Driving report Honda CBR 1100 XX

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Driving report, Honda CBR 1100 XX Blackbird

Honda CBR 1100 XX

There has been a lot of speculation in the past few weeks. Is the Honda CBR 1100 XX really the motorcycle of superlatives? A first driving impression brings light into the darkness.

E.In the last few weeks there have only been three big issues in sporting terms: Who will win gold in Atlanta? In which lap will Schumacher’s Ferarri burst in the next race? And will Honda’s new CBR 1100 XX overshadow everything that has come before? To answer the latter, MOTORRAD was able to collect its first driving impressions in the south of France, in Le Castellet. The world’s best super athlete – according to Honda – is ready to prove promises such as 164 hp, 290 km / h top speed and sensational handling. The design prerequisites for mastering such tasks are the double X on the way been given. The 1137 cm³ engine was developed using every trick in the book. Despite the larger displacement, the XX unit is significantly narrower, more compact and also ten kilograms lighter than the well-known CBR 1000 F drive. It is astonishing, however, that a performance-enhancing ram-air system was not used. The mighty air inlets in the fairing are only responsible for the flow of air to the oil cooler under the steering head. The intake air is fetched by the four 42 series constant pressure carburettors from the paneling room behind the two small side openings. The first few meters on the alleged bomb ensure an aha experience. According to the moto: As you can feel, you feel nothing, nothing is noticeable of the expected brutality of a 164-hp hammer. The four-cylinder gets to work smoothly and thanks to two balancer shafts almost vibration-free, rushing through the entire speed range evenly like a jet engine and reacting without excessive harshness even in the upper regions. The feeling is that it’s not 164 hp, but the feeling can be deceiving. The secret will only be revealed on the test bench when the first CBR XX soon goes through the MOTORRAD test program. Until then, we will focus our attention on – at least in everyday use – far more important things. The country roads around Paul Ricard‘s racing course are ideal for exploring the all-round qualities of the new CBR. Fast bends, tight hairpin bends, flat, new asphalt and wavy patchwork carpets, nothing that doesn’t exist here and, above all, nothing that the CBR can’t calmly master. With the maneuverability of a VFR 750, the fully fueled XX, which weighs around 240 kilograms, falls from one incline to the other, does not deviate from the specified line even on the most undulating road surface and pokes even the deepest potholes without twitching the handlebar. Comfortable, precise and handy, the Honda engineers, in conjunction with the tire technicians from Bridgestone (BT 57 G were mounted on all test machines), mixed the right cocktail. The Doppel-X by no means shines with revolutionary chassis technology. Bridge frame and swing arm made of aluminum profiles à la CBR 900 RR, conventional, non-adjustable telescopic fork with 43 millimeter thick stanchions, central spring strut, whose rebound and compression levels can only be influenced by a common screw. It’s as simple as that when the basic set-up is right. Technically more interesting, but also not new, is the dual braking system, which is already used on Honda’s CBR 1000 F and ST 1100. With this system, two pistons of the rear three-piston caliper are automatically activated via a lever on the left front brake calliper. When the foot brake lever is actuated, pressure is applied to one piston of each of the two front three-piston calipers. The result is a harmonious distribution of braking force, which enables even less experienced drivers to make better use of the braking power available. Regardless of whether you brake with your hand or foot, the CBR always reacts good-naturedly and without the annoying tendency to pitch up when braking in an inclined position. After this touristic view of the CBR, the second part of the test drive is all about sportiness. The circuit offers the only legal way in France to experience the qualities of the CBR at high speed. After all, the speedometer needle shows a good 290 at the end of the long Mistral straight. A light barrier installed by Honda corrects this value to a real 266 km / h, the Honda technicians correct this value again to 291 km / h using various formulas for slope of the slope, headwind and crosswind. The good piece is said to have run that fast in homologation drives. But here, too, the following applies: wait and measure yourself. In the undulating corners of up to 190 km / h, the chassis shows weaknesses for the first time. Especially when the full force of the four-cylinder is pulling on the chain, the CBR reacts with slight rolling movements. The same symptom manifests itself when braking hard from high speeds. When bolting straight ahead, on the other hand, the Doppel-X cannot even be disturbed by stimulation via the handlebar ends, but back to everyday things. The new headlight of the XX is undoubtedly a »highlight« here: The reflectors for the low and high beams are not placed next to each other, but on top of each other in the extremely narrow front panel. In addition to optimized aerodynamics, improved illumination of the road should be guaranteed. A point that cannot be checked in the scorching midday sun and 36 degrees in the sparse shade. Under such external circumstances it is not at all inconvenient that the windshield, which is pulled far back, does not offer the very best wind protection. Sitting upright, the helmet and shoulders hang quite unprotected in the wind, without being plagued by annoying turbulences. If this is too strenuous for you in the long run, you just have to duck a little and there is a pleasant calm. There is plenty of space on the CBR for such games, because even drivers who are just under two meters tall will find a comfortable spot for them in the long run. Handlebar stubs, footrests, switches and levers, everything is exactly where it belongs. The 22-liter tank should only be a bit shorter for the very little people. From September, the first of the 2400 planned units – with the mandatory 98 hp from the importer – are to turn up on German roads, for 21,450 marks plus a freight fee that has not yet been fixed . The news is good that from the beginning of 1997 an XX version with catalytic converter and secondary air system will also be offered for an additional charge of around 500 marks. This will be a kind of special model, since retrofitting normal vehicles would be too expensive, according to Honda.

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