Upgrade suspension or buy a blade?
Upgrade suspension or buy a blade?
What do you guys think or know already? Will a sorted firestorm ever feel like a stock 929 or 954 blade?
as the blade has always been honda's sports bike and the storm was a bargin bin put together, the stock blade should be better, spend a bit of money on the storm and if you have some ability to ride a bike in the first place, then it might be as good as an older blade, but they have kept developing the blades and spent next to no money on the storms, newer blades will be better than any sorted storm, but having a storm is down to passion, personal choice for something a bit different from the souless 4 cylinders and liking the twin engine, which not everyone can get on with.
a blade looks like almost every other sports bike out there, performance is almost the same, and they have no soul...twins rule.
sorry been to the pub for lunch.
a blade looks like almost every other sports bike out there, performance is almost the same, and they have no soul...twins rule.
sorry been to the pub for lunch.
cheerz
kev
kev
I'd say a set up Storm will be better.
A Revolution fiddling with Racetech forks and Penske shock plus set up for your weight and riding will fell way better than any stock bike, even pure bred sports scalpels.
BTW, I bet this comment makes you popular in your house kev...
A Revolution fiddling with Racetech forks and Penske shock plus set up for your weight and riding will fell way better than any stock bike, even pure bred sports scalpels.
BTW, I bet this comment makes you popular in your house kev...
kevg wrote:a blade looks like almost every other sports bike out there, performance is almost the same, and they have no soul...twins rule.
Voted most likely to be found dead in park bushes following an act of autoerotic asphyxiation.
Kitch wrote:BTW, I bet this comment makes you popular in your house kev...
kevg wrote:a blade looks like almost every other sports bike out there, performance is almost the same, and they have no soul...twins rule.
Just as well he's 20ish miles away just now
Having ridden a 929 and a 954 blade, they are both excellent, I really felt comfortable as soon as I sat on them, even two up. They are very easy to ride compared to the earlier blades, I have a 1993 blade, now I've got new tyres on it feels like a new bike, but in comparison to newer blades its a bit harder work. I had a shot of kevs storm and did nae like it, but then I'm no used to vibrating, sluggish v twins (he he only kidding)....each to their own and what you feel most comfortable on....have a shot of a blade.....you won't be disappointed
was waiting for that.
try a blade, if you like twins or have ridden them for a while the 4 takes a bit of getting used to, and vise versa for coming to a twin from a 4.
they are easy to ride, and turn in and go where you want without thinking about it. but just seem bland to me.... my opinion though.
cheerz
kev
kev
Well, given that I was waved past twice by my mate on his Blade on some of the twistier, more intricate road in Wales, then I'd say it ain't what you ride its how you ride it really!
Oh, by the way, I was on my TDM900 with top box at the time.
When it came to straights I had no chance, or indeed bendy roads with short straights. Having said that, left a few of them for dead on the A483 from Newton to Llanbister where we stay every year. I wasn't sure if the pegs were going down first or the centre stand - and I didn't want to have to find out at those speeds!
Plus the TDM runs Metzeler Z6 touring tyres that give 8000 miles per rear.
Funny thing is, part of the reason is that I always have my suspension quite soft, whereas full on sportsbikes are usually far too hard for the road and bumpy roads unsettle them. In fact, in that scenario, a Blade would probaby be worse than a Storm.
I think a lot is said about equipment, but its only part of the story. used to be the same when I was playing in a band regularly. I never changed my guitar (1975 Fender Strat) but got on with it whilst everyone else was swapping gear like crazy.
Oh, by the way, I was on my TDM900 with top box at the time.
When it came to straights I had no chance, or indeed bendy roads with short straights. Having said that, left a few of them for dead on the A483 from Newton to Llanbister where we stay every year. I wasn't sure if the pegs were going down first or the centre stand - and I didn't want to have to find out at those speeds!Plus the TDM runs Metzeler Z6 touring tyres that give 8000 miles per rear.
Funny thing is, part of the reason is that I always have my suspension quite soft, whereas full on sportsbikes are usually far too hard for the road and bumpy roads unsettle them. In fact, in that scenario, a Blade would probaby be worse than a Storm.
I think a lot is said about equipment, but its only part of the story. used to be the same when I was playing in a band regularly. I never changed my guitar (1975 Fender Strat) but got on with it whilst everyone else was swapping gear like crazy.
Two bikes, still only four cylinders!
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LotusSevenMan
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:32 pm
- Location: Liss, Hampshire. UK
Stratman.
Reminds me of the guys I'd go diving with. I'd have my gear set-up/modified to suit my diving and once set it was reliable and you know what's what. Some of the chaps were gadget demons and kept changing kit and spending lots of money etc. Never learnt to use the stuff properly and know the negatives and positives accurately before grasshopper jumping to the next fad. Result was they appeared to have been taught by the YO-YO School of Diving! I'm sure the same can be said with the archery I did too and it is the same for bikes. Get it the way YOU want it then learn about its limitations (and yours) and ride around them to the positive things. Blades are good but a V twin thumper is a much better long term tool IMHO.
Reminds me of the guys I'd go diving with. I'd have my gear set-up/modified to suit my diving and once set it was reliable and you know what's what. Some of the chaps were gadget demons and kept changing kit and spending lots of money etc. Never learnt to use the stuff properly and know the negatives and positives accurately before grasshopper jumping to the next fad. Result was they appeared to have been taught by the YO-YO School of Diving! I'm sure the same can be said with the archery I did too and it is the same for bikes. Get it the way YOU want it then learn about its limitations (and yours) and ride around them to the positive things. Blades are good but a V twin thumper is a much better long term tool IMHO.
"Only ride as fast as your guardian angel can fly" !!!
