Having to challenge the GSXR1000 and the R1, the new Blade has upped the engine to 954cc, about as big as it'll go without a new motor. Lighter pistons help give a faster engine response and allow a higher rev limit to squeeze out as much power as possible. Honda claim a 3bhp increase in max power to 149bhp, with torque increased by 3ftlb.

The Blade retains the H-VIX system, sort of a Honda Exup, to boost the midrange.

Frame-wise, not much is changed, although this year's colour is definitely black, darling.

The swingarm is redesigned to increase stiffness, with more bracing, although it's more skeletal in appearance to keep the weight down. As in last year's Blade, the arm mounts directly to the back of the engine, where the pivot casting has been improved. Weight saving on the chassis is 2 kilos and the all up weight of the bike is a miserly 168kg ... coo.

On the suspension front there is no change, the bike using the same shock and retaining the 43mm usd forks.

This year the suspenders do seem to be a bit stiffer, though. In fact, a bit too stiff for rubbish English roads. The bike tends to get thrown about a lot through the pot-holes and this leads to a fair bit of slappy steering. Seems Honda may be more concerned with good magazine track tests than real world riding. A quick fiddle with the damping rates indicated that you won't be able to adjust this too much - looks like a decent rear shock and re-valved forks may be needed.

All the plastic has been redesigned of course, making the bike a bit sharper to look at. The screen has been raked up and increased slightly in height to give better protection. The fuel tank is also changed, bigger cutaways to give a bit more knee room and slightly shorter to allow the rider to get more weight over the front.

Same instruments, with an analogue rev counter and digital speedo with 2 trip meters plus a jolly useful little number at the bottom showing you how much fuel you've got left. HISS immobiliser system is still there, which is good.

Tail light is similar to the R6, using LEDs rather than good old bulbs. And the Blade retains it's trademark USP, the famous flip-up pillion seat and cavernous boot. Why don't all bikes have this?

Silencer is a huge titanium item. Shame Honda can't use the same bloke who designs the dinky GSXR silencer, which is about half the size of the Blade's. And the R1's come to that .....

Colours? Red/black, white/blue and blue/yellow, although David had to go through a right old performance to get a red one. Seems Honda UK didn't order enough, so he wound up having to get a white one and then the dealer changed all the plastic bits and tank to make it red.

So how does it go? Bloody well, actually. It may not have the sheer grunt of an R1 or Gixer but there's plenty of go once the revs get around 8000. And it steers very well, quick and agile - a 600 with attitude. Suspension works fairly well but struggles a bit on back roads. The front can get a tadge lively over bumpy stuff so a decent steering damper could be useful. Brakes are good.

Get three equal riders, throw in a load of bends and we reckon the 'Blade will easily run with it's bigger

rivals, and possibly see 'em off through the tight stuff. And the riding position is mega comfy, with high bars and the light steering giving your arms an easy time, although things can get a bit choppy over bumpy B roads.

Tyres are Bridgestone BT012Rs - they're supposed to be jolly good all-round sport tyres. They don't give you the confidence of Rennsports but that's easy enough to change.

So, the new Blade is a slight improvement on the 2000 bike, mainly down to the cleaner fuelling. As the last model was just about the best all round road bike you can get this one has gotta be numero uno. Although there is that question mark over the suspension.

He's back ..

I'm back! After two years, lots of pain and no money I have finally done it - got back on a bike that is. And what a bike.

It all started about four weeks ago, I got a strange phone call from David Maddox, he with the 2002 Blade. Anyway, he phoned and out of the blue said did I want to buy his bike? I said yes, but could not afford it, to which he replied "It will be cheap ...". I thought for one moment he had crashed it or something, but no it was still in one bit. Then he uttered the words five and a half. I thought he was joking but he was serious. Being a decent bloke I said I would give him six grand, still a good deal and I won't rip off a mate. But he would have to wait because my claim for the accident had not been settled yet.

So the deal was done, but I could not wait so I dispatched the little woman off to the bank and she came back with £6000 in her hand and the bike was delivered on the Saturday. Bearing in mind I have not ridden a bike for two years, David said take it out for a spin. So I did. I must admit being scared shitless for the first ten minutes but that soon faded when I got home. Apparently I had a big grin on my face.

So I locked it away, washed and cleaned it on the Sunday and went out for my first proper ride on the Monday, the bank holiday. I then realised how rusty I was, but still enjoyed it. I have been out once more since and I think I'm getting better. I still worry about turning right and people behind me, but I suppose that's normal. I think it will only get better.

There were some times when I thought I would never ride a bike again, but the lads would always be there. They gave me support when I needed it.

The Blade now has nice new tyres on its freshly painted gold wheels. I have a few bits on order - steering damper for one (it needs it). I hope I can continue to enjoy it for many years to come.

Mark

Some time later ...

Fitted an Ohlins rear shock as I found the standard suspension just too lacking in compliance for UK backroads. After a bit of a battle getting the thing in I found that the bottom mount was fouling the tie rod when the suspension unloaded, an audible bonk when the bike lept over bumps. The gap shown by the white markers in the pic above is critical, and should be something more than zero when the rear wheel is off the ground. The answer is to reduce the shock's ride height.