CBR1000RR; 192mph 174hp
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CBR1000RR; 192mph 174hp Motorcycle Online
<i>By MO Guest Writer
Notice the extreme foreward cant of the fairing. This one looks even more like an RC-211V than the 600RR did.
Honda and Motorcycle.Com are gradually working to bridge the chasm which has opened between us over the past few years. MO would have liked to bring you our own first-hand impressions directly from the CBR 1000RR Press Intro, alas Motorcycle.Com wasn't invited to that big event. However, while breaking bread with his fellow Journalists at the Kawasaki ZX-10R intro, Sean shopped around with the idea of having one of them write a "ghost" article for MO. He quickly got a nibble and after assuring the journalist that MO would NOT use their name and that we would NOT post photographs of them in the story, they were hooked. Don't even bother to call or email us asking who the author of this story is, we won't tell you, not even if you offer us a strawberry ice cream cone.
Whoever said lighter is better obviously never attended the Honda School of Polar Roll Dynamics. Basically the Honda engineers seem to think that the weight of a bike is immaterial when you place everything close to its roll axis. With lessons borrowed from the MotoGP RC-211V, who are we to argue? However, after all is said and done, Honda's engineers ended up with a bike weighing more than last years 954 and weighing nearly 21-lbs more than the new ZX10R. The stock CBR's weight has little relevance on a full blown superbike, but some would say that extra 21-Lbs is too heavy to compete in the now hotly contested superstock class.
Where's that weight coming from? Obviously, it seems that stronger is better, especially when you're building a bike as a platform for racing duty. Flimsy aluminum parts look good on the scales but soon end up a flexing mess when you add the extra 50% more horsepower that a typical AMA superbike will enjoy. The CBR takes the rear Unit Pro-Link from the RC211V and as seen on last years 600RR. The frame is big too and shares more than just a passing resemblance to Rossi's machine.
The motor is narrower and a slightly more upright in stance than last years 954, the former for mass centralization and the latter to help make room for the massive 211-square inch hi-capacity radiator. Fact is, nothing from this bike is shared with last years open class 954. The motor joins Yamaha and Kawasaki with a triangulated "stacked" layout for the crankshaft, main shaft and counter shaft. This shortened motor lets Honda get away with a long swingarm to help transfer that power to the ground.
Honda stressed many times that this bike was built as a race bike, with some street niceties thrown in for sales success. That fact was recently shown by the Superbike version of the 1000RR which posted 192 mph trap speeds several times at the Daytona tire test. Not only was the new Honda superbike a rocket in a straight line, but that unflappable chassis bagged the best lap times at the test, with Ben Bostrom running sub 1:48 laps. How much faster is it in the "real world"? Who knows? Honda says the new 1000RR is 3.5 seconds faster than the 954RR, I must have missed the part about where its 3.5 seconds faster.
Mmmmm Ummm! That's one sexy backside.
In the real world -but still on a race track- the engineers seem to know their numbers. The bike doesn't feel outrageously fast like the ZX-10R does, it simply feels planted and easily changes direction with a light push or pull on the appropriate bar. The ergonomics are race bred, with the pegs moved up and back an inch compared to last years 954. The roomy seat and short tank allow for a forward seating position, which aids in quick steering movements. The seat/peg relationship was a little cramped for the six footers at the track intro, but not so bad that anyone complained. Stability is first class, reminding this writer of the old ZX7R, solid, unflappable and effective when wielded by the right hands.
Just as Dunlop did for the Kawasaki, Bridgestone has developed a tire for the CBR 100RR. It's called the Battlax BT-014 and has a new profile to maintain neutral handling, while using a stickier compound. The pattern is new with dual directional diagonal grooves and center cross grooves offering enhanced wet grip. The front tire enjoys a compound developed by Makoto Tamada in MotoGP, which utilizes a harder compound to reduce chattering and with new chemical substances for higher grip. Grip with these new OEM Bridgestones was prodigious, during our time with them in Arizona. The new tire is scheduled for public release this February, at the Dealer News Expo, in Indianapolis.
This innocent looking rotary steering damper has electronic circuitry to tell it when to be light and when to be tight
To help with potential instability, Honda fit the new CBR with a digitally monitored steering damper. Although rotary dampers are a popular upgrade, this one has a kicker. At low speeds a separate internal oil-filled circuit ensures minimum drag. At high speeds, specifically at higher RPM the damper reacts to create more internal drag to cure potential stability problems. The technology is seamless in execution and certainly raises the trick-factor.
Is the new CBR 1000RR better than the Kawasaki ZX-10R? I don't think so. The CBR feels at least 20 pounds heavier and feels a little slower in a straight line. But this is very hard to say with any accuracy, because I rode them on different days, different tires and most importantly on different racetracks. The only way to answer this question with any relevance is to have the bikes together at the same track on the same day (at which time we'll be throwing the upcoming Yamaha YZF-R1 and current Suzuki GSX-R1000 into the fray). That will have to wait a few months. In the mean time, know this: The CBR's enhanced stability will probably allow the average rider to lap (or just ride) slightly faster, due to its serene and generally less intimidating nature near the limit.
Anybody wanna place a bet on who wins the 200 this year?
By the way, build quality is exceptional and the engineers present were very interested in our input on styling, cosmetics, power delivery and the overall package. I think they may have missed their mark weight-wise, but hit everything else. Claimed crankshaft horsepower was verbally quoted at 174Bhp.</i>
<i>By MO Guest Writer
Notice the extreme foreward cant of the fairing. This one looks even more like an RC-211V than the 600RR did.
