You have to know that, what can happen, will really happen if you're not careful. If you're not sure...

1. The 08 Honda CBR 1000 RR and Sport Bikes in general
You have to know that, what can happen, will really happen if you're not careful. If you're not sure,
set intermediate reachable (realistic) reentry points and only advance when you have the next
reentry point defined because, if some vehicle comes along and you have to quickly get back to your
lane you need an empty space to fit into.
Keep the rubber side down.
As I said earlier, most dangers from others are avoidable. Doing two of those at the same time, be
extra-gentle with the imputs. Something you can do is get a non homologated 125cc 2stroke or
250cc 4stroke. Also, the 08 Fireblade comes with a stock exhaust that has a system which cuts a lot
of exhaust noise while you're below 4000 rpm. Race track pavement feels extremely coarse and
abrasive when you run your hands on it. Many powerful cars and bikes are also very silent, so be
both predictable and try to be aware of your surroundings, especially when you're changing
positions within your lane. If you can't, then always aim at having free space at least at one of your
sides whenever possible. Unfortunately, for many people, it takes wake up calls such as this. If you
usually ride with a pillion, you might also want to reconsider getting this bike (or type of bikes)
unless he or she is relatively agile and can sit in a cramped position for the duration and doesn't
mind sitting on a rock solid seat with no hand holders. In most cases, less speed equates to bigger
chances of surviving intact. But be careful as going faster can be a double-edged sword:
If you're thinking that it's just not practical to wear all this stuff on a day-to-day basis, then you're
right: it's not, and this is because these bikes and protection equipment were not conceived for day-
to-day transportation, they were made to ride at high speeds, on track days mostly, not to be
practical. So it's imperative not to misjudge the strength of wind. The longer you take to adapt to
each given speed, the better chances you have of not doing mistakes. These forces will balance out
so you keep moving straight. Conversely, highly worn out road pavement feels smooth when you run
your hands on it and can be extremely slippery even in dry conditions, so remember that whenever
you decide to mimic racing rider's lean angles and cornering speeds on the road. Braking also
begins to take considerably more time to the point where you can't just react to something that
appears in front of you. If you don't know who is in that other lane, it's a risk you are taking since
you might be ran over by a faster vehicle and the horn might also help here. By themselves, they are
only good for when the weather is moderate to hot. Beyond certain speeds, tire wear increases at an
incredible rate. Edit
Remember, all it takes is one second of miss judgement to destroy both your health and your
expensive bike. These suits also offer the potential for better protection against the elements,
depending on the model. You can also use your horn in lots of other situations such as warning
drivers around you of something up ahead such as an accident or a pedestrian (in conjunction with
emergency lights); warn distracted pedestrians who are about to cross the road; wake up someone
who fell asleep on the wheel (this would be the vehicle suddenly veering off course for no apparent
reason. All these rules and routines on the internet may seem too many and overwhelming at first,
learn a few at a time because, even though they take a little time to practice, they soon become
second nature and so there's always space for new ones and they are well worth it. If you doubt a
maneuver, there's a good reason for it. In the meanwhile there might appear some kind of hard-
luggage system that takes care of this problem. (conversely, the riding itself: security maneuvers to
deal with each of these situations, for example, that's already mechanized). Whenever I'm riding
somewhere and I'm late, I don't try to get there faster, I prepare myself for getting late. Edit. Even

2. your lack of confidence derived from not having experience can worsen these mistakes by limiting
your ability to react. We are all used to hearing about stuff like this in the motorcycle racing world
but we tend to attribute it to the fact that they're racing so, it's never as near in our minds but
whenever something like this happens out there on the road, with someone we are familiar with, it
kind of rocks our world, in a negative way. Traffic is one of them. When you overtake a vehicle, all
the space you have (even extra lanes) should be considered beforehand to potentially evade
problems so you have to be aware of who is in that extra space (or extra lanes) before overtaking.
The Fireblade is, as all sport bikes, a machine built almost exclusively for performance, speed and
maneuvering. Sport 600cc's differ in the way their lower power and different gearing allow for more
ease at slow speeds but then they also lack the power at slow revs... Generally speaking, when the
road is wet, forget about speeds. These features, however, are only a part of the riding experience.
This difference is especially noticeable when you're man handling the bikes. Generally speaking, the
carefully planned choices which take the most patience and kill some of the fun, are also usually the
ones which don't put you in harms way. This is where the 08 Fireblade plays some cards. Not better,
but more unforgiving, requiring more concentration and constant real-time calculation in most
aspects. Few people will take offense if you dose it properly and if the situation calls for it. And this
happens very frequently. So, as you can see, there is a dilemma here because, if you can't ride it
relatively fast on the street, then, considering all its road-going disadvantages, is it really worth
having for anything other than track days? These bikes still have good qualities that can be enjoyed
at moderate speeds, such as wonderful handling and a brutal amount of power for overtaking any
vehicle on the road with ease and safety, though there are way more comfortable bikes with
equivalent power, such as some sport-tourers, so the handling ends up being the only really "unique"
usable quality that stands out on these bikes for street use. You can get that one replaced though
because there's a factory "e-cushion" seat which really makes the difference or so I read. Light
signals are also helpful at night. Even if it was someone using his/her cellphone, or doing some other
completely irresponsible thing, you're not going to accomplish anything by starting an argument on
the road, you're only going to do worse. But, even in dry weather, keep in mind that race track
pavement grips much better than road pavement. It is set up in a way that makes it harder for you to
lock the wheel because it requires a little effort, but the best thing to do, in an emergency braking, is
to leave the rear brake alone because, although in controlled conditions you would brake better also
using the rear brake, in an emergency situation, you usually have an instinctive reaction and you'll
very likely step on it too hard and instantly lock the rear wheel and crash. You will constantly have
"ideas" while riding. If someone gets angry, just politely apologize afterwards, even if you know you
were right to do it. Many riders and even some crazy drivers will overtake you using the right side of
your lane. The first thing you should do is to make yourself smaller on the bike. This is why I'm now
opting to get one of those foldable travel-type, one-piece suits that go over standard clothing and
just ride slower to compensate for the decreased security. If you're lucky, your girlfriend doesn't
mind the punishment of that back seat. If you can't reach enough speed not to get stuck, if the rear
tire does get stuck on the sliding surface of the track and the rear of the bike starts going sideways,
don't lose your cool, don't brake, just keep the front wheel facing forward (regardless of where the
rest of the bike is pointing) and hope for the best. This is a good way to start because, they already
carry lots of speed through corners so it's probably more than you can handle if you decide to give it
100%. That's way too dangerous; Instead, keep the occasional eye on your mates, of course, but
totally focus on your own riding and what's around you, as you would normally if riding alone. The
nose of the bike looks like it was "punched in" like some say (a change that was madeupright and
balanced to improve the high speed cornering related to aerodynamics). If you live in a place where
the roads are in really good conditions, you will love the suspension. At a high enough speed, the
bike doesn't "want" to turn. Luckily it wasn't worse.
Regarding the looks, the 08 CBR 1000 RR aka 08 Fireblade has a difficult look. Drivers get

3. distracted all the time. Never go much faster than the vehicles you're overtaking, especially if you're
overtaking more than one vehicle at a time and also if there is only 1 lane in each direction. If you
own a garage, then this is 100% convenient but, even if you don't, you can do as I do and just buy a
long cord or take it somewhere near where you can plug it into a wall socket to give it a full charge.
All of this motivated me to sell the bike back in 2010 (I wrote most of this article before this. It has
plush seats, a much more upright riding position and a much more comfortable suspension (these
three alone make a huge difference in the ride quality) It also has hard-luggage supports, and it's
best acceleration is tuned to take advantage of road speeds (the power is where it's most needed for
road use) It's much easier to accelerate fast from a standstill with its wonderful V4 engine. That's
often times when things go wrong. You only really feel the weight difference when cornering, so you
have to slow down considerably more before a turn, but you'll recover the previous speed very
quickly. Never let anything distract you from what's happening in front of you. If it's raining or if it
has rained and the roads you have to go through have metal surfaces that you can't avoid, the best
thing to do is not to use your bike and find another means of transportation. I usually mimic a
parking proximity sensor: I start by giving spaced short taps and, the closer they get, the faster I
repeat, until, if they keep approaching or start moving, I finally press it continuously. I'm only
counting those situations where the speed of the oncoming vehicles was such that death would be
certain. Sometimes the wind can get to a point where it becomes a real struggle to keep the bike
going in a straight line. This situation probably gave me some of the biggest scares in my driving/
riding history. If you want carefree fun though, expect consequences to follow.
Accidents and their consequences:
You see, whenever you're riding a 600cc around town or even on the motorway, if you're riding on
low rpm's, (this is bound to happen because you don't always want to hear the sound of an F1 engine
while you're cruising and you sometimes want to have a smooth ride and save gas) and you suddenly
need to accelerate, the bike practically doesn't move, and that can be inconvenient in some
situations.
The danger of sport bikes:
other safety stuff:
Some winds gusts can be strong enough that raising the speed will still not be enough to
compensate for their strength and you will now find yourself in a hairy situation where you are
farther from being able to stop. Also, even some great security rules are not the best in all
situations. If the front tire gets stuck on the track, that's a bigger problem and you may not have the
time or chance to do anything but do your best to keep the bike upright and balanced and react to
the erratic movements of the front wheel, your feet should also be ready to touch the ground
because, when the bike is out of control and it violently leans to the left and right, your feet touching
(and consequently pushing) the ground may be the thing that stabilizes it. When I see alarming
patterns in someone's driving, the first thing I do is notice who else is near and then I just move
away from this erratic driver or, if i'm about to cross paths with them, I just slow down as much as
possible and also keep as much lateral distance as possible when crossing them.
Always overtake at a speed that allows you to brake in case one of these vehicles is not aware of you
and does something unpredictable and dangerous (such as initiating an overtaking maneuver
themselves, suddenly making a turn and cutting you off (these things happen), or even having to
evade something up ahead (this is another good reason to maintain lateral distance because it also
allows you to see more up ahead, check for obstacles ahead of those drivers, etc.

