what are your opinions on how the storm compares to the blade, went to a dealer today and was told the blade was by far the better bike.
having never riden one I wondered what peoples thoughts were
firestorm vs. fireblade
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VTRgirl
- Posts: 2281
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- Location: Sunny Queensland, Great Southern Land
I was recently "set-up" with a friend's patient who, along with four of his mates, went out & bought brand new CBR1000RRs a couple of weeks ago. Quite funny, really, but it's amazing what kind of a deal you can get when you bulk buy new bikes! Anyway, long story short, I rode two of them before they even reached a day old (that's the Blades, not the buddies... 
). Very very zippy & with the right rider, could easily leave the storm for dead.
As is the answer to all these questions, depends what you're looking for. I found I was very much sitting "on top" of the blade & felt a bit vulnerable compared to the comfort of the Storm. And naturally, the braking is excellent compared to what I'm used to with the VTR. The 1000RRs do handle heaps better than the 954s (which the lads all traded in...), but there's no way I'd swap. They sound poxy with the standard pipe, as you'd expect.
They're fun short-term, but in the big picture, riding the Blade just made me appreciate my Storm even more
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). Very very zippy & with the right rider, could easily leave the storm for dead.As is the answer to all these questions, depends what you're looking for. I found I was very much sitting "on top" of the blade & felt a bit vulnerable compared to the comfort of the Storm. And naturally, the braking is excellent compared to what I'm used to with the VTR. The 1000RRs do handle heaps better than the 954s (which the lads all traded in...), but there's no way I'd swap. They sound poxy with the standard pipe, as you'd expect.
They're fun short-term, but in the big picture, riding the Blade just made me appreciate my Storm even more
.If you ate yourself would you become twice as big or simply disappear?
Coming back past Louth/Cadwell area this spring. Two new Blades in front, one the Repsol rep, all new Crowtree leathers. First our guy on the CBR600RR passes them in the twisties, next my mate on a Blackbird complete with top box then me between two hairpins - just out grunted them. They caught up on the straights no probs but were left behind in the bends. Having ridden one I can say that they are absolutely brilliant - power everywhere, brakes and handling to match, bit at the end of the day its the rider that makes the most difference - most people don't seem to ride enough to get to know what their bikes will do - you so often see 4 year old bikes with 5000 miles on the clocks.
well
Guys, that's not so embarrasing for those Blade riders.. what I saw once was truly embarrassing for not-really-skilled riders.
How would you feel if you see Goldwing mounted with pillion, luggage and DOG TRAILER overtaking you in the turn while you not really pushing it but giving it a bit of a go
I saw that once - BMW RS rider been overtaken like that. I must admit that guy on Goldwing was a well known and brilliant rider (amongst Glodwingers), but for Gawd sake - even dog looked smug in his trailer
How would you feel if you see Goldwing mounted with pillion, luggage and DOG TRAILER overtaking you in the turn while you not really pushing it but giving it a bit of a go
I saw that once - BMW RS rider been overtaken like that. I must admit that guy on Goldwing was a well known and brilliant rider (amongst Glodwingers), but for Gawd sake - even dog looked smug in his trailer
4 wheels moving body, 2 wheels moving soul
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barrioplano
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2003 12:18 am
- Location: Japan
I drove a CBR1000 on a small circuit: scaringly faster than the Storm, OUTSTANDING brakes and a much smoother engine (two extra cylinders can make wonders...)
Having said so, if I'd go back I would still buy a Storm: it is more comfortable and after 25.000 km it still makes me grin when I open the throttle at 2500 rpm
I only wish the Storm brakes and beam were a little better
Having said so, if I'd go back I would still buy a Storm: it is more comfortable and after 25.000 km it still makes me grin when I open the throttle at 2500 rpm
I only wish the Storm brakes and beam were a little better
Easy - buy CBR/RC51 calipers-cylinder or GSXR1000 calipers-cylinder of eBay and brakes will be awesome...barrioplano wrote:I drove a CBR1000 on a small circuit: scaringly faster than the Storm, OUTSTANDING brakes and a much smoother engine (two extra cylinders can make wonders...)
Having said so, if I'd go back I would still buy a Storm: it is more comfortable and after 25.000 km it still makes me grin when I open the throttle at 2500 rpm
I only wish the Storm brakes and beam were a little better
4 wheels moving body, 2 wheels moving soul
The boss let me take home an 05 blade for the weekend. Whoa!
Only 4 miles on the clock and pissing down so had to take it easy on the tyres, but what a bike. First thing I noticed 200 yards down the road was that this is a comfy bike! It stayed that way for the few hundred miles I put on it.
Brakes as good as the 600rr, easy one finger stoppies! (by the way, 600rr calipers and master cylinder a straight swap for the storm!)
Best thing is the torque. Pullls like a twin from the off, with all the warp capabilities when the revs rise.
I hate to say it, but i would if i could! It's a top bike. Sounds great with the air box growl as well, doesn't really need an after market can (although the yoshi's the best we've fitted so far!)
Only 4 miles on the clock and pissing down so had to take it easy on the tyres, but what a bike. First thing I noticed 200 yards down the road was that this is a comfy bike! It stayed that way for the few hundred miles I put on it.
