Borrowed a brand new S1000RR for a hour and a half .. Bloody hated it .. piss poor standard setup and incorrect slightly rearward weight setup perhaps .. corrected by electronic rider aids .. wheelied or tried to in places where a blade would have stayed planted and fucked off down the road.. gear box horrid .. Couldn't wait to get back on my blade ..
I'm very surprised, I havnt heard many bad reviews of them, to the point where I'd like to get me a test ride (not with a view to change at the moment though). Andy B
Its an easy bike to ride .. yeah .. They needed Michael Dunlop to ride it to a first win .. anyone else wouldn't have managed it.. the early shots of him riding it with it laying darkies and bucking like a bull on steroids all over the course .. I just don't think the chassis and weight distribution is as well sorted and usable as the blade .. dunno if its the quickshifter that makes the gearbox feel .. wooden .. but .. the tyres weren't scrubbed on the edges after a good few thousand or so miles and any drop would have instantly cost me 500 sheets which is probably why .. I got back on my own bike .. and instantly the ride was better the bike felt easier to turn in and less twitchy .. and on hard drive .. it only wheelies if you want it too .. the performance differential wasn't at all apparent to me either ... I never like the R1 and ZX-10 untamed beast thing ... it doesn't make the bike quicker if anything it makes it slower than a well sorted chassis .. and I think the S1000RR is much the same as those two but with gizmos like anti wheelie to sort the wheelies it really shouldn't be pulling in my view ..
Contradicting yourself BRAND NEW then tyres had done a few thousand miles?? I agree with part of your statement on the standard Quickshifter needs binning for a HM unit.
yea the q/s isnt actually a q/s,it's gear assist haha. i'll tell you what though,i went from my 07 trick blade,to my 09 stocker and it still took me a month to get similar lap times,you cant just jump on a bike and expect it to be as fast,comfy,stable as what you've come from,set up takes time. good to see we have another beemer hater though,this forum doesn't have enough.
i guess you just need to look at bsb s/stock grid to see which bikes people seem to think are the fastest....
im saying nowt..... I wont deny the quickshifter isnt as good as HM unit but as yet still running her in.......planning to get rid of the remaining "first miles" this week.... and ill be ready to let rip with 1400 to Germany and back....... I thought it was a good easy ride and I certainly felt comfortable on it.... I'm not a blade critic... far from it this 08 onwards blade will be listed as one of Honda greatest serving model...... I wanted a change due to (IMO) not enough changes from 08 to 14...... I suppose you can say if its not bust don't fix it.....but the BMW is a great bike either with or with Micky Dunlop at the wheel....... !
As some will know I was recently involved in a focus group with the blade design group from Japan, they are accutly aware of the impact BMW are having in the sports bike market. Honda build the blade to be focusing on handling and midrange and and not top end and BHP you can't use. The extra power of the BMW comes in at such high revs that its of no tangible value to the average sports bike rider, however they are also aware that there are bikers that chase satistics and power output and unnecessary rider aids. The blade looks and performs just as one anticipates and it's design is an evolution with depth and charector that's come from herritage, BMW will get there but they are not there yet?
i'm not denying the blade is a lot easier to ride,it is,lot more mid range,which is what a lot of people want,but you cant say they are not falling behind in terms of development,rider aids,safety aids,TC etc not to mention power output.and sales will no doubt show this as this is what,regardless of if people really need them,want.
I feel another "warrior" vs "1jac" coming on !! whatever we all feel from ZX10s to BMWs to Hondas......... and all the others out there all of them great bikes its each to their own........I personally think its a great bike would love to be able to write a MCN style review (but I cant) it was the bells and whistles that swung it for me.......... but I ll be happy to say Ive owned a "RRB from new and that is a GREAT bike too....... I ll be changing my mind if I don't get all the way to Germany and back though !!
The BMW is a great bike but then ALL the line up of 1000cc superbikes are IMO, I only know a very few who can ride them to the edge on track, and one of them has rode in BSB, on the road, with traffic, forget it unless you want to die, think we all like a blast here and there but maxed out like the TT with traffic, yeah right.... Those on the forum who own BMWs, I think you will have your work cut out to convert the rest of the forum....lol and that goes for those Germans who build them too....lol For the record I have rode the BM and tbh it's great, BUT, I still own my Blade and in all honesty I did find it a but gutless compared to my blade but then I ride like your gran top end it sings but what 1000cc don't.... Good will to all I say, whatever you ride enjoy it...and stay alive...
oh and nothing will make me part with my 2008......trackbike....... awesome machines these Honda s are you know !