4. Adapt progressively to higher speeds
Now that I think of it, I consider the 600cc sport bikes more dangerous bikes than the 1k because
they only accelerate decently at high revs, where all bikes are very nervous and sudden, and where
it's much easier to slide the rear wheel under acceleration or lock it while downshifting (which
happened to me countless times on the 600 F) and because these 600cc usually don't come with
slipper clutches (which would prevent the rear wheel from locking while downshifting) they really
require a smooth and precise input under penalty of crashing. They had to be more forgiving,
reaching speeds like that, except that, the accelerations and speeds they allow for, are all but
forgiving. Most things happen at a speed that allows our brains to manage without actively thinking
about it. The consequences of crashing can last for years or even all your life instead of just being a
bad moment in your life. This is very subtle and any small mistake in riding can spell disaster. Again,
you'll be amazed at how fast you can lose your bike or become a paraplegic because of bad
judgement on a split-second decision especially if you're in a hurry. Don't let your friends tell you to
follow you without telling you exactly where they're going first so that, even if you get separated,
you can still get there by yourself, ask someone etc. Like all sport bikes, the 08 Fireblade handles
brilliantly. Stress and anger cause accidents, and not only on the road. missing a gear while
preparing to corner while riding fast, in which case, you're not likely to make the corner) so, chain
maintenance isn't something you can dodge on fast bikes with a chain drive. For me, this is great
because I'm not a big fan of loud exhaust unless it's an occasional vehicle.
Protection equipment:
The dealer folks used to scare me with horror stories about the 1000cc sport bikes on which many
young guys get killed these days. It's a 1000cc but it feels like "a 600cc with a nitrous oxide system".
If you do get this type of sport leather equipment and you have no luggage system on your bike, you
will, often times, be confronted with situations where you get at your destination and you have to
carry all the equipment on you when you get off the bike because you have no place to leave it at.
It's an uncomfortable bike (as with all sport bikes) and definitely not recommended for bad roads,
slow traffic situations; or for people who have body posture issues. Edit A good rule of thumb when
you get on a sport bike for the first time, is to use a lot less throttle. It's just too dangerous to ride
without a horn. So if you plan to carry heavy stuff around on a daily basis you should consider
installing one of those after-market bag systems like the "Ventura system" (This kind of system is
very good in the way it holds lots of stuff and a great deal of weight) or other more simpler options
like the Kriega rucksacks or even the Honda optional tail-bag, though there's always the problem
you can't leave these soft luggage systems unattended on the bike, like you would if you were
dealing with typical hard-luggage. If you only ride in the city traffic with your bike, then you might
even consider getting a light scooter instead. If, at one given time, you're on an impatient state of
mind and you feel like you'll have difficulty controlling the urges to accelerate then it's better not to
get on the bike. I'll have to make the math one of these days. It turns out what I needed was a
different type of bike. There are probably other devices out there that do the same job but the one I
got is called Optimate 3+, and what this beauty does is, it allows you to charge your motorcycle
battery without having to remove it from your bike. You can do the same circuit 364 days in a year
and nothing happening and, at the 365th all hell breaks loose, so don't get comfortable in the illusion
of safety. While you're making this seemingly harmless effort to make yourself understood or
understand what the other rider is trying to tell you, it's very easy to forget what's going on around
you. Just remember that, just because you're warning any human of your presence using the high
beams on a twisty road, that doesn't mean that there isn't anything else blocking your lane in the
middle of a turn for example or big pot holes, etc so always dose your speed to prepare for that.
I was also a bit frustrated when I found out it wasn't going to be simple to mount a GPS device but

5. I've already seen some pictures of a Garmin Zumo successfully mounted on this bike. So, unless
you're definitely going to use your bike on a track very frequently, take my advice: If you're thinking
about getting the blade, definitely test ride the VFR1200 first! In my limited experience, It's the best
fast bike I've ever ridden on the road, by far.
These are 3 very typical situations (there are others) where you need to use the horn: (1) low
visibility and the possibility of someone approaching in a dangerous narrow road or intersection. It's
very common to be surprised by bikes overtaking you from both your left and right, in your lane
(some of them really fast) but, occasionally, some cars will do this too.
In my opinion, the best way for a pillion to secure him/herself on sport bikes is to lean forward like
the rider and place his/her hands on the fuel tank, as if pushing it (this information is only related to
sport bikes or equally fast bikes with a tank in the same position, If your bike has a back rest and
hand holders for the pillion, that's a different case, at moderate speeds only though). Even the
rider's seat isn't as plush as you'll find on naked or touring bikes. I think it's the "Dainese Delmar
leather jacket and pants"). Put that together with a very fast bike and you've got a recipe for a
serious accident which will probably result in you getting seriously injured or killed. It will cost you
money (more or less depends on what may happen). If you try to evade them and disregard the horn
even if for a second, this seemingly small delay in warning the distracted drivers is enough for them
to complete the maneuver and hit you since you may only have little space. I rather ride in the rain
than without a horn.
Riding with strong wind gusts can be a nerve-wrecking experience especially if there are other
dangerous factors like your lane being too small and/or you have other vehicles too close to you for
example. Also get ready to counter-steer and weight-shift (using your torso) more than usual.
Dealing with unaware drivers/ riders, analyzing and predicting their behavior is actually one of the
things that takes up most of my concentration while riding, along with analyzing and predicting
other dangerous situations. Unfortunately, green lights are still not intelligent and so they don't
know whether someone else has crossed the red light on the other side and is coming your way. (2)
vehicles which are stopped on the side of the road ahead of you but looking like they're getting
ready to enter the road, cutting you off. To sum up, the bike has a very smooth power delivery and
also smooth and stable braking (the 09 Fireblade even has a sport ABS system that automatically
brakes the best possible in each situation (including rain and surprises), which I would love to have
in my bike, but I've contacted Honda and they say the procedure would be too expensive.
Even with a green traffic light, never cross a junction without checking if the way is really clear. At
the beginning, you are especially vulnerable because you're prone to make critical mistakes either
by dangerous maneuvers, excess of acceleration or by lack of awareness of possible dangers on the
road. The overall tightness of the equipment in the joint areas is intentional in the way that it helps
restricting joint movements beyond what your articulations allow.The armor will considerably
reduce the injuries in case you hit something.
I wrote this article not only to talk about the 08 Fireblade, but a little about sport motorcycles in
general, their advantages and disadvantages relating to other bikes. It demands very watchful eyes
and concentration because it feels like it takes less time to accelerate than to brake. Also, like many
of its type, is very very stable: at speeds, cornering, accelerating and braking, it never shakes or
stuff like that. Your neck also suffers because you are constantly "looking up" in this position. One
important thing is to relax, focus and dissipate any nervousness because it never helps. Because
wind gusts can be very fast, unpredictable and inconstant, it's very important to be calm and focused
so you can act sharply to the changes. Forget what you see in movies, and computer games because

