Is it worth paying an extra 70p for the specially dried Columbian virgin coffee beans from your local barista, or does the run-of-the-mill stuff they serve taste just as good, at half the price? Can you really tell the difference, or are a few sexy words scrambling your brain into thinking something is simply better because it costs more?
The reason for this tangent is to give context to the Blade and my relationship with it. It is a bike I know well, having not only been on the latest iteration's launch back in 2020 under a roasting Qatari sun, but also going on to clock 5000 miles on my termer that very same year. In 2022, I was there on the launch of the updated 30th anniversary model, on track with a certain Mr McGuinness, and only last year that same bike powered me through some unforgettable riding experiences on the Isle of Man. The Blade is one of my favourite motorcycles of all time, made so alluring by its precise and informative front end and its mind-warpingly fast and exciting motor. It is an absolute beast to ride a literal testament to Honda's engineering prowess that's translated to many wins on the racetrack, and which is sure to power a fair few more in the months ahead (albeit it on the newer, tricker 2024 spec machine).
But here is my quandary... why is the McGuinness bike any better than the 30th anniversary SP, which in itself is a looker and comes fully loaded with about 95% of the components you'll find on this limited edition? That question rattled around my grey matter as I blasted along my favourite backroads, getting reacquainted with this compact pocket rocket.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2024 من Fast Bikes UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2024 من Fast Bikes UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Sensational Suzuki Live - Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Live's formula proved a winner for the thousands there.
Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Live’s formula proved a winner for the thousands there. As motorcycling events go, Suzuki Live's 2024 effort is surely set to take some topping. Held over two days at the iconic Cadwell Park circuit, the event played host to a list of two-wheeled legends and a mixed bag of iconic Suzuki machinery spanning five decades.
Steve Parrish
It's been a busy old month but so good being back in the thick of it. Despite the great British weather, it finally feels like summer is here, and I've been all over the place with some really great events since we spoke last month.
Christian Iddon
It's a long time since I had that feeling... 1057 days, to be precise, and if you were to ask if 'that day' was the day it would happen again, then I would have bet all my worldly belongings against it.
BOTH A CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CASE
There’s a time and place to lawyer up to the hills, and this is one them...
LONGTERMER KAWASAKI ZX-6R
Last month, I was gearing up to consign my ZX-6R to the back of my garage while I disappeared for the best part of three weeks to work at the TT with Batham's Racing.
YAMAHA WABASH RT
When you live a life of wheelies, burnouts and fast laps on race tracks, it's hard to spot a midlife crisis... but six months on in the saddle of Yamaha's Wabash e-bike, I daresay that's exactly where I'm at. I'll be honest, cycling isn't for everyone, and quite frankly, Lycra is even more polarising, but for me, life on two wheels, be it powered or pedalled, has formed my staple diet for as long as I can remember.
24 HOURS FLAT-OUT!
Ever fancied a crack at 24-hour endurance racing? You might think again after reading this...
PROJECT 37 A TEST OF TIME
Having got his head around the standard bike at Cadwell, Timmy heads to Powerslide Motorcycles with a wish list of improvements for the Suzuki GSX-8R...
'WHY WE GO RACING...5
Ever wondered why big brands spend big money and put in huge amounts of effort to go racing? Well, we did too, so we didn’t hesitate to ask the man who makes that call for Honda Racing UK...
9 BIKES WE WISH WERE STILL HERE...
No one’s worked out how to bring things back from the dead, but if we had our way, these are the bikes we’d oe see makingareturn.
