As my first blade, I'm pleased with it.The build quality is much better than the other jap bikes.But the fairing and bellypan put together on a blade could be better.Probably done like that to stop us boys fettling.
Got an '08 bike with, admittedly, quite low miles and there aren't a lot of things wrong with it, mainly as people already said - thin paintwork, fasteners not as good as they should be and the plastics are awful - those tabs for the screen are such a poor and weak design. On a more personal-preference note, I thought the footrests felt too far forward and had to put some rear sets on to make it feel right for me. When I bought mine it was sat in the dealers side by side with a used '07 bike and I could get a good feel for the differences. The finish on the '07 bike looked very good. (I was comparing it to the 'new' '08 bike which was obviously unmarked) I always preferred the look of the older bikes but the difference in size, actual or perceived, between the bikes was the decider for me, the 08 felt so much smaller and the looks have grown on me now. I love it and couldn't think of anything to replace it with. From what I've seen of other jap bikes the R1 and R6's are finished very well, I'd say easily as good if not better than my Blade.
to lazy to read 3 pages so i reply to your original message right away .... i dont know what is about quality that you dint like but i mean beside the engine problem that the early 08 had and was fixed with the recall the bike is very honest and specialy if you want to drive through the town and as an avery day bike is far beter from the busa you had ... i mean i drived a busa around for like 1 month the bike its fine for open streets and to ride fast ...but no way its rideability is SHIT ...compered to not even a cbr but to a gsxr ...after all is not made for track so thats normal ... its a nice bike to cruse around and have your girlfriend on (especialy this part is far better than any other SBK/ss) as for the levelers cant be harder than busas crapy hydrablic clutch lever ...that thing is amazingliy shit ...i mean in my 08 1000 gsxr had exactly the same and i change it with a pumb and lever from a ZZr1400 (far better) as for the brakes abs or no abs cant compear the hole front system is shit on the busa you cant understund anything from how the bike brakes (compare to the cbr non Abs model) and the brakes work far far better... i am a suzuki fun but still i drive a cbr ...i would say you give one more try to a normal cbr 08+ with out ABS or if you want to try something difrent then go for gsxr 1000 09+ realy nice bike still the cbr is easy to drive and it forgives a lot of your mistakes stay away from the R1 nice driving bad bad engine realy bad engine and the kawa is nice but not that much for the street ) and as for me i woulnd never drive a busa for a main bike in town but thats just me
the belly pan and fairing is amazing comper to other japan bikes try to put on the 600/750 08+ gixxers belly pan you will see ) but cbr has one of the worst part to conect on fairings i ever see and thats on the ram airs in out kai generaly all the things around the lights ...that thing is amazingly pain in the ass to put together ...that and the R1 09+ side fairings and for quality i dont think is better than what suzuki have
Maybe he has done nothing but if he did not own it from new does he really know what the previous owner got up to ......
Sounds like you miss the big reliable supersports busa. I have a blackbird aswell and its my main mileage bike, I would find it very hard to choose between the bird and the Rr4 if I could only have one! I hate to say but as an all rounder the bird wins. The only bike I would consider as a replacement for the bird is a zzr1400 So that brings me to suggesting a zzr 1400 they are cheap to pick up now awesomely fast and comfy. After a while you could look at a blade again.
it's kinda both. I do miss it but at the same time i do appreciate the Blade now. BTW am still the proud owner of the black and white. After reading the forum i've decided to keep it and try to sort the problems io selling it. The dealer bled the brakes and the last warning light turned out to be (allegedly) low batt. I will now try to compare ABS ECU no's to see if mine's an old problematic one. Thanks for your input guys, it did help me to make a decision.. for now at least
Hi, Thanks but I personally do not believe in such solutions. I've paid for it so it has to work. Otherwise i'll go and get something else. 7k bike shouldn't have such problems in this day and age.
I had a 2006 blade and it did seem more solid than my new 12 Black model. In between I had a 08 Busa which was far more solid, had lovely light clutch with an adjustable lever and a fuel gauge, BUT it could never look so beautiful as the Blade or give me the grin that the blade always does. Thats why I went back to one!
Heres my two pennies worth, I have a 1999 Blade and the quality is pretty good on it. My mate had a loan blade and 2010 model and to be honest build quality wise we was very, very disapointed the pain was even rubbing off the tank on his knees, but to be honest a lot of manifacturers are cutting back on quality these days to make savings, as for the flimsy fairing I think its more about losing weight than cutting back.
I still think the "lower quality than older bikes" is mostly in the imagination Paint has changed these days - they're not allowed to use certain chemicals etc.
I dont think it is I own a 99 Blade and have had a newer Honda my mate had a 2010 Fireblade and the build quality was quite a stark contrast, a lot of vehicle manifacturers are cost cutting and its noticies.
OK I'll bite again! I've owned 2 98s and 1 99 (and various others) and the build quality was not better than the current models.
Totally agree... build quality unchanged. Paint quality though, I would definitely say my RR7 has thinner and less robust paint than my RRT or RRY.
Yeah, they have no choice with the paint though. I have to say though, the paint on all of mine has been fine.
Ok. so I've finally returned the bike to the Dealer. Credits to guys from Marshalls Honda they've refunded the purchase price in full and were very helpful throughout. It was my decision in the end to return it for a number of reasons - I hope I can get back to owning one in a few years maybe.. Thanks everyone for your help and opinions. See you on the road.
