The first in a fairly lengthy list of road tests that I’ve been meaning to post but never got round to it. I tested this particular bike at the start of June and the piece was published in mid July. Any comments appreciated.
Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade road test.
THE bike parks were almost as impressive as the track during Superbikes weekend at Knockhill.
Every meeting attracts bike fans aboard the replica racers.
But the daddy of the paddock is the awesome Honda Fireblade.
When it was first introduced in 1992 it rewrote the rule book. It took performance and handling to a new level, wrapping a near-litre engine in a class-leading chassis.
Since then it’s changed a bit – capacity has gone up, and so has the performance, but the latest incarnation is worth every penny.
The 998cc 16v DOHC engine is a stonking bit of kit. It uses dual sequential fuel injection, making power delivery instantaneous and superbly powerful. Fortunately Honda haven’t just provided a fantastic engine…the rest of the bike is pretty awesome too.
The hollow-section die-cast aluminium frame holds it all together well and looks the part too.
The Showa forks are infinitely adjustable, as is the rear shock.
Ride the bike hard on choppy surfaces and you’ll have the front end bucking like a wild bull on Viagra – so it’s just as well that the electronic steering damper is back again this year.
Although the Blade is the lightest of the litre-class sportsbikes, it feels big, thanks to the huge fuel tank. The instrument cluster looks a long way away, too, and seems to have taken styling cues from Apollo 13.
But the higher bars and comfy seat mean the Blade is a nice place to be.
The brakes are up 10mm on last year with twin 320mm discs and Tokico radially-mounted callipers putting on the squeeze.
Make no mistake, the Fireblade is a fearsome package. It’s quite happy bumbling about town and takes commuting in its stride. But take it onto your favourite country road or a race track and you soon find the darker side to the beast.
The Fireblade is an iconic bike for a good reason.
This year’s model won’t rewrite the rule book, but it’s still a complete – and blisteringly fast – package.
PRICE: £8,999
0-100MPH: sub 6 secs
TOP SPEED: 175mph
INSURANCE GROUP: 17
ECONOMY: 45mpg
RIVALS: Suzuki GSX-R1000, Yamaha YZF R1
Filed under: CBR1000RR, HONDA, MOTORBIKE, ROAD TEST | Tagged: 2007 Honda CBR1000RR, 2007 Honda CBR1000RR road test, 2007 Honda Fireblade, 2007 Honda Fireblade road test, biker, biking, CBR1000RR, Fireblade, HONDA, Honda Fireblade, MOTORBIKE, ROAD TEST, superbike
Love this bike.