6. most of it is complete fantasy (they always stretch reality and make the bikes go faster than they can
without crashing, just to make it look more appealing). Think ahead. It is said it is so small and light,
it almost feels like a 600cc on steroids. In certain scenarios, they are even more helpful, like when
the other driver/rider is facing you for example, or if you want to have a light preceding your bike at
a twisty road to warn other drivers. Cornering beyond a given speed becomes very difficult (or even
impossible if you misjudge the corner). Be ready to have an aching left hand in heavy traffic
situations (even using all fingers on the clutch which is direct and not hydraulic) This is not the ideal
bike to be used in those situations. I couldn't check this myself since I don't have experience with
other 1000cc but it does seem very smooth to me. I wish M13 a speedy recovery and, If you choose
to ride a motorcycle, always remember that this is a very real possibility and doesn't only happen to
others. It's better to waste a few seconds (or even a few minutes) than your life. Be especially careful
when you're on a road with cars parked on the side because any of those cars might suddenly get in
your way even in reverse so slow down to a "stop-possible" speed and cruise as far away from that
side of the road as possible. If you think they might not see it either stick to the horn or use both.
And this can be done in a safe way if you signal your presence to the rider you're overtaking and you
don't pass too fast but that's not the case in many cases. It happens to lots of truckers and bus
drivers here in Europe); warn drivers who are invading someone else's space ahead of you (only do
this if you're on the same side as the person that's about to get hit, otherwise, the distracted driver
will think the danger is on the opposite side and you'll likely end up doing even worse), etc... Don't
count on what you're expecting on the other side. Is it faster or slower than its rivals? Whichever the
case, that very slight performance difference between rival sport bikes is virtually undetectable in
road-going terms. Never depend on the other riders to know where you're going because this is a
recipe for disaster. That's why they have gravel, straw bales, tire walls and, some times, air fences at
every turn on race tracks to slow the bike and cushion the impacts of the rider's bodies, which is
how racers rarely hurt themselves seriously when they fall. This issue was explained to me by a
racing tires professional. Generally speaking, if you see the high beam of an incoming vehicle
turning off before they come round the turn, that means they saw your high beams and already know
you're there so that's your cue to turn yours off. We don't need to think much about things because
we intuitively react as things happen. Distractions are fatal on the road. You can still get in a lot of
tight-spots with a 56hp CBF 500 (which is a typical example of a beginner's bike) if you're not
careful enough. Most of the times, if used timely, it will help stop them from hitting you or getting in
your way. I didn't actually feel this because I never rode another sport 1000cc, only a 600cc (a
Honda CBR 600 F Sport) but I can say there isn't too much weight difference between the two. I
have a Dainese jacket and pants combination that join together with a zipper. When riding in a
group, it's common for one to try and communicate with the other riders and, many times, due to the
lack of efficient communication devices, riders will dedicate a great deal of their concentration to
improvise body language, etc to try and get their message through. Never make maneuvers about
which you are not sure. If you keep your position while they making their maneuver, there's a good
chance they won't hit you, but if you do move, then there's good chance that you'll be hit or even ran
over if it's a car. Even if you manage to swerve away from them, they will not stop until they
complete the maneuver unless they know someone is there. Despite the fact that we sometimes have
to check what's happening behind us or to the sides, you should always do that as fast as possible
and only if you can do it safely. If you're on a long trip for example, you really need to pay attention
to this as if you exceed a certain riding time without breaks, it doesn't matter how long you rest
afterwards because you'll only recover with a good night's sleep.
Maintain as much distance as possible from the vehicles you're overtaking. For me, those motorcycle
rain jackets and pants made of one flexible non-breathable layer usually do the trick at both keeping
me warm and dry but when the cold reaches a certain threshold and it's not raining, I usually wear a
snowboard jacket over the suit, and also snowboard pants depending on the case (at this point, you
can temporarily say goodbye to the aerodynamic advantage of the sports leather equipment). If you

7. race bikes in computer games, my advice for you is to stop doing it right now because, at least for
me, they motivate reckless riding by giving you the feeling that reality is more tolerant than it
actually is. You're still used to using the throttle in a way that's excessive for a sport bike. But
there's another thing. Returning to the phone subject, I have acquired a Bluetooth headset for my
helmet (from Cardo Systems) which really helps because I can answer calls and even read text
messages (with text-to-speech technology) using my voice.
Don't let all these safety warnings scare you into not getting a bike:
One of the good things about the Fireblade is it has an onboard computer that tells you the instant
and average fuel consumption and, also, the spent fuel. Even if you risk a ticket, it's still worth it. If
you're going to choose a bike, choose it, not because it was the fastest in some magazine test, but
because of the qualities that you can actually appreciate yourself. This is why you should set a
ceiling (a top speed limit) for some time, and slowly raise that ceiling in small steps whenever you
are really sure you control any possible situation or variation at that speed. Recently I've been
adding some security tips for inexperienced riders as well, given the nature of this type of bikes. I
usually only did this when I needed to rest my back but only in these safe conditions.
One of the tricks that I found useful in strong cross winds when there is more than one lane and
other vehicles near you, is to ride alongside a tall vehicle, such as a bus. If it turns out there's no one
there, no problem because the objective, which was to pass safely, was attained. Knowing your
braking power will add to your riding security by helping you adjust your safety speeds and
distances and also by helping you to brake better in an emergency, especially if the bike doesn't
have ABS. (It helps to exercise to improve the comfort though). One of the qualities which were
attributed to the Fireblade was the smooth power delivery. They have to be properly warmed up
though (1 or 2 laps on the circuit depending on the weather), and race tires warm up slower than
street tires. As you are doing this, you have to be ready for when the wind gust stops to immediately
stop applying that feedback because, in the absence of the wind gust, your feedback will quickly
make the bike turn to where the wind is coming! So you are constantly reacting to the wind gusts
while the bike does a slight dance from side to side within your lane. It's also good for you to test
your bike's braking capabilities. It's especially recommended for the ones who plan on frequent
track-days. If you're a conscious rider, the most dangerous situations for you, on the road, will derive
from the fact that, each time you ride (every single day where I live) there will be lots of other
drivers (or riders, etc) who are not aware of your presence and who will put you in danger.
One thing I've noticed is that, if you exercise regularly, riding these bikes is a lot easier on your body
than if you don't. There's also the problem of being caught by police at high speeds, (if all the other
factors don't scare you already) and these speeds are not looked lightly upon by the authorities, as
you know. I'm not telling you to stand still while you honk, and also, don't expect they will hear the
honking and just sit there, because they might be listening to loud music or be half deaf or their car
might have a high degree of sound proofing or even all of these together (and it really happens
sometimes that they don't hear it), but the first hundreds of second should be spent on hitting the
horn button (unless you are sure the driver is approaching to fast it won't make a difference) or, if
you can, do both simultaneously. Just use it whenever necessary as much as it takes for you to be
heard. I also prepare myself for people being upset with me. Slow down to a speed that allows you to
fully stop before crossing until you confirm that the way is completely clear. On the other hand, if
there are incoming vehicles with their high beams on in those twisty roads, they will likely not see
your own high beams until you cross each other on the same turn so you have to honk when they are
approaching to ensure that they will keep to their lanes. Doing a maneuver which you are not sure
about is even more dangerous than driving fast. The top speed of sport 600 bikes is around 161/ 170
mph (259 to 274 km/h) and they're slow to reach that final speed, and the top speed of 1000cc sport

8. bikes is around 186mph (300 km/h). Edit. It's like playing against the casino: "the house always
wins" except that, in this case, you can think of the casino as "the laws of physics". If it's light stuff
it's more simple as you can just carry a backpack. Occasionally, some people will try to overtake you
in dangerous and unpredictable ways, such as using the right side of your own lane, for instance,
and passing you very fast while leaving very little space between you and them. Just don't
exaggerate (you want to be heard, not scare people to death or cause accidents yourself). Also the
power of counter-steering and weight shifting becomes progressively smaller with speed so only
raise the speed to a point where you are sure you can still control the bike with the added difficulty
of the wind.
Regarding maintenance, I don't do the maintenance myself but it has been relatively affordable. I
would risk saying that, when it comes to riding a bike, there is a direct correlation between impulse
(or adrenalin motivated) choices and disaster. That's when you really have to hold on to the bike.
This includes most turns and parts of the road hidden by a lower elevation. An example: If you're
going 50 mph (80km/h) you'll be doing around 47mpg (5L/100km), if you're going 124mph (200
km/h), you'll be doing around 27.67 mpg (8,5L /100km), if you're going full speed, which is around
186mph (300 km/h) you'll be doing around 17.42 mpg (13.5L/ 100km). Gentle and, especially,
shorter accelerations are in order, at least until you get used to it. Get used to the speed gradually.
You should never be focusing your riding on not being cut off. There's still lots of fun within these
safety limits. Never overtake have unless you're absolutely sure that you can. Even if you buy a
lesser brand, race tires will always perform better than their street counterparts on a track. And I'm
not even talking about operating cellphones and such. Video-games are an excellent way to learn
how to ride/drive when you're too young to do it in reality. A five-minute nap on the side of the road
can recharge your batteries for an extra hour or so, riding/driving and save you from a potentially
fatal crash. The best you can do to defend yourself from these situations before you even see them
coming, is to avoid making unpredictable changes of position within your lane. You have to adjust
your riding to prevent being victimized by hidden dangers. It's very easy for you to overlook a simple
routine check, like doing a "lifesaver" to be able to fit in a quickly closing gap between cars to follow
the riders ahead of you for instance. Last but not the least, if you decide to get a sport bike, keep in
mind these are highly sought after by thieves so get an alarm and always leave it near a place where
people are always present (an alarm is only useful in that case) or, if you have to, a heavy duty chain
and secure the rear wheel to some sturdy structure.
First of all, you're riding in a dangerous situation, and crashing at a higher speed is obviously worse
than doing so at a lower speed. When I look at other sport bikes now I find they are too pointy and
have exaggerated angles, as the lines on the 08 Fireblade are very subtle and almost classic like.
Avoid unnecessarily zigzagging within your lane. Always put things in perspective. It is truly
exhilarating to ride it hard when the situation calls for it (and allows it). In this case, you honk like
once just to warn whoever might come from the other side just to let them know you are there,
allowing them to slowdown and place themselves better so you don't crash. The same goes for
sleeping, it's not safe to sleep on the side of the road but it's way safer than trying to battle sleep
while riding, especially when your head starts to nod. You can like it though. Be extra careful with
the speed you approach corners (in most cases, the grip is drastically reduced so you really have to
slow down considerably more than you would if it wasn't raining), also be very careful and smooth
leaning the bike, accelerating and braking. But I found out it's very easy to make an average of
around 39.2 mpg (6L/100km) if you ride the bike in a relaxed way (it announces an average of
47mpg (5 L/100km) in the onboard computer but I'm not convinced . This way I have less weight and
volume to deal with once I arrive at my destination and I also have standard, practical clothes on,
that don't get in the way of whatever I'm doing there. You would have to be either a racer or a test
rider to be able to make that difference so, for you, the consumer, it ends up being a choice of
aesthetics (sound, looks), features, reliability, manufacturer assistance in your area, etc. The 1k

