Hi guys, I finally got to Hidden Valley raceway for a track day. The results are in and the SP is a hands down winner over my old 2012 in every aspect. I understand that you guys won't be familiar with Hidden Valley so I have attached a circuit diagram. You will note that it is heavily left hand biased and you tend to get a little cold tear on the right hand side of the tyres. Referenced speeds are coming from my GoPro footage. I don't know if anyone is interested, but I need an outlet General Notes: 1. SP suspension is far superior. Controls brake dive better and I can still improve the setup in that regard. It doesn't get upset over bumps like the 2012 would. This is illustrated through turns 7,8,9. There are a series of 'seams' over the track which make the 2012 bike give a headshake. No problem really, but no hint of it at all on the SP at around 10-20Kph faster through that section. 2. Power - it's definitely better on the power. At the end of the straight I was seeing close to 270Kph in 4th and my braking point was fairly conservative as there is in reality plenty of room to keep braking in turn 1 which is a late apex where I was just using engine braking and only very limited trail braking. Also not using full braking potential of bike due to an incident one day when I misjudged a rider in front of me and ran off down the inside..... Plenty of room for gearing adjustments there as well. 3. Chassis feedback is better - this will be shared with the standard 2014 as well as they have modified the frame. Probably combined with the tyres, I was seeing a 20+Kph increase in speed through turns 2, 3 with much more lean at turn 3, and braking at 180-190Kph whilst leaning harder left in turn 4 than I was on the 2012, setting up for turn 5. 4. Turn 10 and 11 for me are effectively combined into an arc so you don't apex 10 and accelerate through 11. Again, going faster than on the standard blade. I have seen ASBK riders apex both turns but they also seemed to crash there much more frequently than the locals do. 5. Turn 6 hairpin is crash central. There are bumps on exit that can catch you out. As I was not racing I was very gentle coming out of there. No difference on either bike due to this. 6. No appreciable brake fade, 2012 blade faded quite badly at times, but on those times it was also a very hot day.
Do we agree that the sp is phenomenal ? Nice review there mate . Every blade owner should have a go on an sp to fully appreciate it. As well as being stunning to look at it is breathtaking to ride. A truely remarkable piece of engineering
I do for sure, now. It's just so bloody boring on the road, it NEEDS to be ridden with a level of aggression. Once it gets some speed up it feels like it works properly. Everyone should have a go, but I am not volunteering
Haha I'm not volunteering mine either. 2 of my closet friends have had a go tho. They were both impressed . Sute the sp will be a different animal on track but mines yet to go on. I have heard a lot of negative things about the sp which surprises me. Most people that are being this way haven't ridden one which amuses me. It's beautiful and exites me everytime i look at it
Well my baby will hopefully be having it's 3rd track day at Ty Croes this Saturday if weather is OK although I did have a brake ABS problem last time I was on this track with her. Might of been down to the 55 profile rear tyre the dealer put on by mistake and I never noticed until a few weeks later their mistake, however it did feel sharper turning in. We'll see what happens this Saturday all been well.
I do believe that the SP is pretty awesome but I also believe that Honda should have done a little more with it - it lacks details which kind of makes it seem like it lacks passion. Braided lines? Better wheels? Even an aluminium headstock plug with SP on it instead of black plastic would have taken care of details, along with the rear cowl which does very good things to the lines of the bike. Also, AUD$24K is pretty expensive (I effectively paid 9 after payout when a little old lady took care of my 2012 in a roundabout) for a bike lacking details. I added braided lines last night. Red ends with translucent blue nylon cover which matches the light blue sticker and the SS braid matches the cross weave pattern. Details.
So there I go straight onto Google maps for Hidden Valley Race Track Er won't be going there then! Thanks for the review though, enjoyed
"I don't know if anyone is interested, but I need an outlet " Love it! Truth is, you could be talking about the torque setting on a fairing bolt and we would all be interested. Track day review comparing two models we all love and dream about is enough to stop watching CBR related youtube videos for. Good review. Can't afford the SP though myself having just bought a used inferior 2012 model. Bastard!
It's there mate but got a slightly different name on google maps "hidden valley Motorsport complex". http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=safari&hl=en&revid=1983063143&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.67720277,d.ZWU,pv.xjs.s.en_US.u4s5c7_Kv3Q.O&biw=982&bih=646&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Hidden+Valley+Motor+Sports+Complex&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=hidden+valley+raceway+map&cid=1081452875368957872&sa=X&ei=orqEU8W5FYOTOLqWgYgK&ved=0CJ4BEPwSMA8
We also have sunshine here in the UK and even in rainy Wales, also we have twisty tracks, Fireblade SP's on them but most of all we have green grass, jealous or what Rented. However we don't have that nice long drag strip you have on your track :-(
Green grass? It's an effort in the northern areas. I'm used to it. I grew up in an area so bauxite rich that you stop realising that everything is tinted red from the dust until you travel somewhere else. Am I jealous of grass? Nope. But there is only one track in the whole of the northern territory, thousands of sq kilometres of desert...it'd be real nice to try a different one
