[Xaos636]

The Beginning.
The motorcyclist in me was well up and kicking when I was a kid through my Dad's Bajaj Stride and my uncle's Bajaj Chetak and fast forward when I was 18 and standing with a freshly baked driving license, the first instinct was to get a motorcycle and there comes the fastest Indian(or so, as the company claimed) in the name of Bajaj Pulsar 220. Fast forward to 2022, I have used only Japanese motorcycles after the P220 owing to their unmatched reliability and have owned vehicles from the YZF R15 to the YZF R3 and then the biggest capacity motorcycle which I owned was the Honda CBR650F.

Back in the day, I always had this shiny little poster of a Yamaha R6 and an R1 in my room wall and the R1 has always been the ultimate dream, knowing nothing of the bike other than it is 1000cc and it was not on sale in India. Come 2008, Yamaha came all guns blazing and launched the R1 and soon followed Honda with the launch of the CBR 1000RR.

Introduction
I do have penned a small ownership review of the CBR650F here https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...0f-review.html (Jack of all trades | My Honda CBR650F Review).
The motorcycle is very capable, very well engineered, so good that there are very few things that is wrong about the bike. This has been a sport tourer's delight since 2015 and continues to do so with the CBR650R now. The service is cheap, parts are very well priced for an inline-4 and the moment you keep it for sale, it flies off the showcase like hot chocolate.

A very close friend has had his 1000RR for sale since 2+ years now, and as the asking price was a bit high and he being on-off India for a few months, it was a tuff ask for him to sell it. Back when he bought it, I had ridden it and never in my dream thought one day I would own it. The bike was parked for a few months since the owner was out of country(The bike still was started and rolled once or twice every week), I was able to convince him through phone about selling the bike at a decent price comfortable for both of us, and the bike needed a few works like tire change(costs half a lakh now!) and a few other smaller works. We struck a deal considering everything and I can comfortably say that @krishnaprasadgg was the mastermind behind this as I had no plan to sell the 650F nor jump into the liter class territory, atleast this year.

Other bikes considered were a very few and it includes the legendary YZF R1 and my favorites of the lot, the Triumph Daytona 675R and the Ninja ZX-6R 636. The ZX-6R was considered because of the reasons that I get a fairly new bike(~2019 manufactured) and can keep it for long and its easy to live with(without taking it to Kawasaki ofcourse) as its not too committed. But very few units were sold in India and finding one in KA or KL was a tough task. When I found one, the owner was asking the same cost as a new one back in 2019 which never made any sense for me.

I did not consider a new superbike simply because of the reason that I upgrade more often than I wish to. But can I upgrade from a 1000cc super sport ? I can say Yes, the newer ones are an upgrade definitely, but more than half of the cost involved going into Government's hands, I am still not comfortable to digest that, but yeah we all know that day might come. Talking about my riding experiences, my first superbike experience was a 2008 R1(pre-crossplane) in 2011 when the ZX10R was launched in 2014, I got some decent time on it and then have experienced most of the lot after that. I always had the love for supersports and not much for the tourers or nakeds, irrespective if this statement makes sense or not. I try very often to keep on the Japanese side of things, but some day I know I might need to go European as no one can take an eye off on something like a Panigale V4 or an Aprilia RSV4.

I have upgraded in a phased manner, from single to twin to inline 4's. And they were not sudden too, it took years in the making with planning both monetarily and the physical side of things as well. I am not one who wants to keep the bike at home, ride for a coffee every weekend or so. I take the Fireblade out almost every day, in traffic, in rain, under the scorching sun and well out for long rides as well. I do not want to keep any of my bike a garage queen and irrespective of the weather, I do take her out often and hope to keep it that way as well.

Likes
- Predictable power delivery.
- Good service support.
- Decent spare part pricing.
- Smooth motor.
- Fuel economy of 20+kpl.
- Decent headlights.
- Combined ABS works great.
- Impressive mid-range power delivery.
- The instrument console.

Dislikes
- Brakes. Could be miles better.
- Clutch feel is a bit hard.
- No rear tire hugger as standard to even save the shock.
- Very difficult to work on. Fairing clips, bolts etc. are very tightly and oddly placed to say the least. Removing the fairing itself takes a lot of time. Inexperienced hands can easily crack your wallet.
- No traction control.

The first sight of the bike
This was around 3 years back, when I was casually rolling around @krishnaprasadgg's YZF R1 , my friend invited me to take a look at the Fireblade. Hence went to his home, took a few clicks and returned. This was the first time I was seeing a Repsol edition in front of my eyes. The mind never had a thought or a clue that one day its going to be mine, the same exact bike. Below is one pic from that day. The first sighting of the blade.

