I will add I was suppose to ride the new ZX10R as well however it was in the garage and I couldn't get out on it due to an issue so had to pass on that!
So what happened on the day!
Well I had a service booked up so I decided to take the greatest and latest out for a play courtesy of Blade Abingdon
So I turned up and was greeted straight away by a sales person, I explained the reason I was there and straight away he said "oooh the Blade, let me know what you think of it afterwards", "certainly will" I replied!! He went off to sort out the paperwork and I went off to hand over the keys for the service
I came back and true to his word the paperwork was sorted, he asked me for a £10 insurance contribution to lower the excess...which I was quite happy to give him after the words "£2000 excess gets lowered too £250 by paying", "yep that's fine buddy" I replied!!
Next "how long do you want Mate?"
"Well maybe a couple of hours, 2.5hours??"
"Sure no worries, insurance is ready!!"
"Cheers buddy" with a smile on my face
So the bike that's why we are all reading this right....
Ok so I swung my leg over and my initial thoughts were this is light, narrow, feels no heavier than an 600...very good start
I turned over the key and my eyes gazed at the dash...its a warm welcome from the Honda, like going to your nans for a Sunday roast, special.
Fire her up and I thought, nice, quiet compared to the Gixxer.
Select first......again i tried to select first Honda don't piss me off already with that warm welcome!! This happened a few times!
Pull away and I found the clutch lever was very high - ok not a fair point here as you can adjust it but it did piss me off everytime I stopped and had to pull off again, hence writing it up!!
So now I'm on the bike riding down the road doing 30 in first (like the Gixxer) but something seems out of place, missing maybe...more on that later just bare this in mind
Hit a 40 still in first but at this point the engine starts to feel a bit pushed, louder, not quite so happy. I am comparing this to the Gixxer, the Gixxer I didn't feel like I was doing 30, or 40 for that matter and I was in first and it didn't feel bothered by this. The Honda felt like it was kinda wanting to say "No" like you would a small child for misbehaving. So I did what any person would do and changed up to second
Shit!!
WTF
That didn't feel very good!
Ok maybe it's me I thought I got a couple of hours on this thing let me see what it's like I thought
I saw a magical sign, the sign has a glisten to it, could it be...yes it is, National Speed Limit sign! So it would be rude not to open it up surely...i pull on the throttle (still in second) wow the sound is amazing it's like you are riding a Eurofighter. It really was brilliant, saw a bit of traffic, eyed up an over take and the Honda made it feel pretty easy.
Ok so time for 3rd using the quickshifter
Jeez I said 3rd not make me almost jump out my seat!
Genuine question who has set up this Quick shifter for Honda...maybe it be ok on track but for road it's far too aggressive when you compare it to the Gixxer!? Not for me I'm affraid and that was on more than a handful of occasions, potentially my fault but I didn't find it easy to use
So heading down the road and some donkey decides it's the right time to pull out at a T Junction right in front of me....i was so glad the Honda have brilliant Brembos! Must be the same as the Gixxer but they seem a bit more sharper, infact I felt like my soul had jumped out of my chest when using them, scared the f&cking sh!t out of me!! But they did the job very very well
The set up of the bike is...i don't think there's a word to say how well it's set up to be honest, the Ohlins are clearly doing their job right and Honda clearly knows these are the 'go to guys'.
Yet I am still missing something...but what is it I wonder to myself.
So I carry on using various type of roads
I get into a town...something I haven't mentioned yet...but there's a reason why I haven't because.....
The button cluster on the left is...confusing and annoying...
I ride down the road, get to a set of traffic lights and think I'll indicate to turn right with a bunch of old ladies waiting at the traffic lights....
BEEEEEEP!!
Yep you got it instead of using the indicator I CONSTANTLY hit the beeper!! It annoyed me and scared a few people...im sorry to anyone I scared on Wednesday!! The cluster is wrong way around for my liking and found myself having to look down to make sure I was going for the indicator!
So skip to an hour and half in I'm still missing something
So decide to pull off the road and take a couple of snaps and take a look around the bike.
There's covers for the holes in the frame, what's all that about? Swinging arms seem a bit dated, no flashness there more function over looks. I noticed the indicators (in the mirrors) seem to be constantly on, so there's a yellow tinge or light to them - unsure if that's the sun or if the lights are just constantly on, bit strange. Other than that pretty happy with the outside looks
The tires they have on the Honda are the Supercorsas - I've said this before I hate them and have come off a couple of times because I haven't warmed them up well enough so I took it easy around roundabouts in particular but down the twisties I didn't notice anything to be nervous about, stuck pretty well
I managed to take a 60 mile blast on the SP, mileage started at 455 and I pulled back in with 515miles on the clock!!
So I head back and when am 5 minutes away from the dealership I started to realise what I was missing.......
A smile
Not to say the Blade isn't good, it is good...its great in fact. I didn't like the QS, and to use the clutch it wasn't much better, maybe you would get used to it but why put up with it when the Gixxer is smoother and cheaper
Overall
Honda is what a Honda does
It's great but if I had £20k would I spend it on the Honda.....no I wouldn't! The Gixxer is a hooligans bike from its soul to it's skin, it's like the 10 minutes alone in a room with a box of tissues, a laptop and free open WiFi access then getting a text off the wife saying that she will be coming home with another friend and you best be ready for some action so get the easy one out now!! Where as the Blade is like going home to a wife, kids, a cleaned house, cooked meal and the wife saying don't worry about the washing up she would do it!
Both special in their own rights
Here's some pics of the SP
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