The other thing I didn't like about the storm was the upright riding position, I'm just no keen on the look of the front end of a storm either, on Kevs, it looks lovely from the petrol tank bank towards the tail end....sorry 
The SP1's and 2's look really nice and sound lovely.....if I had the money I would consider a shot on one if I could get used to riding a V Twin. They are also the same sports riding position as the blade, not sure how they compare to a Storm other than being a V Twin.
A blade riding position with Storm low down grunt????
I'm out of my depth in here............I'll get me coat
The SP1's and 2's look really nice and sound lovely.....if I had the money I would consider a shot on one if I could get used to riding a V Twin. They are also the same sports riding position as the blade, not sure how they compare to a Storm other than being a V Twin.
A blade riding position with Storm low down grunt????
I'm out of my depth in here............I'll get me coat
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LotusSevenMan
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:32 pm
- Location: Liss, Hampshire. UK
NT.
I assume you're are, how shall we say, vertically challenged? Unless going like a bat out of whatsits to keep the windpressure on my chest the Blade hurts my wrists from the lean on the bars.
Good job we don't all like the same eh?
I'm 6" 3" tall so ???
I assume you're are, how shall we say, vertically challenged? Unless going like a bat out of whatsits to keep the windpressure on my chest the Blade hurts my wrists from the lean on the bars.
Good job we don't all like the same eh?
I'm 6" 3" tall so ???
"Only ride as fast as your guardian angel can fly" !!!
warning- long post
All below is IMO. Please do not take it wrong way - I am just speaking my mind.
I'd say - do a checklist on what you need it for. For example - I use my VTR for long distance rides (never sleep in same town twice) with a bit of rubber burning in French canyons. Can blade do it? No. In last 2 months I saw loads of UK/Netherlands/Belgium -numberplate blades and R1 with whole loads of really badly packed luggage speeding through Belgium to get to France, sit in nice villa and do local rideouts playing racing gods. There is NO WAY bike with 50 kg baggy luggage hanging on both side of bike can be better in twisties than neatly packed VFR for example.
Well, sad to admit it but any local guy there still smokes them on his old rusty pegeouot 309, leave aside national police on "scooter" BMWs and totally mad French riders on sportbikes as nthing beats knowing your roads.
However, if you plan to do that - quick race Calais-Cote D Azur and then leave all stuff at villa, do local ride during day time and have a nice evening with beer - Blade will do. Do not get me wrong - it is not my cup of tea, but there is nothing wrong with this approach.
Storm with modified clipons still WAY more comfortable to ride really long-distance than any Blade. Hornet 900 is 10000 times better at it than Blade and 10 times better than Storm, but has more things to go wrong (or I am just paranoid about being able to bump-start etc.).
If you do "race" blade will be better. Short base, stiffer everything, less forgiving, more composed. Disadvantage - can't count on nice effect by pulsating V-twin power and on gobs of torque at really low RPM, but Blade will beat Storm - at the end of the day they just need to downshift and wind up to 6000+ rpm.
But then - why Blade? Why not K6 Gixxer? If you go to class of "jap standard IL4 liter" why not to pick most furious one? It is not about Blade vs. Storm, it is more about IL4 vs. Vtwin. Old game
Apologies for long post.
I'd say - do a checklist on what you need it for. For example - I use my VTR for long distance rides (never sleep in same town twice) with a bit of rubber burning in French canyons. Can blade do it? No. In last 2 months I saw loads of UK/Netherlands/Belgium -numberplate blades and R1 with whole loads of really badly packed luggage speeding through Belgium to get to France, sit in nice villa and do local rideouts playing racing gods. There is NO WAY bike with 50 kg baggy luggage hanging on both side of bike can be better in twisties than neatly packed VFR for example.
Well, sad to admit it but any local guy there still smokes them on his old rusty pegeouot 309, leave aside national police on "scooter" BMWs and totally mad French riders on sportbikes as nthing beats knowing your roads.
However, if you plan to do that - quick race Calais-Cote D Azur and then leave all stuff at villa, do local ride during day time and have a nice evening with beer - Blade will do. Do not get me wrong - it is not my cup of tea, but there is nothing wrong with this approach.
Storm with modified clipons still WAY more comfortable to ride really long-distance than any Blade. Hornet 900 is 10000 times better at it than Blade and 10 times better than Storm, but has more things to go wrong (or I am just paranoid about being able to bump-start etc.).
If you do "race" blade will be better. Short base, stiffer everything, less forgiving, more composed. Disadvantage - can't count on nice effect by pulsating V-twin power and on gobs of torque at really low RPM, but Blade will beat Storm - at the end of the day they just need to downshift and wind up to 6000+ rpm.
But then - why Blade? Why not K6 Gixxer? If you go to class of "jap standard IL4 liter" why not to pick most furious one? It is not about Blade vs. Storm, it is more about IL4 vs. Vtwin. Old game
Apologies for long post.
4 wheels moving body, 2 wheels moving soul
Well, I got to say I love my storm. I live in Greece and very few of them were sold here so it looks extra special. Most people don't even know it. It will never feel dated to look at - no newer model ever came out. And it has a magical way of putting all its power on the road (even greek road!) despite its crap suspension. The main complaint is fuel economy (got even worse with factory kit and shorter gearing).
On the other hand whenever I get on a more focused machine there is this feeling of composure that the storm can't match. And I don't find them more uncomfortable - bars are lower but you seat closer to the front. Fours are also easier for slow everyday riding.
Anyway, I think I'm gonna keep the storm and try it with improved suspension. You win!
On the other hand whenever I get on a more focused machine there is this feeling of composure that the storm can't match. And I don't find them more uncomfortable - bars are lower but you seat closer to the front. Fours are also easier for slow everyday riding.
Anyway, I think I'm gonna keep the storm and try it with improved suspension. You win!