www.YamahaR.co.uk

Hi. I'm from West Midlands (England). Joined a few weeks ago and have been lurking, but I might be instantly ejected when you read about my Hondas . I have already noted that Steve R1 has defected the Honda camp .

I bought my first bike at 17-years-old, a brand new Honda CB 175 in gold/white. Had it for only twelve months before 'graduating' to the then new Honda CB 750 K1. Some two years' later I transformed it to a racing bike. In those days (mid-70s) there was a trend to bore out the 750s to 820, by using CB 350 pistons. Obtained quite a few factory parts and ran the bike on the then legal Methanol and Castrol R.

After marriage and family I bought a new VF 750 in 1984, but it became the victim of the all-too-common divorce battle. Stayed away from bikes for a few years.

Two years ago I had a hankering to re-mount! Bought an as new CBR250R which served as a great reintroduction. It also made me realise what I had missed. I few months later (November 2017) I traded up to a 2011 Fireblade. I have since gone overboard in acquiring some nice bikes, as per signature.

I am here because I am on the verge of ordering an R1M. Have lurked for a few days to gain some info because I'm Yamaha naive, but the present Hondas offer nothing special - although there is a proposed all new 2020 Blade. Visited a dealer today for a bit of a 'close up and personal' but not with the 'M' model. Will be attending the NEC to see the real deal. .

I look forward to community interaction, and yes, I promise to cop the 'Honda flack' in good taste.

welcome in pal [emoji846] great opening post & good luck with the R1M - sat on the standard one at the nec when it first came out it felt bloody luverly [emoji16]

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Welcome aboard Nigel I have a 2016 R1M and haven't got bored with it yet! Interesting to see you have a 765 Moto 2 on the way, a mate of mine has ordered one too and I'm looking forward to seeing it in the flesh.

Cheers Boz. I think the 765 will be more a 'pretty' bike than an outright performer, but I've purchased it for its 'hopeful' place in Triumph history.

Like the R1M, it is something special and not run of the mill. And then on the other side of the coin we (I) have Honda's supposed flagship homologation model in the SP2 that basically offers little more than fancy paint and wheels over the standard bikes for nearly £9K more (rec retail). Now, one brand new one is available for £16,000. Done my dosh on that!!

So, looking forward, given the R1M is a proven machine, there should be no room for problems or mass depreciation.

Welcome in Nigel
Great first post , hope you enjoy the Forum and M

Hi Nigel and welcome, interesting post, i do agree Honda have lost their way and the choice of bikes id poor. Yammy had a similar thing happen a few years ago + they went very expensive, then they came back with the MT range, new R1 + M and many other models like the Tracers.

Welcome to the forum Nigel, you won’t be disappointed with the R1M, mine is a 2016 one... now with a chip on its tank... doh... but I love her to bits... indeed ... which would I pick, the M or my wife... the jury is out on that one.... that’s me in the divorce courts [emoji3][emoji52][emoji20]...

Cracking opening post and as you said.. yes I was a Honda man... absolutely loved hondas... yes... they were all things to all men... they would do everything... but not that well... looking back, now that I’ve had Yamaha’s for 15 years... indeed I realised what I’m about to say when I rode my first Yamaha home... hondas are a bit of a jack of all trades.. master of none....can do everything... but good at nothing...

My R1’s... yes all of them... they talk to you... tell you what’s going on... a bit of a slide here or there... they are saying “steady on old chap.. it’s a bit slippery.. go light on the throttle” ... or you feel the rear tyre bite and that say “we’ve got shed loads of grip... give it some more”... the way the bike communicates with you.. through the bars, seat, pegs.... it’s like it was vaccinated with a gramophone needle .... it just talks and talks... like the Duracell bunny...

My hondas on the other hand were mute... I was either upright or on my arse... no warning.. the bike would just decide she was sliding down the road...

