Moto Tour – End of the Moto Tour 2016: see you in 2017! –

Posted on by admin

Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP in the PS driving report

Drivability over performance

Content of

With the Honda Fireblade, drivability has always come before sheer performance. With this in mind, Honda revised the "Fire blade" again and put the SP version aside.

For 2014 we had a completely new Honda F.ireblade hoped. But Honda lets the supersport fans fidget and only sends a revised version into the race for this year. Nevertheless, it is worth taking a closer look at the machines, which are lined up in a neat HRC paint scheme in the pit lane of Qatar. For the first time, Honda is providing a super sports car with a variant that is more geared towards racing: The Fireblade is reinforced in the form of the Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP.

Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP in the PS driving report

Drivability over performance

Solo rear frame saves one kilogram of weight

The Honda Fireblade SP, which we are talking about from here, got even more goodies on the way. For the first time, Honda equips the athlete with Ohlins dampers. The fork tubes are one millimeter thicker (55 mm) in diameter than the Showa counterpart of the basic version. A forged upper triple clamp and a steel head tube also ensure more rigidity at the front.

Honda also goes to great lengths with the engine of the Fireblade SP. Similar to racing engines, the pistons are selected by weight so that they differ in weight by no more than one gram. This promotes running smoothness and durability. The SP is soled with Pirelli Supercorsa SP, it is decelerated by Brembo monoblock pliers. The solo rear frame saves one kilogram of weight, and the driver’s rear rests on a tighter seat cushion.

Super athlete

Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade SP in the driving report

Refinement and Precision

read more

Super athlete

The last four-cylinder without control electronics

Test: Honda Fireblade against Suzuki GSX-R 1000

read more

Super athlete

Technology 20 years of progress in motorcycle construction

20 years of Fireblade: Part 1

read more

All used offers: Honda CBR 1000 RR Fireblade

Honda Fireblade SP costs 18,290 euros

But all of this has its price. A damn proud one. 18,290 euros and thus 3,100 euros more than the standard blade have to wander over the counter for the Honda Fireblade SP. Many potential customers could start pondering, especially since Honda is still giving current developments such as ride-by-wire and traction control the cold shoulder.

Honda

Well-coordinated Ohlins fork, the brakes are not aggressive.

Too bad. Because especially on Pirelli Supercorsa SC II racing tires, on which we were allowed to ride out in the afternoon, the Honda Fireblade SP shows what it can do. It steers in crisp and precise, inclines effortlessly into ever deeper inclines and circles exactly on the targeted line out of the corners. The rear racing skin in the 190/55 format (series: 190/50) with its slightly larger diameter lifts the rear a little bit, which makes it a bit more manageable. The feedback, especially on racing tires, is flawless. The Ohlins spring elements are tightly coordinated, so setup changes are hardly necessary. However, the flat ironed runway in Doha is not a real touchstone for chassis components.

Of course, there is hardly any trace of the promised three extra horsepower. But the load changes on the Honda Fireblade are now smoother, only being a bit harder in second gear. The four-in-line pushes vigorously and evenly out of the corners so that the front wheel lifts more often in second gear. The power is easy to dose and unfolds absolutely evenly, until the revving ease decreases a little at around 12,500 rpm.

Even if the Blade doesn’t offer the fiery explosiveness of some of its competitors, the drivability and controllability of the power are great. The Combined ABS is specially designed for the Honda Fireblade SP and race track use. When the rear brake is pressed lightly, the front brake is not yet activated. The Brembo monoblock calipers with pistons of different sizes do not show any nakedness even at the end of a turn. Some racers will want a more spontaneous bite, but on the other hand, the gentle response is ideal for use on the road.

PS data

Honda

CNC machined upper triple clamp with larger clamping surfaces.

drive
Four-cylinder in-line engine, four valves / cylinder, 133 kW (181 hp) at 12,000 rpm *, 114 Nm at 10,500 rpm *,
1000 cm³, bore / stroke: 76.0 / 55.1 mm, compression: 12.3: 1, ignition / injection system, 46 mm throttle valve, multi-disc oil bath anti-hopping clutch, six-speed gearbox, chain.

landing gear
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 66.7 degrees, caster: 96 mm, wheelbase: 1410 mm, inner fork tube Ø: 43 mm, spring travel from / h .: 120/138 mm

Wheels and brakes
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 / 6.00 x 17, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 190/50 ZR 17, 320 mm double disc brake with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 220 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper at the rear, C-ABS

Weight (full tank):  210 kg *
Tank capacity: 17.7 liters of super
Base price: 18,290 euros (plus ancillary costs) *

* Manufacturer information

PS judgment

In fact, Honda did everything right. But why a ride-by-wire and a traction control, which are state of the art today, were not used, is difficult to understand, especially in view of the high price. And possibly a heavy mortgage. Otherwise, the Honda Fireblade SP has become an all-round great superbike.

Related articles

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *