immy
old hand
Reged: 09/11/2006
Posts: 895
Loc: Planet Zok
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It is a bit vibey-after 1 hour one of me fingers had turned white 
Edited by immy (26/04/2008 19:42)
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immy
old hand
Reged: 09/11/2006
Posts: 895
Loc: Planet Zok
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This is for the ones who said I was bull-shitting when I posted a thread that I would have the first ride here-I wont post your names-Up yours and dream on. you wont be as lucky as me.  oh now you will say "hes just sitting on it"
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Its not fate itself that is so frightening
Its the expectation of fate that frightens
Edited by immy (26/04/2008 19:48)
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immy
old hand
Reged: 09/11/2006
Posts: 895
Loc: Planet Zok
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No chicken wings here 
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Its not fate itself that is so frightening
Its the expectation of fate that frightens
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daviebjk
stranger
Reged: 25/02/2008
Posts: 13
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What did you have before and how does it compare??? 
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Well whats it like then?
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
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xxrider
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/11/2006
Posts: 2151
Loc: Somewhere over the rainbow.......
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Yeah, c'mon Immy.
You've had your smug "up yours" moment, but we all really wanna know what the bloody thing was like.
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The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
It is a bit vibey-after 1 hour one of me fingers had turned white
That's not you! There's no Sam Browne, and whoever the rider isn't wearing a white lid! 
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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immy
old hand
Reged: 09/11/2006
Posts: 895
Loc: Planet Zok
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I can only give my personal opinion based on several hours on road and 4 track sessions.
The photos dont do it justice-in the flesh its gorgeous.It sounds nice but muted. Im not sure about how aftermarket bods will sort summit out for it.The riding position is fine especially for me as Im all arms and legs,more upright than you expect(bars/pegs/seat ht are all adjustable)However in standard position the bars bashed the mirrors(trapping your digits) and the speedo pod takes getting used to(to much info) the revs are shown as a LCD line at the top and IMO too small and differcult to read. Theres a button on the left bar that you use to change to track mode(times speed etc) but you need to look hard at the pod and therefore not watching the road/track.The bike is incredibly light and with the c of g so low steers very fast-indeed I did tend to oversteer at the begining. And the engine,yes oh the engine. Its soooo well bril. I could repeat all the adjectives used by the press and it would be all true. If youve only ever ridden a in-line four powering out of bends/corners needs some control. But with this bike the combination of the WP suspension(cracking, both road and track)brakes(like hitting a wall if your to chack handed) and the engine(more grunt than Ben-Hurs Chariot)the bike inspires supreme confidence to charge into and out of a corner and it just takes it all in and does the job-brilliantly. I promise you that on the same track as I did with my old bike(GSXR-750K6) at the end of the day I was an incredible 2.6 secs faster-the D-logging showed I was progressivly getting faster out of the bends then I could with my 750.
Would I buy one-errr no. Theres always a but and for me(I think Rootsy mentioned it as well) Its very very vibey. So much so that the fingers on my left hand were going to sleep and in particular one went white. Also the mirrors(which are not brill anyway) blurred everything behind you into a mess.( Also that underslung exhaust-I wonder how long before(without to much cleaning) it would take to look like a shipwreak at the bottom of the salty sea) Its the vibes that didnt do it for me-it let, what has the potential, for me anyway, to be the best bike Ive ridden, seriously down Get that fixed and it moves to the top of the tree and I would happily sell the wife and kids for one
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Its not fate itself that is so frightening
Its the expectation of fate that frightens
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Shit hot track bike for 20min sessions then but bugger all use on any longer journey.
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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blimey white fingers vibey sounds worse than a road drill. could it have been at least, in part, tight engine vibey?
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 I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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immy
old hand
Reged: 09/11/2006
Posts: 895
Loc: Planet Zok
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Quote:
Quote:
It is a bit vibey-after 1 hour one of me fingers had turned white
That's not you! There's no Sam Browne, and whoever the rider isn't wearing a white lid!
 No thats this one:)
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Its not fate itself that is so frightening
Its the expectation of fate that frightens
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chappers
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 31/12/2006
Posts: 5115
Loc: Mind your own business
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Nice Boots! 
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If you Believe you will achieve,init.
Dizzee Rascal 2008.
