s1000rr?? Or should I...

So as some know im looking at the s1000rr because it has the best reviews of any superbike ive ever seen and like many if its the very best then i want it... However after reading many comments here from owners and on the Yank board im not so sure......

We recently had this discussion a few days ago in another thread and instead of spending the £13,700,00 for a new s1k it was suggested that i look at a pre-reg which imo isn't a bad idea. So i was in Hunts of Manchester today (the local Honda dealer) because a friend told me they hand a 1 year old s1k in there. I checked it out and its a little old and not in the best nick imo. Chain was badly rusted and there was a few bumps and scrapes but i asked a salesman if they normally have many coming in but a little cleaner and on a newer plate. My intention was to leave my details and get them to contact me when such a bike came in but to my surprise the salesman started telling me that they get at least one in every week and yes there usually much newer. He was saying that this was due to them being unrideable on the streets????? There much to fast and unforgiving he claimed and people were swapping them for the Blade, i told him i had never heard that before but had heard about poor build quality to which he said yes this is another factor to why they were swapping them......

The plastics on the handle bars of the one in there show room and i include all the switches did look and feel a tad cheap and of poor quality compared to those on my R1 and i know the yanks have complained about buttons/switches falling off and or failing.........

So my questions are, is the build quality an issue with others? Is the build quality the same on the HP4?? And wtf is this salesman talking about when he says the s1k to unforgiving/unrideable for the streets?? His comment about them being to fast i see as a bonus so i put that aside.....

Thanks for any feedback....

Matt...

I had a go in a mates fire blade, thought I'd got on a 600 by mistake! Very different bikes, try both and see what takes you. They reportedly have some niggles but mine is 2yrs old with 5k on the clocks with no problems so far, I think the build quality of the Honda is probably better but that is something they are renowned for.

The blade hasnt really changed since 2008 (apart from BP forks) but it is still a very competent road bike. If you are after a beast that in the right hands owns both road and track then the S1K is the daddy. Yes there are quality issues (but my blade had those in spades, rust, heavy oil use and paint wearing very thin). Try both as has already been said, they are chalk and cheese. Also try the ZX10, the Aprillia and the GSXR. Its your cash and you need to make the right decision for you.

The Honda sales guy is obviously going to feed you a load of old crap so he can get you on a Blade. If you look after the bike (and it sounds like you will), you won't have any problems with build quality/finish etc.

The only time I rode my S1000 on the road was to run an engine in. I took it out with the restriction taken off twice, and yeah, it's a mentalist of a bike. I'd even say it was a bit of a handful. I only ride on track with no road riding at all. The main reason for this is because I can't control myself and I'd quite like to keep old of my licence. With the power/speed of the S1000, it can quite easily be a licence looser.

Just remember the old saying, it's only going to go as fast as you want it to go.

Just go any buy one, you'll love it

I swapped a 600 for mine, its absolutely fine on the roads, not an issue at all. The track however.......:welcoming: oh yes

Hopper said:

The Honda sales guy is obviously going to feed you a load of old crap so he can get you on a Blade. If you look after the bike (and it sounds like you will), you won't have any problems with build quality/finish etc.

The only time I rode my S1000 on the road was to run an engine in. I took it out with the restriction taken off twice, and yeah, it's a mentalist of a bike. I'd even say it was a bit of a handful. I only ride on track with no road riding at all. The main reason for this is because I can't control myself and I'd quite like to keep old of my licence. With the power/speed of the S1000, it can quite easily be a licence looser.

Just remember the old saying, it's only going to go as fast as you want it to go.

Just go any buy one, you'll love it

Click to expand...

I agree the salesman is selling Blades but i did point out to him that if they were receiving 1 s1k per week and they were no good he'd have a shop full of them yet they only have one currently, to this he smiled.. The Blade isn't really an option for me, i really don't like the look of them imo they look as if they've been punched on the nose.... Besides performance and build quality the way a bike looks is very important to me, who wants a bike they hate the look of?? The ZX10 is also not my taste and the GSXR would feel like im going backwards so thats not an option....

Its either stick with the R1 or go with the s1k or HP4???

Not being funny but if you can afford to get the HP4, where's the decision? It's streets ahead of the s1k and everything else by all accounts.

Matt said:

He was saying that this was due to them being unrideable on the streets????? There much to fast and unforgiving he claimed and people were swapping them for the Blade.

Click to expand...

Sounds like the issue is with the riders. the bike is a handful to be fair (worlds most powerful stock sports bike), took mine to SNS Motorcycles and they set the suspension and the bike is allot easier to handle, in fact once it had been set - I got rid of the chicken fillets with confidence.

Its a awesome bike try it for yourself - get a test ride, but if you buy one definitely get the suspension set-up.

Forget horror stories - everything we do has few a horror stories attached to it. Everything made today has like a 5/10 % failure rate within warranty and not just bikes, just crack on mate.

I would never give my S1 up now that i have it - NEVER!!!

Let me put your mind to rest the BM is an excellent road bike that is excellent on the track as well. Not a bad trick to pull off.

I only passed my test in September and I bought one in January after a few months on a z1000 naked, so if I can handle one they cant be that bad on the roads , I love the bike ive done 2000 miles and two trackdays onit and off to Anglesey on Friday for another trackday. the bike is the bollox

Nothing to worry about, do it, you know you want to :eagerness: 13k on mine, wicked machine !

Thanks boy's, ive made my mind up and have settled on a HP4 the none carbon version..... Im told by my local dealer that it will take about six months to arrive so i will put my deposit down over the weekend....

Go for it Matt, love my HP4 none carbon.. best bike I`ve ever had by far...love it. There was a HP4 carbon on ebay, think it was up at ? £18.995 if anyone's looking for one

Doctor strange Luv said:

Go for it Matt, love my HP4 none carbon.. best bike I`ve ever had by far...love it. There was a HP4 carbon on ebay, think it was up at ? £18.995 if anyone's looking for one

Click to expand...

Have you got pictures of yours mate??? Every time you google for images they just show the carbon one...

Thanks..

Matt said:

Thanks boy's, ive made my mind up and have settled on a HP4 the none carbon version..... Im told by my local dealer that it will take about six months to arrive so i will put my deposit down over the weekend....

Click to expand...

Six Months!!! Stuff that, I'd be holding onto my cash to see what's in the pipeline, if it's going to take that long!

Ducky said:

Six Months!!! Stuff that, I'd be holding onto my cash to see what's in the pipeline, if it's going to take that long!

Click to expand...

I hear ya mate, that is another option, continue riding my R1 through the summer months see what comes out towards the end of the year and then if i do go with the HP4 then the 6 months will be winter months, Happy days....

If I can work out how to put a picture on here Matt I'll post one

Try to add a picture hope it works!

They are built to order and take forever. order now get it in the middle of winter - not so good, may as well time it for next summer.

just me 0.02 cents

Doctor strange Luv said:

Try to add a picture hope it works!

Click to expand...

Stunning mate, just stunning.....