I use my blade everyday, ran or shine for commuting. people keep telling me that's not the ideal bike for you, i love the blade but i keep thinking about getting a more upright less powerful bike. If i could afford two bikes then i wouldn't hesitate in getting a 2nd one! does anyone else use it every day, all year round for commuting?
I think there are a few on here that do. If like me you'll be disappointed. I've had two bikes before, a trail bike for commuting and a '99 R1, when I binned the trail bike I had no choice but to use my R1 for commuting and it was ace. I have also chopped in a sports bike for a more sedate, upright kind-a-style ride too and totally missed having a sports bike that I went back.
I dont use it all day everyday but there isnt anything it cant do. Just because it has lots of power doesnt mean you have to use it and if you want higher bars you can raise the bars on the blade which will help. I also think getting 45-50mpg from a sports bike is remarkable
I feel, if you have to use a super bike for commuting, the FireBlade is one of the better choices. It's very light, very tractable, in factory standard rig, the fuelling in stop/go traffic is smooth and predictable. I used to commute on my 750SS and despite it's grunt, it was really unhappy in that environment, which meant I was unhappy too. Of course, a lot depends on the commute too. If I only had to commute across a large town, I'd buy a scooter just for that. If I had to circumnavigate the M25 twice a day, I would, of course, move...
Been commuting into central London for 35+ years, used lots of bikes over the years, tried the rat bike thing for a while, just realised I was sitting on a pile of shite believing I was saving a decent bike from winter grime. Tried the new naked bike thing, only thing that I got out of it was strengthened neck muscles battling the head on wind rush. At the end of the day I realised the only person who was miserable was me. It was like being married to Kylie but only ever pulling one off yourself. Pointless. Been daily commuting on Blades since 2000, again bought a couple of ZX's and Gixers just to see what they were like, but always got home and looked at the Blade and took that the next day, plus you wanna see a kwak or suzy after a winter, this was after many years of trying just about every 600 sports bike out there, but they just have not got enough grunt IMO with todays 1Ks being so small and easy to ride, I just don't see why they still make 'em. So call me Mr Boring, but if I want a litre bike to do the daily grunt 40+ weeks a year in all conditions, then its a Blade, it just does everything easy, plus you can launch a Blade at the traffic light GP just about quicker than anything else out there. Also, being one of the vocal moaners about the flawed ABS system, I know its going to be mandatory in the coming years, but it works (forgetting the design flaws of C ABS), and once you are a wet weather commuter and you get used to it, its scary getting back on a non ABS bike in those conditions, because you can take so many liberties with it, its just like when it become widespread in cars, most people have forgotten how to brake properly, you just floor the pedal in just about any situation and it stops, when I was a lad and you did that, it was accompanied by several 360's ans black lines down the road, well that just the same with ABS bikes, you can brake late and hard on the wettest road and the buggers just stop... its taking a lot of the skill out of it.
This is why I came here for advice, experienced blade owners that know what their talking about. I feel a lot better now See; I got the blade in December, I haven't had a summer on it yet! The weather we are having is depressing! I gotta stop being a pussy and get on with it lol. Cheers guys
Everyday for me on the blade. Wouldn't change it for the world. Have commuted on all sorts over the years, including a busa but the blade is by far the best. Plus.. when you're sitting at work, the sun is shining and it's nearly hometime it always fills me with joy and the ride home takes an hour longer than usual as i was 'working late' as far as the wife is concerned, lol!
Got to say I use mine everyday come rain or shine and I bloody love it wouldn't have any other bike now. Mine is approaching 27k on the clock and still going strong will probably hang on to her for another year or so then no doubt give one of these ABS Blades a go. Won't be buying anything else other than a Blade now though that is for sure.
Ok I don't use mine every day I only use it for fun but I also get told alot that its not the right bike for me at to be honest its not, I have really bad hip and knee probs and it fecking kills me to ride it! BUT look at it, it's so worth the pain, don't listen to other people its your descition
I used my blade to commute from Surrey to the City of London for most of last year and I can't fault it. Granted I didn't often get out of 1st/2nd gear because of all the effing traffic lights, but what better bike to be sitting on stationary at the lights than a blade!! I stopped because of the increasing mileage, I really didn't want to run my pride and joy into the ground anymore. I was also picking up punctures and having too many near death experiences on the crowded London roads, so now I'm back to looking forward to the weekend blasts again. Do consider all this. The bike will cope with it effortlessly - no question about that, but it does change your whole appetite for riding. It did for me anyway. Good luck!
KentBlade sums it all up, same experience from me also, I also have an ABS. I commute from South Bucks to Central London (Soho) all year any weather including ice and snow. I only been riding for about 7 years or so and have used the following on my commute Yam 125XT (06) CB600F (07) CB1000R (09) CBR1000RR (59) The Blade is by far the best and easiest to commute: Wind protection Surprisingly economical When mirrors are folded in you can easily filter throu narrow traffic Brakes are awesome Engine is grunty and smooth, great for the road Protect it appropriately (ACF etc) and it will look brand new after the winter. ....and in the next heart beat you can have a blast on a track day no dramas - love it
I used to use my 06 Blade every day, wind, rain, you name it except ice skating, and I loved it until November 2012 when it caught me out and since then I've been a lot more cautious especially while I am on TPFT. If it wasn't for a good friend I would have no bike to ride now.
im worried the blade will catch me out one day, the nature of the bike makes you want to go fast.....well it does me anyway
This is my second blade and I commute all year with it come rain/ snow/fog or the occasional bit of sunshine. For me I have also tried other bikes but none give me the fun factor that the blade does!! reliability is fab, fuel consumption is fab, corrosion is fab too.
35000 on mine and I use it to commute, tour, fast road rides, weekend blasts and track days......if thats not an everyday bike then what is?
I use mine to commute too but as i live in a village with lanes the only way out i give it a miss when the sugar beet harvest is on deffo nothing to do with the build quality as the blade is second to none its more to do with the possibility of losing it on the hundred yards or so of muddy slime a couple of inches deep so it's time to get the drz out instead
