"b"
03-19-2007, 12:52 PM
so as some of you know im looking for a new bike and the cbr1000rr has risen to the top so I figured why not post last years review..:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:
2006 Honda CBR1000RR - First Ride
12/26/2005
By Don Becklin
It was going to be tough for me to pass up this opportunity. Not only do I own a 2004 Honda CBR1000RR, but also I rated last year's bike as my favorite in the street portion of Motorcycle USA's Superbike Smackdown. Now with subtle but significant tweaks for 2006, it was going to be interesting to see how much better the new bike would be.
Being a press intro novice I had heard all the stories from our editors about the type of pampering that unworthy editorial types receive at these events. My objective would be to avoid having my judgment impaired by the kind of posh treatment that a company like Honda (http://powersports.honda.com/index.asp?bhcp=1) could impose on an easily influenced individual like me. Since Jon Seidel, Honda's Assistant Press Manager, already knew I was a Honda owner and I have been labeled the resident Honda apologist, there couldn't have been an easier target in the group of seven assembled journalists. Not so fast, Jonny Boy, my propaganda meter would be on high alert.
Many of you out there might assume that these press events are all play and no work. Ah, but you aren't aware of the grueling technical briefings that spell out the various changes and upgrades on a new bike release. Imagine sitting at a table for nearly an hour with test rider and former World Endurance Champion Doug Toland along with project leader Noriaki Nakata taking turns giving the intricate details during their presentation. Then there's the delectable dinner spread that included free drinks and an extremely moist, dense chocolate cake to top it all off. Okay it's not that tough but you've got to work with me a bit here, I'm trying to keep my objectivity and reputation in good stead.
MCUSA's Editor Kevin Duke gave me a few pointers before I headed out. The first tip was to avoid crashing because you'll look like a total moron. And second was to try to figure out what the engineers and development staff were trying to achieve during the briefings, then see how well they did once I got to ride the bike. So what did this pseudo-editor learn during these briefings and meet and greet sessions? Well, the biggest thing was that my beloved '04 CBR was sounding like yesterday's news.
The 2006 CBR1000RR is a mid-model redesign, taking place two years after the release of the very first CBR Thou in 2004. Do the math and you'll realize that Honda engineers must have been working on this bike while the '04 model was being released.
The objectives for the '06 development team were to lose some weight off the portly CBR, improve its turning capabilities and get a little more power out of the inline-Four powerplant. According to Toland, Honda redesigned 60% of all the components on the motorcycle. Honda says 17 lbs. have been lopped off and power is up 3%.
Chopping 17 lbs. off the bike is probably the biggest achievement of the design team. Parts getting the liposuction treatment include the exhaust system, a new magnesium ACG cover, a smaller ECU black box, thinner brake rotors and even thinner-walled camshafts. The Honda team led by Nakata spared no detail in trying to get the weight down to rival open-class sportbikes. For example, the thickness of the brake rotors went from 5.0mm to 4.5mm, which garnered a 300-gram weight reduction even though the diameter of the rotors increased from 310mm to 320mm. Shaving grams to shed pounds is necessary when a bike is receiving a mid-model makeover.
Getting the weight of the big CBR into the ballpark should reap rewards like improved stopping, handling and acceleration. But simply getting the weight down wasn't enough for Team Honda. Sharpening the turning capabilities of the CBR would take more than getting the bike into fighting shape, so Honda made subtle mods to its chassis geometry.
Toland stressed that the development team wanted to improve turn-in characteristics and make side-to-side transitions quicker and easier. And here's where changes were made that you can't do at home on your pre-2006 model. The steering head angle was reduced by a 0.25 degree while its trail figure was shortened 2mm to 100mm. Then Honda trimmed 4mm off the swingarm, helping shrink the CBR's wheelbase from 55.6 inches to 55.3 inches. The fork springs are now made from a different material (Kryptonite perhaps?) with a different spring rate and preload. The rear shock spring goes from a 12.0 kg/mm to an 11.5 kg/mm rate combined with a new suspension linkage that provides a more linear rate than previous.
