Made me smile looking at the standard red blade at the NEC yesterday I would say they have changed the electrics, subframe and bodykit, the rest looks very similar to last years the frame, forks, wheels, swing arm etc . But as the guy on the stand said why change what works ; ) Now the RCV on the Honda stand......that just looked special!!!
Totally agree, if you compare base model, just wearing some new clothes and updated electronics.... yeh so the frame is a few microns thinner and different subframe and clocks and more HP engine! But is it enough?? Just reminds me of the updated 08/12 changes, But then again if it ain't broke don't try and fix it! I still think it's going to be a great package, But as good as the rest??? Who knows... I don't think it's going to be a game changer somehow! Now the Suzuki could be
Could not agree more, wasn't blown away by anything on the standard model. Looking down at the same old top yoke, forks and brakes. It's going to have to ride like a dream because on paper at the minute the GSXR1000 and ZX10 are the ones to have IMHO.
I'm not loving the look if I'm honest! But It might be a grower.... what I do like is the fact they have introduced some new technology direct from Moto GP or so that say!! I still prefer the look of my old K5...
I wish did get good money for it... 12 large ones! But it did have a proper BSB spec motor.... best bike I've ever owned.... I know your K5 used to belong to a wealthy lady down in Charminster called Angie, she brought it brand new from Crescents. Small world
I spent more time looking at the R1M, ZX10r and S1000rr. Went straight to the Honda stand and passed the std, shall we call it and then to the SP2, yes it's a nice bike but just was looking at all the parts the same as mine. But who buys a bike that's nice, I want a wow or keep looking at pics of one like I did when I bought my Repsol 09. Like I'm doing with HP4's or R1M's. Not moaning, just sad and let down by Honda.
Yes angie bullock your right top man,Dave they are truly the best bike before the emissions came in ,your bike looked superb boss
I had a good look around the new Blade, it was nice and is bound to be a good solid package. The added bonus or not is the fact it has the electronics to match the Kwaks,Yams and such like. However, I'm sorting the forks and rear shock on mine in the next few weeks along with a Dyno ECU flash. All the parts I've sourced have come from a member of this forum at a reasonable price. After I'll have a proper sorted bike. Would a new 15k Blade be any better than mine? I can't see it. Looking forward to the reviews though.
You say the electronics match the Kwak and Yam but I thought the new Blade only had a five axis IMU where the others have a six axis i.e. No cornering abs.
I didn't actually mean match as in match performance, I think Honda were maybe under pressure to bring out a 200bhp game changer to keep up with the rest.
Ok. Actually I think the kwak only has a five axis imu. I quite liked the look of the new blade but I don't think Honda have done enough. The standard model isn't that different to the outgoing model apart from the electrics and new clothes, and the sp just carries over the bling from the current model. Hopefully when they test ride it I'll be proved wrong. Unfortunately at the moment MCN is just like a sales brochure for the manufacturers so can't rely on their tests. Really miss Kevin Ash at times like this.
Looking at Motorcycle Sport & Leisure, December edition, Page 12, article about the new Fireblade Reborn: They have a run down of the power to weight ratios of a selection of 2017 sportsbikes: Kawasaki H2R - 1.42 bhp/kg Ducati Panigale R - 1.1 bhp/kg Suzuki GSXR - 0.99 bhp/kg Yamaha R1M - 0.99 bhp/kg Honda Fireblade - 0.97 bhp/kg Kawasaki ZX10R - 0.96 bhp/kg BMW SRR - 0.94 bhp/kg Honda have done this partly by making the bike much lighter, rather than throwing horse power at it - the thing is "only" 189 bhp in road trim, and it is already right up there above the SRR and ZX10 in terms of power to weight ratio. I chose my HRC Fireblade in 2015 because McGuinness won the Senior TT breaking the lap record - lovely looking bike and he broke the TT lap record on it (slow and boring eh - yeah right !!) The stage is set, this thing could be a legend.
Yeh she had quite a collection including Ducati 998R and An MV Tamborini, she purchased the black K5 after Crashing her 1st Yellow/Black one off in Europe, She came down to Valencia back in 2006, I had my K5 at the time but opted to go down on my R6 race bike..that was a mega week ..... Mine was totally bonkers! They were 166Kgs dry and loads of power from standard. Mine was making 178 and was 10kgs lighter than that! Was totally insane. All theses new bikes may well have just shy of 200BHP but still don't compare with the power to weight!, plus too many people relying on all them electronics to sort things out..... my blade as it stands is the closest thing to my old K5... it's now a better handling and braking bike but the engine still doesn't have that massive midrange punch.... intoxicating
Power to weight only works if haven't got an eighteen stone fat lad on it. Unless they've managed to get hold of a 2017 blade (doubtful) and the others then they're going on declared weights (manufacturers wouldn't lie, would they?). I'm also guessing they're using the weight of the sp2 with its lighter weight components. For me personally, Honda would have been better giving their engine some "character" (V4 or crossplane) and just dumping the iffy abs in favour of the Bosch system.