9. sport bike, on the other hand, will put a smile in the face of the ones who prefer absolute and
omnipresent power with the least fuss.
Overtaking other vehicles on the road:
The 1K sport bikes are much more complete bikes than the 600 in many aspects and the price
difference (If you're choosing between the two) is worth it in my opinion. I don't know where all the
announced weight went, really... But before using light signals or high beams to warn other
drivers/riders, be sure that they are in a position that enables him/her to see it because their side or
rear view mirrors might be maladjusted or broken or you can be in their blind spot, etc.). If they
start moving towards the road anyway than enter emergency mode (start braking, prepare do dodge
and use the horn continuously now) and only stop honking until you are sure they see you and stop;
(3) vehicles already in motion, on the lane to your right or left, start invading your lane, or vehicles
which are approaching from an entrance ramp or intersection don't look like they're going to give
you the right of way and are in a collision course with you. Until you expect the unexpected, and you
count not only on the dangers of your own riding (like if you were alone on a track), but also on
external dangers, then you better play safe and get a bike that's moderately powered to cushion the
consequences of your mistakes. If this is going to be your only means of transportation, go for a
comfortable and practical bike that allows a more upright body position, more comfort and a decent
volume of hard luggage. I've bought the 08 Fireblade around February 2008, without ever having
tried a 1000cc (1k) sport bike so this is what I think about it and sport bikes in general:
Riding with a pillion
Edit: I cannot stress enough the importance of this one, since it may very well be the most important
safety rule for a motorcyclist on the road. The gear ratios on this bike (and probably all 1k sport
bikes) make it a pain to follow slow cars or riding in slow city traffic. Some gusts are so short that
they don't practically move your bike, so it's important to be ready for false-alarms since they can
trick you into turning the bike. These racing type combinations and suits offer, not only passive
protection but also, active protection in the way that they deliver more confidence and concentration
on your riding and, so, make you less prone to make mistakes (they can give you excessive
confidence though so careful with that).
Movies and computer games
To be truly prepared for a sport bike, one needs first hand experience to really open one's eyes to
the dangers on the road (including the road itself). This bike, or type of bikes, is for the ones who
ride for the adrenalin and want to feel their heart throbbing and that ride for fun or for sport. If you
get cut off, relax and keep riding normally because, chances are, you're going to run into them
sooner or later at the lights or something like that, or they'll just slow down and wait for you. It's
always good to stop riding after one hour or even less so your body doesn't get strained. With wet
metal surfaces such as tram lines, all it takes to slide off, is for you to slowly go over them (the
thinner your tires are, the more likely they are to skid over wet tram tracks). This is no longer true
now, with all the edits I've been making. Remember that you have much much greater chances of
sliding off than racing riders do: not only do they have special pavement, they also have special,
brand new, pre-heated, asymmetrical multiple-compound tires (to behave differently on right and
left corners), a cyclic circuit with controlled conditions such as pavement temperature and amount
of water, number of right and left turns, etc and tire choice according to all these variables, and they
still slide off sometimes. The suspension of sport bikes is anything but soft. At this point, there are
several things you can do to help mitigate this problem. My current bike lives on the street (poor
thing) and, during the winter, I haven't been using it a lot. You'll find that the fuel spent depends

10. completely on the way you use the throttle. The first time this happened, it was just pure luck that
that saved me because I was lazy to accelerate, and this was when I adopted this rule. It's not that it
would be more expensive to build these bikes with these supports. Even so, it's worth saying some
things on this subject. Even if you think no one's actually behind you, you'd be surprised at how
easily a rider or even a car can suddenly appear right next to you without you noticing it. If you're
going to spend significant time in heavy traffic with your bike, this is your best option. Whatever you
do though, never ever use race tires on the street because they are not prepared for street use and
will eventually suffer a "catastrophic failure" (if you are not familiar with this expression, it means a
sudden and total failure). So this is something that you will have to keep reminding yourself each
and every time you get on your bike, for as long as you ride, in your life. Due to their extreme
handling, stability and more advanced components (like rigid lightweight frames, advanced
suspension, better brakes, steering damping, better tires, etc) they are more forgiving than most
bikes. But as you spend time with it and you examine the details you'll probably slowly start getting
used to it and possibly even end up loving it. Nothing is worth ignoring that intersection. Danger is
waiting for you around the corner and it's up to you to keep it from getting you. When you start your
evasion maneuver, keep in mind not to do even worse by moving in the path of a faster vehicle. On
the track, the fireblade is a better bike because it corners better and it has more top end power, and
all the road going issues are inexistent there, but that's only on the track. As a result, comforts that
come standard with even the cheapest of bikes are almost nonexistent on this one: There is no
support for luggage racks for example. If you use these protections, they will make the difference
between nasty injuries and light injuries in lots of occasions, just not beyond a certain point so ride
carefully.
One of the most dangerous and hugely underestimated situations regarding distractions, in riding, is
riding in groups. Therefore, holding on to the rider on a sport bike , is only suited for slow speeds
and soft acceleration/ braking, or very safe conditions such as a long straight with total visibility for
example. The first thing you should always do is, know the destination and, if possible, know the
way. Let's just say, it has more power than you probably wanted when you got it but this power only
comes out when you tell it to. Just sit, lean against something the safest way you can and you'll
quickly awake when you're recharged. Your rational self has to overcome your impulses and your
impatience when riding. If you think your horn is under powered then you should get a proper one.
Other times they do look in your direction, but long before you were there, and then they take too
long looking in the opposite direction and advance when it's only clear in that direction, so use the
horn once or twice just to make sure they know you are coming. If you make an active effort to avoid
these most of the times, your level of safety while riding will increase dramatically. This one is
usually obvious for new riders/drivers but, with time, as people gain confidence on their
riding/driving skills, they also get too comfortable, complacent and oblivious to the most obvious
dangers. The more reflective the pavement is, the more worn out and, thus, more slippery it is (if you
can see the reflection of the car up ahead on the pavement, then really watch out). Until then I will
trust what is said about Honda's reliability heheh.
Riding in strong winds
Edit Never overtake in a situation with limited visibility. Motorcycle accidents usually have much
more serious consequences than this and this accident was one of the things that helped me open
my eyes on the road. Don't forget to turn off the high beams before you come in their direct field of
view or they won't be able to see the road and you might cause an accident and may even take
yourself out in the process. Use all the space you have to progressively build up the speed needed to
transfer the tire over the track, so you will, ideally, get as far away from the track as possible and
then start building up speed towards it (keep the movement slow enough that you will be able to
stop it in time to keep to your lane). Another element of distraction while riding in groups is trying