The chassis and suspension changes at first appear slight and made me wonder if I could get close by doing a few garage mods to my ol' Honda. Reduce the swingarm length by taking a link out of the chain. Get the front forks revalved and replace the stock shock with an Ohlins unit. Change the geometry? That might take a slightly more aggressive approach, something like ramming the front tire into a brick wall at moderate speed. Sure it's doable, but it sounds like a little more work than my dainty hands are accustomed to, awfully unscientific, and quite possibly dangerous to my skeletal structure.
Boosting power in an open-class sportbike is a little like giving a thoroughbred race-horse the whip. Seems like a great idea until the ride gets cut short thanks to over-exuberance. Since these types of bikes are already pumping out 145+ rear-wheel horsepower, bumping up the engine performance is a game that Honda chooses to balance out with street friendliness. With Honda's vast racing background, creating a world-beating monster sportbike shouldn't be much of a problem, but Honda tells us they want to make the bike friendly on the street while still keeping it potent on the track. But when Kawasaki and Suzuki unleash wild performance beasts on the world like the ZX-10R and GSX-R1000, the CBR seems slightly domesticated.
The list of engine changes sound similar to what roadracers typically do to their production race bikes. The majority of work took place in the cylinder head where the intake and exhaust port shapes were changed to improve flow and the combustion chamber volume was reduced to boost the compression ratio from 11.9:1 to 12.2:1. The valve timing was altered and more lift added to the intake side, and the valves themselves were lightened by removing material around where the valves seat. And Honda bumped the redline from 11,650 to 12,200 rpm. To handle the extra stress of the higher compression ratio and additional revs, Honda went to a double valve spring design on the intake valves and strengthened the crankshaft. The additional power also allowed Honda to add a tooth to the rear sprocket to help improve acceleration without affecting top-speed.
Doing the math on the 145.5 rear-wheel horsepower our 2005 Honda CBR1000RR (http://photos.motorcycle-usa.com/superbikehp.jpg) test bike we had on the dyno last year, Honda's claim of a 3% power increase would net a 4.4 hp increase to a final number of 149.9 hp, right in the 150-151 hp range of the ZX and GSX-R.
So I could give my 2004 CBR motor the ol' racer's massage by yanking it out of the chassis and sending it to the local race motor guy. Changing the gearing is a snap and bingo, I've got mo' mo' power. Of course getting the motor out of the bike is a project I don't really have time for, the race prep job would probably cost me $3K in parts, and my Honda factory warranty gets thrown out the window. Hmm.
Hopping on the revised CBR while it's on a stand doesn't exactly make you go wow; in fact I was looking the bike over in the hotel conference room trying to find something different than my CBR. The new bike feels ergonomically identical to the previous model and the Honda guys admitted that the only difference in ergonomics is the new softer seat foam. Hey, at least they didn't make the seat foam harder! So the changes touted by the presenters would have to be evaluated once I was permitted to ride the bike.
Bridgestone (http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/) was in attendance touting their new BT-015 Radial street tire that comes standard on 50% of the new CBRs. We would ride the morning sessions on the BT-015 and then get the sticky DOT Race BT-002 tires for the afternoon. Honda and Bridgestone had actually spent one full day scrubbing in all the tires, and each bike would be fitted with tire warmers too. Sounds a little excessive but then again, anything to help out a ham-fist like myself from crashing on the first lap is appreciated.
Ride Time
Up at 7am and down to the complimentary breakfast got me ready for a big day of riding. Seidel offered to serve as chauffer and haul me to the track in one of the new Honda Ridgeline (http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Ridgeline) pickups. I grabbed the backseat in an attempt to hide my nervousness about hitting a brand new track with a brand new bike only two months after crashing my brains out and breaking my ribs during my first and last attempt at desert racing.
