Honda cbr 1000 rr motorcycle review

Specifications

The quality indicators of the Honda Fireblade need to be considered in more detail, pointing out the advantages and weaknesses of the technology:

The Honda sportbike has fairly standard dimensions for vehicles in its class. The dry weight of the motorcycle is small, which partly determines its excellent aerodynamic properties. A powerful 4-stroke engine with an impressive volume is capable of producing about 180 hp. With. maximum. The model’s suspension is smooth and responsive, which could not but affect the ride quality.

The disc brake system is efficient and reliable. Externally, the Honda cbr1000 rr is noticeably different from its predecessors, which also sets it apart from other sports motorcycles. Predatory curves of plastic, spectacular lighting fixtures and a windshield, small mirrors with sufficient visibility, powerful protectors - all this creates a unique design of the model.

The developers note that the motorcycle dashboard has practically turned into a real on-board computer, on which the driver can adjust almost everything (for example, steering effort depending on acceleration and speed).

Instead of starting with a road bike and then turning it into a racer, Honda designed the CBR with the track in mind and then made the bike a road bike. In this photo you can see many similarities to the RC211V Grand Prix champion car.

When I tested the new Honda CBR1000RR motorcycle last week with a representative from the “Red” company, I was thinking back to 1998 when Honda introduced a seriously upgraded CBR900RR model. The CBR, with its two letters “RR” at the end, redefined the standards of open-class sports bikes. When the very first 900RR arrived in 1992, it was the perfect combination of open-class power and mid-range weight. Honda enjoyed dominance in this class for five years, and the '98 CBR was easily the best version. But a new Yamaha machine, the YZF-R1, was looming on the horizon. On paper, this Yamaha motorcycle looked formidable, and its performance was ready to relegate the Honda CBR to the background.

At the 1998 CBR launch, I had the opportunity to ask CBR father Tadeo Baba if he thought the R1 could redefine the class he helped create. “If the R1 is a really good bike and the rider can control it, maybe I'll think about changing my approach to developing the CBR,” Tadeo replied prophetically.

Ben Bostrom says the CBR1000RR is the best bike he's ever ridden.

Well, in this fight the R1 came out on top, crushing the Honda. The Yamaha also looked amazing and the excellent CBR had to settle for second place. Honda continued to work on versions of the CBR, releasing the 929 in 2000 and the 954 in 2002, but it couldn't keep up with Yamaha's R1 on the track. Honda also lost both in style and in sales levels. This is a brief background on the new 2004 CBR1000RR motorcycle - Honda's first open-class sports bike since 1992, in the development of which Baba-san did not take part...

The compact design of the transmission gears allowed Honda to significantly reduce the length of the engine and lengthen the rear swingarm.

There was some bitter irony when the new features of the CBR model were talked about at the presentation. Much was reminiscent of the R1's 1998 unveiling: a long rear swingarm to harness the power of the liter engine, made possible by a compact triangular transmission gear assembly and shorter engine length. Honda said the swingarm length of the new CBR bike has increased by 34mm over the 954RR version, with the swingarm now accounting for almost 42% of the wheelbase length. The base size is 1405 mm, or 55.3 inches, which is 5 mm longer than the base of the 954RR.

Despite the generous use of lightweight and exotic materials such as titanium (exhaust), magnesium (oil receiver, valve covers) and aluminum (frame, swingarm, engine), the CBR is the heaviest in the open class. Some believe the bike's weight is due to the innovative yet massive rear swingarm, as the CBR600RR is also the heaviest model in its class. Unlike the 2004 Yamaha R1, which lowered the cylinders and increased the camber angle from 30 to 40 degrees, Honda made the camber angle sharper - 28 degrees. Thus, the engine mass has shifted more to the front wheel, which improves chassis balance and traction. The camber angle of the Yamaha cylinders allows the installation of straight frame tubes going to the axis of the rear swingarm, i.e. allows you to make the middle part of the bike more compact and narrow. On Honda, the pipes wrap around the engine and are equipped with a large triangular bracket, which is also used as a front engine mount. Both designs have their advantages. Without the fairing, the CBR looks very similar to the RC211V Moto Grand Prix machine that Valentino Rossi won two World Championships in a row with. One feature that no other Yamaha model has is the Honda's Unit Pro-Link rear suspension. This type of suspension first appeared on the RC211V Grand Prix bike, and then on the 2003 CBR600RR. This clever design has the shock absorber fully integrated into the rear swingarm, rather than being mounted at one end to the rear of the frame. This way, the rear suspension response is distributed within the swingarm rather than throughout the chassis. Some believe that this design also helps transfer power to the road surface.

