Hi there been browsing the site a while and decided to join,been riding a whole year now and have covered 8k on a triumph street triple which has been an awesome 1st bike and has taught me alot in the 1st year. I've decided I need something a bit more sporty and last week end I had the pleasure of having this for an afternoon and I'm totally smitten and now can't get the blade out My head Was a right blast to ride handled so well was a pussycat compared to my mates zx10r which I found the power to be either on or off. Right now here's the question would I be keeping the st till spring and then chopping it in against a new blade or should I go for a 10 or 11 reg would I notice much difference? Cheers phil
Tough call Phil. Both great bikes at their own thing. I have a short but nose to tail commute and, despite it's excellent manners, the FireBlade is unhappy doing it. Those are the days I'd kill for a Speed Triple, but only if it could live next to the 'Blade in the garage. If I could only have one, it would be the Honda.
I did use the street all thru the winter last year,not much fun ESP in the minus figures,ill hopefully be getting a car this year to see me thru,why wouldn't you use the blade as a commuter??riding position?i actually found the blade Me comfy than my triple.
Welcome to the forum!! I commute from south London to Twickenham every day on my Blade and love it!! Engine gets a bit hot at traffic lights though...
Mine gets hot, there's little opportunities to filter, yes, after a while, the riding position coupled with so many feet up, feet down moments gets to be a pain in the arse (literally). The worst of it is that for half the ride, I can almost see my village, just can't get to it.
welcome mate, it is a very tough decision, the 2012 is a better bike but not by a huge amount, if you have the money then buy the 2012 but you will not be let down by a 2010/11 model
Comfort's such an odd thing. I'm tall and came from a vfr800 vtec which I was comfortable on. I've now got the 2009 ABS Fireblade and find it so much more comfortable. Having said that I exercise a lot more now. I commute on it and for centralish London to Epsom it is a dream commuter. Nippy and narrow. The only thing is when it is cold and very wet the steam off the radiator at traffic lights is like its own weather system! It's not a big deal as now I treat the mirrors with an anti-fog treatment to keep them clear. As for which model to get I've not ridden the 2012 but the modifications sound sensible. The only thing I'd say against it is that the wheels look awkward to clean. And I do not like cleaning wheels. Come to think of it I don't like cleaning the rest of the bike either.
Hello matey... given the best of the year's riding weather is long behind us, I would wait and see if you can trade up to a brand spanker in the new year.
Yep welcome from me too. Think its gotta be your own choice as the others have said, I did choose an 2011 model over the 2012 model in July but purely because there was no Repsol...few months on and the 2013 model is going to solve that. having said that I do find the new blade (compared to old 1997) a touch snatchy at low revs in traffic. Not sure how Its going to be in the wet/slippy/white stuff with its power delivery. Fingers crossed
Cheers for replys folks,I've also been offered a s1000rr with 3 grand of carbon bits on for 8k so I'm really torn what to do know,I'm still drawn to blade for looks and general reliability,I'm thinks the BMW will be an expensive bike to keep and a tad extreme for an everyday bike.i would love to keep both but would be a waste of a bike sat in garage,having come from a street the throttle can be very snatchy I didn't notice that on the blade and found it very well behaved around town.i think ill wait till spring now as I wouldn't want to use the blade to hack thru winter,but if there's any good deals on over Xmas I may well just give in lol
Hi and welcome Phil, I've owned an RR6 07 plate (first big bike) Then a 2010 ABS Blade (aswell as a 2011 ABS Speed Triple - Long Story - Now I've got a 2012 ABS Blade and I am so happy with it, dealers have some cracking deals on the 2011 bikes but have now started offering 0% on the 2012 bikes, try both and see... at the end of the day its your money & your choice!