When we arrived at the track, our bikes were lined up in two adjacent garages with our name on the windscreen and a technician we would share with one other editor. The previous night as I was looking over the yellow and blue model they had on display, Seidel asked me what color I liked best. Apparently at the Honda dealer show the clear winner was the yellow/blue but I personally like the red/black combo which was similar to the bike I own. So as I searched each of the seven bikes for my name, it came as no surprise that I would be riding the red/black. Coincidence? I doubt it. Honda had also brought out a couple of 2005 model CBR1000RR's and they urged us to ride the older bike for a back-to-back comparison.
My first lap around Buttonwillow Raceway Park took place in the back of an Acura MDX driven by Honda R&D rider and Buttonwillow lap-record holder Jeff Tigert. He showed us the appropriate lines and offered to play follow-the-leader on bikes during the day. After the sighting lap, we hopped on our bikes and followed Toland around. Buttonwillow is an interesting circuit with a combination of slow corners, fast sweepers, and esses where the bike needs to get side-to-side in a hurry. Doug took it easy on us and got us around the circuit twice before turning us loose. No more babysitting, it was time to start riding.
I spent the first 20-minute session learning the track. In the second session I was feeling comfortable enough to try looking somewhat competent for the photographers and start paying attention to what the bike was doing. Riding around in these kinds of conditions forces attention directly to tires and tire grip. The tire warmers did a good job of getting the scrubbed tires up to temperature and once I started picking up the pace I was impressed with the OE (Original Equipment) tires from Bridgestone. In my past, tires that come stock on a sportbike are used to rack up break-in mileage and then are either removed or torched with a big, smoky burnout and then tossed. But I was pleasantly surprised with how competently the new BT-015s handled the cold track and big horsepower from the CBR.
Toward the mid-point of that first session I started to get comfortable on the CBR1K and picked up the pace - getting the bike up to speed is really the only way to identify the improvements. My first reaction was that the new CBR just felt more competent on the track - it felt like it was meant to be on the racetrack cutting hot laps.
Seventeen pounds sounds like a lot of weight, but I was skeptical that I'd be able to tell much of a difference. I was wrong. Thanks to the aforementioned weight reduction and more aggressive geometry, this new CBR is significantly easier to get into a corner and it holds its line much better than its older brother.
So the bike felt better and I was adequately impressed after my first two sessions but I needed to ride the 2005 model to put things into perspective. Going out on the older bike really didn't point out any shocking problems. Let's be honest, the bike is fairly capable in its own right. But there were things I started to notice.
The first was getting the bike slowed down. The added weight of the older bike and the smaller brake rotors meant it took a little more muscle and a little more time to scrub speed. And towards the end of the session, the brake lever was coming farther and farther back, a brake fade issue that I've experienced on my personal bike and our past test mules.
Getting the older bike flicked over and into a corner took more effort and concentration, and once in the turn holding a line was more difficult at higher speeds. Where the '05 would wallow its way to the outside of fast corners when pushed hard, the new bike stays planted. Transitioning the bike from corner to corner at speed is now suddenly something to look forward to instead of a muscle-testing, gut-groaning exercise.
It wasn't immediately evident to me that the older bike's motor wasn't on par with the '06 but what I did notice was that the '05 seemed to have more vibration and generally was buzzier than the new model. When I asked Toland about this, he looked at me like I was a crazy person and shot me a quick comment meant to keep me from embarrassing myself any further.
Ending the third session meant I could hop back on the 2006 bike. The Honda crew assured me that I would notice much more by going from the '05 to the '06 rather than the other way around. That's when I shot them the crazy person look. And, of course, they were right again and I was wrong, again. The 2006 felt like a different motorcycle. And it wasn't just the softer seat foam.
What was it that made the bike feel different? It was the combination of a lot of small refinements that added up to a ride that is significantly more fun to ride. The smooth power delivery of the new CBR meant that shifting gears was optional at most parts of the racetrack. You could rev it out thanks to the additional leeway of the higher redline and rev limit, but lugging it down around 7,000 rpm didn't seem to have much adverse impact on acceleration. This motor just seems to pull no matter the gear or rpm, and to my butt-dyno the delivery was more linear. And while Toland thinks I'm nuts, the bike did seem less buzzy with less engine braking on corner entry.