According to Honda, the bike has the longest swingarm in the open class. The Unit Pro-Link suspension design is taken from Valentino Rossi's Grand Prix bike.

Compared to the 954RR's rear swingarm, Honda's new swingarm has increased torsional stiffness to prevent flexing, but reduced lateral stiffness. Lateral stiffness has been reduced to harmonize the overall design and to improve response when leaning the bike towards the ground in corners. Here Honda follows its latest concept of “flexible tuning”. The Unit Pro-Link rear suspension design also allows the designer to lower the rear of the large 4.8-gallon (18.2-liter) gas tank. At the presentation, Honda representatives emphasized that the low shock absorber mounting and fuel weight offset help centralize the CBR's mass. As soon as you sit on the new RR bike, you immediately realize that it is completely different from the CBR9XX. While the CBR900 models felt like compact 600-class motorcycles, the 1000RR feels like a more imposing machine, more like the long RC51 bike and certainly longer than the new ZX-10R. Also making a significant difference is the weight, which Honda says is a whopping 396 pounds, even though the aluminum frame uses at least three casting processes to balance stiffness versus weight.

While many sportbikes have a difficult-to-read LCD tachometer, the new CBR has a more robust red needle that moves across a compact, black dial. A programmable speed shift indicator allows you to avoid entering the red zone.

Although the dry weight data given by manufacturers may be contradictory - it’s like asking a woman’s weight and she will tell you “normal” - it’s worth noting the weight of competitors. According to Kawasaki, the ZX-10R weighs just 375 pounds, while Yamaha says the R1 weighs 379 pounds dry. Additionally, the 2003 CBR600RR is also 20 pounds heavier than the ZX-6R and R6, so it's possible that the big CBR actually has a weight penalty.

Once up and running, the CBR impresses with its excellent low-speed performance. 998 cc engine The fuel-injected cc pulls forward cleanly and confidently from just 3,000 rpm, and the 170 horsepower engine's power feels tractable and controlled as you ride the bike through the streets heading toward the motorway. However, it is enough to enter the highway to understand that there is a serious car underneath you. There are no sudden bursts of power in the CBR's flat distribution range, and the power is almost twin-like: you don't feel like you're going fast until you see three digits on the compact but easy-to-read instrument panel. It's interesting to note the CBR's reluctance to let go of its front wheel. . By all accounts, the RC211V has the same qualities, allowing the rider to put full power on the road, while other Grand Prix riders can't get full throttle because their front wheels fly into the air. However, doing a wheelie in second gear at 125 km/h is not only easy, but is, on the contrary, an integral part of the CBR's hooligan nature. Unless, of course, you want to make a fool of yourself.

When cruising down the motorway, the ergonomics of the new RR remind you that this is the most track-focused CBR yet. The clip-on handlebars are positioned 1.8 inches (46mm) lower than the CBR954, and you won't be able to cruise across the states on this bike without stopping to rest and shake out your strained arms. But this cannot be called an inconvenience. The shortened fuel tank moves the driver closer to the steering wheel, which in turn relieves stress on the wrists. The footpegs (higher and more set back than the 954) also cause tired legs during long rides. The bike saddle is moderately comfortable. The wind hits the rider's shoulders, head and knees, but the air flow around the rider's body is relatively calm and gentle. Despite the engine's balancing shaft, the handles vibrate a little, and the mirrors are essentially only half effective. By the tenth corner of the winding mountain road I felt very confident in the CBR. The characteristics of the motorcycle will be very appealing to those who like to take turns at speed, tilting the car strongly towards the ground. The front tire enters the turn clearly, and very soon you are confident that the rear tire is following the same trajectory (the motorcycle has excellent Pirelli Diablo Corsa tires). Increasing the trail (footprint) by 5 mm and enlarging the wheelbase while centralizing the mass made the bike extremely stable even when the machine leans strongly towards the ground. It feels like you can jump out of the saddle mid-corner and the bike will continue to follow the intended path on its own and with no less precision. By 2004, Honda had tuned all the remaining unnerving aspects of the previous CBR900 models. I know a journalist and racer who would love this. At the launch of the CBR954RR, Roadracing World's Chris Ulrich had an accident when the front end of the new bike began to shake and the front brake pads failed.

