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Sam.moz86
Premium Member Joined: 18 Jan 2017 Location: Cardiff Status: Offline Points: 481 |
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Posted: 24 Apr 2017 at 09:37 |
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As most of us are Torque hungry and love the "V" yesterday I was a little surprised.
A friend of mine is a sales manager of a honda dealer and we went for a blast late evening, me on my 2004 Ape and him on a spanking new rather good looking firblade. Obviously I had to have a go. The technology is world's apart, the bike rides like a 600 and feels like a 600. It's light and nimble and I didn't feel like I was pushing at all to achieve the speeds I was going. It didn't feel like all my upper body weight was down on my wrists like the Ape, a less sporty and more of a sport tourer feel. The power delivery was insane, absolutely no go or guts until you hit around 8000rpm and then the thing was mental!!!! Yet still controllable. My overall opinion was, yes the suspension and the dynamics of the bike were amazingly good, but I couldn't see how it was worth 15k. I think it's safe to say I'm a V or triple kinda guy. Anyone else had a test ride? What's your thoghts? |
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Fugly
Moto GP Alien Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Location: Cambridgeshire Status: Offline Points: 754 |
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My mate has just finished running his SP1 in and is coming up in a couple of weeks for a weekend riding so will be having a go.
As a dedicated twin lover I am expecting to be underwhelmed in terms of low - mid range power delivery, I remember getting off my sons Beemer S1000RR and pronouncing "gutless" below 7K and he called my 998 a savage below 7K As far as I am concerned, grunt is where it's at
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Full Arrows system, 1060 Big Bore, PC5 and Evo Airbox. Bring on the big grin!
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Gazza
Premium Member Jaffa Cake Dealer Joined: 16 Nov 2012 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 862 |
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Riding the torque on a V twin is the educated gentlemans way of riding. In line fours or just for the common Hoi Polloi.
Still like them though.
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www.apriliaperformance.co.uk
www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk |
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IanG
Premium Member Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Location: N Wales Status: Offline Points: 10725 |
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I like that "educated gentleman"
The trouble is that progress seems to mean smaller and lighter with all the power at the top end which is fine if you're racing, but I do think in the rush for sales the manufacturers seem to have lost the plot somewhat on our very congested and potholed roads. |
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www.apworkshops.co.uk
www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk Looking forward to the next track day |
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Fugly
Moto GP Alien Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Location: Cambridgeshire Status: Offline Points: 754 |
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Totally agree Ian, which is why i think the only bike I would replace the T for would be a 1200 Multistrada and if I have that kind of cash would take it off the mortgage so the T is going nowhere
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Full Arrows system, 1060 Big Bore, PC5 and Evo Airbox. Bring on the big grin!
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Steve750
Moto GP Alien Joined: 27 Aug 2016 Location: Derbyshire Status: Offline Points: 452 |
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I had a 2011 Blade and it was fast.....very very fast! I didn't have to wait until 8k before it went mad!
The Blade is one fast machine by my own experience. Granted, I haven't ridden the brand spanker but my last Repsol was incredible! |
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Spoonz
Admins Group Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: North Devon Status: Offline Points: 10726 |
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That would have been pre euro4 which is a game changer.
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Steve750
Moto GP Alien Joined: 27 Aug 2016 Location: Derbyshire Status: Offline Points: 452 |
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Does that make a big difference? I thought they only got faster with technology and weight saving etc? |
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Spoonz
Admins Group Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: North Devon Status: Offline Points: 10726 |
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Big time
899 duke went to 959cc just to stand still power wise and weighs much more. Euro 4 is not just emissions and exhaust noise but overall noise. 1299 Pani is scrapped after this springs batch as they can't make it meet the regs. I spoke to a guy at Bridge motorcycles who was testing a new Gsxr1000 a couple of weeks back and he said same thing about that. Compared to his old one he said he had to rev the nuts off it. It was fast but only if you spanked it hard. Power needs fuel and fuel means emissions and they are allowing less of that. Only way to get round it is to either use more cc or move the power out of the emissions zone which is generally mid range.
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Af1
Moto GP Alien Joined: 29 Dec 2016 Location: Herts Status: Offline Points: 651 |
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Honda are sh*te, I hate them, they bribe the journalists to write a good review ! Anyway a link to a good thread on the latest bikes and videos. Honda have just rehashed the same old crap again. Same sh*t engine, same sh*t everything and ugly as fvck.....just buy a ten year old Honda and it will probably be better ! Listen to the rsv4 sounds so good. http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?331313-2017-MCN-Superbike-Shootout/page2 The thing I hate about honda if they lose a race series , honda uses its bribes to change the rules to suit themselves. w**kers....lol |
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IanG
Premium Member Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Location: N Wales Status: Offline Points: 10725 |
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Not like say, Ducati at all then?
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www.apworkshops.co.uk
www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk Looking forward to the next track day |
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Diablo
Premium Member Joined: 29 Sep 2010 Location: Upwell Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
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It defeats the whole object looking from a green point of view (euro4). To give the same performance, having to increase the engine size, because of emission regs. The powers that be, seem so backwards sometimes.
When you look at Kawasaki and their supercharger tech, I wonder if we'll see smaller engines supercharged to give the same performance and meet regs? I really like the 1299 and would love to get one of the last ones. In my dreams. They killed off the proper Land Rovers as well. Good enough for 60 years or more, then gone. I would happily go back to a time before all the meddling and saving us from ourselves. |
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Question everything.
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IanG
Premium Member Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Location: N Wales Status: Offline Points: 10725 |
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Too right
And bring back leaded 5* petrol as well AND cops on pushbikes with whistles |
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www.apworkshops.co.uk
www.apriliaforum.co.uk www.apriliaownersclub.co.uk Looking forward to the next track day |
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Diablo
Premium Member Joined: 29 Sep 2010 Location: Upwell Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
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that's really made me chuckle! "Stop, in the name of the law!" Peeeeep! Happy days. Seems so long ago the old 5 star. My SD1 drank gallons of the stuff. I'm sure it smelt better too. |
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Question everything.
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damo46
Moto GP Alien Joined: 07 May 2012 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 758 |
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There was a mention in this month's performance bikes that some manufacturers are looking at parallel 600 supercharged twins for the future, low revs, low emissions but decent power with a supercharger, sounds nuts. |
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Road Racing Ireland, Do It Between The Hedges
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Spoonz
Admins Group Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Location: North Devon Status: Offline Points: 10726 |
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Euro 5 in 3 years for bikes. But they reckon on smart box speed limiters will be oem on cars and possibly bikes by then so will be no point in buying a new bike anyway.
Assuming we don't break away from Euro regs, which I doubt. |
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Careca
World Superbike Star Joined: 30 Dec 2015 Location: Sevenoaks Status: Offline Points: 269 |
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Yea I agree with all of you. All these emission regs are bollocks.
Have to say that...............and don't hate me, I think 2 of the best bikes out there were the Honda 954 and the K5 gsxr. Of course there are many older bikes and I think all these pre-emissions turn of the century ( as in pre 2006) bikes will go up in value as they become much mopre sought after as they are so much more rideable in the real world ( i.e the road ) and not hampered by regulation. Its the same with cars but even more bollocks in that field. Take the new scirocco............powered by a highly strung 1.4 turbo engine to meet emissions ( everyone is going turbo and in the real world they are no cleaner ) ...........but what they don't tell you is the engines last about 20-30 k before they blow up. My local garage has 2 cars waiting for new engines . Hows that greener overall ? Did anyone see top gear last sunday. The porsche they were driving had to meet some co2 regulation which it did manage to meet. I think it was 143g/km. Anyway, It only met the regulation by driving at 23 mph ( or something stupid like that , can't quite remember ). Basically its all bollocks as nothing meets the regs in normal driving. Again porsche gone turbo . I have to say of all the new bikes out in the market, there are very few that i like, and all of them have huge farking ugly exhausts...............and guess what the first thing most people do is ...............change the exhaust. That worked well then lads. Someone tell the morons at the EU because it is all their fault. |
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Af1
Moto GP Alien Joined: 29 Dec 2016 Location: Herts Status: Offline Points: 651 |
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The EU loves making stupid rules. Straight cucumbers etc That's why it's called the fourth reich. Hitler still lives in his nazi designed eu ...... |
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cwp
Moto GP Alien Joined: 03 Feb 2014 Location: mid wales Status: Offline Points: 1688 |
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born ugly what's your excuse!!
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cwp
Moto GP Alien Joined: 03 Feb 2014 Location: mid wales Status: Offline Points: 1688 |
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I love my tuono but I'm biased towards the muscle bikes of 70's and retro bikes. Bloody loved my zrx1200 lawson rep lol. I know it's going off the original thread. I believe and correct me if I'm wrong but Kawasaki stopped making them because they had to go fuel injection and carbs were redundant. Bloody emission laws. Love the look of new blade
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born ugly what's your excuse!!
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bladebod
World Superbike Star Joined: 08 Nov 2016 Location: Portsmouth Status: Offline Points: 216 |
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I've had a couple of 'blades, 1998 and a 2003, they are without doubt the smoothest / best handling all-rounders I have owned. However they are almost "too good" to remain interesting for long, I finally settled on GSXR's and now have a 750 and a 1000.
They both demand more from the rider, and dont forgive poor inputs like the Blades did, however they reward decisive riding with great performance and handling. I've just bought a Mille R, it sounds like a racing dumpertruck compared to the GSXR's but again its got heaps of character in other areas, its early days for me but its growing on me slowly.
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Sam.moz86
Premium Member Joined: 18 Jan 2017 Location: Cardiff Status: Offline Points: 481 |
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Did you get to have a go Fugly? I rode an immaculate 2012 one before I bought my Ape Steve, I also rode a 2008 a few years ago, I preferred the size of them being a bit bigger compared to the latest model, and it was much more road friendly. If I owned the new one I think I would get a bit fed up after a few months, unless i had an unlimited track fund, Wouldnt that be nice. My favourite looking blade is the 2014/15 HRC SP they're stunning!!!!
How are you finding it Bladebod?
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Fugly
Moto GP Alien Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Location: Cambridgeshire Status: Offline Points: 754 |
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Sam.Moza,
Yes was out with my mate (2017 Fireblade SP1) and son KTM 1290 SuperDuke and we played bike swapping lots Thoughts as follows: Fireblade Typical Honda, very refined and smooth, had more torque than I thought it would and would rev forever but guess that is down to my twin preference. Up and down quick shifter was really good especially coming up to tight bends on the brakes etc, the only areas that I disliked were the brakes which were powerful and lots of feel but also lots of lever travel which I really didn't like and the riding position was really harsh on my wrists but again that might be me being used to Tuono position. Super Duke What a really strange beast, but a beast it is, footpegs seem to be on the floor but still rear set, a really strange riding position, the engine is imense and combined with what feels like really supple suspension that delivered a really great ride quality whilst going absolutely batsh*t. I was really impressed but the looks would put me off and I don't think the build quality for the price is good enough, it's a really great bike but is it worth trying to fine £12K over my Tuono - Nah don't think so but will be playing on it again.
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Full Arrows system, 1060 Big Bore, PC5 and Evo Airbox. Bring on the big grin!
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