Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade August 2006
Honda's latest 'Blade promises less weight and more performance. Does it deliver? Rod Chapman from Motorcycle
Trader magazine headed to
"Are you speeding?" enquires a
three-metre-high cardboard policeman holding a radar gun by the side of the
Inappropriate speed kills, granted, but I for one couldn't think of a safer place to see 260kmh flash across the speedo than while streaking down the circuit's Gardner Straight. Just as importantly, I had the utmost confidence in the bike that was rocketing me to this speed, because Honda's 2006 CBR1000RR FireBlade was surefooted and stable in a way that completely belied its breathtaking performance.
Honda topped the Aussie litre-class sports sales charts with the 'Blade last year, and with the 2006 update boasting a lengthy list of refinements, it's now hoping for a repeat performance.
This year a drop of 3kg and a slight increase in maximum power add up to even more punch from a package that's been frying brains for years. The weight has been shaved from the camshafts (450g), radiator (500g), exhaust (380g) and seat rail (390g), among many others bits and pieces, while the intake and exhaust ports have been reshaped for accelerated flow.
Its inlet-valve springs have been doubled to help raise its rev limit from 11,650rpm to 12,200rpm and its compression has been upped from 11.9:1 to 12.2:1.
The bottom line is a claimed dry weight of 176kg, and maximum power and torque figures of 172hp at 11,250rpm and 11.7kg-m at 10,000rpm. So, just something to get from A to B then...
Also of note is the use of a tougher material in the crankshaft, and the addition of an extra two teeth on the rear sprocket, up from 40 teeth to 42 teeth. This means the 'Blade has a bit more pep when it comes to all-round acceleration, and the more useable go at 'around town' speeds certainly can't hurt its performance as a road bike. Honda says its power boost has negated any drop-off of top speed due to the shortened gearing, so it's a case of smiley stamps all round...
In terms of chassis and suspension there have been minor tweaks here and there - the steering head angle has been reduced by a quarter of a degree, and the swingarm has been shortened by 5mm, which together achieve a 10mm shorter wheelbase of 1400mm, for sharper handling.
The 'Blade has been a long time coming Downunder - the bike's world launch was held right back in December - but once out on the track I soon realised it had been worth the wait. It's hard not to mate positive adjectives with unprintable expletives when you attempt to describe a bike like this, but suffice to say it offers the rider an experience that is as utterly addictive as it is refined and predictable.
This 'Blade is the pinnacle of that old Honda paradox - extreme performance with extreme control and feedback. By rights it shouldn't be this easy to harness all that power without high-siding yourself into next month. But it is.
The Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) helps here, automatically increasing its damping force when a combination of speed and acceleration calls for it - like when you're gunning your way out of a corner. As far as power and torque curves go, it feels like there's a heap of both everywhere. It pulls hard from 2000rpm all the way to its 12,200rpm redline (although it looks more like 12,500rpm on the tacho), but you know you're really having fun when you're on the go above 10,000rpm.
Its brake discs have gone from 310mm to 320mm for a claimed five per cent more power (they're thinner too, avoiding any extra weight), and every time I threw out the anchors they were nothing short of superb.
The gearbox is a ripper too. The gear dog
shape has been revised to provide a more positive engagement, and clutchless upshifts were a delight.I grabbed some laps aboard the 2005 model while at
the
But you really do have to be a top-flight racer to get anywhere near to realising the supreme potential of a bike like this, so before the day was out I spoke to Joe Rocket Honda's Adam 'Krusty' Fergusson for his impressions of the production bike at ten-tenths pace.
"It tends to steer a bit better when you push it and it holds a line better mid-turn, but for your average track day punter the main benefit is that it spins up a lot quicker off a turn, and accelerates that little bit harder," he said.
"It's not flighty like other bikes in the class, which is typical Honda - it's really forgiving.
I didn't get the chance to ride the bike on the road, but my time aboard the 'Blade augured well for real-world use. The ride position is surprisingly roomy for a bike so physically small, and even at 190cm I didn't feel especially cramped.
The finish is really top notch - lovely paint complements classy componentry. Its bodywork has been restyled to give it a sleeker look, and its instruments are clear and easy to read - needle-and-clock-style tacho and digital speedo - while there are also two trip meters and a clock.
The 2006 'Blade's price has been confirmed at $18,990 plus ORC, which gives you a very healthy ratio when it comes to bang for your bucks. As to how it will go against the likes of the GSX-R, R1 and ZX-10R, that will only be decided by back-to-back comparos and those with balls the size of watermelons. That's a reflection of courage, not tankslappers, by the way.
But judged on its own merits, Honda's latest and greatest has pushed Big Red's bar that little bit higher, and in doing so has produced a machine that most mortal riders will find impossible to fault.
Compression ratio: 12.2:1
Dry weight: 176kg
Fuel capacity: 18lt
Max power: 172hp at 11,250rpm
Max torque: 11.7kg-m at 10,000rpm
Price: $18,990 plus ORC
Warranty: 24 months unlimited kilometres
Joke:
A blind man wanders into an all girls biker bar by mistake. He finds his way to a barstool and orders some coffee. After sitting there for a while he yells to the waiter, “Hey, you wanna hear a blonde joke?” The bar immediately falls absolutely silent.
In a very deep, husky voice, the woman next to him says, “Before you tell that joke, sir, I think it only fair, given that you are blind, that you should know five things:
1. The bartender is a blonde girl with a baseball bat.
2. The bouncer is a blonde girl.
3. I’m a 6 foot tall, 175 lb. blonde woman with a black belt in karate.
4. The woman sitting next to me is blonde and a professional weightlifter.
5. The lady to your right is blonde and a professional wrestler.
Now, think about it seriously Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?”
The blind man thinks for a second, shakes his head, and mutters, “No, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.”