11. not to get cut off from the group. A rule that is generally good in many situations is, try to keep your
distance from the biggest danger factor in that particular situation, be it parked cars, a dirty section
of your lane or with more potholes or irregularities (these are generally on the right side of your lane
but not always), more vehicles, pedestrians, etc. You can find many safety rules like this online (on
videos, on forums, etc) always keeping in mind that some of the advice out there, despite trying to
help, is not one hundred percent correct, so always also use your own critical judgement and,
especially, get your info from several different sources. The moment you accept being cut off without
getting nervous about it, you're already ten times safer. It really makes a huge difference. The
device uses an LED code to tell you whether it is currently testing the battery, charging it, or
whether it is finished, in which case it will either show a code telling you that the battery is in good
shape or a different one telling you that it's not. It's a little difficult to move in it but if you are
planning on riding fast sometimes, you should wear something of this type. It's very advisable to
start decelerating and/ or braking with a good safety margin when you see traffic up ahead, because
of this. The best thing to do is not to play against them, or to give up while you still have the upper
hand. So there's another reason not to roll the throttle at every chance you get, when you're on the
highway.
I had a relatively light accident where I only broke my ankle and had to undergo surgery 2 times
over the course of one year, one to attach an ankle plate and the other one to remove it (I had to
remove the plate because it was somewhat painful even after it was supposedly healed, especially
when doing more intensive efforts like trekking etc. Trying to improvise communication takes a huge
deal of your concentration, way too much to leave enough of it to ride safely, and you must never
underestimate that while riding.
This is a limited list of stuff that is going to happen in your riding experience: oncoming vehicles
including fast bikes cutting the turn or completely in your lane (while dodging or overtaking another
vehicle for example, or just simply driving recklessly); someone swerving a car for whatever reason
getting in your way right when you're about to overtake them; someone talking on a cellphone and
running a red light crossing in front of you; someone entering the road or your lane fast without
looking; dirt, oil, water, bumps, big pot holes, manholes without covers, trees, children or a dead
animal right in the middle of a turn, and many more. But if you're riding in a relaxed way, with
cruising speeds and light braking, blipping the throttle is completely unnecessary, unless in an
emergency braking and will probably just add unnecessary wear to both your bike and yourself.
These are all things that happen frequently. Even though the Blade is faster accelerating, you'll
actually find it easier to accelerate fast with the VFR than with the Blade. But I'll be more
knowledgeable in this department in a few years. Go at your own speed and your friends will wait for
you at the destination (you get there faster in your bike than in a stretcher). Riding in strong winds
is only possible to a certain point depending on how strong the wind is, how light and aerodynamic
your bike is, how much space you have for the bike to "dance around" in your lane and also, the
terrain, grip, etc., and the speed you are going at.
Remember there are lots of ways to get adrenalin without risking yourself so much (and others),
such as track days or even without risking your bike (kart racing for example). It's very powerful
though it can be very cheap to feed. This was my experience at the time. This is not about sport
bikes being difficult to ride. Another advantage of this bike, at least for me, is the fact that it has a
very nice shaft drive. Until you are sure you genuinely understand the reality of the dangers on the
road and weigh every risk factor before you roll the throttle in any given situation. These rigid armor
leather combinations (jacket and pants) may not be practical but it's definitely the way to go with
sport bikes not only because of much better aerodynamics and very low wind resistance, but also
because it has very high abrasion resistance so, in case you fall and have a long slide in the asphalt,
your skin won't get burned so easily. If you have empty lanes between you and those vehicles then

12. you can overtake them a little faster.
You must try to wear as much body armor as you can. If that person insists/ if there is something
that really needs to be talked about, you can either ignore them and keep paying attention to the
road or use the turn signal and park so you can talk. If you do that you're even more likely to distract
yourself so you better stop on the side of the road, do your texting or talking and only then move on.
It's easier than it seems, the worst being your nerves. When the fuel reserve activates, you have 0.79
gallons (3 liters) (almost sure) left to get to a gas station, and an additional "spent fuel" indicator will
come up and count up from zero so you know how much fuel you have spent since the reserve was
activated. If you're in a hurry, or if you are considerably upset with something, if you're late for
anything, just remember that the consequences for going faster than what safety allows is way, way
worse than what can happen if you get late or whatever is upsetting you. Trying to communicate
without a wireless communication device, while moving, is not an option and will put you in harms
way sooner or later. You'll be amazed at how fast things can change in front of you, especially in
heavy traffic. A friend has even suggested that, if one loves track days, one should get himself a
cheaper non homologated circuit bike, even if it's smaller displacement, which is really a great idea
for track day enthusiasts because it allows you to learn how to use a bike's full potential (learning
how to carry speed through the corners, etc) with the added advantage of not risking so much
money (and your day-to-day vehicle). It wants to go forward and so it takes some physical effort and
experience for you to be able to do it by means of weight shifting and also counter-steering. But the
crazy speeds these sport bikes can reach, demand constant real-time calculation and planing ahead.
Almost all have happened to me, and more than half of them several times already, luckily I wasn't
going too fast and I was able to dodge them. Like my grandfather used to say. But take this very
seriously. If you take too long to check something behind you or laterally, or if you get distracted
with the beauty of the landscape or with some attractive person on the sidewalk, or even looking at
the scene of a road crash or anything else that captures your attention, and "too long" may be as
little as one second depending on the case, you may find the rear of a vehicle at a much slower
speed, or even stopped, right in front of you giving you little or no time to brake. After you warn
someone, don't be angry at the person or anything like that. I had a very easy time learning how to
drive because of all my gaming times but, as soon as you start doing the real thing it's best to lay off
video-games.
You should take preemptive steps so you won't have to worry about getting lost. If you live in a place
where the road is full of patches, potholes and irregularities in general, then you might want to
reconsider choosing a sport bike because it's a little like riding one of those bicycles with no
suspension: you feel every little thing on the ground. The most important thing is averting the
accident but it's also important not to start a conflict over something so small. The new VFR is, like
they say, a road-sport bike (it feels so light, it really couldn't be called a sport-touring bike.): It has
all the power you need without sacrificing all the comfort and convenience a bike should have on the
road. Practice reaching your horn fast until it becomes a reflex. Placing your hands on the rider
shoulders is much more dangerous than placing your hands around his/her torso, so it should only
be done if the pillion is aware of the acceleration and braking forces and already has some
experience with them and is ready to immediately change position if needed. They advised me to get
used to a 600cc for some time and, only then, moving on to the 1000cc but having tried my friend's
600cc for some months was enough to experience the 600cc.
I think it would be irresponsible of me not to emphasize how difficult it is for someone new to
motorcycles to be careful or responsible enough on a sport bike, after passing the initial stage of
fear and caution (some riders are actually very careful even past that stage, but not most riders,
especially not sport bike fans). It makes any road look like it only has turns because you're going
through the straights so fast. I only use one finger on the brake and it's all it's needed. And rules

13. that will keep you save in some situations, if incorrectly used (due to ignoring other factors), may
make you unsafe instead. In simple terms, the wind pushes from below, you compensate by tilting
above in the opposite direction, but always ready to stop tilting when each gust stops. All these
factors and others will add up to the overall chances of sliding off, while low speed and slow, smooth
and light inputs (acceleration, braking, leaning and counter-steering) have a crucial role in
counteracting those chances.
I have learned recently, by doing some light research on the internet, that the major types of fatal
motorcycle accidents can be included in three categories: crossing intersections; overtaking or
filtering through traffic (fatal filtering accidents probably happen with due to excessive speed); and
losing control of your bike at speed on a bend. The bike becomes less affected by lateral inputs in
general, with speed. More serious accidents have much more serious consequences (I had this
accident while riding a little 125cc DT125R, which is an awesome bike, and even safe but I pushed it
too much while cornering (on a summer afternoon on a dry road). One thing you can do is get the
optional higher windscreen (there's a clear one and a tinted one) and it really makes a
difference.There are even better after-market options (like Puig for example) that offer better
visibility with less optical distortion. The second thing is, always arrange instructions for everyone to
follow in case someone gets lost before heading out. The problem here is excessive confidence
coupled to lack of experience (unawareness of danger). Standard sport leather gloves offer little to
no cold or rain protection. Weigh the consequences. The result is, you can charge like a lunatic to a
corner (please don't take this literally. it's an inevitable ritual. It's even very quick and easy to reach
speeds like 155mph without realizing you're going so fast, the good thing is it's also very easy and
fast to return to lower speeds when you start seeing cars for example. All it takes is for some vehicle
to brake or change lanes in front of you. Don't ride with your hands too cold because the speed of
their movement will decrease dangerously.
http://vitorfior.hubpages.com/hub/The-08-CBR-1000-RR-and-Supersport-Bikes-in-general
Ok, now that I've warned the possible buyer about the comfort and practicality issues of this kind of
motorcycles I'll get on with the good stuff. On a sport bike, you should always get leather racing type
combinations or suits and not cordura ones because these will cause lots of wind resistance (you will
feel like you're being pulled back) and buffeting and this really disturbs your riding especially at
higher speeds (on slower bikes this isn't so problematic). You must exercise caution using the rear
brake though (I think this applies to all bikes without abs). Experienced riders know this but it's still
probably worth mentioning to the inexperienced that you can't exceed a given speed when you have
luggage systems, cases, etc attached to your bike or your luggage will likely break off from your bike
and you'll have to play the game "find my personal belongings all over the road" (that is if you hear it
break off). The accident has left M13 with permanent marks, and I would be lying if I said it didn't
make me reconsider motorcycling altogether a few times already since it happened. Luck was on my
side and I was either able to brake or evade the obstacles but I won't let it happen again. Yes, this
means that you're going to be ignoring your mates a lot while riding. It's difficult to like it especially
at first sight. It's just a matter of time as every seasoned rider knows.
Motorcycles are especially vulnerable in the rain: Road lines, utility covers, or vegetable matter
diluted in the water for example, is all it takes for a motorcycle to slide off in a turn and be ran over
by oncoming vehicles. They still get seriously hurt when they impact each other for example or in
some freak accidents when they hit an unprotected surface on a low-risk area. To make this even
worse, when you're braking hard, the weight of the bike is transfered to the front leaving the rear
very light (too light) and the engine braking itself can be enough to lock the rear wheel (not so much
on this bike because it has a slipper clutch but even so), so no rear braking upon surprises. If you're
quick to honk, most times, you'll stop it before you have to evade anything. You can never stop

