YOU know how it is. You’re sitting at work, all smug, confident in the knowledge that you’ve done a grand job. You’re quietly looking forward to an impending pat on the back and a pay rise, when along comes the boss and says he wants it done better.

Well, it’s like that at Honda, too. Not content with having the sharpest Blade in the box, the powers that be wanted it sharper. And lighter. And stronger. And faster. Well, maybe not faster…

This is now the ninth Blade in just 16 years, so why can't Honda keep things as they are for a while? Well, the straight answer is that it hasn't been the best litre bike on the market for quite some time. Yamaha's R1 stole the crown with ease some years ago, and more recently the Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been top of the tree. So has the new 2008 Blade got what it takes reassert itself as numero uno?

First and foremost, we need to discuss the aesthetics. Early pictures of the new Blade implied its nose cowl was so blunt it had been designed by someone with a pathological hatred of Concorde - that it not only been hit with the ugly stick, but had been the victim of a serious assault. But in the flesh, as it were, it’s actually an attractive proposition, not too dissimilar to Ducati’s 1098, and no one is disputing that bike’s beauty. But whatever you think of it, the fact is it's got everyone talking. Rather than just creating another bike similar to its predecessor, the designers have gone out on a limb. You see one of these coming down the road and you recognise it instantly, which gives it a presence. A menacing presence at that. Parked up outside Fowlers Honda, the styling is a million miles from bland.

Working backwards, the side fairings now incorporate the ram air ports and are stubbier than usual, which apparently helps with aerodynamics at the same time as saving some weight. A new compact, underslung exhaust helps improve mass centralisation, while the tail end is so sharp you could shave with it. But that's not all. The instrument panel has been redesigned, the indicators have merged into the mirrors (at last), and the frame is a narrower four-piece cast aluminium unit.

Saving weight is a theme which runs right through the 2008 Blade concept. Long have riders dreamed of a litre bike as light and as flickable as a sports 600. Now, weighing in at just 199kg, there is that option. Rather than getting smaller, litre sports bikes have actually been increasing in size of late. Not weight-wise, but in terms of dimensions. The R1 has always been quite roomy, but the current Gixxer Thou is almost as spacious as the Hayabusa. Like the latest ZX-10R, the Fireblade turns that on its head. It's a compact racer with a pure track focus.

So how does it perform on the open road. Despite foul March weather and high winds, the Fireblade was nothing short of impeccable. Long gone are the days of dawdling along wet roads, scared to cross the white lines or touch the brakes at anything other than perpendicular. The 2008 Blade is so self-assured, so obedient, that you wonder whether it needs your input at all. It's not only easy to ride, it's easy to ride well, despite its 175bhp potential. And this is in part down to some electronic trickery. Like many powerful bikes these days, power is curtailed slightly up to the 4,500rpm mark to stop so many punters high-siding their machines within the first week of ownership. Only a total hoodlum would really notice as 60mph still comes up in just 3.3 seconds. Thick dark lines of rubber can still be laid down as you exit bends, but there is less tendency for the front wheel to rise unless asked. Over 5,000rpm, however, it's a different game. It’s like sitting astride an electric chair. Crack the throttle open and the Fireblade sends waves through every nerve ending in your body as the digital speedo struggles to keep register. The band of torque is strong and smooth, while the wild top end power has the new exhaust screaming all the way to an increased 13,000rpm.

With its new chassis and Bridgestone BT-015s, the handling is as sharp as you would expect and the Blade dives into corners like a swooping bird of prey, flicking from side to side with remarkable ease. Just like its smaller sister, the CBR600RR, you think it and the bike does it, bang on line, like it’s plugged directly into the brain. Such accuracy encourages you to “make progress” more comfortably, more competently, with complete control, especially as the Fireblade benefits from Honda's neatly hidden second-generation steering damper, a new top drawer slipper clutch and revised radially mounted front calipers for phenomenal stopping power.

If you can grow to love its looks, the new Fireblade will provide you with the most agile, most confident sports riding experience money can buy -- until next year, when they’ll probably change it again. Keep up at the back.

Article written: Mar 14, 2008

The Honda Fireblade was kindly loaned by Fowlers Honda of Bath Road, Bristol. For more information about test rides, call Fowlers Honda on 0117 972 5508.

OUR STEER ON THE HONDA FIREBLADE

Price: £9,299 (@ Mar 2008)

Engine: 999cc

Power: 175 bhp @ 12,000 rpm

Torque: 84 lb ft @ 10,000 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed

Weight: 199 kg

Fuel capacity: 18 litres

Top speed: 180 mph

Seat height: 820 mm

by Jon Bennett