Honda CBR1000RR: News
Spoilers, speed holes and the 2012 Castrol Honda CBR1000RR
The 2012 Honda CBR1000RR gains fancy new suspension and revised aerodynamics. The former won’t carry over to the already incredibly high-spec world of SBK racing, but the aerodynamics should. Peak under the chin of this new Castrol Honda and you’ll see the same tiny spoiler, designed to reduced lift, as the production bike, as well as the new-for-2012 layered fairings and their use of a low pr...
21 February 2012
Without traction control and down on power, can the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR still compete?
It’s easy to feel a bit sorry for liter bikes as 2011 slowly becomes 2012. They’ve reached some sort of pinnacle — without exception the entire class is now so impossibly fast that the bikes have become distinguished not by power or handling, but by the efficacy of electronic rider aids. Even while technology progresses exponentially, model cycles are stretching longer and longer and cash-st...
18 December 2011
News
The CBR1000RR's Balance Free Rear Cushion explained
So far as a defining mechanical unique selling points go, "balance free rear cushion" isn't exactly the most evocative description. Not only does it evoke pillows rather than greasy parts, but it just lacks the pizzaz of terms like "EXUP," "Deltabox," and "SRAD." That's too bad, because the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR's neat new trick is actually seriously neat. Here's how it works. First, here's wha...
29 September 2011
62 high-res images of the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR
Bad cell phone shots of the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR leaked last month. But, here's the real deal; 62 high-res studio shots of the lightly updated model. "Lightly updated," you ask? Same frame, same engine (it's supposedly a bit smoother now) and similar styling from the new fairing. The big differences appear to be in the wheels, which are now a more rigid 12-spoke design, and the suspension, which a...
23 September 2011
News
The fastest liter bike in world isn’t what you think it is
The first every stock liter bike to cross the 200mph barrier in land speed record racing? It’s not a 193bhp BMW S1000RR or 197bhp 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R, it’s a humble 175bhp Honda CBR1000RR, ridden by a girl. On Monday, Leslie Porterfield reached a two-way average of 200.137mph on a Honda CBR1000RR in the FIM 1000 P-P class. That’s a stock motorcycle with a stock engine. Like all such recor...
31 August 2011
News
Guy Martin teaches you to lap the Isle of Man
In 2007, the 130mph average speed barrier in the Senior TT fell to John McGuinness, who maintained that speed for an entire 17 minutes, 21.99 seconds. 10 seconds behind was Guy Martin on a Honda CBR1000RR. He walks you through that lap in this video. If you can understand him, it almost sounds easy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVXc29ZgutI&feature=player_embedded/ http://www.youtube.com/watch...
29 August 2011
2012 Honda CBR1000RR: a little facelift for 20
In 2012, the Honda Fireblade or, as we colonials like to call it, a Honda CBR with some big numbers and a couple Rs, turns 20. Time to celebrate, right? Sure, if you can call the relatively minor facelift seen here celebrating. Like any once-great, currently less-than-competitive beauty queen, it’s simply time for a little nip and tuck. For the 2012 Honda CBR1000RR, that means new headlights, ne...
18 August 2011
CBR1000RR x RC30 = Hondagasm
Just when we’d forgotten how much we like the current Honda CBR1000RR, along comes this new World Endurance racer in RC30 colors. Beautiful. If it had the old yellow Honda wings on the tank I’d be unconscious on the floor right now. This bike will be raced by Honda’s new TT Legends team, which includes Isle of Man, well, legends like Steve Plater, John McGuinness, Keith Amor and Cameron ...
07 April 2011
Castrol + Honda = win
Castrol Honda is the new HANNspree Ten Kate Honda. Not only does that make much more sense, but it brings one of the most successful color schemes ever back to superbike racing. We grew up watching first John Kocinski on a Castrol Honda RC45 and then Colin Edwards on a Castrol Honda SP2, now we’re going to watch Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus on a Castrol Honda CBR1000RR. Take a good look at the hi...
18 January 2011
Custom: Gregg’s Ride For Kids CBR1000RR
With a paint scheme inspired by a 1981 CB750 Super Sport, Gregg’s Customs built this Honda CBR1000RR for this year’s Ride For Kids charity raffle. Visitors to any of the International Motorcycle Shows will be able to buy tickets to win it for just $5 with proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Parts include RSD wheels and a LeoVince exhaust, but it’s really the custom fab’...
03 December 2010
News
By The Numbers: 2011 superbike showdown
Now that we’ve got leaked specs on the 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R, it’s time to compare it to all its liter bike rivals. Sure, all these bikes are extraordinarily fast and it’s not their own performance that’s the limit here, it’s yours, but if only for Internet bragging rights, everyone wants to know which superbike will tear off your face the fastest. Hint: it’s the one you think it is. ...
01 October 2010