14. thinking about it while riding. I've stopped cars from hitting me lots of times by properly using my
horn. With this decision, I'm following a very valid principle which is, riding slower gets you more
security than than any expensive suit at high speeds. A general law of vehicles is that speed will
always cost you. Is all this really necessary you ask? If you were driving, then it wouldn't be as
necessary but, on a motorcycle, you can't afford to be hit by cars next to you, even lightly. Due to
this, it is very important that novice riders build their speed progressively to adapt to this decreased
tolerance for mistakes that comes with increased speed. Of course that, many times, there aren't any
large vehicles to ride alongside with so, in this case, you have to use other strategies.
In moderate to fast speeds, on a road with more than two lanes available, avoid choosing the lanes in
the middle, since there are double the chances of someone hitting you from the sides (especially if
there's heavy traffic), so, if possible, try choosing a lane with most vehicles on one side only, which is
much safer and easier to control. Some of these ideas, you will be pretty sure you can do; other
ideas, you will doubt more. If you have back problems it can be an issue especially after an hour
riding it. The original article is now probably the smallest part of what you see presently.
Distractions and multitasking
One thing I've noticed, that helps minimize the effect of wind gusts, is to ride faster. Riding it slow is
excruciating, and the wind protection is scarce. This is really great as it gives you a real option to
choose your type of riding. When riding in groups, you must follow a simple rule that must never be
broken, and which is, the road takes 95% of your attention, and your friends take the other 5%. and
when I did, I had to do it on one leg, and even going to the bathroom was a troublesome task - a
complete waste of time. You have to pre-calculate the distance of stuff that's still far away (more
than you're used to) and brake in advance to compensate for the added time it takes to slow down;
the suspension will also react much more violently to any irregularity on the road, so you also have
to take this and other unpredictable elements into account, etc. Low temperature and dampness will
make it even worse. It may take some time but the odds are the bike will straighten itself out. And,
by "getting used to it", I don't mean being able to do it like 2 or 3 times, I mean be progressive in
how hard and how long you roll that throttle with experience. If you get late, it's bad of course but if
you try to get on time and you crash, then you're in a world of trouble and getting late will be the
least of your troubles. You can try to wear rain overgloves on them though that's not very practical.
The other 2 times it was this rule that saved me and, on the second time, 3 vehicles crossed in front
of me at intervals of 4 or 5 seconds (it was a police chase and there were big vehicles blocking the
view of the junction) so, had I advanced after the first one crossed, I would have been hit by 2 police
transportation vans at high speed and which either didn't have their sirens working or didn't have
sirens at all. You can get away with it many times but you're going to go down sooner or later. Edit
In my experience, sport bikes are very little affected by wind when compared to other bikes, possibly
due to their high-speed-ready aerodynamics. This makes it very natural for the Fireblade to cruise at
insane speeds on the highway. If someone's waiting, I prepare my "verbal defense" as best as
possible. Only after removing the plate, did the ankle return to almost full normality) and spent
months with a cast on my leg, some of which, on a bed, without even being able to walk around for
more than a minute or two... Besides slowing down, using your horn properly to warn other drivers
of your presence is absolutely critical to prevent a huge number of accidents. The lure of sport bikes
is tremendous especially for young and inexperienced riders. In other words, each situation is a
different situation so always be aware that, just as the road changes, as you ride, and different
things come up, the rules you adopt will also dynamically change as you ride. These vehicles offer
great cover from heavy winds. Don't let cars behind you rush you into the junction.
Riding bikes is an awesome experience and, the truth is, the vast majority of these dangers, (even

15. from other people's actions on the road) is avoidable by you, just by being proactive, anticipate by
concentrating on analyzing each situation and recognizing probable outcomes and make it difficult
for the situation to occur or effect you. When you're new to motorcycling there are a lot of dangers
on the road that you're still to meet. The wind will usually push the bottom of your bike to one of the
sides. If none of them seems to be working, the best thing to do is to stop the bike and wait it out.
The main sport bikes are the 600cc and the 1000cc, and while the 600cc are lighter and more agile,
they lack power in the low rpm and so, to ride them fast you have to rev them considerably, and
that's where the 1000cc come in: they have power all over the rev meter, so every little input on the
throttle will translate in a surge of power (a smooth one in the low rpm's) to the rear wheel , but
they're heavier. Most accidents are avoidable (by prediction, not just reaction) and happen because
of lack of awareness, regardless of whose fault it is. There are always exceptions where these rules
are superseded by other rules pertaining to particular situations - An example - While it's always
good to keep a distance from the right side of the road when there are parked cars on that side
(because there's always the real chance someone will suddenly come out and get in your way), in
many other situations, that same position on the left side of your lane, may now make you unsafer
because, now, instead of parked cars on your right, you may have traffic to your left, for instance, or
you may have a dirt strip on the left side of the lane, or you may be opening yourself to unexpected
overtaking from your right, or something else. Nothing is worth riding faster than what safety
allows. A given speed has a minimum braking distance so, on a turn or anywhere without visibility,
you should be able to brake on the visible patch of road. Also, even at the same exact speed, there
are still very different degrees of difficulty in cornering, braking power, etc depending on the road
itself, the wind, the grip, even depending on how sharp you are feeling that day. Edit
Edit: Where the majority of fatal motorcycling accidents happen:
The bike is, as expected, tremendously fast. If you're not willing to sacrifice your riding comfort,
your pillion, a decent luggage capacity, capability to ride or cruise slowly, and versatility; if you're
not willing to have a limited choice of routes based on the quality of the asphalt, then you're better
off with a more civilized motorcycle (although it's said the fireblade is the most civilized of the 1k
sport bikes) Unluckily for me, when I bought this bike, I didn't consider these handicaps very well. If
you find yourself on one of these roads and have to go over (or cross) a wet tram line (from the left
half of the lane to the right or vice-versa), do it fast, use the momentum so the tire will slide across
the highly slippery surface of the line without getting stuck on it and lose traction to reach the safety
of the asphalt on the other side, also be as upright as possible when you do this (generally speaking,
in any slippery surface, lean the bike the least possible and try compensating by shifting your weight
on the bike). Because the 1k sport bikes are so powerful all over the revs, the tires (namely the rear
tire) have to be in very good condition because worn out rear tires will slide very easily under
acceleration and the bike will fishtail. Also watch out for gravel, dirt, water, road marks, and utility
covers (or any metal surface) on the road when accelerating even with good tires, especially if you're
cornering, where it can result in a low-side or high-side.
The first thing I noticed with a 1000cc was the power was all over the rpm range. If one of these
ideas come up, let it sink in a little bit and really think about it before you do anything. This way I'm
able to see any incoming lights while still making my presence known to anyone on the other side.
All you have to do is constantly do this over and over and over until, eventually you'll get used to it
and don't even notice it anymore. It's very easy to be distracted on the road and not see a car
approaching or know about its presence near you, especially if you're inside a vehicle with the
windows closed and it's even easier not to see a motorcycle. Also slow down to a "stop-possible
speed" when a road has lots of junctions with low visibility, or buildings from which kids can come
out of running, or any other potential surprise factor. Low power on low rpm's may be an issue on
the street but not so much on track days, since the riding flows and there's no stop-and-go among

