That’s where the quality shows though once it’s been ridden in rain and not having to worry about what it’s going to do to the bike. My 2015 had signs of rust ffs and it only had 5k miles and only got caught in the odd shower. My 929 was ridden in salt and grit for 2 winters on the trot doing 2000 miles a month and didn’t have a mark on it. That’s the difference in quality, it’s massive sadly. There is no way you could commute all year round on a modern superbike without serious effort in looking after it.
Hi OP, i’ve Had 4 08+ blades and they’ve al been brilliant, not a problem with any of them. They have got slightly better the newer they are but not much enough for me to justify the £4-£5k it’s cost me to change each time. Where are you and do you need finance? I only ask because I have a bargain 13 plate blade with 9k miles, in black and non-abs. It’s sub £6k too.
After a particularly dirty salty winter ride my cleaning routine on the 954s was some cold water and fairy liquid. As the years went on it turned into an immediate hose down, wash with something made by Autoglym and either ACF50 or Scottolier FS365.
Yep my 929 got an occasional wash with warm water with washing up liquid and a hose down and that was it.
As proof this is what my 2015 had on it when I sold it 20190427_094212 by Sp0oner 20190427_094224 by Sp0oner 20190427_094241 by Sp0oner And my 929 after 2 Winters of abuse DSCF1540 by Sp0oner
That's terrible...I can't understand why it's like that though. My 11 Repsol had 50k all year round miles on it and it didn't have one bit of rust on it like that or the frame issues. I did acf50 it every winter and generally look after it but only in a normal way. Did you have it from new?
No I bought it with 2k miles on it at 2 years old and none of those marks on it. I had it 2 years and 3k miles with the only wet weather being caught in showers on 300 mile rides. It was garaged and Honda UK/the dealership blamed it on being a damp garage. Well never had that issue in the last 25 years with any bikes i've had - not even the GSXR 750 SRAD that the electrics rotted away after 40k miles and several winters of abuse it still didn't look like that! Hence my feelings on modern bikes build quality being sh!t compared to the bikes of 20 years ago. I've never used ventureshield or acf50 as i've never heard of them until now and never needed them on older bikes!
Had a 954 which was excellent build quality and rode all year in it with no problems, my 08 has suffered with with poor quality fasteners and paint wear on tank, all sorted now with titanium and carbon
We can look at it the other way, that Honda are just enabling the aftermarket parts companies to exist, like pro bolt etc
My bike has the acf50 treatment 4 times a year and rinsed down before it goes in the garage every day, it has 39.5k and the spindles are exactly the same lozzy You must of got lucky and the day they got it right
Build quality of the blades from 2000 -2004 was excellent sadly it has nose dived on all makes/models even the paint is waffer thin
The trouble is unless you have owned or known the bike from new then you can never be certain how it's been kept by the previous owner. The pictures of your old bike are not a reflection of the general quality of a 2015 bike, mine has none of those issues. Something has gone badly wrong with that bike. Whether it's a quality fault from the factory or mis-treatment by the first owner. Bet you're quite relieved to get shut of it.
It was mint when I bought I have pictures from when I picked it up so I have no reason to believe it’s the 1st owner. It started deteriorating after the 1st Winter I had it. A bike should not go like that just sitting in a garage during Winter. And yes glad to be shot of the deteroration but miss the actual bike itself for riding enjoyment. I would have another but I would have to live in a house where I could park it inside over Winter.