Brakes as good as the 600rr, easy one finger stoppies! (by the way, 600rr calipers and master cylinder a straight swap for the storm!)
Best thing is the torque. Pullls like a twin from the off, with all the warp capabilities when the revs rise.
I hate to say it, but i would if i could! It's a top bike. Sounds great with the air box growl as well, doesn't really need an after market can (although the yoshi's the best we've fitted so far!)
Can you give a bit more details on that? I am really interested....grinner wrote:Brakes as good as the 600rr, easy one finger stoppies! (by the way, 600rr calipers and master cylinder a straight swap for the storm!)
Which 600rr year you mean? Not the last one if I understood correctly (since last one got radial calipers)?
4 wheels moving body, 2 wheels moving soul
I don't really agree with that statement, that the Fireblade is a better bike than the Firestorm, different yes, better only in the sense the Blade has all the up-to-date technology built into it, where as the Storm is still basically (apart from a very few minor up dates) 98 era technology 8yrs old now 
Lets face it, the Blade is nearly a race bike on the road with its light weight and big horse power, where as the storm is not I would have said the SP2 would be more of a comparison, although again the Blade is still more up-to-date in the technology department.
There's always going to be the in-line four versus the vee-twin debate
Chris.
Lets face it, the Blade is nearly a race bike on the road with its light weight and big horse power, where as the storm is not I would have said the SP2 would be more of a comparison, although again the Blade is still more up-to-date in the technology department. There's always going to be the in-line four versus the vee-twin debate
Chris.
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tony.wilde1
- Posts: 2230
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i understand chris but i would rather 98's technology ...so i can work on it with ordinary tools rather than plug in machines and shyte!!sirch345 wrote:I don't really agree with that statement, that the Fireblade is a better bike than the Firestorm, different yes, better only in the sense the Blade has all the up-to-date technology built into it, where as the Storm is still basically (apart from a very few minor up dates) 98 era technology 8yrs old now
There's always going to be the in-line four versus the vee-twin debate
Chris.
Couldn't agree with you more Tonytony.wilde1 wrote: i understand chris but i would rather 98's technology ...so i can work on it with ordinary tools rather than plug in machines and shyte!!
I'm with you all the way on that. But I'm afraid youngsters of today (no all but the majority) don't want to get their hands dirty, they'd rather take it to a garage and bung it on the credit card
Perhaps its got something to do with our age Chris.
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slim_boy_fat
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:53 pm
- Location: Glasgow
I had the choice of almost any bike out there when i was looking a few weeks ago, within reason and the £7,500 budget.
I ended up buying my Firestorm 3 years old model no less. (but what a spec/condition )
The thing is about buying a bike, you can read all the magazine reports about how x is 0.2 sec quicker than y etc etc but really its all meaniingless on the road.
What i wanted was a bike that was realiable, well put toqether, quick, comfortable looked good, and made me smile when i started it.
The storm just ticked alll the boxes for me. There is just no way you can use all the performance of a blade et all on the road these days, and if you try and get close then you are irresponsable and should have your licence taken away, on the track thats different.
To say one bike is better than another is not really the way to look at it, more a case of one bike is more suited to your needs/wants.
The Firestorm is a really good all round road bike, every journ who rides one states that, and for 99% of rides out there thats what i important.
I ended up buying my Firestorm 3 years old model no less. (but what a spec/condition
)The thing is about buying a bike, you can read all the magazine reports about how x is 0.2 sec quicker than y etc etc but really its all meaniingless on the road.
What i wanted was a bike that was realiable, well put toqether, quick, comfortable looked good, and made me smile when i started it.
The storm just ticked alll the boxes for me. There is just no way you can use all the performance of a blade et all on the road these days, and if you try and get close then you are irresponsable and should have your licence taken away, on the track thats different.
To say one bike is better than another is not really the way to look at it, more a case of one bike is more suited to your needs/wants.
The Firestorm is a really good all round road bike, every journ who rides one states that, and for 99% of rides out there thats what i important.
It's here.........
Sirch, not one of us has claimed that the blade is better than the storm, I still know that the storm is all I wanted out of a bike. Having said that, I can't deny I'd have one if I could! But I'd have to keep the storm as well. I enjoyed the blade while I had it, but it would prove to be a licence loser for me as I found my average speed increased without me realising it! You're right about the technology, but it appears to make this a usable bike. Sorry if my comments grated, just trying to be impartial believe it or not.
Barrio, you're right, the radial version won't work, but all the blade, sp2 and 600rr calipers (pre-radial) will bolt straight on to the storm!
Add braided hoses and you'll be laughing! You don't really need to change the master cylinder at the same time, it's the calipers that will make the difference. Also, try Carbon Lorraine sbk3 pads as well, they have all the double sintered stopping power, but without the disc wear rate you usually find with sintered pads.
Barrio, you're right, the radial version won't work, but all the blade, sp2 and 600rr calipers (pre-radial) will bolt straight on to the storm!
Add braided hoses and you'll be laughing! You don't really need to change the master cylinder at the same time, it's the calipers that will make the difference. Also, try Carbon Lorraine sbk3 pads as well, they have all the double sintered stopping power, but without the disc wear rate you usually find with sintered pads.