Honda CBR 1000 RR Fire Blade
The Fireblade is becoming more and more like the racing RC211V with which it shares its genetic record, no doubt! Motorcycles, which until a few years ago were a good compromise between use on the road and the race track, are becoming more and more race cars and fewer and fewer travelers. Technique is transitioning very quickly from the royal class to the athletes of the standard liter superbike.
For all sports enthusiasts, Honda has taken care of the redesigned Fireblad, which first hit the market for the 2004 model year. Their slogan "Light is Right" goes back to 1992 when the revolutionary CBR 900 RR hit the scene. FireBlade still sounds very relevant today.
The importance of this "road-approved race car" was demonstrated by inviting a select group of prominent journalists to a technical presentation in the Royal Hall, from where the sheikh, ruling oil-rich Qatar, can safely watch the races. , supersport and Moto GP. Until that day, no one was allowed to enter this part of the control tower, above the modern racetrack!
According to Honda, 60 percent of motorcycles are brand new. Where can you see it? True, at first glance, almost nowhere! But this view is deceptive and prematurely wrong. We ourselves were a little disappointed in Paris when we first saw the updated Fireblade. We were waiting for a completely new motorcycle, something "pompous", we are not ashamed to admit it. But it’s good that we didn’t say it out loud (sometimes in journalism it’s wise to shut up and wait for statements), because the new Honda would do a lot of injustice. Namely, they were very good at hiding all the new items, because this is a really smart move. The most demanding motorcyclists get what they want, which is the highest modern technology, and those who ride motorcycles from 2004 and 2005 do not lose a lot of money due to the changes, as they basically look almost the same. This preserves the market value of the motorcycle. Honda is betting on evolution, not revolution.
However, the "almost" we mentioned is very great for specialists and true connoisseurs (by which we also mean you, dear readers). It's no secret that Honda has put a lot of time and research into mass centralization, and from an engineering standpoint, the new CBR 1000 RR has won the most. The motorcycle gradually became lighter in all places. The titanium and stainless steel exhaust system weighs 600 grams less due to lighter pipes, 480 grams less due to the exhaust valve and 380 grams less due to the lighter muffler under the seat.
But this is not the end of the grind. The side hood is made of magnesium and is 100 grams lighter, the smaller radiator together with the new piping reduces the weight by another 700 grams. The new pair of larger brake discs now have a diameter of 310 mm instead of 320 mm, but they are 0 grams lighter (due to the 5'300 mm thinner).
We also saved 450 grams with a thinner camshaft.
In short, the weight loss program was launched by racing, where everyone takes a little bit of something. This preserves the durability of the material.
And what about the engine when we are already on the camshaft? It has faced all the worst that a sports bike can do on a great race track. The track at Losail is known for containing elements of the best race tracks from around the world. A one-kilometer finish line, plush, long and fast corners, mid-speed corners, two sharp and short corners, a combination that many professional riders have called the best at the moment.
But after each of the five 20-minute races, we returned to the pits with a smile. The engine spins faster and more powerful than its predecessor, reaching a maximum power of 171 hp. at 11.250 rpm, maximum torque 114 Nm at 4 rpm. The engine revs aggressively from 10.00 rpm. The power curve of the engine is very continuous and allows for decisive and very precise acceleration. Due to the very strong environment with supported torque, the motor also likes to rotate fully in the red field (from 4.000 11.650 rpm to 12.200 rpm).
In the upper range, the engine demonstrates its sportiness with easily controlled lifting of the front wheels. Compared to the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 (memories from Almeria are still fresh), Honda has done a good homework and undoubtedly caught up with the worst competitor in terms of engine. What difference (if any) will be shown only by the comparative test. But we can safely say that Honda has the best power-up curve.
We have no bad words about the gearbox, only that superbike race can be faster and more accurate.
Thanks to the excellent engine, it is a real pleasure to carry circles around the race track. If we shifted too high, there was no need to downshift. The engine is so versatile that it quickly corrects the driver's error, which is also a good prospect for driving on ordinary roads.
But Honda stands out not only with its more powerful engine, but also with noticeable improvements in brakes and ride quality. Thanks to their ability to stop the motorcycle at a very short distance, the brakes were a very pleasant surprise to us. At the end of the finish line, the digital speedometer showed 277 km / h, which was immediately followed by white lines along the track indicating the starting points for braking. James Toseland, 2004 World Superbike Champion who joined Honda for the 2006 season, advised: "When you look at the first of the three lines, you have enough room to safely slow down before a turn, braking is critical to this limitation." closed the first corner, Honda braked every time with the same precision and power, and the brake lever felt very good and gave good feedback. We cannot write anything about them, except that they are reliable, strong and inspire a good sense of trust.
As for driving behavior, as in every previous chapter, we have no complaints. Progress is greater than the scale promises with a total weight of just over three kilograms. The Fireblade is very easy to handle and is much closer to the smaller CBR 600 RR in terms of ride performance. It also happens that the ergonomics of the motorcycle seat are very similar to its little sister (racing, but still not tiresome). Mass centralization, lower unsprung weight, shorter wheelbase and more vertical front fork mean significant progress. Despite all this, the new Tisochka remains calm and precise in turns. Even when the steering wheel is dancing with the front wheel off the ground, the Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) taken from MotoGP races quickly calms down when it hits the ground again. In short: he does his job well.
The adjustable suspension transforms the new Honda from a supersport road bike into a true race car that obediently follows the driver's commands and maintains a calm, focused line even on very steep slopes and when accelerating with wide open throttle. With the Bridgestone BT 002 racing tires, little remains of the super-standard car. It is amazing how the character of a motorcycle can be changed only by tuning the suspension in races and fitting racing tires to the rims.
After this first impression of the Qatar trials, we can only write: Honda sharpened its firearm very well. This is bad news for the competition!
Honda CBR 1000 RR Fire Blade
Test car price: 2.989.000 SIT.
Technical information
engine: 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled. 998 cc, 3 hp at 171 rpm, 11.250 Nm at 114 rpm, el. fuel injection
Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain
Suspension and frame: USD front adjustable fork, single adjustable shock, aluminum frame
Tires: before 120/70 R17, rear 190/50 R17
brakes: front 2 reel with a diameter of 320 mm, rear reel with a diameter of 220 mm
Wheelbase: 1.400 mm
Seat height from ground: 831 mm
Fuel tank / reserve: 18 l / 4 l
Dry weight: 176 kg
Representative: As Domžale, doo, Motocentr, Blatnica 2A, Trzin, tel. №: 01/562 22 42
We praise and reproach
+ precise and simple handling
+ engine power
+ best brakes in the category
+ sportiness
+ ergonomics
+ will be in showrooms in January
– with a “racing” cover on the passenger seat would look better
Petr Kavchich, photo: Tovarna
Technical information
engine: 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled. 998 cc, 3 hp at 171 rpm, 11.250 Nm at 114 rpm, el. fuel injection
Energy transfer: 6-speed gearbox, chain
brakes: front 2 reel with a diameter of 320 mm, rear reel with a diameter of 220 mm
Suspension: USD front adjustable fork, single adjustable shock, aluminum frame
Fuel tank: 18 l / 4 l
Wheelbase: 1.400 mm
Weight: 176 kg