The bike's seeming reduction of engine braking meant the brakes themselves got the majority of the slow-down duties. Using the brakes more means a more reliable way to slow the bike. Instead of guessing how much the engine will slow you, you can use the binders at your discretion. And these new front brakes are more than up to the task. Their bite is firm and it only takes a finger or two to get the CBR slowed to the desired speed. The best part is that I couldn't get a hint of brake fade even when the riding sessions went longer than the Honda designated 20 minutes. On one occasion it seemed like we were out there for 40 minutes, and the brakes exhibited none of the mushiness prevalent on the '05 model.
That longer session was easily my most enjoyable of the day. Because of the back-to-back comparison, I was able to really appreciate the improvements of the new bike. I wouldn't quite compare the new CBR1000RR to a 600cc sportbike, but Honda has definitely closed the gap to the big dogs in the Open class.
During lunch the Bridgestone and Honda technical staff got to work swapping the OE tires for the DOT race rubber. My job entailed eating a hot lunch in the Buttonwillow cafeteria and wondering how I got so lucky. Normally I'm the guy swapping wheels and banging knuckles. It's hard to beat a factory ride for a day.
Hitting the track on the Bridgestone BT-002 race tires made an immediate impression. Where the stock BT-015s felt good in the morning and even better compared to the BT-014 tires on the 2005 bike, the DOT race tires were purpose-built and absolutely great. For consistent grip on a racetrack, there's nothing better than race-compound tires. These Bridgestones provided ample grip and a very predictable feel. I found myself having to acclimate myself to the track again because my brake points got deeper and corner speeds went higher. And the pressure started increasing too: Honda techs were out with the stopwatches and Bridgestone techs had the tire temperature meters handy.
Changing suspension settings isn't exactly my forte. Even in my racing days (long since gone), I found myself riding the bike as hard as I could and dealing with the problems as they came up. As I've gotten older I've decided that playing around with the adjusters is a good way to avoid landing on my head. Riding the CBR at a faster clip allowed by the race rubber, the tires seem to transmit a good deal more energy back into the bike. Combine that with the higher speeds and the bike was protesting by bucking in the bumpier corners. My two Honda techs, Jesse Lazzarino and Chris Comeise deciphered from my comments that I needed a couple of clicks of compression taken out from the rear shock. Venturing back out onto the track after that quick adjustment gave me a motorcycle that felt planted and solid. Thanks guys, you're hired!
My final two sessions allowed me to hit the track with some significant track knowledge on an awesome bike with sticky race tires at my disposal. Because the CBR is now more capable, it allows the rider to explore more of the limit without hanging too far out there. There were many times that I found myself not attacking corners like I should because: a) The bike accelerated so fast it freaked me out, b) the brakes slowed me so quickly that I was going too slow by the time I let off, or c) I couldn't anticipate how well the new CBR could handle added corner speed. Excuses aside, it all came together toward the end of the day and I could actually put the bike to work. And as I pushed the CBR, it simply complied and asked for more. I didn't find the limit but that's good, because having a bike with more competence than the rider is better than the alternative.
What I do know is that the new Honda CBR1000RR will be a true contender in the Superbike Smackdown circa 2006 - both on the street and on the track. Honda apologist or not, this bike is in the running! And from my track experience, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to find an easier to ride open-class sportbike for your next trackday or canyon sport ride.
Does that mean I should buy one to replace my '04? Well, let me weigh the alternatives. A complete makeover would mean spending a few thousand dollars, tons of time and labor, not to mention all the stuff I would screw up along the way. And the reality is I'm lazy and Honda makes it too easy to upgrade by setting the MSRP at $11,299; exactly the same as the 2005 model. Honda will release the bike to the public in February 2006 so I have a couple months to clean up my credit for that easy payment Honda Finance Plan.
