
I was very lucky to get a tour of the Honda Racing BSB factory in Louth a couple of years ago. The guy in the engine bay said Honda make road bikes that go on the track not the other way round. since then they have brought out the fireblade SP which is a 'Track Focussed' road bike. Look how they have stalled and are not really keen to produce the RCV road bike, due to pressure they have produced it but have slapped a massive price on it so they don't end up on the road.
I thought my clutch cable was stuffed when I first experienced this. Never had this on any other bike.
"Gearboxes aren't any good for Quick shifters " !? Im sure theres plenty on here that will disagree with that one mate ! Never noticed a clutch issue at all either ! Ive got a RR6 and it has great build quality compared to all the other makes I've had over the years ! Its a bit bigger than the later blades and that suits me as I'm 6'2" and 16-17 stone. Ive been riding for 24 years on the road and the thing i love about riding is being at one with it, and when we start going for it, i love to feel a bit of a fight going on.. Ive got no abs, no traction control etc, so its just me and a raw bike.. I love the look of S1000rr and Panigales etc, but I'm a purist, and I'm gonna keep flying that flag as long as i can for the lack of rider assistance, and I'm still staying with, or passing these new bikes on the whole through sheer determination ! I look to bike racing of the past and the heroes it made ! Prior to 2003 there was none of this rider assistance happening anywhere in bike racing and real men fought hard with their bikes to become the legends they are... I look at my bike and i love it... Im doing a few little bits and bobs to make it work better for me, and yes, now and then i get drawn to the idea of something new, but no, my bike was top of its game before all the new technologies started and changing the game, so I'm gonna stick by her !! Just my humble view...
Clutch - Cant comment I only use it to race. Feels fine for that! QS - The box doesnt like it, nope! Im on my 2nd gearbox now. BMW QS is shite compared to HM. Most rip it off for racing and put a HM on anyway so take from that what you will. TC - Dont need it ABS - Dont want it personally, I suppose if thats what youre after though Build Quality, top notch. Well built imo. Power - Same torque as a BMW/Kwak. When are you ever going 200mph? You not notice blade did very well in superstock last year? Thats a very good benchmark of the quality of the bike in its most standard racing form. If you want a bling'er bike then buy one. I bet it wont make a slight difference to your riding out of the box. The bike youre the fastest on is the one you are most comfy on and know how it rides imo! Unless youre a WSBK racer that I dont know of