[Xaos636]

Decision to buy it and bringing her home.

Me and @krishnaprasadgg decided to go and take a look at the bike in detail before putting the cash down, and a big thanks to my friend who allowed me to keep the bike for how much ever I want before putting the money down. Even though I politely declined the offer, that's some offer that you don't get with a used car/bike. I gave the money upfront after multiple test rides and OCD detail checks, and rode her home. She was accompanied by the mighty RS230 as well.

First fuel stop means mandatory pics.




The bike had a not so original(read fake) MIVV slip-on and that was the first thing to go. It looked good, but screamed fake.
You can see the stock exhaust mounted back. Personally, I love how the stock exhaust gels with the machine as a whole. Special thanks to Bikers Lounge, Calicut for mounting the exhaust on short notice.


Don't miss the Road 5's. The bike had old tires. Cannot blame the owner too as running was less. Bike ran just 1000kms in the past 2 years.


There is @krishnaprasadgg again behind the lens.


At home finally after the exhaust and tire change.




And one for the records. Both my beauties together. I have since sold the 650F.

[Xaos636]

Important works which required immediate attention.

The bike ran on a fender eliminator and I was finding it difficult without indicators. So first thing to be sorted was that. Even with indicators, its difficult here in the south, so you can imagine the plight without it.





Went straight to Cochin to my friends workshop, F Motors for a general Service.


Just making sure everything is in order


After removing the fairing.


Old vs New


New oil and oil filter






And last but never the least, a brand new chain sprocket kit from JT.




Torqued to the spec


Done and dusted.


Accessories added.
- R&G Swingarm protectors
- R&G Frame sliders
- R&G front fork protectors
- Zero Gravity windscreen
- Evotech Radiator Guard.

[Xaos636]

Some closer details. The bike has absolutely no electronic aids apart from Hondas Combined ABS. Its just you and the 999cc between you and the road, and its better you know what you are on than to be sorry later. But I am glad that Honda has provided ABS atleast. Traction control would have been great to have.

Switchgears are as basic as it can get. Left side has what it looks like 2000's Hero Honda switches. Hazard lights control, indicators, horn, headlight low/high beams and a pass light. That's it.


And on the right? Starter switch and kill switch. Also notice the Yamaha grips. I love them to the core and try to get it on all my motorcycles, this one being no exception.


Recently added an ASV shorty clutch lever.


The adjustable front suspension from Showa. SP versions got Ohlins.


The instrument cluster has to be one of the finest in the industry, even to date. Its a pleasure to look at on every ride. The full screen LCD instrumentation includes a lap timer, trip and fuel-consumption computer, five-level customizable shift indicator, gear-position indicator and peak-rpm memory function.


A look at it in the dark


Headlights
Attachment 2310558

Compared to the R1, these are at least 3 times better as they illuminate the road pretty decently. I struggled really badly on the 650F and the R1 and the Fireblade does it decently to show you what's ahead at night.

Brakes
Attachment 2310557
The 4 piston calipers(Tokico) are decent with 320mm rotors, but the master cylinder unit of the front brake isn't. Just a google search let me know that the master cylinder has to go and something like a Brembo RCS19 or similar has to come. It lacks confidence and has a mind of its own on the bite front. Sometimes you get excellent bite, sometimes nothing. And this is not dependent on hot or cold condition of the brakes. Not sure if steel braided lines alone will work as expected on ABS equipped bikes. An upgrade is planned and could come soon along with a reservoir change. One google search led me to multiple forums where many owners were screaming for a change. I don't think there is a point in replacing the master cylinder with the stock one again, hence an upgrade is preferred. Other than bite, the bike stops well, ABS is not too intrusive too and I found it to work great as per my braking needs.

Tyres
Bike is running on Michelin Road 5's, and its around 2 months and 4000 kms old now. I don't think I should say much about these as everyone knows about these tires. No drama or slip ups. Its there and does its job. Stock sizes are 120/70/17 up front and 190/50/17 at the rear.

Suspension and riding posture
The front suspension is the 43mm Showa BPF and the rear shock was updated for 2012 and features improved damping circuits that allow for a smoother transition between compression and rebound, translating to a smoother ride and improved traction. The Showa's are on the softer side. Not sure if my friend had changed the settings, but I haven't found any issues with it so far, but might need a harder setting for track use. Suspension overhaul is in the list and will update after that.