And what about those future press intros? Well, Ken and Kevin now have another willing participant chomping the bit.
2006 Honda CBR1000RR - First Ride
12/26/2005
By Don Becklin
It was going to be tough for me to pass up this opportunity. Not only do I own a 2004 Honda CBR1000RR, but also I rated last year's bike as my favorite in the street portion of Motorcycle USA's Superbike Smackdown. Now with subtle but significant tweaks for 2006, it was going to be interesting to see how much better the new bike would be.
Being a press intro novice I had heard all the stories from our editors about the type of pampering that unworthy editorial types receive at these events. My objective would be to avoid having my judgment impaired by the kind of posh treatment that a company like Honda (http://powersports.honda.com/index.asp?bhcp=1) could impose on an easily influenced individual like me. Since Jon Seidel, Honda's Assistant Press Manager, already knew I was a Honda owner and I have been labeled the resident Honda apologist, there couldn't have been an easier target in the group of seven assembled journalists. Not so fast, Jonny Boy, my propaganda meter would be on high alert.
Many of you out there might assume that these press events are all play and no work. Ah, but you aren't aware of the grueling technical briefings that spell out the various changes and upgrades on a new bike release. Imagine sitting at a table for nearly an hour with test rider and former World Endurance Champion Doug Toland along with project leader Noriaki Nakata taking turns giving the intricate details during their presentation. Then there's the delectable dinner spread that included free drinks and an extremely moist, dense chocolate cake to top it all off. Okay it's not that tough but you've got to work with me a bit here, I'm trying to keep my objectivity and reputation in good stead.
MCUSA's Editor Kevin Duke gave me a few pointers before I headed out. The first tip was to avoid crashing because you'll look like a total moron. And second was to try to figure out what the engineers and development staff were trying to achieve during the briefings, then see how well they did once I got to ride the bike. So what did this pseudo-editor learn during these briefings and meet and greet sessions? Well, the biggest thing was that my beloved '04 CBR was sounding like yesterday's news.
The 2006 CBR1000RR is a mid-model redesign, taking place two years after the release of the very first CBR Thou in 2004. Do the math and you'll realize that Honda engineers must have been working on this bike while the '04 model was being released.
The objectives for the '06 development team were to lose some weight off the portly CBR, improve its turning capabilities and get a little more power out of the inline-Four powerplant. According to Toland, Honda redesigned 60% of all the components on the motorcycle. Honda says 17 lbs. have been lopped off and power is up 3%.
Chopping 17 lbs. off the bike is probably the biggest achievement of the design team. Parts getting the liposuction treatment include the exhaust system, a new magnesium ACG cover, a smaller ECU black box, thinner brake rotors and even thinner-walled camshafts. The Honda team led by Nakata spared no detail in trying to get the weight down to rival open-class sportbikes. For example, the thickness of the brake rotors went from 5.0mm to 4.5mm, which garnered a 300-gram weight reduction even though the diameter of the rotors increased from 310mm to 320mm. Shaving grams to shed pounds is necessary when a bike is receiving a mid-model makeover.
Getting the weight of the big CBR into the ballpark should reap rewards like improved stopping, handling and acceleration. But simply getting the weight down wasn't enough for Team Honda. Sharpening the turning capabilities of the CBR would take more than getting the bike into fighting shape, so Honda made subtle mods to its chassis geometry.
Toland stressed that the development team wanted to improve turn-in characteristics and make side-to-side transitions quicker and easier. And here's where changes were made that you can't do at home on your pre-2006 model. The steering head angle was reduced by a 0.25 degree while its trail figure was shortened 2mm to 100mm. Then Honda trimmed 4mm off the swingarm, helping shrink the CBR's wheelbase from 55.6 inches to 55.3 inches. The fork springs are now made from a different material (Kryptonite perhaps?) with a different spring rate and preload. The rear shock spring goes from a 12.0 kg/mm to an 11.5 kg/mm rate combined with a new suspension linkage that provides a more linear rate than previous.