The computer-controlled rotary-type steering damper is not just a Honda technological bells and whistles. The design is remarkably efficient and works unnoticed by the rider.

Much of the bike's stability is ensured by a new approach to chassis dynamics, although some believe that it's all about four letters - HESD. HESD, which stands for Honda Electronic Steering Damper, is a sophisticated, high-tech rotary-type shock absorber that Honda has designed to eliminate front-end shake when it occurs. Controlled by the electronic brain of the CBR bike, this unit's solenoid controls the oil pressure of the check valve in the shock absorber without engaging drag at low speeds. When the ECU detects high speed or hard acceleration (or both), oil flow is limited, providing additional stability and safety in the event of potential front-end vibrations. The unit performs as advertised: “The CBR never wobbles its steering wheel, and you'll never notice it has a shock absorber based on how responsive the steering is at low speeds.” After driving a few miles on a winding road, known as the Angeles Crest, I suddenly realized that I had not used a soft transmission for quite some time. “Hmm, what gear am I in?” I asked myself. "On the second? No, it can’t be, it feels like it should already be the tenth!”

Yeah, that's right, I went to second. Accelerate the tachometer in first gear until the shift light starts flashing and as the revs approach the redline at 11,650 rpm, you will see the numbers 9 and 0. If you accelerate the CBR to the redline in lower gears , then you may be arrested.

But if you set the XR50's throttle limiter and keep the revs below 6,000, this 180 mph (288 km/h) bike can be driven by your grandma. This model has a power spread greater than Bush's budget deficit. The new RR machine features the same sized valves as the 954 for high speed and strong midrange, but the valve stems are 0.5mm thinner to save weight. There's some harshness when opening the 44mm two-stage throttles, but there's nothing that careful and controlled wrist pressure can't overcome.

Radial floating brake calipers are overpowered for city streets, but once you get used to their controlled power, you'll feel confident using them.

The CBR front brake system easily slows the car down using state-of-the-art Tokico radial four-piston floating calipers with four pads and two 310mm brake discs. Given the strong stopping power, the braking system's performance was particularly impressive. The brakes are fully controllable and aren't as scary to use as you might think because they start applying stopping power gradually. The suspension didn't impress me at first. The 43mm Showa fork responded well over bumps, even if the preload adjustment was a little on the tight side for my weight. But the Showa rear shock transferred too much shock to my back. Luckily, Showa brand components are fully regulated. I turned the Showa shock's preload adjustment back three positions and reduced the rebound force by half a turn, and the CBR's on-road behavior was significantly better (for my fragile frame).

So where does CBR stand in relation to its competitors? We can't say for sure until we can do a comparison test of all four cars at the same time. The current king of the class, the Suzuki GSX-R1000 and the new Kawasaki ZX-10R will be lighter in weight and will turn faster. But it's hard to imagine whether one of these models will provide riders with more confidence in high-speed corners. Yamaha's new R1 could also be a strong contender, but we won't be able to test it until February 16th. So for now, you'll have to settle for what you already know: the CBR1000RR is the most track-ready bike in Honda's CBR series. The bike is deadly fast and very rider friendly - a combination that will be hard for competitors to compete with. Just hear from American Honda Superbike rider Ben Bostrom. “I'm more excited than ever,” Bostrom said about the performance of his new 1000RR superbike. “Every time I get on this bike, I feel like a kid again. “I feel like I’ve never done a road race before and the smile of a child comes back to my face.”

After having sand thrown into its eyes for five years, the big CBR is now ready to throw sand at anyone.

Author: Kevin Duke Translation: IMC, St. Petersburg, Ltd.

Advantages and disadvantages of a motorcycle

Among the advantages of the CBR1000 RR model, the following qualities should be noted:

• Reliable braking system.
• Dimensions standard for a sportbike.
• Quite powerful 4-stroke engine.
• High top speed.
• Stylish, modern and unique design.
• Easy to read dashboard with many adjustment functions.
• Good dynamic qualities.
• Possibility of tuning.
• Availability of parts.

The obvious disadvantages of the model were:

• The suspension is sensitive even to small road irregularities.
• High cost (400–600 thousand rubles depending on mileage and year of manufacture).
• Not suitable as a first motorcycle.

Some motorcyclists choose inexpensive equipment with average performance and quality. Others are willing to spend several hundred thousand to purchase exclusive and powerful equipment that will attract the attention of others. Are you ready to spend more than half a million to buy a Honda CBR1000 RR?