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[MostlyBonkers]

That may sound like a crazy comparison to you, but bear with me...

I want to learn how to go around corners properly and would like to buy a bike that will help me do that and also be lots of fun to ride.  I also want to be able to ride for longer and do proper day trips when an opportunity presents itself.  To my mind, the 2018SR with charge tank just about fits the bill and of course, I love riding an electric powertrain.  However, that bike costs around £18,000 here in the UK.  The standard Fireblade costs a little under £16,000, is available on 0% finance and my local dealer is willing to throw in the quick shifter.

I test rode an older Fireblade a coupe of years ago and discovered something rather interesting: once it's rolling, you can put it in second gear and leave it there. From about 20 mph all the way up to 120 mph, second gear gives you everything you need. The rest is just a question of controlling the torque with your wrist. No different to riding a Zero, in that respect. The four cylinder engine is very smooth and likes its revs.  Add a quick shifter into the mix and gear changes become effortless for those times that a higher gear and lower fuel consumption might be more appropriate.  Add to that the fact that the Fireblade is very light, nimble and fun to ride and I think I'm sold!

I'll keep my 2014DS for my commute and actually take care of the Fireblade. I think it'll be a lot of fun and I won't have to worry about where to charge it or having to take long lunch breaks.

What do you folks think? Is it really that crazy after all?

[Erasmo]

Why not get a SC?

[Shadow]

At least for an electric vehicle it is an honest purchase which does much lesser harm to literally everyone on the whole surface of the earth when compared to an internal combustion anything. I'm not your financial advisor here but if you want a moral compass there's nothing I can think of in favor of an internal combustion engine...

[calamarichris]

I'm no Honda fan, after my experience with the '98 Honda Superhawk (believe it was called a Firestorm in GB), but I think you should go ahead. I've had my '02 Kawasaki ZX9R since buying it new and it's coming up on 90,000 miles and I still love that bike dearly. ICE-age bikes will soon be extinct, so you might as well enjoy one just so you can tell future generations how backward and barbaric we were 30-40 years from now.
It's not like one fuel-injected motorcycle with catalytic converter(s) is going to hasten our descent into Armageddon that much, especially when we have so many backwoods, inbred, buck-toothed, sons-of-their-own uncles driving alone in cartoonishly large monster trucks, drag-racing from one stoplight to the next. Here in the States, we actually have a community of slack-jawed rustics who engage in "rolling coal", who modify their diesel engines to indulge in "conspicuous pollution", who think it's somehow triumphant to "roll-coal" on Pruises or other EVs. .
Ride safe and have fun! (And please don't ruin your bike by putting a loud aftermarket exhaust on it that will require a jetting remap which will reduce your fuel efficiency and turn your bike into a polluter.) And please use gears 3-6 when applicable to enjoy better fuel economy and pollute less.

[MrDude_1]

I put over 75,000 miles on my CBR1000RR that's almost identical to what you rode... Yeah. Any gear works at any legal speed. 1st gear goes past 90mph, and 6th can be pulled at idle.
It's a really good street bike if you're experienced and disciplined enough to not splat yourself. It's not for everyone...but if it's for you it will do everything you ask of it.

[MostlyBonkers]

Thanks guys. We're getting rid of our Kia Soul EV, so my wife isn't keen for me to go out and drop a bunch of money on a new bike.  If I do get a Fireblade, it'll be keeping the stock exhaust. The noise doesn't do much for me these days and they do a better job of keeping the emissions down.

I've got a new job and some of this is me going through a manic phase.  I thought you'd find it an interesting comparison though.  If money was no object, I'd replace my 2014DS with the 2018SR and get a Fireblade too... [emoji4]

[calamarichris]

It's fun to pine. You might have been disappointed by the Fireblade, actually.

ICE Age cars and bikes on their way to obsolescence:


If you're ever in the San Diego area with your boots & crash-hat, you're welcome to take my 9R for a spin. It's only a 900cc, but it has a large airscoop intake that makes a noticeable difference over 70mph, especially on cool mornings, and will do an honest GPS 100mph in first gear. It gets worrisome at 7000rpm, is downright terrifying at 9000, and redlines at 12.

[Erasmo]

Thanks guys. We're getting rid of our Kia Soul EV, so my wife isn't keen for me to go out and drop a bunch of money on a new bike.  If I do get a Fireblade, it'll be keeping the stock exhaust. The noise doesn't do much for me these days and they do a better job of keeping the emissions down.

I've got a new job and some of this is me going through a manic phase.  I thought you'd find it an interesting comparison though.  If money was no object, I'd replace my 2014DS with the 2018SR and get a Fireblade too... [emoji4]

What why? The Soul is a lovely car.

[MostlyBonkers]

The Soul is a lovely car indeed. We've had it for 18 months and I've enjoyed driving it. However, last Saturday I spent 3 hours at rapids just to cover 110 miles.  Then I decided to travel up to Manchester in it on business. A distance of 180 miles which should take a little over three hours. It took me 7.  On my way home I couldn't charge at two locations due to faulty chargers and had to divert to other chargers with very little charge remaining. I was lucky enough to make it on both occasions but it was a deeply unpleasant experience.  That trip also took seven hours.

I'm fed up with charging my car all the time and its lack of range. The charging infrastructure isn't reliable enough and it has caused far too much inconvenience and anxiety.  I'm getting a Ford Kuga with a petrol engine.  Hopefully things will have improved in three years time and I can get another EV.  We could do with a bigger car anyway. The boot in the Soul isn't big enough for a family of 5.

The Fireblade will have to go on the back burner for a while. I really want one though!

[Ndm]

I feel your pain bonkers, I bought a Chevy bolt three months ago after having a Mitsubishi imiev for 5 years, it feels like the world opened up and I am no longer planning, pining and worrying, my wife no longer tells me how close she was to running out of battery, now she just says “it’s over half”, I feel like some company is going to come along and eat zeros lunch by offering decent range and fast charging, those two things combined will be the aha moment!

[Erasmo]

That's a bummer. Have you already signed for the Kuga? Perhaps is a PHEV like the Mitsubishi Outlander something for you, that way you can do at least the local trips fully electric.

[MostlyBonkers]

I feel like some company is going to come along and eat zeros lunch by offering decent range and fast charging, those two things combined will be the aha moment!

I fear that might be the case too.  Perhaps Zero have another couple of years or so before it becomes profitable to build a bike with adequate range and DC rapid charging built in as standard.  Hopefully Zero will do the same or just get bought up. I hope they're not left to rot. That would be sad.

[TheGap]

I feel like some company is going to come along and eat zeros lunch by offering decent range and fast charging, those two things combined will be the aha moment!

A few days ago, roughly the same thought sprang to mind ... together with the following promotion stunt:

Make a fully electric motorcycle that can ride along (camera man and all) with all the other ICE bikes in a big, internationally known Tour de France style competition.

... watch the orders roll in.

[NEW2elec]

It's already been used for great camera work!

[Richard230]

It's already been used for great camera work!

"ZF9" was mentioned.  I think that would make it a 2012 Zero S.