They are a brilliant bit of kit and as you say they have loads of kit for the money (I have the same forks and brakes on my Speed Triple R and they are superb). I rate the Triumph 675 triple as one of the best engines out there at the moment, certainly not the most powerful but the way it makes its power is fantastic. Revvy, grunty and it howls like a wrongun! Try one, it will put a grin on your face EDIT: am I going to get banned now for being a Triumph lover? :tongue:
Just get one that will look good in the garage, as that's all it will good for in October when you made your mind up (On a serious note, You can buy an older R1 and have enough left over for a speed triple
Heh. Yeah I am mr indecisive, but when it comes to spending about £11k I do think I have the right to be able to compare and contrast. It's a simple question of gathering info and experience, both directly and vicariously. If I knew what I wanted I wouldn't be asking questions would I. I didn't know what its like to ride an IL4 so thought it best I find out since there's only so much use you can make of other people's opinions. Comes a point where you have to suck and see. The R1 ride has given me a whole new perspective on the 848 - you can't get that without the experience. Fuck the dealers, they're after my money at the end of the day and that's what demo bikes are for. Never said I ONLY wanted balls out fast. You seem to be trying to make it a false dichotomy (fast OR engaging). Surely its about finding the best balance that ticks the most boxes. I loved the 1198S, not because it was fast though. It's not what you do (going fast) its the way that you do it, as the song goes.
That's what demo bikes are for, If I was you In would be throwing my leg over something different ever weekend just for the hell of it. In fact I may do a bit of tyre kicking myself just for the hell of it.
AFAIU it staggers the piston firing so they are unevenly distributed: Yamaha YZF-R1 2009 Cross Plane crankshaft - YouTube
I thought it was a Airbus that had a bad day Horses for courses, I don't test ride or drive if I have no genuine intention to buy. Wastes my time, wastes their time, hassle all round. Plus I'm an easy sell so scared I'll trade mine and have to part with some cash ;-)
Well that's fine and dandy, but why moan about others wanting to? THAT's a waste of time Bradders. :biggrin: I was too strong when I said fuck the dealers, I don't really mean that at all or I wouldn't have bothered to ring back the Honda dealership for not wishing to waste their time. One thing I value greatly is good customer service, in all kinds of business and I will do my best to support companies that make the effort to provide it. But here's why I think you're wrong about test riding. While a dealer might not get a sale the day of the test ride, they have made an investment in me as a customer that may pay out in a new bike further down the line or sooner but in other ways. Perhaps I'll be more inclined to buy my next lid from them etc. Its aboslutely fine if you don't test ride because you want to remove yourself from the temptation but its not necessarily the binary operation you make it out to be for others, including the dealer.
Thats what they have demos for, like I say horses for courses just coz I do something doesn't mean others have to and visa versa, live and let live The RSV4 appeals to me other than its maybe a little small for my fat ass, but sound great with a race can.
I must say having owned a blade (2010) and 848 (non corse 08) the blade is definitely worth a test ride. they're both completely different bikes though, not sure on your size but you may initially feel more perched on top of the blade as I did (6ft 3) but when you get going its nothing really and I did plenty of long mileage (germany/France etc) whilst I enjoyed the 848 completely and it definitely has that nice sound, the blade 'should be' easier for you to go fast on. They're extremely well balanced and almost one of the best suited sportsbikes I've ridden to the good old British roads (bumpy and shite). Saying that the fuelling is also sublime so its very easy to just potter, you can just leave it in 5th/6th and roll on/off at your leisure from 30mph up to 160mph+ the 848 will be a little more involved in the gearbox department most definitely and unless they've changed hugely the 848 will also need more encouragement in the bends although that's not necessarily a bad thing. Blades feel almost heavy to start with but its actually the mass centralisation thing they've gotten so right and they just barrel round corners for fun, just tip it in and roll on the super smooth throttle. id also highly recommend trying the aprilia V4 engine. I have one currently but in the Aprc tuono and good lord it's absolutely bonkers but also has one of the best sound tracks money can buy (unless your after a desmo). I wanted a naked bike this time (I change my rides a bit but why not eh) and it is honestly one of the very very best engines I've ever had the pleasure to own, the torque and drive of the thing is phenomenal and now I'm running the race mapping and open pipe it's just incredible sounding. Haven't ridden the rsv4 but the engine is the same (give or take) as are the electronics if you go for the aprc, they're some of the very best on any road going bike. I can pin the bike and the anti wheelie just keeps things safe and the front wheel kind of gracefully hovers the Tarmac before going back down, the quick shifter is also brilliant and if you change up after a fist full you get that nice ignition cut / Bang pop from unburnt fuel before the bass kicks back in, makes me grin just thinking about it. after typing this I'd like to have a try on a newer 848 corse to see if things have evolved, I think I might just get that booked in. thought about looking at the new MV800? How much are they? Surely they'll be similar to the 848 corse in price won't they?