The chassis and suspension changes at first appear slight and made me wonder if I could get close by doing a few garage mods to my ol' Honda. Reduce the swingarm length by taking a link out of the chain. Get the front forks revalved and replace the stock shock with an Ohlins unit. Change the geometry? That might take a slightly more aggressive approach, something like ramming the front tire into a brick wall at moderate speed. Sure it's doable, but it sounds like a little more work than my dainty hands are accustomed to, awfully unscientific, and quite possibly dangerous to my skeletal structure.
Boosting power in an open-class sportbike is a little like giving a thoroughbred race-horse the whip. Seems like a great idea until the ride gets cut short thanks to over-exuberance. Since these types of bikes are already pumping out 145+ rear-wheel horsepower, bumping up the engine performance is a game that Honda chooses to balance out with street friendliness. With Honda's vast racing background, creating a world-beating monster sportbike shouldn't be much of a problem, but Honda tells us they want to make the bike friendly on the street while still keeping it potent on the track. But when Kawasaki and Suzuki unleash wild performance beasts on the world like the ZX-10R and GSX-R1000, the CBR seems slightly domesticated.
The list of engine changes sound similar to what roadracers typically do to their production race bikes. The majority of work took place in the cylinder head where the intake and exhaust port shapes were changed to improve flow and the combustion chamber volume was reduced to boost the compression ratio from 11.9:1 to 12.2:1. The valve timing was altered and more lift added to the intake side, and the valves themselves were lightened by removing material around where the valves seat. And Honda bumped the redline from 11,650 to 12,200 rpm. To handle the extra stress of the higher compression ratio and additional revs, Honda went to a double valve spring design on the intake valves and strengthened the crankshaft. The additional power also allowed Honda to add a tooth to the rear sprocket to help improve acceleration without affecting top-speed.
Doing the math on the 145.5 rear-wheel horsepower our 2005 Honda CBR1000RR (http://photos.motorcycle-usa.com/superbikehp.jpg) test bike we had on the dyno last year, Honda's claim of a 3% power increase would net a 4.4 hp increase to a final number of 149.9 hp, right in the 150-151 hp range of the ZX and GSX-R.
So I could give my 2004 CBR motor the ol' racer's massage by yanking it out of the chassis and sending it to the local race motor guy. Changing the gearing is a snap and bingo, I've got mo' mo' power. Of course getting the motor out of the bike is a project I don't really have time for, the race prep job would probably cost me $3K in parts, and my Honda factory warranty gets thrown out the window. Hmm.
Hopping on the revised CBR while it's on a stand doesn't exactly make you go wow; in fact I was looking the bike over in the hotel conference room trying to find something different than my CBR. The new bike feels ergonomically identical to the previous model and the Honda guys admitted that the only difference in ergonomics is the new softer seat foam. Hey, at least they didn't make the seat foam harder! So the changes touted by the presenters would have to be evaluated once I was permitted to ride the bike.
Bridgestone (http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/) was in attendance touting their new BT-015 Radial street tire that comes standard on 50% of the new CBRs. We would ride the morning sessions on the BT-015 and then get the sticky DOT Race BT-002 tires for the afternoon. Honda and Bridgestone had actually spent one full day scrubbing in all the tires, and each bike would be fitted with tire warmers too. Sounds a little excessive but then again, anything to help out a ham-fist like myself from crashing on the first lap is appreciated.
Ride Time
Up at 7am and down to the complimentary breakfast got me ready for a big day of riding. Seidel offered to serve as chauffer and haul me to the track in one of the new Honda Ridgeline (http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Ridgeline) pickups. I grabbed the backseat in an attempt to hide my nervousness about hitting a brand new track with a brand new bike only two months after crashing my brains out and breaking my ribs during my first and last attempt at desert racing.
