"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" says the guy with the most modded bike (probably) on the forum....oh ummm
It was far from broke But that's not to say you can't improve on what you have..... just like sharpening your pencil Everything works in perfect harmony..... making it all the more pleasing to ride It now feels like it's far more characterful and definitely a weapon in the right hands
Not sure if this one's been shared already, but Visordown have pitched in now; http://www.visordown.com/road-tests...1000r-vs-fireblade-vs-r1-vs-zx-10r-vs-s1000rr I think next year I'd actually be tempted to take the Suzuki for a spin.
Certainly disagree with their findings, I have spoken to several riders who said the blade brakes were far better than the Suzuki I rode the GSXR and Blade back to back and found the blade brakes far better. MCN said the Suzuki brakes were the worst of the bunch So how can two different groups of journalists find something specifically so different, unless they just make it up to sell the magazines, and why is it they all have a different favourite. If it was just 1 rider fair enough but group tests ?
They sell their soles to the highest bidder. Just like every other magazine regardless of topic. T.W.O mag seemed to break that trend and look what happened to them. Because let's face it, if your gonna slate a ??? Insert any topic from motorcycles, cars, hi-fi, TVs, toasters whatever. Don't expect any advertising revenue from the manufacturer. What a jaded world I live in.
They sell their soles to the highest bidder. Just like every other magazine regardless of topic. T.W.O mag seemed to break that trend and look what happened to them. Because let's face it, if your gonna slate a ??? Insert any topic from motorcycles, cars, hi-fi, TVs, toasters whatever. Don't expect any advertising revenue from the manufacturer. What a jaded world I live in.
The mags being co-opted is only part of it. The design runs like a cancer controlling the narrative and direction of motorcycling. Who's asked for Euro4 silencers? Who's asked for electric bikes? Why does the IoM pretend a Zero bike is worth a TT, and legends like McGuinness give it credibility by holding the trophy? Your only hope is don't buy the new products.
The mags being co-opted is only part of it. The design runs like a cancer controlling the narrative and direction of motorcycling. Who's asked for Euro4 silencers? Who's asked for electric bikes? Why does the IoM pretend a Zero bike is worth a TT, and legends like McGuinness give it credibility by holding the trophy? Your only hope is don't buy the new products.
Does anyone now how new 2017MY sales are going? I know of 3 people (personally) who have got new blades. 2 are on PCP and the other bought his outright! I took one out for a test ride (last month) and the sales guy was calling me weekly to chase me. He's stopped now but he did seem very keen at the time......
All bike sales are down if you believe the figures from Visordown and the Motorcycle Industry Association; http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/bike-sales-having-shocker "Custom and sports bikes, two areas where manufacturers will have hoped for growth, with new models like the Honda Fireblade and a number of scramblers and cafe racers, also seem to have taken a battering, down 21.1% and 24.6% respectively." Honda UK were having a mare getting a hold of bikes. When I spoke to the sales guy I know at the local showroom last month they were scouting around Europe to try and find some.
Honda did not sell all of their Frieblades YM 2015 and YM 2016 (see Honda website). People do not want – and most of them can’t – pay 15.300 GBP Plus, for a Standard Blade which comes with a Dakota Pipeline Exhaust. The finance offers are crap and the reputation after some races in WSBK, BSB, and Isle of Man etc. are down the drainpipe. It seems to be that Honda doesn’t care and hopes, that the hard core Fireblade Customers are going to buy it anyway.
I think the hardcore owners will buy it and for the most part they'll be getting a very good bike, personally I think it's too expensive and I'm. Or keen on PCP after being screwed on a car deal in the early days. I have no allegiance to motorcycle manufacturers so I tend to pick the best I can afford to buy, at the minute that's about £11k so rules out all new sportsbikes so I'll either keep my Blade or go for something like the GSXS1000 or the BMWS1000r. When riding around I've noticed less New sports bikes out and about, don't think I've seen an R1 this year, plenty of 4-5 year old model bikes so maybe people are being a bit smarter and letting someone else take the big hit.
Agreed, too expensive - especially with no race winning pedigree (yet !) And Sportsbikes seem to be going further away from everyday use. The small fuel tanks, high revving motors with loads of top end power are not really that useful to me. Granted lots of riders use their bikes for track days, so understood the move to more track focused bikes. I remember 'chasing' a BMW GS1200 up one of the mountain passes in the Alps and being amazed at the low down grunt of the thing out of corners - a bit like riding a supermoto. I want a bit more of that really, rather than top end whack. See how this new GSX S1000f gets on (when I get it) doing stuff like that
I think kawasaki are selling 3 or 4 times as many z1000sx as the zx10r I've said before a reworked 2016 blade to compete would be a popular choice as more using bikes for longer trips but not everyone wants an adventure bike or full on weight of a big tourer. Sent from my E6853 using Tapatalk
Agreed the 2015/16 Blade is an excellent tourer - not sure I could do this so well with the new Blade, R1, GSXR, V4 Factory...... Agreed also do not want a specific tourer myself, because touring is about riding the bike. The thought process is - nice bike, take it for a ride to South of France, and not - what is the best bike to tour the South of France on - if you see what I mean (within reason). The Blade has been excellent. Makes good power, quite fuel efficient even at decent speeds, as it makes quite a small hole through the air. Excellent for filtering, when the big adventure riders and their hard cases are stuck because they cannot filter easily with their wide bikes . Get tucked in behind the screen and you can cover big distances even into cold wind or rain. The Blade has been fantastic, nearly 19,000 miles in two years - brilliant. Is the new Blade as able to carry on this - for me, no. It has gone track focused and expensive. Fine, I will get something else then.
I have to say I would have bought the new one if it wasn't for the £5500 price hike over what I paid for my 2015 Blade. I have a nice enough car that I actually enjoy driving and my bike is now not my primary transport. At the moment there's nothing different, exciting enough or financially viable to allow my man maths to make this work.
At the end of the day, it's all about how thick is your wallet ..... Peoples systematically like complaining about things in general that they just can't afford
Well...my wallets pretty thick, but my head isn't. .. So....until they get the niggles & price sorted I'll stick with the older version