You're making me want to try the rsv4 damodici :biggrin: Perhaps I should have made a bit more effort to travel to Fowlers. I'm not sure if I've missed my chance now as time is running out to decide. I'm 5 11' and I did sit on a blade in the showroom, yeah its more on than in. MV800 will be out in 2014 I think. They say around £12k. Lovely looking bike. The blurb certainly sounds appealing: 'The exhilaration of a 1000cc Superbike with the handling of a 600cc Supersport. The torque of a v-twin and the rev limit of a four-cylinder.'
I agree, the v4 engine and electronics package is awesome.great fun with the v4 engine howling and the front wheel hovering in the air,and that q/shifter is a lot of fun. Just bought one,running it In and I haven't put it in track mode yet.reckon it'll feckin take off then!
Get to ride quite a few bikes. Rode a crossplane R1 last year, pretty uninvolving, all the power high up in the range (relatively), didn't like the handling, felt vague and flabby but having said that it wasn't set up for me. Fireblade (2012) did everything well, comfortable, fast, couldn't fault it really but was getting bored before the end of the ride. RSV4 factory. Wow could live with one of these. Like a 400 to sit on, ohlins kit feels way too soft just sat but when you get going, superb. Engine pulls like hell then you get to 10K and it takes off. Feels like a racebike on the road, big grins, I'd be in jail with one of these. ZX10, albiet in superstock spec. Mental, built for the roads, best bike I've ridden on the road but you'll need 20k+ Bang for buck though it would be a GSXR750 Suzuki, quick and nimble with the best 'budget' suspension on a road bike IMHO. Easy to ride fast but fast enough to make you take notice. Had a K7, loved it. OGR
Got rid of a K6 1000 for a crossplane, best decision I have ever made. With a decat and a set of pipes on the noise is fantastic, V twin then V4 then IL4 as the revs rise. Done 2500 miles in only a few weeks. They are an aquired taste and most people dont hit it off with them straight away. Best to run it on standard mode around town then A mode everywhere else. Best Jap bike I have ever owned.
I'm with DucV2, I bought mine in '09 so it was just under 10k (a pound). I had the suspension set up by Reactive Suspension and it's a different bike now. It comes with a really hard setting. I've been down to Brittany on it (600 mile-ish day). I love it and it's a keeper. Pic Whore
Looks smart in black & gold wasta. It seems people either love the R1 or just find it blah. Saw an MCN shootout between it and the RSV4 and the Yamaha won. Very odd. Thumbing through a 2012 issue of bike they only give it 3 starts (likewise the 848 Evo). I don't take anything the mags say as gospel, its just opinion like anything else, but the R1 seems to be a bike that divides opinion. Thanks for the suggestions for other bikes to try guys. I tried to arrange a test of the RSV4 today - all I got from the dealer was 'sorry we haven't got any demo bikes, anything else I can help you with?'. Won't bother going back there again.