When we arrived at the track, our bikes were lined up in two adjacent garages with our name on the windscreen and a technician we would share with one other editor. The previous night as I was looking over the yellow and blue model they had on display, Seidel asked me what color I liked best. Apparently at the Honda dealer show the clear winner was the yellow/blue but I personally like the red/black combo which was similar to the bike I own. So as I searched each of the seven bikes for my name, it came as no surprise that I would be riding the red/black. Coincidence? I doubt it. Honda had also brought out a couple of 2005 model CBR1000RR's and they urged us to ride the older bike for a back-to-back comparison.
My first lap around Buttonwillow Raceway Park took place in the back of an Acura MDX driven by Honda R&D rider and Buttonwillow lap-record holder Jeff Tigert. He showed us the appropriate lines and offered to play follow-the-leader on bikes during the day. After the sighting lap, we hopped on our bikes and followed Toland around. Buttonwillow is an interesting circuit with a combination of slow corners, fast sweepers, and esses where the bike needs to get side-to-side in a hurry. Doug took it easy on us and got us around the circuit twice before turning us loose. No more babysitting, it was time to start riding.
I spent the first 20-minute session learning the track. In the second session I was feeling comfortable enough to try looking somewhat competent for the photographers and start paying attention to what the bike was doing. Riding around in these kinds of conditions forces attention directly to tires and tire grip. The tire warmers did a good job of getting the scrubbed tires up to temperature and once I started picking up the pace I was impressed with the OE (Original Equipment) tires from Bridgestone. In my past, tires that come stock on a sportbike are used to rack up break-in mileage and then are either removed or torched with a big, smoky burnout and then tossed. But I was pleasantly surprised with how competently the new BT-015s handled the cold track and big horsepower from the CBR.
Toward the mid-point of that first session I started to get comfortable on the CBR1K and picked up the pace - getting the bike up to speed is really the only way to identify the improvements. My first reaction was that the new CBR just felt more competent on the track - it felt like it was meant to be on the racetrack cutting hot laps.
Seventeen pounds sounds like a lot of weight, but I was skeptical that I'd be able to tell much of a difference. I was wrong. Thanks to the aforementioned weight reduction and more aggressive geometry, this new CBR is significantly easier to get into a corner and it holds its line much better than its older brother.
So the bike felt better and I was adequately impressed after my first two sessions but I needed to ride the 2005 model to put things into perspective. Going out on the older bike really didn't point out any shocking problems. Let's be honest, the bike is fairly capable in its own right. But there were things I started to notice.
The first was getting the bike slowed down. The added weight of the older bike and the smaller brake rotors meant it took a little more muscle and a little more time to scrub speed. And towards the end of the session, the brake lever was coming farther and farther back, a brake fade issue that I've experienced on my personal bike and our past test mules.
Getting the older bike flicked over and into a corner took more effort and concentration, and once in the turn holding a line was more difficult at higher speeds. Where the '05 would wallow its way to the outside of fast corners when pushed hard, the new bike stays planted. Transitioning the bike from corner to corner at speed is now suddenly something to look forward to instead of a muscle-testing, gut-groaning exercise.
It wasn't immediately evident to me that the older bike's motor wasn't on par with the '06 but what I did notice was that the '05 seemed to have more vibration and generally was buzzier than the new model. When I asked Toland about this, he looked at me like I was a crazy person and shot me a quick comment meant to keep me from embarrassing myself any further.
Ending the third session meant I could hop back on the 2006 bike. The Honda crew assured me that I would notice much more by going from the '05 to the '06 rather than the other way around. That's when I shot them the crazy person look. And, of course, they were right again and I was wrong, again. The 2006 felt like a different motorcycle. And it wasn't just the softer seat foam.
What was it that made the bike feel different? It was the combination of a lot of small refinements that added up to a ride that is significantly more fun to ride. The smooth power delivery of the new CBR meant that shifting gears was optional at most parts of the racetrack. You could rev it out thanks to the additional leeway of the higher redline and rev limit, but lugging it down around 7,000 rpm didn't seem to have much adverse impact on acceleration. This motor just seems to pull no matter the gear or rpm, and to my butt-dyno the delivery was more linear. And while Toland thinks I'm nuts, the bike did seem less buzzy with less engine braking on corner entry.
