as title guys. Looking for a blade. Started off looking at an RR6/7 as didn’t like the RR8 but it’s now growing on me. Pros and cons of both? Which is better? My budget is £5000
I had an 05, 06 & 08; the 2008 bike for me was the better bike of the 3. The 2006 was a definite improvement over the 2005, but the 2008 felt like the bike they should have made after the 954. I owned all 3 from new and usually px'd after 2 years, so it would be worth doing some homework to see which of the 3 has fared better over the years. Some early 08's were reported to burn oil but it was supposedly fixed under a recall. In 2 years I only ever put tyres on mine and had it serviced, had no issues at all. I'm sure some long term owners will turn up soon.
Excellent recommendation, DF. There can be no better diagnosis than one from a person has has owned all 3. I still have a hankering for the 06 with the underseat exhaust, but I'm having to control myself in the event the new RVF DOES come into existence! Off to \Wolverhampton in a moment to collect a new sidestand for my MV. The bike had a non-original and my OCD can't cope with it .
This Friday going to Strefford's in Worcester. MV West Midlands displayed the worst ever customer service from the service department. In contrast, the parts manager is excellent. So, I'll buy parts there, but NEVER use the service department.
I had options when I bought mine, but just love the look of the 06, My mate has a 2013, it feels smaller and tighter than mine and In standard trim the newer bike seems to turn better. I've put a few nice bits and bobs on mine and its now spot on. I guess its all down to personel preference, try and get a ride on both.
Thanks for the input guys. For me the rr6/7 has it looks wise but now the 8s are growing on me. What bits have you added to yours Tezza?
Yeah I'd say DF is as good a recommendation as any having had both models. When I was in the market for a blade, I completely overlooked RR6/7 as I prefer the look of the the 08 onwards more. The previous is starting to look a bit dated now with the underseat exhaust and big wide seat unit. I admit that the blunt nose on the RR8 does take a little getting used to but for me its the best looking blade of all followed by the 954. It's all down to personal preference really and what will make you happy! It's a bit like choosing a woman.......she may look good on the outside but if there's no chemistry, you'll soon get bored
Bleedin' heck, Lozzy. Give him a couple of mouthfuls of helium, rope a basket to his ankles, and Sir Richard could make another around the world balloon attempt. (Of course I know you're sure miss him for a couple of weeks though)
That my friend is a beautiful thing.......but let's face it, ducati broke the mould with its underseat exhaust 916, then pretty much every manufacturer gradually followed suit and none looked anywhere near as good as the 916, or the MV for that matter.(both design classics) Kawasakis ZX10R twin underseat exhaust design was an awful looking thing for example. It's like everyone was was desperate to have underseat exhausts.............. and what happened? They all went back to side mounted or low slung exhausts.......and for me the underseat exhaust is now a very dated look. If I owned one, I'd be forever thinking......why didn't I buy an 08 or newer. Like I said though it's all personal preference and of course how far you can stretch your budget, and no disrespect to any RR4,5,6,7 owner's
That's a shame. I've got similar with the local BMW dealer, service/parts have been great, sales guys proven bullsh*ters. Blade wise I was godsmacked when pictures of the 08 were leaked. Couldn't believe what they'd done to it and it really took a while for it to grow on me. It was definitely better in the metal and definitely better to ride. The build quality also seemed improved to me, especially after owning 2 954s. I liked the 2010 in white & black even more so the 08 in Candy Red was traded.
You'll be happy to know that when I get my 2019 RVF , THAT might have both underseat and side, per Moto GP Hondas!! On another note (on this exhaustive topic) I think it is a shame that some owners of 04 -07 Blades have destroyed the rear-end look by aftermarket cans that are just not aesthetically pleasing. Whilst the original might not have sounded the best, to me, it looked the best. I'd still be tempted to add one to my collection if a gem came to light. (But I'd still P/X it for my RVF. )
You might be disappointed to know that the RVF 2019 is to have a belly pan mounted exhaust an NO underseat RCV style moto gp exhaust haha Contradictory to what I previously said about underseat exhausts. .......I do LOVE the moto gp one's sported by Honda, Ducati and KTM and are aesthetically pleasing. A big fat old school CAN stuffed under the seat of a street bike is not!!!
There was an unwanted side effect of the under seat exhaust on the Blade. If you rode with a rucksack, the exhaust fumes made it stink!
