Why, oh why ...

.... do Honda seem to be incapable of making the 'Blade look interesting?

This month's DiRE has the new 'Blade and the new ZX-10R on facing pages.
They both produce about the same power, they both got rave reviews, tested
separately, but if I was choosing I'd have to go for the Kwak, just because
the 'Blade looks so fucking dull.

Why can't they just get it sorted, eh?

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, Keeper of the TFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

At least the Merkins don't have to endure the crayon colour scheme, they get
it in black.

 

"Bike" this month did a similar test and they agree with you and the Kwak is
apparently by far the more fun. Incidentally, the power may be the same,
but the 'blade is 9kg heavier (not that it will matter to most of the lard
arses here).

 

interesting?

Not only "LOOK".

The reviews.

"It doesn't scare you" ......Why buy a powerful bike if you can't get a
little scared?
"It doesn't feel quick until you check the speedo" What's the point in
that?
"Refined"....If I want refined I'll buy a jag.

I like words like.

Scary
Frightenning
A handful.

The kwak would also be more fun.

 

Cos it's Honda.

Kawasaki have correctly realised that people want to be terrified by
big litre bikes, even when it's parked. Remember the reputation
surrounding the first R1? That's what Kwack are aiming for.

 

rubbish, aren't they?

I've just seen a one-owner 2000 blade on biketrader[1] with *1,148*
miles on the clock. I'm not normally a mileage-fascist, but FFS, why
buy a bike if you're not going to use it.

[1] trying to work out how much mine might sell for.

 

<fx:fires up browser>

"Never seen rain. Last owner never went above 50mph"

*boggle*

I guess it must have frightened the poor little mite.

 

But it's a Honda, and according to Champ and Gower, that's simply
impossible.

Mind you, it also says "RARE COLOURS" which is simply a lie. Those are
standard '01 blade colours, and in fact, is the same as mine.

 

Yeah, but what about the reputation of the first Blades?

The early ones looked good, had a fearsome reputation and people bought them
in droves.

How did Honda lose that, eh?

Obviously they made a big mistake taming the 'Blade[1] at the same time as
the R1 appeared, but they've had 6 years to sort that out ... and they're
still producing bikes it looks like your granny would ride.

Like 95%+ of the bike buying public I'm never going to be able to push a
modern litre bike to its limits, so I'm most likely to buy what looks nice.
Surely Honda must know that.

[1] In the interests of fairness; I've never ridden any Blade, so I'm just
going on what I've read and been told.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, Keeper of the TFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Yeah, a bike needs to be fun when you're up for a laugh, but it should also
be easy to ride and, yes, refined when you want to switch off. I know that
as much as I love my bike, it isn't half a pain in the arse (literally) when
you've been on it all day, are tired, sore and just want to go home. I got
the impression that the Blade is more switched off easy speed than balls out
fun.

Cool, but that doesn't mean it's a bad bike, just not one for you.

 

I actually see the first generation Blade as a bit of an aberation for
Honda. I think their company culture is somewhat schizophrenic - they
love engineering and technology, and have produced amazing race bikes
and F1 engines. And some of their road cars are very perfomance
orientated too (e.g. the NSX and the new-ish Civic Type R) - but then
they seem to come over all guilty about it, and pretend that
performance isn't fun.

 

They devolved.


HTH

 

....by people who don't like Hondas.

 

Yeah I agree the Blade doesnt look half as good as the ZX10R or the
'04 R1. Reading the initial launch tests of the Blade and 10R it seems
the Kwak is the one to get for character and fun, but the Blade better
mannered.

If I had one on the road[1] I'd get the Kwak, if I were racing I'd get
the Blade. Mind you, havent heard what the R1 is like yet.

Steve

[1] Insurance has ruled that out after my 2 recent thefts

 

Not at all, a lot of the bike press seem to have a great fondness for Hondas
and I've read any number of articles that say that the 'Blade is a much
better bike than the R1 or Gixer Thou.

My point was, in spite of this, the 'Blade looks like a dull bike, and I can
judge that for myself.

I literally couldn't face having to open the garage door every morning,
looking at it and thinking, "Why the _fuck_ did I spent my money on that
thing?".


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, Keeper of the TFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

I agree with you completely, about the new 'blade - it's fucking
horrible. I like all the previous ones (looks-wise), though.

 

Huh? Are you _sure_ you've got that the right way round?


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, Keeper of the TFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

swot I fort.

I'd get one for the road and another once for the track. If the money
fairy left a bag of gold at the bottom of the garden.

 

[Blade vsa ZX-10R]

But I tend to leave the bags of gold with people without
nasty smelly motorbikes. 'specally if they've already got
four! You should be leaving bags of gold for me!

 

Sod the money fairy ... before I bought 2 ZX-10Rs I'd require a _serious_
visit from the testicle fairy.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, Keeper of the TFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.