16. other problems, it's even an encouragement to keep cornering speed.
Still referring to leather equipment, If you don't like having to wear this much protection equipment
whenever you ride (I have to say I also got tired of it), then it's an even worse idea to be riding fast.
(and the side of most roads is riddled with deadly objects waiting for you to crash against them,
unlike race tracks) at more than, say 30 mph (50 km/h), or even less, even these top of the line
protections won't do miracles since they're just a thin light layer of polymer with some padding,
impacting a much harder and heavier material. I probably will continue riding for now but, each
time I do it, I notice that I find myself riding increasingly more cautious. There are things that we
are not expected to control. Whenever you see any vehicle or person looking like he/she is about to
do something dangerous or whenever you see someone clearly distracted displaying erratic behavior
on the road, then use the horn.
If you're an inexperienced rider, I seriously advise you to read the information below
have your left thumb at the ready on the horn and be ready to brake.
To sum it all up, the 08 Fireblade is not a great looking bike, at least at first sight, but you grow fond
of its different design. But these bikes are definitely not for everyone.... A simple energy drink can
save your life. And if you change bikes, you have to practice again because horns sort of change
place from bike to bike, even if by a short distance. It happens, especially in long straights where it
seems the road is completely clear, and then, suddenly, a car or a truck appears to pop up from the
ground right in front of you when you're overtaking. Don't try riding at high speeds in just one step
or two because it's likely that one corner may get the best of you or that you will simply approach a
braking point too fast. Also, prevent what you can beforehand, but use the horn first and only then
evade them, not the other way around. Most people won't even be able to tell the difference on a
racing track. I would be dead 3 times already if I would just carelessly advance upon green light. As
amazingly as it might seem, many people fail to see incoming vehicles before entering the road. All
these situations happened during day time with lots of traffic and low visibility. Highly worn out
pavement makes it possible for your bike to slide off at slow speeds even in dry weather. First thing I
noticed is the bike feels almost as light as the fireblade! I didn't believe how light it felt while I was
manhandling it or riding it slowly. The brakes work very well. Also avoid overtaking with foggy
weather, very heavy rain, etc) because the odds are, you'll be unlucky enough to be surprised by an
incoming vehicle before you can complete the overtaking. I mean, for track standards it is actually
soft because they softened it up for the road as much as possible, but it's still hard as rock, and you'll
definitely want to stay clear of potholes and such because it will hurt. It's certain that, in many
situations it's not safe to stop on the side of the road, but it's much less safe to multitask while
riding/driving so you have to choose the lesser of two evils. In other words, your margin for errors
shrinks incredibly. (They allow you quickly to reach breakneck speeds on any short segment of road
which security features (pavement quality and cleaning, turn angles, traffic and pedestrian behavior,
type of junctions, etc) weren't designed to have vehicles going round at those speeds. So it's as
simple as that, once the internal component of the device is installed on your bike, the only thing you
have to do to keep the battery charged, is plug it to the main device (which, in turn, plugs to the
wall) and leave it there for 3 or 4 hours (assuming the battery is in good shape or it will take longer).
You don't want to put yourself in the hospital for who knows how long and lose the bike all for just a
piece of adrenalin. Honda's DCT technology (or any auto shift tech from any other manufacturer) is
great for heavy traffic since it allows you not to have to manually shift or use the clutch in those
situations. It's just that the main purpose of these bikes is circuit performance and, anything that
gets in the way of that, was cut off the bike to shave weight and improve aerodynamics. The worst
case scenario is them gaining a little distance on you and, when they finally notice it, they stop and
call you or something like that.

17. When I fell off my bike, I was wearing my leather racing-type combination, but I chose the wrong
pair of boots that day (I left the armored racing-type ones at home because they weren't easy to walk
with) and I wore standard leather riding boots with no armor and that's how I broke my ankle. You
always have to check it yourself. From the moment you engage first gear, you gently accelerate and
the bike will show its immense power, although the best part (or scary part for me heheh) is still at
the end of the rev meter nearing 11000rpm (I've rarely been there). As you probably know, shaft
drives are maintenance free so you will never have to worry about any chain maintenance, including
constantly cleaning and lubricating (at least for me, this was a pain, not only because of the work
but because it's messy and unpractical, not to mention that, a badly maintained chain, can get you in
serious trouble riding fast (e.g. It's not going to eliminate the wind completely (far from it) but it
really helps. Also, if you don't see the point in going faster than a certain speed, then I applaud you
because, even though many slower bikes would be better in that case (since sport bikes sacrifice so
much for speed), it's always more mature and intelligent not to push a vehicle to its limits on the
road (That's what tracks are for) and you have much to gain from it.
. The device also comes with regular battery clamps for when you need to charge a battery that's not
in your bike
As you're overtaking a convoy of vehicles, only set your sight to the final reentry point if you're sure
you can make it. I've made this mistake a fair amount of times already and almost paid dearly. I even
talked to a guy at the dealer shop whose friend was lost in an accident on a brand new Fireblade
some years ago. It's more common for riders to do this since they can easily fit in the space you
leave available. And be ready to clean the mosquitoes and their blood (well, it wasn't theirs anyway)
out of your helmet (you really have to have a good full face helmet that's well fitted and has a dense
liner because of the wind speed), your suit, and your bike at the end.
I've recently rode the new Honda VFR 1200 and, to put it simply, it's a much better bike for the road
than the fireblade and without loosing any adrenaline or significant power (on the road). It's like a
wolf in sheep's clothing heheh.
Don't just rely on the horn to avoid collisions on the street though. So it's a very economical bike
although it's a serious powerhouse.
Edit Yesterday, I have regrettably learned that a famous YouTube motorcycle vlogger, probably the
first YouTube motorcycle vlogger, known as Mordeth13 (aka M13) has suffered a considerable
accident and, given the experience M13 has in motorcycling and, also the proximity we feel to
someone who we are in touch with, even if just as viewers, it can be especially disturbing to any of
us experienced riders out there, that this possibility is always there, regardless of how experienced
we are. Your comfort in sport bikes is also affected in the riding position, which is very much
advanced. Just take your earplugs because the wind will leave your head buzzing in the end. It's
always more efficient to blip the throttle when you need the fastest braking power with the most
stability, especially if you're on a track. It isn't going anywhere (in this case, the bike) so no need to
rush. This, together with their F1 style rpm range, does make the 600cc more adrenalin packed to
ride. And it takes time, experience, to progressively adapt your riding to these dangers. When
someone overtakes you, they first check your position, see a hole where they can fit, partially in your
lane and, thinking you won't move, they instantly go for it. Many of these things are going to happen
to you on your riding experience, probably when you least expect them. Sport leather suits are the
best there is in security but not very effective to stop the cold or rain, so you will have to additionally
get something over it for those cold and wet occasions. You can take turns much faster than with
other bikes of similar weight but you still have to slow down ;) and, at the last second, start braking
smoothly and it will turn very easily with "scalpel-like" precision and control, without any complaints

18. (you place the bike where you want in the turn with little effort). edit (I had made a serious mistake
here and wrote "outer half" instead of "inner half" by lapse so sorry for that) edit
Don't be shy to use the horn because it will be the death of you on the road. In fact, not only does it
charge the battery, but it also kind of optimizes it (or repairs it, if you can use that term). I didn't
(and that's an understatement heheh). If you don't see yourself adopting these solutions and want
typical hard luggage I think sport bikes are maybe not the best choice. A sport-touring model
probably...
I recently got a great little gadget for my bike that I just couldn't avoid mentioning here, since this is
a real game changer for those of you who may spend some periods of the year when you don't ride
your bike a lot and, especially if you have an alarm on it, you'll usually find yourself riding it just to
keep the battery from dying (true fireblade story lol). As obvious as this may seem, this is basically
the core of the problem in the change to a sport-bike. It's normal that the bike moves and gets
pushed around and as long as you limit or control that movement and don't let it go beyond a certain
point. Don't do like many riders who crash their brand-new bikes because they can't wait to reach
that speed and ride above their present capability. If the pillion holds on to the rider (hugging the
rider's torso or placing hands on rider's shoulders), in the event of hard braking/ acceleration, the
pillion may easily pull or push the rider off his riding position, while simultaneously loosing his own
support, thus creating a potentially hazardous situation where either one or both may fall of the
bike. Not this one, not any 1000cc sport bike. Tires (race track vs road):
Never tailgate anyone because, not only is it completely unnecessary with a powerful bike but you
are also putting yourself and your bike in the hands of whoever is in front of you (it may not be a
very good driver).
Not knowing when to use the horn is an accident waiting to happen:
On a little side note: remember that, on a track day, you will trash 1 set of tires, and not just gas,
and these tires don't come cheap as you probably know, so it's much safer and probably also cheaper
(depending on the specific tire: smaller displacement bikes have cheaper tires and cheaper
replacement parts in case you crash) to get race tires for that day (adjusting the tire pressure for
track day use). It's easy not to notice entire parts of the road, with moving vehicles, completely
hidden by a lower elevation. The speed of most vehicles usually allows for intuitive riding/driving in
the way we corner, brake, relax, etc. Unlike its predecessor, it has a slipper clutch, so you can relax
while downshifting and you can choose whether to blip the throttle or just to make a smooth
downshift. I usually don't cruise on twisty turns with the high beams on because, even though this
warns other drivers/ pedestrians of your presence, it prevents you from seeing other lights as well so
what I do is I just flash the high beams a couple times on the worst turns (the tighter or most
dangerous). If you can only afford one pair of gloves though, it's still the best thing to go with sport
leather gloves since you can use them both in hot and cold weather (provided you have rain
overgloves). Take a more advanced, less upright body position so the wind will have a smaller area
to push you and the bike. It's not an ideal bike to tour because it doesn't carry hard-luggage (you
have to get an aftermarket bag type luggage system) and also because it doesn't offer an acceptable
level of comfort needed for long travelling distances. Riding in groups is already more dangerous
just for the simple fact that, even if you don't want to, you're already expending a great deal of
attention to the group, even if you don't notice it, so be extra careful in those situations. This way,
the pillion's forward lean protects him/her from falling back in accelerations and, at the same time,
his/her hands pushing position on the tank firmly secures him/her in hard braking, all without
pulling or pushing the rider. But It's also a very easy and enjoyable bike to cruise slowly with, unlike
the Fireblade or other supersport bikes. Especially if the road in case doesn't offer a great margin