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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...blimey immys' whole hand has gone white too
ps why is it the Diplomatic Police riders have (and use) whistles?
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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Afshin
journeyman
Reged: 08/11/2007
Posts: 99
Loc: Altea, Valencia, Spain
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hmm, it looks nice. Congratz 
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Ride safe
Afshin, Spain
"To sin is natural, I am a natural kinda guy"
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Sanquar
journeyman
Reged: 10/03/2008
Posts: 97
Loc: south wales oh yes!!
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damn immy who do you get in to clean the bast cover sorry windscreen
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OI i'm on to you b*st*ards
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KwH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1703
Loc: Carmarthen, Dyfed
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Quote:
...blimey immys' whole hand has gone white too
ps why is it the Diplomatic Police riders have (and use) whistles?
That's the 'Special Escort Group'.
Whistles don't tend to disturb the snoozing El Presidente they are escorting like horns or sirens would.
Watching the SEG at work is like watching a complex moving ballet being conducted on motorcycles in busy traffic...
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Ken Haylock
http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh
"Ride what you like, how you like, as often as you like; but always take responsibilty for your actions." - Anonymous Zen Guru
"Obviously all I'll care about is if it's good for wheelies (i.e. fluffs up my meagre skills), and what free gift they give on the launch." - Anonymous Moto-Journalism Guru
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fastjonny
old hand
Reged: 08/11/2006
Posts: 1016
Loc: England
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I remember seeing them in action on a few occasions in central London when I was a courier in the late '80s (pre-congestion charge!) and, even though I wasn't exactly a fan of the old bill in them days, one couldn't fail but to be impressed by the slickness of the operation.
BTW I nearly ran over Hale & Pace on my old Kawasaki GT hack on Bayswater Road once. I guess if I'd hit 'em I might have received an award for services to comedy
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fastjonny
www.battlebikerdropin.co.uk
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daveajj
journeyman
Reged: 24/03/2007
Posts: 81
Loc: Durham
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KTM RC8
Had a test ride (29/04/08) was thinking about part-exing the blade. The KTM has had rave reviews and looks so different, was sold on the looks alone.
Unfortunately the bike i had, had a few issues, i was given a two hour test ride but took it back after one and half hours, couldn't put up with it any longer.
Cons.
Very very viby, i know its a V Twin but the mirrors may aswell not have been there and an hour after handing the bike back my fingers were still tingling when i got back to work.
Gearbox, lost count of how many times i found a false neutral, was pretty scary at times, expecially when you're relying on engine braking.
Throttle/fuelling was too snatchy, had to prepare yourself for it to kick in, scary on wet roundabouts
Rear brake hadn't been adjusted to suit my positioning, had to fully extend my boot before i could touch it.(when i got back the dealer said one of the lads borrowed it to do a track day at Donnington and hadn't put rearset back to standard).
Good or bad?? the front brake was very sharp(one finger only please).
Pros.
Great looks,
Sounds awsome
handles great, very light & slim feel.
Seating position is very comfortable, bit like my old CBR600F.
Torque!!!
Altogether not a bad bike and i'm sure the gearchange issues and fuelling can be resolved, but really i still preferr the Blade.
Anyway some pics below from today........and how lucky was i the bleedin' rain stayed away
shiiiit!! i'll have to find a way of posting smaller pics..........
Edited by daveajj (01/05/2008 18:29)
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Biggles
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/05/2007
Posts: 2135
Loc: I am over here!
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oh dear, there go my subliminal hopes that maybe the vibes were really not that bad, but that makes 5 reviews out of 5 saying the same thing. likewise gearbox probs-such a shame- I could not live with that either.
looks like KTM are going to have to find a way to calm those nervous bores
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I refuse to be a member of any Forum that would have me as a member
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daveajj
journeyman
Reged: 24/03/2007
Posts: 81
Loc: Durham
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Quote:
oh dear, there go my subliminal hopes that maybe the vibes were really not that bad, but that makes 5 reviews out of 5 saying the same thing. likewise gearbox probs-such a shame- I could not live with that either.
looks like KTM are going to have to find a way to calm those nervous bores
yeah, real shame, it's such a great looking bike and handles really well, it just frightened the shite out of me when it kept jumping into neutral....
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