"Rode a 2008 Fireblade last night" thread in "Motorbike Chat"
A mate bought this earlier in the year and it's transformed his riding! He was always a good rider, usually mid pack in our little ...

A mate bought this earlier in the year and it's transformed his riding! He was always a good rider, usually mid pack in our little gang, but on this thing he's pestering the guys at the front...blitzing everything on the straights on his red, Honda missile and pacing on round the bends too!

He took a shine to the 848 a couple of weeks ago, but couldn't really have a go as it was still running in and it would have been pointless. So last night I chucked him the keys and he reluctantly (I don't know why, he doesn't seem to trust me with his bikes ) let me climb on the Fireblade.

First impressions are HUGE tank! It feels so wide after the skinny Ducati. Your legs are quite folded up on the high pegs, but your top half is fairly comfortable and everything seems to fall to hand nice and easy. It feels roughly as tall as the 848, maybe a tad shorter, I didn't struggle with it and Couch looked like he was riding a 125 sitting on it It's much better looking in the flesh and the finish looks really good on it.

So, I was expecting your usual, bland Honda. The last Fireblade I rode (another of his bikes actually!) I couldn't wait to hand back, it had no redeeming features I could find. This thing is a different animal though It's fast, really fast and has lots of lovely torque. The roads I took it on weren't big enough to try and get it flat out on, but winding it up sees really silly speeds on the clocks very quickly. The engine is happy doing anything from bimbling about in a 30 limit to thrashing out on the open road, it's very useable. Where the Ducati gets all hot and bothered going slowly, the Honda takes it all in it's stride. Treat it nicely and it's the most docile bike I've ridden, but give it some big handfuls and the front gets light while it tries to whip itself out from under you! The older 'Blade was quick too, but it just didn't give the same excitement and involvement this bike does. It's not as mental as CC's old ZX10R, that thing was like a badly guided missile, the Honda is much more controllable.

I got seperated from the boys in town and the next road was one I sort of know, but not that well. Still, I had some space to play with the 'Blade now, so I got on with chucking it into some corners and giving it some nice, big throttle out of them. It felt good, a little bit softer than the Ducati, but it corners and brakes really well. I can see how he rides it so quick now, it's just so easy to get on and go fast and it really doesn't do anything unexpected. The extra speed in it saw me arriving at a couple of corners faster than I planned for, but it went round with no problems at all

All in all, a very useable road bike and I could imagine it would be a brilliant track bike too. It's not something I'd ever buy, the litre machines still intimidate me a bit and it didn't do as much for me as the 848 does, but I did like it.

He hopped off the 848 grinning and asking about 1098s as he likes to have too much power in a bike, so we might have another Ducati convert yet He did remark that it was hard on the wrists and he's over 6 foot tall, so it might just be a bit too uncomfortable...we'll see!

Reading a bit in MCN last night (I know, I shouldn't bother), they tested the 848 against a GSXR750. The journos seem to keep banging on about how the 848 is slow steering, but after riding the CB1000R and the 08 Fireblade this week, I really don't feel there's any difference between it and the Japanese bikes. Maybe I need a go on the current crop of 600s or something, but I reckon they're just trying to find something to bring the bike down on and that's it. Anyhow, the 848 is brilliant, the Fireblade is brilliant, but in very different ways

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PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

as someone said they are good.
pissed off with this site and other thing due to some.
got other things on my mind can't be arsed anymore.

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www.technomoto.co.uk

Again please, in English

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PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

Thanks, I get it now

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PB Round The World Guinea Pig Blog

Had a test ride on one back when they were launched, loved the engine, loved the handling, loved the brakes, hated the low riding position...

I've got too used to sitting up straight and being able to see over cars to plan my ride, the fact I took it out on a bank holiday didn't help, couldn't find any clear tarmac that lasted more than five or so miles.

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If beer is so bad for brain cells, why does my brain allow me to drink so much of it?

I want a new 'Blade! First model to make me think of whether my RR03 needs replacing!

Oooohh I can hear her weeping in the garage at the mere suggestion of replacement.....

What a coincidence. I was talking earlier to a guy about bikes and he said he was working all the hours possible to get enough cash together for an 08 Blade. Reckons it was the most complete bike he's ever ridden.

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Wonder about my avatar? CLick this www.freeschapelle.net/

It was fast, it was easy to use, it wheelied easy, it was uncomfy. Didn't do much for me TBH but I can see why people like them. A lot more useable than the ZX10R I had, within a mile or so I felt at home on it and confident with it, just not my kind of bike.

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mmmmmmmmm

Bladerideressex your thoughts were exactly the same as mine. I got off the 08 blade and asked the salesman how much to trade in my 03. The 08's alot better, but not £6k worth of better

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Formerly known as Mikey

Had one on loan for a couple of weeks-initially amazed at how completely fantastic it was at most things-and how easy it was to ride quickly. But soon became aware of it's shortcomings-it gets VERY uncomfortable after two hours or so, my shoulders aching badly. Not sure if this is the riding position to blame, or the brakes. They are so good I left braking to the very last centimetre, then the braking was so hard it must have put a more than usual amount of force through my shoulders.

The engine is a pussycat, pulling well from 4000 rpm when a nice, deep induction roar could be heard, then it went like the proverbial off a shovel from there up (saw 140mph in 3rd before i backed off)

And, as it was not my money paying for it, I can be a little critical-I thought the finish left something to be desired-only 1,500 miles on the clock and the paint on the plastic tank was wearing through (not scratched, wearing through), the rear seat cowl felt like it would fly off at any minute, and the paint on the wheels looked thin. My mates GSXR1000 looks to have a much better finish. And that rear number plate hanger?! Looks so much better without it.