R1 or Fireblade

Author
Discussion

john-mxn6w

Original Poster:

15 posts

84 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Anyone had experience with the latest models of these.

I find myself lusting after a new sports bike having spent the last six months on a K2 GSXR 1000.

I've arranged a test ride of the Blade tomorow morning and hoping to follow it with a ride on the R1. My gut says the Blade will be the technically better bike but the R1 more involving for the average rider.



Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Have you considered a 954?

Mr OCD

6,388 posts

210 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Apparently the R1 has crap brakes and the Fireblade is nothing more than a minor update from the 2008 model.

Save your money and buy a Fireblade 954....



















































.... or not.

john-mxn6w

Original Poster:

15 posts

84 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
laugh

graeme4130

3,823 posts

180 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Had you considered the new GSXR ?

john-mxn6w

Original Poster:

15 posts

84 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
I had. Until I saw it and threw up in my mouth.

I'm a long time Suzuki owner and I don't like this new one at all.

sc0tt

18,032 posts

200 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
I'd save your money and also go with a 954.

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
I'd get two 954s. One for the week and one for Sunday best.

stew-S160

8,006 posts

237 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Rawwr said:
Have you considered a 954?
This.

spareparts

6,777 posts

226 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
The new* Blade supposedly doesn't have a good chassis and pushes wide on entry. Not confidence inspiring. Save yer money and go with a 954.

*supposedly it's not new and is just a warmed up yesterday's dinner of the 2008 Blade

Wouldn't go with the GSXR either as it has some emergency error mode that produces less power than Suzuki claims...

Birky_41

4,276 posts

183 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Having read the detailed reports on here on the blade and R1 amongst all the others, its a tricky one but for me it would be...

A 2002/2003 954 simply because this is the best even though its 15 years old in design now

twizellb

2,774 posts

211 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Have you considered a 600rr, highly rated;)biggrin

R1 Dave

7,158 posts

262 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
As much fun as the 954 thing is, I'll give you a sensible answer wink

I can't tell you which is best; I've not ridden the blade. What I can tell you is what the R1 is like:

I'm biased. I have one. I love it. It has its faults (more below) but when you throw it through a set of twisties it inspires more confidence than anything I've ever ridden (including the RSV4 is replaced which is also an awesome-handling bike). The engine is very involving and characterful, the cross plane engine note is fantastic and it's just a bit different to a normal IL4 (of which I've had many).

Faults:

Throttle: as standard it's utter dogst. You WILL hate it. I know I did. It almost stopped me buying the bike. The reality though is an ECU flash improves it MASSIVELY. I've flashed mine and just tonight fitted an FTEcu ActiveTune kit and it's better still. Don't let the stty throttle put you off of a fabulous bike, it's easily sorted out. Ride in B mode on standard mapping, A is horrific.

Brakes: they're pretty wooden feeling. They're not bad by any stretch but they lack bite. They do stop you better than you think tho, there's plenty of power, it's just that they're so wooden you don't feel like they're working well. I fitted Brembo SC pads which helped a lot. I might upgrade the m/c to improve them even more.

Good points;

Engine.
Sounds ace with a 3 quarter system on it, has bags of character and more power than you'll ever need. Race can and mapping releases extra power. Love it.

Electronics
They're great. They allow you to ride like a fking loon with ease, they're not intrusive, they just subtly help keep you alive smile

Handling
Handles brilliantly, can push really quite hard without trying, really nimble and agile.


As I say, I can't compare it to a fire blade. I can compare it to the 2015 S1000RR a friend owns tho - standard IL4 (like the blade), found it boring by comparison, way less character. Nowhere near as focussed or nimble in the bends. No idea how the BMW compares to the blade but it does highlight just how focussed the R1 is.

In conclusion I absolutely love mine, it's an uncomfortable bd but when you throw it through a set of twisted i wouldn't want to be on anything else.

Good luck with the bike shopping and hope this was helpful.