Honda and Motorcycle.Com are gradually working to bridge the chasm which has opened between us over the past few years. MO would have liked to bring you our own first-hand impressions directly from the CBR 1000RR Press Intro, alas Motorcycle.Com wasn't invited to that big event. However, while breaking bread with his fellow Journalists at the Kawasaki ZX-10R intro, Sean shopped around with the idea of having one of them write a "ghost" article for MO. He quickly got a nibble and after assuring the journalist that MO would NOT use their name and that we would NOT post photographs of them in the story, they were hooked. Don't even bother to call or email us asking who the author of this story is, we won't tell you, not even if you offer us a strawberry ice cream cone.
Whoever said lighter is better obviously never attended the Honda School of Polar Roll Dynamics. Basically the Honda engineers seem to think that the weight of a bike is immaterial when you place everything close to its roll axis. With lessons borrowed from the MotoGP RC-211V, who are we to argue? However, after all is said and done, Honda's engineers ended up with a bike weighing more than last years 954 and weighing nearly 21-lbs more than the new ZX10R. The stock CBR's weight has little relevance on a full blown superbike, but some would say that extra 21-Lbs is too heavy to compete in the now hotly contested superstock class.
Where's that weight coming from? Obviously, it seems that stronger is better, especially when you're building a bike as a platform for racing duty. Flimsy aluminum parts look good on the scales but soon end up a flexing mess when you add the extra 50% more horsepower that a typical AMA superbike will enjoy. The CBR takes the rear Unit Pro-Link from the RC211V and as seen on last years 600RR. The frame is big too and shares more than just a passing resemblance to Rossi's machine.
The motor is narrower and a slightly more upright in stance than last years 954, the former for mass centralization and the latter to help make room for the massive 211-square inch hi-capacity radiator. Fact is, nothing from this bike is shared with last years open class 954. The motor joins Yamaha and Kawasaki with a triangulated "stacked" layout for the crankshaft, main shaft and counter shaft. This shortened motor lets Honda get away with a long swingarm to help transfer that power to the ground.
Honda stressed many times that this bike was built as a race bike, with some street niceties thrown in for sales success. That fact was recently shown by the Superbike version of the 1000RR which posted 192 mph trap speeds several times at the Daytona tire test. Not only was the new Honda superbike a rocket in a straight line, but that unflappable chassis bagged the best lap times at the test, with Ben Bostrom running sub 1:48 laps. How much faster is it in the "real world"? Who knows? Honda says the new 1000RR is 3.5 seconds faster than the 954RR, I must have missed the part about where its 3.5 seconds faster.
Mmmmm Ummm! That's one sexy backside.
In the real world -but still on a race track- the engineers seem to know their numbers. The bike doesn't feel outrageously fast like the ZX-10R does, it simply feels planted and easily changes direction with a light push or pull on the appropriate bar. The ergonomics are race bred, with the pegs moved up and back an inch compared to last years 954. The roomy seat and short tank allow for a forward seating position, which aids in quick steering movements. The seat/peg relationship was a little cramped for the six footers at the track intro, but not so bad that anyone complained. Stability is first class, reminding this writer of the old ZX7R, solid, unflappable and effective when wielded by the right hands.
Just as Dunlop did for the Kawasaki, Bridgestone has developed a tire for the CBR 100RR. It's called the Battlax BT-014 and has a new profile to maintain neutral handling, while using a stickier compound. The pattern is new with dual directional diagonal grooves and center cross grooves offering enhanced wet grip. The front tire enjoys a compound developed by Makoto Tamada in MotoGP, which utilizes a harder compound to reduce chattering and with new chemical substances for higher grip. Grip with these new OEM Bridgestones was prodigious, during our time with them in Arizona. The new tire is scheduled for public release this February, at the Dealer News Expo, in Indianapolis.
This innocent looking rotary steering damper has electronic circuitry to tell it when to be light and when to be tight
To help with potential instability, Honda fit the new CBR with a digitally monitored steering damper. Although rotary dampers are a popular upgrade, this one has a kicker. At low speeds a separate internal oil-filled circuit ensures minimum drag. At high speeds, specifically at higher RPM the damper reacts to create more internal drag to cure potential stability problems. The technology is seamless in execution and certainly raises the trick-factor.
Is the new CBR 1000RR better than the Kawasaki ZX-10R? I don't think so. The CBR feels at least 20 pounds heavier and feels a little slower in a straight line. But this is very hard to say with any accuracy, because I rode them on different days, different tires and most importantly on different racetracks. The only way to answer this question with any relevance is to have the bikes together at the same track on the same day (at which time we'll be throwing the upcoming Yamaha YZF-R1 and current Suzuki GSX-R1000 into the fray). That will have to wait a few months. In the mean time, know this: The CBR's enhanced stability will probably allow the average rider to lap (or just ride) slightly faster, due to its serene and generally less intimidating nature near the limit.
Anybody wanna place a bet on who wins the 200 this year?
By the way, build quality is exceptional and the engineers present were very interested in our input on styling, cosmetics, power delivery and the overall package. I think they may have missed their mark weight-wise, but hit everything else. Claimed crankshaft horsepower was verbally quoted at 174Bhp.</i>
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,456
From: .
174 crank, i'd be willing to bet its 158 or above at the wheel. that new kaw is sick though, check this out.
look towards the end of that thread it runs a 9.48@148
look towards the end of that thread it runs a 9.48@148
Last edited by -Eric-; Dec 18, 2003 at 10:28 PM.
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