I do like hondas, build quality is fantastic and really that’s what was putting me off buying Yamaha... I bought my first R1 by my hart rather than my head... head said Honda build quality... plus it’s ok for road, track, commute and long distance....

Hart said R1.... looks effing horny.... so I got my first R1... first ride home... and I find I have a bike that’s giving me feedback... really useful feedback... something the Honda never gave... I mean the R1 was chatting away where the Honda was silent... if the R1 gives a slide... it’s just telling you to go steady... the same on my Honda and I was on my arse...

Regarding build quality.... I was so so wrong... the Yamaha’s can take anything you throw at them, my first R1 did over 65,000 miles in under three years, ridden all year in all weathers and took three harsh British winters easily under her belt. ...

Regarding the R1M, it really is a very special bike. It’s the size of an R6 with the power of an R1.... that means you have the agility and cornering skills of the R6 with R1 power... which is delivered in a very smooth way... the whole package is breathtaking... you will enjoy her .

Best decision I ever made (apart from getting married... trying to dig myself out of the hole) was to buy the R1M

Oh and lastly... regarding the hondas... on this forum... a bike is a bike... irrespective of manufacturers.... yes we love Yamaha’s, but we also like hondas, Suzuki, krapasaki, those italian ones that sound like a bag of spanners when they start and those German ones that you need a lobotomy to ride.... are they Audi....? Mercedes?... something like that..... no BMW [emoji3]

Welcome to the forum

Steve [emoji3]




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Cheers Steve. I did read about the 'spanner on the tank' during my lurking phase. I would have been p!ssed too. My OCD would more than likely see me getting a new one - and I don't mean spanner!

Excellently written and useful Honda Vs Yamaha comparison. Interesting that you mention size, because my initial impression of the base R1 when sitting on it was that it was a tad larger bike than the overly compressed 2017 - 19 Blades. I actually prefer the larger feel - a big plus to me (I'm a mere 5'9") yet the 'rider's triangle was nearly the same despite the massive, and unnoticeable difference in seat height.

Massively impressed with your 20,000-plus miles over 3 years too!

And finally, I've never heard of the 'Duracell bunny' talking. The closest I've encounter I can recall is a Duracell Rabbit moaning. On deeper thought, that could have been my wife .

Yes my OCD is getting to me re the chip... but I’m going to have to get over it.

Re the M, when you buy one make sure it has the CCU as a lot of road riders flog them off and the bike isn’t worth as much with no CCU

Oh and re size, the M is a lot smaller and lighter than the Big Bang R1’s I had previously, hence me saying they are smaller. At 5’5” I had to have mine lowered via the dog bone [emoji52][emoji15][emoji3]


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Welcome Nigel, there's a few of us from the 1000RR forum on here now

Welcome Nigel, enjoy the forum, great bunch of guys. I can’t offer any help whatsoever with an R1 - previously an R6 owner and now gone rogue to an MT09. BUT loads of help and a little bit of madness is always available on here [emoji3][emoji106]

Redjj wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:25 pm . . . now gone rogue to an MT09. . .

I know of 3 or 4 on the UK Honda forum who have also 'gone rogue' and none is regretful of their decision. For the moment I remain a fairings and clip ons kinda guy.

When I get 'old' I will consider the MT along with the Africa Twin!! [Er, can a smart ass be banned from this forum? ]

nigelrb wrote:

Redjj wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 9:25 pm . . . now gone rogue to an MT09. . .

I know of 3 or 4 on the UK Honda forum who have also 'gone rogue' and none is regretful of their decision. For the moment I remain a fairings and clip ons kinda guy.

When I get 'old' I will consider the MT along with the Africa Twin!! [emoji38] [emoji38] [Er, can a smart ass be banned from this forum? ]

No, otherwise there'd be no one left!

Welcome if I haven't said so already.

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Moise wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 1:42 pm . . . No, otherwise there'd be no one left! . . .

Good. Now I know I'll fit in