19. for error.
Be aware of faster bikes, and even cars behind you. It's highly advisable to keep an eye on the
speedo because you really don't feel high speeds on these 1000cc bikes; you just feel the point when
you're starting to go faster than 60mph but after that it's a little difficult to tell. Lots of times they
look in the wrong direction and just go. Leaving track-days as the only refuge where you can really
make a more satisfactory use of them. I also wear a neck gaiter and winter motorcycle gloves. When
you're riding on a road often used by motorcyclists and racing enthusiasts, or a road with twists and
turns and low visibility in general, keep to the inner half of your lane in corners because chances
are, some of that incoming traffic is going to invade your lane in those corners. After the driver halts
his action then he will already know what he did so there's no point in talking about it. Your horn
sort of works like a remote control's "stop button" for drivers who are unaware of you. They respond
better than other bikes when thrown around and are harder to crash at identical speeds. So, if you
think about it, this means that you can basically sum this up in three other categories: Distraction,
hurries/speed and underestimating danger. Regarding your effort not to be cut off from the group,
being cut off from your group is an integral part of riding in groups. He explained to me the details
but I forgot after 3 years. I usually carry an energy drink with lots of caffeine (such as Red Bull for
example) with me, when I'm tired and there's the chance that I might get sleepy. Also get good
leather gloves with armor and racing type boots (these don't allow for much movement but there's a
good reason for that). If you're this conscious and careful on your riding, and if you know when and
where you can enjoy your bike a little faster (by norm, only in deserted places you already know,
with good cleaned pavement, visibility and no junctions), and also if your riding skills aren't as low
as to endanger yourself, then the risks you're taking in riding are actually low. If my horn stops
working, the only place I'll ride the bike to is the mechanic, to fix it. If you do look back or to the
sides, immediately return your attention to the front (don't take more than half a second as a rule
when you're feeling drowsy). With time, this may become a major hassle, depending on your
personality and on what you plan to do once you arrive at your destination. It's also hard on your
wrists especially at the beginning because they are constantly on a position which is not ideal and
they support the weight of your upper torso when braking (later, with experience, you'll get used to
deal with this by using your back muscles to support this weight and relief your wrists so it gets
easier). If possible, get a wireless communication device (the only one I'm familiar with is the one
from Cardo systems but it's likely that there are more) and try to encourage your friends to do the
same so, at least, you can keep your eyes on the road while communicating with your friends. And if
they rode without their suits on, they would definitely not walk out of most accidents they have, even
with all the race track protection measures. When you don't have visibility and want to warn
incoming drivers, just hit the horn once or twice and slow down while choosing the safest side of the
lane. I can definitely tell you, from experience, that this is almost definitely true, since most of my
near accidents (and also my one accident) fit perfectly into these categories. Outside the track, these
bikes are never completely in their element and they painfully remind you about it each time you
ride into a less perfect road or traffic situation. To avoid this from happening, during each wind gust,
all you have to do is to apply the exact same amount (not more, not less) of feedback to the bike in
the opposite direction by counter-steering and weight-shifting with your torso. The way it works is,
you install a very small component that connects to your battery (or you can have it installed like I
did) and this component then has a plug which you can conveniently use to connect the main
charging device, which plugs into a standard wall socket. Too many people die trusting green traffic
lights. Also, I really consider sport bikes to be safer than other bikes because they handle so much
better and have the power and braking power to get out of situations. What I noticed right away is
that it takes half the effort to turn these bikes than the effort you have to put in turning bikes of
similar weight. And, even with the alarm constantly on, I've been maintaining the battery by using
the Optimate like once or twice a month, so it's really something that I recommend to all of you
riders out there who need to keep the bike rideable (with a battery) but don't want to have to ride it

20. just to charge it. There is a very good reason you don't go faster every other day. They are beautiful
bikes, and what they offer is all easily translated in numbers (hp, 0-60 times, top-speeds, circuit lap-
times, etc) and visible performance on the races, on TV. This also allows you to be more relaxed,
focused and risk a little further, enjoying yourself more. When you're stressed or angry, impulse
maneuvers are much more likely so these situations require a huge self-control. Sometimes, we
might tend to extend our arm and tap the erratic car but the horn is probably more reliable and lets
you keep both hands on the steering. If I didn't have the rest of the protective equipment on though,
or even those standard boots, it would have been much worse. Inevitable costs of speed are gas and
tires; costs you may escape (or not) are speed tickets, your driver's licence, material and/or medical
expenses from crashes and, ultimately, your health, your freedom (if you kill someone) and your life
or, at least, your life as you know it. Do a quick check on your tires before you ride off, be careful
what they go over (gas, oil) at service stations, garages, etc, constantly evaluate the appearance of
the pavement you're on, slow down accordingly before cornering and be progressive to accelerate
out of the corner. When it comes to sport bikes, manufacturers take great care that their product
very closely matches its competition in performance. Although uncomfortable and, sometimes,
downright painful, they are actually easier (handling-wise, not comfort-wise) and more predictable to
ride. After like 60 miles of riding in normal traffic (or just less than 10 miles in heavy/ slow traffic) or
one hour of normal riding on it, you're totaled. The good thing is, because it has the power in the low
rpm's, it encourages a softer, less frantic riding (unlike the 600cc). But this is only true if you don't
adjust your carelessness to what the bike can take and if you ride responsibly.
Of course that, even though it might seem this armor is very tough if you punch it for example, the
reality is, if you impact a hard immovable object like a tree, a post, a car, a wall, etc. This is because
sport bikes have a low center of gravity. If you're about to lose some opportunity unless you ride
faster, then just prepare for losing that opportunity and use that as an incentive to get to the bike
earlier next time. Don't get me wrong. Never do the latter. Accelerating and braking are also options
for evasion but don't brake if you don't know who is behind you. The faster you are riding, the harder
it is for any force to move your bike laterally, be it your own efforts to turn the bike (counter-steer/
weight shift), be it the wind pushing it from side to side. Don't try to match the speed of your more
experienced friends and don't let your friends pressure you into going faster. It will be a joke
compared to having crashed. It only works if it's done in time to prevent them for moving. If you
already have a main means of transportation such as a car or another bike, and you intend on
acquiring this bike as your secondary means of transportation, only for the occasional pleasure ride,
then this is a great choice; if, on the other hand, you intend on buying this as your only means of
transportation, and you'll depend on it for every type of situation, tired, having lots of stuff to carry
with you, on a common basis, etc., then I strongly advise you not to do it, not this one, not any sport
bike out there. If you're sleepy, you're much likely to distract yourself more than you should so, in
this case, try to limit your distractions even further and focus only on what's in front of you. Sport
bikes offer handling like nothing else, and the first time I rode one I was leaning down for a turn in
the same way I did with all the other bikes I rode before but I got a scare because I was turning way
too much and almost hit a car on the lane to the right. If you didn't react to this, it would result in
the bike turning to that side. I even broke one of the mirrors which has the turn-signal incorporated
(it took a significant impact), and it was surprisingly inexpensive to replace the whole part. I risk
saying wet metal is equivalent to ice in slipperiness, so don't use roads with tram lines when they're
wet (I almost crashed because of doing it). This means that, if someone is trying to tell you
something, look forward and signal that person to pay attention to the road. Don't sacrifice safety
distances (front and behind) for this though, those are more important. There is also the danger that
beyond those speeds, the bike may become distabilized even if your case/s don't break off.
At higher speeds, the riding is very different