Does anyone else ever feel like this? Almost as if there is limited enjoyment in riding any more? Or is it just me? I don’t think I will sell but I wonder if it’s worth having such a powerful bike at times.
Too often if I'm honest! I love my blade and I enjoy moments while riding but I spend alot of time in my helmet scrunching my face thinking I might not make it round this corner or what if xyz happens. I know how stupid that sounds as its largely in my control. I can go out thinking just take it easy, pick your moments etc but as soon as I'm riding I cant help myself Not that the bikes are to blame but for the road they are too powerful and they make it so easy. It's a silly amount of performance even on an older machine. I need to mature, lose the ego and realise the consequences are real when it does go wrong. Sell up and buy a track bike is the obvious answer for me.
Same here mate, either that or a supermoto but I think I’d be even more antisocial on one of those. Spoke to my dad about it last week and he said I’d be mad to sell up with what I’ve done to mine and how I keep it. I know I’d regret it but I often think it’s an expensive way to lose my license. When you roll on you just can’t help it and all of a sudden you’re at 120mph+ effortlessly
There is something a little tedious about starting to worry about your licence before you're even out of third gear. ...or constantly repeating the mantra "99 is points - 100 is a ban. 99 is points - 100 is...". The little 400 is more fun to ride in 90-odd percent of situations. The narrower back tyre makes it more flickable, you can get the vibe of wringing it's neck without the mantra kicking in seconds after you pull away, overtaking is a 'down two gears and don't bog the flatslides' affair that takes more thought.... There's no doubt it's been flicking through my mind on occasion over the last year. Then every now and then you clock off a shift at two in the morning, pull onto the empty motorway, flick on the high beam, roll it on and yeah, litre superbikes start making sense around then. A few of my workmates have looked at the blade and asked "...but where can you use that kind of performance?" Standard response is a grin and a "You'd be surprised!".
There is something called "the sunk cost fallacy" - we all do it. The idea is that you must continue with something because you already have spent time or money getting that far. Imagine you are reading a book and you get part way through and think - I don't like this book. The fallacy is to think that you should continue just because you have read this far. There are lots more serious examples than this simple example - have a Google.
Time capsule it. Get it prepped and just lay it up. It will make much more sense in 15 years time when you're older and everyone is driving round in electric cars . In the mean time buy a Street Triple RS, a trendy leather jacket and slow down. There's no looking down from a naked bike and being surprised about your speed, if you're doing 90 you bloody know about it.
I went naked, much harder to do 3 digits without realising it but still very capable of doing so. I think of my bike as a bit of a luxury at times, my wife probably thinks of it as my treatment.
Just don’t bother with 4th, that’s what I learnt most about my time at Ron Haslam. All you need to get round Donington on a Blade is 2nd and 3rd gear, even pulling nigh on 140mph down the back straight. Roads are no different, going to the shops, hit 4th gear + and save fuel. Any other ride, stop wasting time, use the power you’ve got properly. I ride with a lad who owns a Speed Triple. Loves going stupid on the straights but clueless in bends. Be a far better rider if he stuck to 2nd gear and focussed on riding properly. Ultimately biking is about enjoying yourself. If the Blade ain’t doing it buy a Harley. You’re still a biker and I’ll still nod, whether I get one back or not
I've been out on the 600rr more than the Blade lately, still very capable of silly speeds but takes a little more doing to get there unlike the Blade and offers a little more time to re-think the situation. As said, often you think I'll just go out and have some fun, nothing too racy. But before you know it the addiction of getting that favourite section of bends perfected takes over and when you get home you spend the next 10 mins waiting for a knock at the door. Also a big fan of 400's as mentioned, lots of fun to be had and you have to work at it which I find more enjoyable than just leaving it in 3rd and rolling on. So yes it does go through my mind but the addiction it still too strong and outweighs the risk for me at the moment.