The bike's seeming reduction of engine braking meant the brakes themselves got the majority of the slow-down duties. Using the brakes more means a more reliable way to slow the bike. Instead of guessing how much the engine will slow you, you can use the binders at your discretion. And these new front brakes are more than up to the task. Their bite is firm and it only takes a finger or two to get the CBR slowed to the desired speed. The best part is that I couldn't get a hint of brake fade even when the riding sessions went longer than the Honda designated 20 minutes. On one occasion it seemed like we were out there for 40 minutes, and the brakes exhibited none of the mushiness prevalent on the '05 model.
That longer session was easily my most enjoyable of the day. Because of the back-to-back comparison, I was able to really appreciate the improvements of the new bike. I wouldn't quite compare the new CBR1000RR to a 600cc sportbike, but Honda has definitely closed the gap to the big dogs in the Open class.
During lunch the Bridgestone and Honda technical staff got to work swapping the OE tires for the DOT race rubber. My job entailed eating a hot lunch in the Buttonwillow cafeteria and wondering how I got so lucky. Normally I'm the guy swapping wheels and banging knuckles. It's hard to beat a factory ride for a day.
Hitting the track on the Bridgestone BT-002 race tires made an immediate impression. Where the stock BT-015s felt good in the morning and even better compared to the BT-014 tires on the 2005 bike, the DOT race tires were purpose-built and absolutely great. For consistent grip on a racetrack, there's nothing better than race-compound tires. These Bridgestones provided ample grip and a very predictable feel. I found myself having to acclimate myself to the track again because my brake points got deeper and corner speeds went higher. And the pressure started increasing too: Honda techs were out with the stopwatches and Bridgestone techs had the tire temperature meters handy.
Changing suspension settings isn't exactly my forte. Even in my racing days (long since gone), I found myself riding the bike as hard as I could and dealing with the problems as they came up. As I've gotten older I've decided that playing around with the adjusters is a good way to avoid landing on my head. Riding the CBR at a faster clip allowed by the race rubber, the tires seem to transmit a good deal more energy back into the bike. Combine that with the higher speeds and the bike was protesting by bucking in the bumpier corners. My two Honda techs, Jesse Lazzarino and Chris Comeise deciphered from my comments that I needed a couple of clicks of compression taken out from the rear shock. Venturing back out onto the track after that quick adjustment gave me a motorcycle that felt planted and solid. Thanks guys, you're hired!
My final two sessions allowed me to hit the track with some significant track knowledge on an awesome bike with sticky race tires at my disposal. Because the CBR is now more capable, it allows the rider to explore more of the limit without hanging too far out there. There were many times that I found myself not attacking corners like I should because: a) The bike accelerated so fast it freaked me out, b) the brakes slowed me so quickly that I was going too slow by the time I let off, or c) I couldn't anticipate how well the new CBR could handle added corner speed. Excuses aside, it all came together toward the end of the day and I could actually put the bike to work. And as I pushed the CBR, it simply complied and asked for more. I didn't find the limit but that's good, because having a bike with more competence than the rider is better than the alternative.
What I do know is that the new Honda CBR1000RR will be a true contender in the Superbike Smackdown circa 2006 - both on the street and on the track. Honda apologist or not, this bike is in the running! And from my track experience, I'd say you'd be hard pressed to find an easier to ride open-class sportbike for your next trackday or canyon sport ride.
Does that mean I should buy one to replace my '04? Well, let me weigh the alternatives. A complete makeover would mean spending a few thousand dollars, tons of time and labor, not to mention all the stuff I would screw up along the way. And the reality is I'm lazy and Honda makes it too easy to upgrade by setting the MSRP at $11,299; exactly the same as the 2005 model. Honda will release the bike to the public in February 2006 so I have a couple months to clean up my credit for that easy payment Honda Finance Plan.
And what about those future press intros? Well, Ken and Kevin now have another willing participant chomping the bit.