I'm really hoping they bring out a new blade within the next year or two, otherwise I'll be too old to ride a sportsbike........ Being serious though (Just for a brief moment) the blade is getting left behind in a lot of departments. Styling, Power output, Electronic technology, so it does need a major upgrade. BUT - Having said that, I can't see me selling my 11 plate blade in the near future as I love everything about it. But, I would like to see Honda keeping up with the rest of the manufacturers and having the option of buying an up to the minute bike, and maybe keeping my present blade as well.
The question is (in my mind) .... does that matter? Why is the blade got the superstock lap record around the isle of man, why is it winning all over the place without the tricks of the other bikes? Is peak power over-rated compared to torque? So many questions ;-)
Souleh - You are of course totally right when you ask the question "Is Peak Power over rated compared to torque"......... Ok, so lets ask for torque over bhp, but the styling could be improved, and good electronic aids (Better ABS System than they have at the moment, minus all the issues that we regularly read about) this could only increase the desirability and hence sales.
Good points Souleh. I personally think there are so many factors which make a bike either good or bad. There is no point having power without control ie good handling/suspension/brakes/acceleration/comfort/riding position/reliability/longevity etc etc. There are other factors such as resale prices, cost of insurance, spares, maintenance etc. The Blade I think is a great bike, it has reached this level through careful updates over the years, evolution rather than revolution. I think if they alter it too much then you may well end up with a bike that is called a Blade, but is actually something different. Personally, I think all the gadgetry is going too far, I like the challenge of riding a bike by using as much of my riding ability as possible with as little help from tech stuff. There again I am an old git lol. There are the occasional days when I think a slipper may be fun or a quickshifter or traction control etc but the thought passes quickly when I when I get everything right and all by my own hands and feet and I enjoy that feeling, man and machine, as opposed to man and computer........OK apart from the engine management system, but that is sort of essential. I also think there are only so many variations that can be done with two wheels and an engine and it is amazing that there are so many variants, but if you look carefully there are always a lot of similarities between different manufacturers, so something very new is perhaps a little unlikely, perhaps an electric Fireblade......please no.
It depends if winning at WSB level is important to you. It is to Johnny Rea and his team, but he ain't ever gonna be competitive on that thing he rides at the moment.
But is a WSB comparable to a standard road bike or even superstock machine? I mean with 100k put into the bike theres not much left to compare bar the shape. It is interesting that a 5 year old chassis design was able to win at Silverstone though! I know its not the most competitive machine but then you are talking tenths of seconds mostly, so its hardly a complete dog. Its not going too bad in the BSB without the rider aids either Im not saying we wouldnt like new tricks and toys, ofcourse we would. Think its just important to remember that it is a great bike currently and such an all rounder that any big changes will likely compromise on that for the sake of change. Plus it'll devalue our current bikes like feck LOL
The wallpaper was published on May 2, 2013.....................means, we dont see the 2014 model yet.
New blade is going to happen. V4. They are going to bring in some character to the bike which at the moment is not there, they want to play with the other top marques so expect traction, ride by wire, power modes.
Despite all my chatter ( ) ... a rather knowledgeable honda racing man from a well known race team did tell me a big change was coming next year. Feck knows what itll be. Im surprised no leaks yet cause if its to be a big change you'd imagine they'd probably need to have produced a good few prototypes etc
Well if that is the case looks like my 2012 (faultless) blade is the last new fireblade I am going to buy. I always thought Honda built road bikes that go on the track and not the other way round hence why they haven't put all that electronic crap onto the fireblade cos lets face it doesn't need it. And character? Please please can someone explain to me what a bike with character is? Please as nearly twenty years of riding I have never got my head round this one? If it means a bike that makes you happy, love riding and is just downright awesome well you need to look no further than the Honda Fireblade.
It's not because it needs it it's because all the other manufacturers are leading the pack with electronics. The market and consumer which dictates what goes on really enabling the product to be competitive in the market place. Honda have to move on.
My fireblade is all about FEEL to me.I won't feel the slides coming out of a corner banked over pushing too hard, I don't like TC.My beemers had it but I always turned it off when I wanna play.On a bike I'm not so sure. If the new blade has the electronics,I will wait a while. If it is anything like the flawed ABS of today,I'll stick to what I've already got.It works fine for me.
Personally I'm finding this threat sad! I'm a bit of "my glass is half full" kinda of a guy and I feel proud of our good old Blade and it's achievements speak for themselves! It still is the best package available for the road! As Jimbo mentioned last month's Fastbikes the Blade was only bettered by the very slimmest of margins by the Aprilia RSV4 Factory but it was the ABS on the Blade that let it down and that a non ABS Blade would probably came out tops! The line up of the Thou's anyway where Flagship bikes HP4,Panagale R and the RSV4 Factory both BMW & RSV had lap times with Slicks on and the BMW was still half a sec slower that our soon to be redundant Blade! They even said our Blade was the wildcard! The cheek!!! Imagine the time with the Blade on slicks and no abs. They found faults with all the bikes apart from the Daytona and the Blade (abs wasn't a fault it just hampered lap times) Eurobikes do absolutely nothing for me! A bunch of pretty prima donna's! All show and flawed go! And what you find is most of the Journo's are swayed by hype and looks over function! Especially if it's Italian and Red (no offense intended to any Ducati owners) Anyhoo rant over!!! I love my Blade and I'm proud to be an owner of such an accomplished and beautiful machine
I'm not that fussed what the new blade will have or what it won't have. I just wanna know what it'll look like. TBH I'd prefer no change at least our bikes will then hold their value a bit longer.
I look at all the exotic stuff and say to owners - 'when its done 70,000 miles in 5 years and not left you stranded once I'll be convinced to change' Makes most go quiet... Somebody mentioned character - take a Yamaha M1-R1 (the current one) for a spin in A mode and then you will understand / know what people mean (ask ColinBR / ShineySideUp) for details after their test rides in Scotland last month.
I have to ask...why do you keep referring to that model of R1 as the M1? It's about as close to the GP bike as the blade is. Anyhoo, I think the blade has character.