Dave

john-mxn6w

Original Poster:

15 posts

84 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Thanks! That's very helpful I'll make sure to play with the different modes if I can ever find a dealer to call me back about a demo!

Gavia

7,627 posts

90 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
R1 Dave said:
As much fun as the 954 thing is, I'll give you a sensible answer wink

I can't tell you which is best; I've not ridden the blade. What I can tell you is what the R1 is like:

I'm biased. I have one. I love it. It has its faults (more below) but when you throw it through a set of twisties it inspires more confidence than anything I've ever ridden (including the RSV4 is replaced which is also an awesome-handling bike). The engine is very involving and characterful, the cross plane engine note is fantastic and it's just a bit different to a normal IL4 (of which I've had many).

Faults:

Throttle: as standard it's utter dogst. You WILL hate it. I know I did. It almost stopped me buying the bike. The reality though is an ECU flash improves it MASSIVELY. I've flashed mine and just tonight fitted an FTEcu ActiveTune kit and it's better still. Don't let the stty throttle put you off of a fabulous bike, it's easily sorted out. Ride in B mode on standard mapping, A is horrific.

Brakes: they're pretty wooden feeling. They're not bad by any stretch but they lack bite. They do stop you better than you think tho, there's plenty of power, it's just that they're so wooden you don't feel like they're working well. I fitted Brembo SC pads which helped a lot. I might upgrade the m/c to improve them even more.

Good points;

Engine.
Sounds ace with a 3 quarter system on it, has bags of character and more power than you'll ever need. Race can and mapping releases extra power. Love it.

Electronics
They're great. They allow you to ride like a fking loon with ease, they're not intrusive, they just subtly help keep you alive smile

Handling
Handles brilliantly, can push really quite hard without trying, really nimble and agile.


As I say, I can't compare it to a fire blade. I can compare it to the 2015 S1000RR a friend owns tho - standard IL4 (like the blade), found it boring by comparison, way less character. Nowhere near as focussed or nimble in the bends. No idea how the BMW compares to the blade but it does highlight just how focussed the R1 is.

In conclusion I absolutely love mine, it's an uncomfortable bd but when you throw it through a set of twisted i wouldn't want to be on anything else.

Good luck with the bike shopping and hope this was helpful.

Dave
I'm not surprised if the photo on your profile is indicative of your body position when riding. You might want to sort that out before posting too much about how a bike works.



legzr1

3,843 posts

138 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Gavia said:
I'm not surprised if the photo on your profile is indicative of your body position when riding. You might want to sort that out before posting too much about how a bike works.


To be fair, nothing he posted is wrong.

graeme4130

3,823 posts

180 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Gavia said:
I'm not surprised if the photo on your profile is indicative of your body position when riding. You might want to sort that out before posting too much about how a bike works.


.

Ouch
It doesn't look too bad to be honest, and I've seen people with worse positions make good speeds on a bike

Gavia

7,627 posts

90 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
The reason I've posted the above is that a lot of what's posted is the sort of stuff you'd find out riding at a high level on track, so what journalists would write. I'm not convinced anyone can push a Superbike so hard on the road to see these failings, other than the snatchy throttle and often that's just an excuse for being hamfisted


cmaguire

3,589 posts

108 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Gavia said:
The reason I've posted the above is that a lot of what's posted is the sort of stuff you'd find out riding at a high level on track, so what journalists would write. I'm not convinced anyone can push a Superbike so hard on the road to see these failings, other than the snatchy throttle and often that's just an excuse for being hamfisted
Perhaps you should post your own credentials, in view of the fact you spend so much time telling everyone else what they are doing wrong.

legzr1

3,843 posts

138 months

Friday 21st April 2017
quotequote all
Gavia said:
The reason I've posted the above is that a lot of what's posted is the sort of stuff you'd find out riding at a high level on track, so what journalists would write. I'm not convinced anyone can push a Superbike so hard on the road to see these failings, other than the snatchy throttle and often that's just an excuse for being hamfisted
Are you being serious or have you been drinking?