Just because you have a 170hp bike doesn't mean you have to use it. The other day I went for a 100 mile loop spin and didn't go over 70mph. Usually just bumbled along at 60-65mph. Enjoyed the relaxing feeling...looking over ditches...taking in the views & and averaged 60mpg. And every now and again....just wound on the throttle & had a little fun here and there. Going balls out all the time is very tiring.....and dangerous. I'd prefer to have the power there when I need it, than to be looking for it & not having it.
I do the same as R.M. quite often. I will never be without a bike; I love them too much, but then again, I've always hated cages. The only reason I got my cage licence was because I became a dad to two beauts that need lugging around. If it hadn't have been for them, I'd probably just still have just a bike licence. Chin
I’m going to keep it. I’ve put a lot of energy in it and love it too much to get rid off, I think it’s a confidence thing after the RR7, I just need to get back on it and not be afraid of it so much. Will get some miles out of it this week
there are 2 options 1. do not ride in the UK - but ride in more suitable countries where you get more fun 2. re-focus on track riding
For me the novelty wears off if there is no agenda. For example if you ride the same roads just for the hell of it. I find that going out as a group or to a specific location for a reason makes the ride worth doing, plus you find that the route changes inline with input from others or the chosen destination, rather than deciding off the cuff to visit the usual places where bikes tend to congregate. One thing that keep riding alive is trying new things, wether that's a new bike or taking it to the track. If you haven't already then it's worth riding to a circuit where there's a bike day just to have a look around before maybe taking a dip. My biggest bug bear with road riding is drivers. It's the only thing that puts me off and the constant need to ride defensively makes the ride less enjoyable.
Glad you decided not to sell it my 2p is don’t sell it (obviously). If speed is your thing then look at some track days. For me personally, riding on public roads - I don’t get the urge to hit triple figures at all. The road surface in general is terrible, gravel and road debris etc not worth it. Probably a case of the fears as well after my previous crash. It can get stale for sure. I don’t really go out riding for leisure unless it’s a tour/road trip. I am one of those people who sell/get rid of things if it’s not getting used. There has been a few times where I’ve considered that on the blade (especially as I barely did 1000 miles last year). Made even worse when it’s tucked away In winter underneath a cover. But every single time that it comes out of hibernation and I get back on it for the first time - it brings a smile to my face If it’s all paid off etc as well, then it’s not costing you anything major, so you might as well keep it! May not be in a position to get one again in the future etc with regards to the not getting the most out of the bike, I don’t think any of us mere mortals will ever use the bike to it’s full potential. But it’s nice to have the power
I can’t agree more This year especially Last year I did go out for rides just for the ride(does that make sense) and to find new roads by searching the internet, one of my routes had a little detour that I didn’t know about and made it so much better, But I am the same that I like somewhere to go and then just add a little detour to make it worth while My trip to the crab shop could be 45 miles but with a little detour it ends up 110 miles But I have gone out for a reason and once on it the smiles just start to happen
Personally I have a different view, having spent over a year off bikes due to the damage to my melon on holiday last year, yesterday I pulled the cover off the NC30 for the first time, chucked a few litres of fresh V Power in and it fired 3rd attempt. I have had zero interest in bikes, racing, forum’s etc until the last month, and some of the dark days I felt it would never come back, but the last month or so, got the feeling it was time to try, went out on my pushbike, enjoyed that but the hills seemed steeper!, so felt it was time to try something a bit more powerful, only rode around my Close as it’s got an expired MOT and not sure how my balance would be, after 30 yds, felt like I had never been away. It may sound a bit cheesy but sometimes you need to lose something to finally realise how much you appreciated it, even if there are so many things that have changed over the years that now f**k you off and you can’t get away with the things you used to be able to do. The Blades still under its cover, that can wait for another day, the 400 will get me back into it. So think long and hard before jumping, as I can promise you things aren’t nearly as bad as they seem, just takes a large bang on the melon to make you realise that I have deduced.