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Honda has provided a first glimpse of its revised liter-class sport bike, now to be called the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP and promising more power, additional electronics and aerodynamic winglets, in addition to more Rs in the name than any of the competition.
While the race replica sport bike segment has declined in importance and popularity over the past 20 years, updates to a manufacturer's literbike still matter very much in the racing world, even if they don't matter much in worldwide sales figures. While Honda continues to lead in MotoGP, the outdated CBR1000RR was struggling for top-10 finishes in the FIM Superbike World Championship, and was insignificant in the top national Superbike series. For 2020, Honda reorganized its World Superbike effort and reportedly spent a lot of money to hire Álvaro Bautista away from Ducati, and an updated CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is the final piece in that puzzle.
The rest of the world already knew the CBR as the Fireblade, and that name will now be attached to the bike in the U.S. market, too. Honda has revised most aspects of the bike, which will be available in dealerships in June, which is why it is being labeled a 2021 model. Price has not been announced yet.
Honda did not provide a specific power output but said the new engine is more compact and lessons learned from racing were incorporated to reduce friction and improve combustion efficiency, thus increasing power. Honda says the engine "benefits from the use of high-end technologies like titanium connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons and finger-follower rocker arms."
Of course it takes electronic aids to control the power that today's liter-class sport bikes produce, and the 'blade (we're going to have to get used to speaking like the rest of the world, I guess) has the works. In addition to controlling power output, engine braking and wheelie control, the electronics adds a Start Mode this year. An IMU makes the traction control and ABS lean-angle-sensitive. There's a three-level electronic steering damper and Öhlins Smart Electronic Control suspension, which allows electronic suspension adjustments.
Honda has focused on handling more than class-leading power in its race replicas in recent years, and the chassis also got a lot of attention on the new CBR. The aluminum frame is all new and Honda said the engineers increased vertical and torsional rigidity but reduced horizontal rigidity for better feel and grip. The swingarm is longer and "stamped from aluminum of 18 individual thicknesses." In MotoGP, we've seen a lot of experimentation with swingarms recently, including ones made from carbon fiber, as teams try to eek out the last gram of feel and performance. It seems some of that has trickled down to the Fireblade.
The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP comes with a standard quickshifter for up and downshifts.
The TFT display provides multiple options for showing the information you want. The bike will be available in Honda's red, white and blue "Tricolor" livery that's been showing up, in one version or another, on everything from race replicas to Africa Twins.
You don't have to read between the lines to get the message that Honda intends this new SP version to be a race platform. With phrases such as "focusing on outright track performance" and "the bodywork and riding position have an uncompromising focus on aerodynamic performance," you get the message this is not supposed to be a comfy and friendly ride. It's supposed to be the basis for Honda (a company with a legendary racing history) ending its days as a backmarker in World Superbike and a non-entity in national Superbike series such as MotoAmerica.
