Not only does the length of the bike have an affect on wheelies, so does the length of the swingarm, and the one on our 1krr's is longer than most.

 

Re-gear the bike with a 15t front sprocket and you will find the front lifting in 1st, 2nd and into third, dropping the tyre at over a ton!!

Great bike all round with a front end/mid-corner stability that compliments any rider with any skill level. The only downsides that I can deduce are when pushing the bike hard on track. The standard rearsets don't have enough ground clearance and your boots tend to get ground away; the front brake initial bite and feel tend to fade when pushing, with the lever travel coming back towards the bar (It could do with some S/S braided hoses). The fairing clearance when on full lean isn't great. The plastics in the middle section tend to touch down (This has been reviewed for the 06 bike).

There are more positive aspects to the Blade over it's rivals. Have a look at the finish and build quality of the Kwak or Gixer and you will see that the finish is much more superior on the Honda.

As a road bike, I have to try hard to fault it, like the media do so often. They say it's boring, predictable and is perceived as slow. My view is slightly different. I find it planted, powerful and smooth with the way it delivers that power. Who wants a bike that feels like it will throw you off the minute you make a ham-fisted mistake; especially on a road. On the track, some suspension tweeks and re-gearing will have the Blade seeing off it's rivals, no problem at all.

 

BMW 1200GS perhaps?

 

Like you suggest, I've read that the new 06 1000RR is geared lower. I wonder if the internal gear ratios are the same as the 05 and 04? Considering this and the more power the 06 is supposed have the 06 will obviously wheelie easier which is great news to me since I currently plan to buy one. I am really looking forward reading the reviews/comparisons to the other 06 1K's coming out.

 

what is a "hero blob" and a "chicken strip" ? Has anyone noticed the switch from "cons of" to "why I love"

 

Hero blobs are the 1.5" long bits of waste metal that come attached to your footpegs!! Annoyingly, they tend to scrape round bends and hence removed.

Chicken strips are the unworn edges of the front and rear tyres due to sheer lack of cornering bravery. Trackdays are the perfect solution for ridding your bike of chicken strips!!

 

Right on.......

 

doubt it
most german tech is pretty over-priced

 

Needs more power, higher redline.

 

Cons... I have a Repsol and I'm always afraid someone will want it more than me, and it will be gone if I park it somewhere. Just put in a Scorpio alarm to help.

Getting the suspension to work with my 140 lbs. It's getting close though. Though it just turned 1k miles.

Relearning to ride a sport bike after having a ZX-11.