BFO Motorcycles is a company based in Coventry, building specials, manufacturing trick components and the man behind the firm designed Aston Martins. They’re also responsible for creating this: the switch:BLADE.
Taking an engine from a 1998 ‘Blade, BFO wrapped a custom frame around the Honda motor. In-house rearsets, yokes, other billet wizardry and the frame itself are mesmerizing eye candy. Chuck in lashings of carbon and more bespoke components, and it looks like a proper one-off.
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Although it’s a totally custom frame, the basic geometry is the same as that of the donor ’Blade. The frame is made from 7020 aluminium, as used by Spondon. The culmination of billet and aluminium components, the carbon fibre onslaught result in the 138kg dry weight. The subframe is a self-supporting carbon unit and Dymag carbon wheels carry Bridgestone BT-016s. A fully adjustable Öhlins shock looks after the rear, while the standard forks from ’98 support the front.
The 1998 FireBlade lump is relatively untouched, although it has been blueprinted by Tony Scott. An Akrapovic full race system adds some power and noise, while a Dynojet jetting kit (carbs remember) helps smooth out the fuelling. 134bhp isn’t a whopper deal in the current climate, but when you consider the switch:BLADE tips the scales at just 138kg, the power-to-weight ratio almost matches that of a Gixer Thou’. If you compare the bike to other lightweights, the switch:BLADE is only a smidgen heavier than an Aprilia RS 125, but packs the guts of a 750.
Looks a bit Speed Triple-ish, doesn’t it?
