Rode one yesterday, fantastic handling and turn in however felt so slow compared with my Aprilia RSV4 RF. It was quick above 10,000 RPM but took a while to get there. Also at £15,500 not a cheap bike
What was the front brake like ? The demo that I rode had soft front brake - certainly no one finger braking like you can do at times on the Blade. I just figured it was because it was all new.
Initially the front brake was very poor, however the bike had only done around 500miles and don't think they were bedded in and had not been used in anger. During the test ride the brakes improved and by the time I returned the bike they were fine, definitely better than the brakes on the blade. After years of Brembo brakes on Ducati's I have always found the brakes on Jap Superbikes poor especially the brakes on the new R1. I replaced the brake components on the blade with Brembo calipers, Brembo RCS master cylinder and braided hoses to bring it up to scratch. Overall handling was great, brakes were adequate just felt the engine performance was under whelming. However just read the MCN review which says the GSXR1000 is the fastest 0-60mph and 0-100mph. The bike that I rode must have been broken as my Aprilia felt so much faster. As a daily commuter the GSXR would be extremely comfortable and capable, but just not exciting.
Engine mode maybe? I know the dealers I've had demo with always seem to put in low mode. Which is weird as they are trying to sell the thing? The ones I've seen on track and like you the figures in mcn would suggest its a beast... But sometimes when you ride em isn't always the case hey the exhaust also make a huge diff with the cat strangling the bike. Rode the 2016 zx10 with stock on and was terrible. They are diff bike with a can and link pipe
I rode two different GSXR demo bikes one had 540miles the other 320miles the front brake was the same on both, a bit soft and spongy the ZX10R has the same brakes I believe, and that had done 1800miles it was a bit better but not by much. The Panagali had done 2000 miles and also has the same brake calipers and was better then the GSXR and ZX10. Don't know if the master cylinders are different. The blade I rode (Standard) had done 1300miles and that was much better. So are the Brembo's they fit really any better than the Tokico and are they different to the Brembo you buy as an upgrade.
Yes but which Brembo Calipers ? the ones fitted to the GSXR and ZX10r certainly are not, well not in my experience having tested both the bikes back to back with the blade. I have not used Brembo's on track though so can't compare, my R1 track bike had Tokico with SBS dual carbon pads and they were pretty good.
Maybe it's not the calipers but the abs? New lines and blanked off abs on my 959 and the breaks are absolutely brilliant. Stock breaks on blade and zx10 are good, but fade on track. Even m4's are way better imo
Once Id got some heat into the GSXR front brakes they were fine. However would change them for track use
If they are fading on track, I would think it's down to the pads rather than the callipers and master cylinder. With Tokico calipers I found the SBS DC pads brilliant on track, and as an instructor I would often do consecutive sessions and they got used hard. Stock pads for road use are obviously designed to work well from cold, but will then suffer with excess heat. Brembo will have designed better pads to suit.
Used sbs dual carbon and gp fax and they faded. Sprint races not too bad but much worse in endurance races...
none any more gave up 5 years ago, I had a spinal decompression operation due to a prolapsed disc in my neck, so was advised not to do it. Did a year with UK bike trackdays they only lasted a year the owner lost quite a few grand as we didn't fill the days enough, it was great fun for us as instructors as the numbers were small so loads of space on track and we could go out as much as we liked. The guy's I worked with were great, most of them were racers so much quicker then me, I learned a lot over the year though and got much quicker. Did mostly Snetterton and Cadwell but also Oulton Park