The riding posture is very relaxed for a super sport. Compared to the R1, both me and @krishnaprasadgg were left wanting for more time on the Blade on longer rides as it was much more comfortable than the R1. I also rode down 580kms in a single stretch last month without much issues. But mind you, your a$$ is still up, your wrists are still low and the pegs are high, but an all-day ride won’t land you in a doctor’s office, because by super sport standards, the blade takes the cake.

Engine, gearbox and handling
The bike boasts of a traditional 999cc liquid cooled inline 4 engine which puts out around 180PS of power. The acceleration is very addictive, but not scary as some of the competitors. Its very predictable and wont throw you off it unless you really don't know what you are doing. The sound of the stock exhaust is music to ears and its loud enough to make heads turn. The gearbox is very predictable without any dramas and the slipper clutch keeps the rear stable under hard braking. I am yet to find a false neutral on the blade and the gearshifts are precise.

With how the power is delivered to the wheels, I feel that the R1 might be a better track bike and the Fireblade, a better road bike. The R1’s power is always there and I feel that the R1 will have too much power on corner exits that a blade might find difficult to match. But there is a slight weight advantage for the blade which might nullify that claim. Again, these are just my opinions and might vary to a huge extent at the hands of expert riders.

The bike also features a steering damper. The second-generation Honda Electronic Steering Damper(HESD) helps maintain predictable high-speed handling and low-speed maneuverability. Its very easy through traffic and even more easy to handle at triple digit speeds. I feel the character of the Fireblade might suit a vast majority of riders alike as they would feel instantly comfortable on one, but I think those experienced riders might want more initial surge and more overall feel and feedback from the blade.

Service and spares
So far I have dealt with Honda Bigwing topline Cochin only. I had a good rapport with them from my 650F days and the guys are great to deal with. They have till date provided me all the spares I have asked for and I am happy with the same and hope to continue getting similar services in the future as well. The mechanic there is a very knowledgeable guy(even though I haven't used much of his services) and knows what he is doing as my interactions with him have always been positive. A good mechanic is half the problem solved!

That's all for now. I have just had the bike for a few months and will soon be completing 5000kms with it. Will keep the thread updated as the ride continues.

Cheers !

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[krishnaprasadgg]

Well!! The thread is finally up!
Let me be the first to congratulate you on this epic acquisition here on the forum!
We have always joked/dreamt about rolling in these epic beasts of bikes back in 09 during our random rides, it felt ridiculous back then because we never imagined in a million years we would be able to find or even afford beautiful machines like this and yet look where we are now!
I cannot stop myself from this, but say that our younger self would be proud!

So cheers to many more miles with this beast and many more rides together too. The R1 and the Blade have a lot more unfinished business left!

Cheers
Krishna

[AtheK]

Congratulations mate, that bike looks like the part. Old school fire blade have a charm of there own and the repsol edition just makes it look even better.

Good work on the servicing and even I maintain to change fluids on all ore owned bikes I buy. This should last you a long long time with Honda reliability.

Wishing you many miles of happy and safe riding.

[no_fear]

Congrats!!! Finally the thread that we have been waiting for. Very happy to see this beast in your garage. Ride it to the max and just for fun, keep the R1 and the CBR in your garage, plant a sofa, a drinks bar, and enjoy your weekends staring and polishing these queens.

[neil.jericho]

Woo hoo! The Fireblade thread is finally up! Congratulations Xaos636! What a lovely bike this is. The Repsol Edition is probably the best looking version of that generation of the Blade. Its amazing how everything comes full circle and you bought the very same bike that you got to see a few years ago.

A lot of enthusiasts here will be able to relate to your fascination for the old R6 and R1 ! I wonder if the current generation of youngsters will ever know what we experienced, just staring at those posters on the walls, while dreaming about whether we would ever be able to own one of them.

The mileage of 20+ kmpl is quite impressive! I get 17.x kmpl on an average for my Street Triple 675. Like you, I use it everywhere, not just for weekend rides.

I narrowly missed seeing your bike when it was on the way to Trivandrum. We were about 2 kilometers apart. Hopefully, I will get a chance to see it sometime soon! Happy riding.

[RMN]

Congrats!

Originally Posted by Xaos636

Not sure if steel braided lines alone will work as expected on ABS equipped bikes. An upgrade is planned and could come soon along with a reservoir change..

While the gains wouldn't be as much, SS lines still do help with ABS motors.
And assuming that the current lines are OEM and never replaced, its due for replacement anyway. A brake overhaul job along with will go a loooong way!

