Hi folks, bought a new fireblade last year & absolutely happy with the bike. If anything it's too much for the road IMO - the bike is always riding you. It's an easy bike to ride, but a hard bike to ride well. However, having said all that it is probably the best all round litre bike & is so easy to get on with. However, I have always had an itch to buy a Duke & the latest 899 seems perfect for my next bike. Just wondering if anyone has gone from a fireblade (or maybe similar litre bike) to a 899?
I went from the cross plane crank R1 to the 848 Evo Corse. At first I thought I'd done the wrong thing. It took me three weeks to get used to it. But now I love it. It's the best road bike I've ever had so far! So much so I am now looking at the 899 (or a Diavel )
I went from an 848 to a new Fireblade, had about 8 Ducati's so am rather fond of them, the deal I got offered was too good to turn down. Like you I really like the Fireblade and it rides well but I do miss my Ducati and if the chance of an 899 came along then I would jump at it, just not at the £8/£8.5 k p/ex price the dealer offered for a 700 mile old bike.
Like you I really like the Fireblade and it rides well but I do miss my Ducati and if the chance of an 899 came along then I would jump at it, just not at the £8/£8.5 k p/ex price the dealer offered for a 700 mile old bike.[/QUOTE] yeah I can understand that. I'll probably keep mine for another year tbh - she's only done 900 miles & I'am really enjoying the blade. After many years of always wanting a Duke i think the 899 could be the one. I get close to buying a Duke & then I read negative comments & in the end I buy Jap or Triumph. But must admit there seems to be very few negative comments regarding the 899.
That's because they are reasonably new and the season has only just started. Give it 3 months and then you will see if they are ok or not. Or 10k like the Multi's to see if your forks crack or your engine lunches itself just outside the warranty period.
Had a fireblade nice bike but nothin like pani blade was predicable easy to ride bit boring , pani got mor character lower foot pegs wider bars mor comfortable looks better and make me smile every time I ride .
My last bike was a Fireblade and when I first got the pani I thought o f@ck what have I done! next run out with a friend who had a 2013 blade (now has an HP4 Carbon) swapped to let him try the pani, I couldn't wait to get off the blade and back on my bike, the blade felt heavy, narrow bars and quite cumbersome.
@BaronVonGrumble had a repsol blade & now has an 899. He also has a blade track bike with some very expensive carbon kevlar all over it. From his recent 899 videos I reckon he's happy with his purchase.
