Cracking Picture Mike, Well im still at the kid with a new toy stage, as it's the first blade i have ever owned and i have only had the bike 2 months now every ride out feels new & more exciting than ever before especially compared to the other bikes i have previously owned. 2001 R1, K7 GSXR 750 & K9 GSXR 1000 Don't get me wrong they are great bikes but in my opinion not in the same league as my blade. I can say of all my other bikes have never once sparked up as much conversation with other bikers or even just people walking by as my blade has in the past few ride outs.
Good thread mate! I've just sold my current one, but that doesn't matter at all, I am still and always will be a disciple.
Great thread Mr B. I can totally understand the never ending desire for the next/latest bike and I have in the past been a huge bike tart, changing bikes in the past sometimes as often as every 6 months. Even now I look at pics of certain bikes or see one when I am out and think 'I really want one of them'. In my own case, I realised after many many years that no matter what I have had, be it job, bike, woman etc, I have always yearned for the things I do not have. So I decided to buy a bike, mod it and keep it. I chose the Fireblade because it has a great engine, smooth power delivery, great handling, looks like a bike should, great build quality, reputation, reliability, usability, price,value for money and relative comfort. As stock, it was not the 'perfect' bike for my needs and wants, but met more criteria than any others. I am a bit of a purist, I like to 'ride' my bike and use my riding skills to get the most out of it, so all the gizmo's were of no real interest to me. Part of riding a bike for me is the fear factor, get it wrong and it will hurt or worse. The challenge is being as quick and safe as you can by your own skill..........well that is what does it for me. Now modded, my bike is everything I could ask for....well realistically lol Sure other bikes may be quicker in a straight line, but I doubt I could actually ride many other models as fast as I ride mine on the roads I ride on and get the same pleasure knowing it was all pretty much down to my riding ability. The power of the bike is so well balanced with the chassis, wheels, brakes, suspension and aerodynamics etc I have had bikes that may may people's jaws drop when they looked at them and I still think my Ducati's looked better and my Brutale sounded better and my R1 and GSXR were more animal............but overall........I love my blade the most. Bikes are very personal things. If I could have hundreds of bikes I would, I think most of the bikes out there are all special in their own ways. To those who swap and change, go for it, life is not a rehearsal (I hope) live the day and try as many as you can. I have enjoyed many of my bikes and hated only a couple.
Ive just got my blade so a genuine novice to litre bikes.... Have to say I love it, feels planted, fast and capable of anything I am...already looking at the 08 onwards as next bike....hrc is gorgeous
Only sports bike I have owned. had a Fazer and Speed triple Been Touring Europe, track days and weekend blast What more can you want And being orange give's it that extra 5BHP
Well I've always wanted a Fireblade and when I got the opportunity to buy my one it was destined I reckon. Been riding it now for a month and can't get enough, it's a huge grin machine and always draws attention when parked anywhere. Spent a fair bit on personalising it and just a few minor tweaks needed to make it perfect for me....but it's my long term investment
im 5' 9.5"...yes i do count that 1/2 inch! lol But to be honest, my problem may lay with getting used to the bike as i have only had it a week now and im still learning etc No but have started using my legs to grip on todays ride after watching a youtube clip They are not straight but come in a bit...not sure how to describe it, mine is a rr7 so maybe doestn have the riser fitted as 08 bikes are the side exhaust style, mine is the underseat model.
some of the very last under seat models had the riser type fitted , compare them next time you are next to a new shape blade.
I'll get a pic of my bars next time mate, as there are no 08 onward blades on this Island, well none that i have seen.
Good thread matey, Sure we all like to try something new, thats just life, I have and always gravitate back to a Blade. On my 4th now and have crunched a huge number of miles on them, and IMO its the only superbike that you can really do that day in day out, year after year, obviously biased after 4, but they are a tool to me, and it has to work, plenty of other great bikes out there, but it comes down to what your primary use is for owning it, and for me the blade is the top commuter bar none. Its no coincidence that of all the litre bikes, I see more blades commuting than all the others put together.
Hooray to MrB a thoroughly deserving thread! You guys have had me crying in my Coco Pops! I am absolute Blade fanatic sometimes in a questionabley unhealthy way but I dont care I'm in love! For me there is no other that has the looks and the talents of the Blade! New machinery may look nice and offer more which is appealing to some but none come close to the Blade for that pure unadulterated man and machine as one feel! Sometimes more is less and that's certainly the case in the litre sportbike world at the moment! Why should Honda buckle to hype when that's exactly what it is, considering the Blade holds it's own and more than often embarrasses it high tech competition! Bettering all of them in the real world where it counts on the road! All hale the Blade!!!... there not much that can be improved on her apart from stock down pipes and some of the fasters but that's it! Oh and the price of parts and accessories but that definitely it
Ok busted!!! Well a little my upgrades are mere trinkets bestowed on my love! In the same way as fine jewelry and nice dress and a pair of sussies enhance a beautiful women! But the heart and soul of my Blade is still left very much intact
I know what you mean. A pipe is already on mine, I have asked the girlfriend for some levers for my Birthday and I keep looking at power commanders. I can see it being a slippery slope
Oh yeah it is But I need valve clearances done along with mot, service and also think my Stanchions are misting so probably need fork seals done too So looks like a hefty bill come spring! So mods are on the back burner next year I really fancied HM quickshifter too, still she ain't goin nowhere so eventually she'll get one
Well I have to finish paying for the bugger before I spend too much on it. Hoping I can get it cleared by March and then we can see. In the mean time it sounds lush with the pipe, and the levers will have to satisfy my upgrading urges for now
Thinking about it, the 08-13 blade may become a bit of a collectors piece in the future. Of course I could be wrong, but in a way it's the last of an era. The last of a horsepower race that ultimately ended in a new generation of fly-by-wire bikes. The Blade and Gixxer might just be seen as the last of the old skool superbikes. Just a thought
I've had mine for 2 years. I bought it because it was the cheapest at the time. My last bike was a 05 ZX-10R which I rode for 40000 miles. It never missed a beat and sounded amazing throughout its rev range. Is the blade a better bike?.....well....the suspension is better but apart from that you'd be hard pressed to say the finish or anything else is apart from perhaps the brakes. Do I love it? Yep.....just as much as I did the ZX-10R. We've done 18500 miles together now and barring an oil leak from the oil pressure sensor no issues yet.