[Xaos636]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

So cheers to many more miles with this beast and many more rides together too. The R1 and the Blade have a lot more unfinished business left!

Cheers
Krishna

Indeed. Lets start the business

Originally Posted by AtheK

Congratulations mate, that bike looks like the part. Old school fire blade have a charm of there own and the repsol edition just makes it look even better.

Good work on the servicing and even I maintain to change fluids on all ore owned bikes I buy. This should last you a long long time with Honda reliability.

Wishing you many miles of happy and safe riding.

Thanks mate. I too have the habit of changing all fluids at regular intervals just for the peace of mind, and I am pretty sure the bike loves it too.

Originally Posted by no_fear

Congrats!!! Finally the thread that we have been waiting for. Very happy to see this beast in your garage. Ride it to the max and just for fun, keep the R1 and the CBR in your garage, plant a sofa, a drinks bar, and enjoy your weekends staring and polishing these queens.

Thank you sir. Yep, the sofa should be there, should be. The garage might get bigger too, who knows

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Woo hoo! The Fireblade thread is finally up! Congratulations Xaos636! What a lovely bike this is. The Repsol Edition is probably the best looking version of that generation of the Blade. Its amazing how everything comes full circle and you bought the very same bike that you got to see a few years ago.

A lot of enthusiasts here will be able to relate to your fascination for the old R6 and R1 ! I wonder if the current generation of youngsters will ever know what we experienced, just staring at those posters on the walls, while dreaming about whether we would ever be able to own one of them.

The mileage of 20+ kmpl is quite impressive! I get 17.x kmpl on an average for my Street Triple 675. Like you, I use it everywhere, not just for weekend rides.

I narrowly missed seeing your bike when it was on the way to Trivandrum. We were about 2 kilometers apart. Hopefully, I will get a chance to see it sometime soon! Happy riding.

Thanks man. The mileage I mentioned is mostly the highway FE. City FE would be around 16-17, as per the console.
We will soon see again. A plan to Cochin is ON. Just that @krishnaprasadgg is coming up with a lot of excuses to ride in rain.

Originally Posted by RMN

Congrats!

While the gains wouldn't be as much, SS lines still do help with ABS motors.
And assuming that the current lines are OEM and never replaced, its due for replacement anyway. A brake overhaul job along with will go a loooong way!

Nice to catch up with you here mate. Yep, the brake lines are on the list and its always better to be safe than sorry, especially with things related to brakes!

[VijayAnand1]

A sweet and heartfelt thread, been overdue, but here it is. The Road 5s, they're a pair of tires that get almost a 5* from every rider I know of. Ditto on the instrumentation; a tinge of Ducati, a tinge of MotoGP and this, a lovely looking one at that. Subbed!

Cheers!
VJ

[doga]

Bike looks delicious-congratulations @Xaos636.
The Repsol is my favourite blade livery and especially this variant. Actually, the paint scheme looks more like the pre 2012 edition Repsol blades. The later editions had a slightly different Repsol scheme. Is my understanding correct?

[Rachit.K.Dogra]

@Xaos636: Hearty Congratulations again brother!!

So when got to know about sports bikes, I was out and out a Yamaha guys and of course R1 was the dream bike and as you rightly said, without knowing nothing of these bikes.

My kind of divorce with Yamaha started in 2015 when the new R1 was launched with a seat height of 865mm. Any dreams of buying R1 went down the drain as somehow in my mind I was apprehensive of riding such a tall bike in our traffic conditions. I had never thought of buying a used big bike then.

Slowly I drifted towards Honda and the fire blades reputation was a big factor in that. After joining the Honda bandwagon when I bought the 650F, I have always believed the 2012-2015 fire blades are the sweetest litre class bikes to own. They are keepers and some day, will eventually appreciate in value. They are the gentleman's super sport. Friendly, supportive, fuss free and built like a tank.

I will just say one thing about the fire blade, whatever many developed countries people call boring about the fire blade, it is engineering master class.

Wishing you many miles of Joy with her!!

CHEERS!!

Rachit

[V8toV12_]

Congratulations on the blade one of the most sorted litre class for the road.

Got mine last year and agree with all your pros and cons.

Question about your ASV levers did you got one for front brake as well? I installed them last weekend and the mechanic had difficulty fitting those some issues with plunger pins, did you face any such issues?

Here is mine with stock exhaust as well which will soon be upgraded to SC Project Oval, cheers!