Predictably it's the Prilla RSV4 for the 4th year in a row, closely followed by the HP4! 3rd is the ZX10R Surprisingly (or not) the SP Blade gets the wooden spoon back in last place out of the 8 bikes on test!
It's a shame but we all know that the blade needs some development now. Lets see what comes out in 2015. I would love an Aprillia RSV4R, they're great to look at and apparently even better to ride.
It's a pity they don't take into account reliability, dealer support and everyday usability of these things in their evaluation. Then the blade might be a bit higher up the list.
Fast bikes know nothing, which is why I get performance bikes lol Most of these bikes are so close its all down to the rider anyway
I got the mag today, will just look now What an awesome advert the page before the "sports bike of the year review"
I wouldn't read to much into it guys I've subscribed to Fastbikes for about 5yrs now but I've just cancelled it down because every penny counts for next year's TT also it pissed me off that if you buy from the shelf you get freebies but if your a subscriber you get feck all apart from getting the mag early! Anyhoo they done a shoot out last year at Anglesey were Al's Blade was the wild card against RSV4 Factory,ZX10,Panagale R, HP4 etc and the Blade kick all there arses apart from the Aprilia 0.02 sec faster than the Blade on road tyres but the Blade was 1.5 secs faster than HP4 they put slicks on the RSV4 and the HP4 and the Blade's times still beat the BM buy half a sec but the really annoying thing was they did praise the Blade for it's times or what it had achieved next to their need metal it was just dismissed for electronics and looks They did say the Blade probably would have won if it didn't have C-ABS because of it's inconsistent braking and it did so well because of it's feel and confidence they felt oh and the pipewerx can! So a large pinch of salt guys Also Michael Rutter said the SP is buy far the best Jap sportbike money can buy
They did say if it was a road test the blade would of been higher, I have ridden the blade on track and also the other bike in the test Daytona 675R and I am far quicker on the Daytona. The RSV4 Factory is a mega bike loved the demo I rode that's what got me to buy the 14 Tuono V4. Michael Rutter also said in another interview that if he was ever to buy a road bike it would be the Tuono.
I too switched from FB to PB. FB was getting boring. I mean how many times have they reviewed the triumph 675. I mean I get it's a great bike but it was just plain silly the amount of times it appeared on test. And what does SBOTY actually mean anyway. Feck all in my opinion. I like the format of PB better. I like the how to section and the peoples garage 360. They're head to heads seem better too. Just two bikes with loads of information on each bike.