my first blade was the very same colour and model as your getting. a truly great bike and i came down from a tweaked zx12r but loved the blade so much i,d wish i,d done it sooner. you,ll love it!!
Hi I have just gone from a 848 to a 2014 Blade. You will love the ease of power,the balance of the bike ,it's a whole level up,makes Me wonder why a bothered with the Ducati so glad I did not buy a 1199 never worth the difference build quality on the HRC in a different league can't wait to to warmer days although got a few more miles in today.
I went from CBR600 to Fireblade 900, one of the first Fireblades and I didn't give it the respect it deserved, high sided at 80 bike and totalled it, me groan strain :-( Went back to CBR600 then Fireblade again with new found wisdom. You'll love it, easy to ride including fast but just watch the power, which is awesome by the way and you'll soon get seduced by it.
Nice looking HRC matey...congrats The main difference is that you will spend more time riding it and less time sitting on yer ass trying to spot the recovery truck
Thanks guys. So hopefully I will be picking her up this weekend. Now there is a trackday training course on near me on the Monday - a mate is going I'm thinking of going too. Only thing is that I'm worried taking a new litlre bike on the track mightbe pushing my luck - I'd be so gutted if I dropped it. Not to mention broke ha!
I went from an old Suzuki RF600, which I thought was no slow coach, to the Blade. I gave myself a couple of weeks getting used to the bike and found it just as easy, if not easier to ride than the Suzuki Obviously the power difference is night and day, but it's quite happy trundling along in slow traffic as it is trying to lose your license for you. I still ride the old RF as a winter hack cause it likes getting wet and covered in sh*te lol
Just remember that everything happens so much quicker on a litre bike! I moved up to my blade from a cbr600 and remember the power delivery being so completely different. You'll approach everything in the blink of an eye and when you pull the anchor you'll almost put yourself over the bars! Just keep reminding yourself things are different from now on! Whereas doing 70/80mph on a smaller takes time to build up (granted not very long), it's effortless on a 1000 and it becomes the norm! So much so that you'll find yourself constantly trying to slow yourself down! Good luck, enjoy it and most importantly - stay safe!
Lovely HRC My story is the same as the others had a few cbr600s gxsr750 zxr750 etc etc then had a sp2 my 1st litre bike which I loved but had to sell for financial reasons then brought an old R1(T reg)which was superb and up to my present RR8 I will never own anything but a 1000cc so much more fun and easier to ride Enjoy your fireblade when you pick it up you will never regret buying it
I started riding late, 37 years young, I passed my test in 2007 and bought a 2007 Honda CBR600RR which everyone said was a bad idea as a first bike. I really enjoyed it and learnt that like every bike it is about controlling the power. Whether it is 600, 750 or 1000, as said before, respect the bike, control it or it will soon enough control/hurt you. I did an evening track day at my local, Brands Hatch, on the 600 after going to Ron Haslam Race School. I found the track evening very valuable and like all riding, you ride at your pace and don't be pulled in by others. I am not quick by any means but I love my bike and enjoy riding it most of the time. Enjoy it and take care buddy.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, an easy bike to ride but a difficult bike to ride well. Not sure how much enjoyment you'll get, or learning for that matter, taking your new pride and joy onto a track a couple of days after getting it tho. I did the same and couldn't relax enough to push the bike on track and even a couple of weeks with good miles made a huge difference when I went in the second time. Great looking bike tho. Enjoy.
Just go easy on the throttle and take into account you have loads of power in midrange too ;-) i needed almost a year to adjust to the 1000cc power on track but kept her upright so far just enjoy, don't push. And... More power, more speed, different braking markers
I had 2 600f before getting my blade. Blade is easy to ride but remember not to try and ride it like your old bike. You won't need to pin the throttle too much, and keep any eye on your speedo until you are used to it if you want to keep your license.
I find my blade really easy to ride fast. My past bikes, carbed r6, and an rsv r both felt like you were having to really thrash along. The blade feels heavier in the bends and perhaps dosnt handle quite as well as the aprilia however I cant wait to get it on track and see how it gets on. Bring on April and cadwell. p.s my blade is identical to yours. Great choice.
Thanks for all the advice lads. So I got my blade yesterday and took her for a first proper ride today. Weather was a bit rubbish and roads were greasy but I still enjoyed it. Very impressed with the bike overall. Easy to drive, smooth and controlled at low speeds. Power delivery is incredibly linear. Feels light. Having a litre bike is lovely, power in any gear any time. Not impressed by the brakes, my Ducati 749 was incredible, these seem not nearly as powerful. Maybe I need braided hoses. It's a pretty big bike so I have to be careful, I'm only on my toes so moving backwards is hard, might look into getting it lowered. That really is only occaisionally and when riding it it's brilliant. Even by the end of the day I felt a lot more confident. Can't wait for a really sunny dry day when I can give her a proper squirt!
I am not sure about how your brakes are currently but braided lines will help and you might need to look at brake fluid as the brakes as standard are powerful but if you want Brembo power then go to the gym first, lol. Not sure what you mean about moving backwards? Great to hear you enjoyed it as from here it will only get better.
I think he means it's difficult to sit on the bike and push it back on tippy toes. Congrats on an excellent choice. The fireblade's fuelling is so smooth that it gives you tons of confidence when you first get one.
Brakes - Give everything that's on the bike a good check over, to start off which change all the brake fluid and get someone to help you bleed both systems (Front & Rear), then check the brake pads, they could be worn, or more likely glazed. If they are change them, then take the bike for a ride and see how it feels. Start off with the basics first.
