Honda Fireblade ABS (2010)

[Pope]

I finally got the chance to ride a new Fireblade this weekend after about 2 years of patiently waiting for the opportunity.

With all of the industry hype that has surrounded the bike, as well as magazine writeups and word of mouth, I was really looking forward to swinging my leg over one.

So when I saw a new fireblade on the demo list at ThunderRoad Bridgend this weekend, I got my name down for a go sharpish 

When it was released I wasn't a fan of the looks.  A bit blunt nosed and slab sided for my taste.
But it's definitely a grower, and the colour scheme below is my favourite by far.




I’ve not ridden anything with ABS before so was interested to see how it worked.
Pretty damn well is the short answer

Honda have refined the system so there is no pulsing through the lever like on an ABS car.
You can feel it working away and the lever pressure sometimes varies slightly, but when I got the chance to whack on the anchors from 50mph to a stop I couldn’t believe how awesome the system worked


There’s no way I could have stopped like this with normal brakes, and I’m pretty shit on the brakes anyway normally.
So that means braking is one less thing to worry about which can let you get on with the task of riding............quickly if you want to


I won’t pretend the short demo ride with 2 hi-vis escorts was anything short of dull, but I did get the chance to open the bike up and was even naughty enough to pass the escort once or twice 

The Honda has plenty of low down grunt in comparison to its modern rivals.
Don’t get me wrong it has nothing compared to an early R1 or GSXR1000, but with the modern stuff all going for top end revs to the detriment of useability, the Honda has lots of poke down low where it counts


There’s also a shitload of go at the top too.
On the same stretch of road where I opened up the Hayabusa the Fireblade (with 370cc less) was 4mph faster


Like I said I didn’t get a chance to corner the thing hard but it felt capable and I’m sure it’s as capable as its rivals.

In fact I know it is as a mate races one and has been doing pretty well on a standard road bike in road trim.


This is the 1st Honda that has tempted me to buy one, and once second hand prices come down a bit I would seriously consider one, ABS would be a plus too.
I’ve been told they also wheelie quite well 

[slappa]

I agree with you on the looks, I really like them now. Bit of a grower.

I like the idea of ABS on a road bike and would seriously consider it for my next bike.

[blueracer]

Good write up pope good pic awesome colour scheme on that bike 

[bendintheroad]

Did you just test the straight-line ABS braking or do any lent over with the anchors still hard on stuff?

[Pope]

Did you just test the straight-line ABS braking or do any lent over with the anchors still hard on stuff?

If you'd have seen the type of escorted ride we had, you'd know there wasn't much "leant over" stuff involved.
Apart from the one proper blast I had away at the start and end it was all 50mph ish 

The ABS testing I did was in a straight line just before I got back to ThunderRoad.  As I was approaching a roundabout I pulled the brake lever as hard as possible and came to a half (checked mirrors first)

Looked to my left and saw a T5 traffic car with plod looking straight at me, probably wondering what the fuck I was up to 

I don't think the ABS works in bends enough to stop a crash though, so I wouldn't want to try trail braking and testing it.
And I was wearing jeans at the time with a £1000 excess hanging over me! 

[bendintheroad]

Did you just test the straight-line ABS braking or do any lent over with the anchors still hard on stuff?

If you'd have seen the type of escorted ride we had, you'd know there wasn't much "leant over" stuff involved.
Apart from the one proper blast I had away at the start and end it was all 50mph ish 

The ABS testing I did was in a straight line just before I got back to ThunderRoad.  As I was approaching a roundabout I pulled the brake lever as hard as possible and came to a half (checked mirrors first)

Looked to my left and saw a T5 traffic car with plod looking straight at me, probably wondering what the fuck I was up to 

I don't think the ABS works in bends enough to stop a crash though, so I wouldn't want to try trail braking and testing it.
And I was wearing jeans at the time with a £1000 excess hanging over me! 

Pity, it would be interesting to know if the ABS is sophisticated enough to cope with the forces involved when turning in whilst still braking hard. I suppose if it was that advanced it would be used on the track.

[bean455]

I have tested the ABS system out on this bike,when it was launched I had the opportunity to give it a try.The Fireblade has always been one of my favourite bikes ever,think i have had 31and have just bought a 98 rrx!!!!The new Fireblade is fantastic,with the abs for those of you who use brakes,its piece of mind with extra security.....Like using three Condoms!For the not so experienced rider it is a God send,very usable power,Honda reliability,awesome power,fits fat forty somethings like me...............Now wheres my MV?

[BUZZ]

mate just dropped his brand new one and holed the engine at 40mph,oil pressure switch went through casing so its a write off....

if you get one fit upper and lower crash bungs asap....i was shocked how big a hole it punched through in to the cluch area....

[edclark99]

mate just dropped his brand new one and holed the engine at 40mph,oil pressure switch went through casing so its a write off....

if you get one fit upper and lower crash bungs asap....i was shocked how big a hole it punched through in to the cluch area....

I had the 09, relitively small bump damaged the frame and was ritten off

[Pope]

a consequence of making bikes lighter and lighter by the looks of it