Restyling, change of rims and tires, suspensions, new adjustment of the C-ABS and new instrumentation, engine re-examined for more couple and a better answer of gases, here is the program for the 12th generation of Honda CBR1000RR Fire blade. What does that change really once into saddle? Direction the track of Portia (Portugal) for a test full power animated!
I do not know if you know the layout of the circuit of Portia, but this one cannot be more impressive. That it turns, that, it is a fact. This appears more extremely, very technical with others and share particularly fast and “large heart”. It also goes up and goes down and is managed.
But all at the same time, with turns and curves as a blind man, points with more than 280 km/h, and braking in support and descent… that starts to make. Let us add a small morning freshness, a slipping track having taken water well than the previous days, of the bitumen connections and of the portions embossed on the track and the table is drawn up to understand the context of this test. Ah not, the last not: it is my first time on this circuit… And on a circuit of this class in general. It’s indeed a Challenge!
And for this defloration, I was finally entitled to 4 sessions of more than 20 minutes each one to the handlebar of the new Honda CBR1000RR 2012, with 178 horses ready to go there.
The position of control collected on the level of legs (for my 1.80 meter), the support on the bracelets pronounced without being excessive, the rather long tank raising the head and playing on the cervical ones, all invites to lengthen a little more on the motorcycle and to form a unit with it: one is not there to make tourism.
The footrests lost their limiting device of angle besides (the long stem screwed under the metal part), and only the tires of origin, Bridgestone S20, as well as the flap, the rear view mirrors, the side crutch while the indicators and the control units recall us that one is of course a motorcycle of road in his configuration of origin. Taking into account my propensity natural not to touch with the brakes (on road); to roll in the turns and to play of the engine brake, the presence of the C-ABS seems to be completely suitable for this catch in hands.
To recall, the C-ABS is the braking coupled with anti blocking system according to Honda: the right lever manages the front brake completely, while the brake pedals operate the back brake and the front brake. I regulate the spacing of the right lever in position 5 out of 6 is almost with the minim, of what to already largely proportion the power offered by the Tokico clamp to radial fixing. A small one-shot starter, the discrete and raucous sound of the exhaust is made hear, and it is perfectly Zen which I launched it out.
CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE
Whereas the first session quietly begins behind our opener (Karl Muggeridge, pilot of first rank in world Superbike), the CBR is shown very balanced and easy to balance, obvious to place, almost transparent, though it arrives neutral.
Admittedly, the rhythm is quiet, the knee far from rubbing to leave with the tires time to heat, but two turns are hardly enough to retain the layout and it is positioned in back of the pack that I analyze the driving behavior. I play the gear box by seeking my brands on a circuit….definitely surprising…
Under the 4,500 tr/min, the engine appears soft and progressive (a manner of making pass the power in the absence of anti-skid?), while being vigorous, taking off on the other hand with force to set out again, once again in the neighbor hoods of 8000 tr/min. One then feels a strong mass transferred on the back side and the reduction of the front one.
Pleasant, the sonority of the exhaust becomes as of the 4,000 tr/min angrier, and then reinforces it bellow the 2,000 tr/min to the red zone, located at 13000 tr/min. As soon as one opens into large, the rises in mode are seizing.
The control offered by the precision of gases is relentless and optimal proportioning. However sometimes flexible, the engine balks to climb in the turns or on the track (which goes up, which goes up in the slow technical parts) if one lets oneself misuse by his reinforced couple. In the neighborhoods of 6000 tr/min on a bad report (with the top of the 3 for example…), it invites to descend one to see two speeds… If one wishes to roll up rather than to attack, he then shows flexibility and of benevolence.
The French version of high risk to claim turns / times, however one can imagine who will be more pleasant fastening them on the previous model thanks to this beautiful answer. Its engine power and torque curves of smoothed upwards. The distribution of the power also appears very regular, and when one opens quickly and strong on the angle on the first reports… that slips! Thus let us let heat a little more the tires and the catch and Let us try again.
SAVE WHICH TIRE!
At the time of the second session, ease coming to the handlebar and the rhythm increases, not average to keep this rotten tire postpone in the axis during the transfers… Large amateur to catch of angle, I however paid attention to leave the motorcycle well, but it is concealed regularly, requesting even the shock absorber of direction on several occasions, whereas a high side starts.
Perhaps good, there is no control of traction, but one thought of putting a shock absorber of electronic direction: Phew! Hyper sport trend super motored, here is curious! Fortunately, it slips as the accosting of Bridgestone S20 are progressive, and I am rolled up more and more around the tank, just like I adapt gases, not having seized opportunity of carrying out some adjustments of suspension.
By adapting my position, the motorcycle is stalled without concern and gives full sound power. Bingo. Remain to be wary nevertheless, one never knows. S20 are put here at several tests and they give the impression to heat too much to box the constraint…
PROGRESSION ON ALL THE FLOORS
At this stage, damping appears completely correct and easy to understand, granted very well, with a good dispersion of the satisfactory shocks and a filtering for a pilot like me (65 kg).
Even when I emerge suddenly on the tar connections located at the exit of immense parabolic ordering the straight line of the stands, the motorcycle is not divided and boxes without stumbling, without parasitic movement.
The large lengthening-piece makes it possible to pass all the reports. 140/200/240/270… The new block entirely analogical meter is pleasant to collect speed in a glance and to find its reference marks.
Well a beautiful piece of which, I however benefit a little from the very many possibilities (stopwatch, different standard from posting, shift light, etc)… At (almost) bottom of 5 or 6 (according to the circumstances) at the end of the straight line, I feel the margin of progression offered and the potential of the motorcycle before requesting the brakes or the lever gear shift well too early…
But in front of the doubt sown level grip and Motor city, the reason carries it. The turns are connected, without total confidence in the tires not managing to come. For recall, the Honda CBR1000RR is not equipped to date with a control of traction, which implies a little mistrust , it will especially be necessary “to proportion”, but also to count on its tires and to supervise the pressure, we will see it.
Because it is at the time of the pause lunch that we “learn” this: we rolled in configuration road with the standard pressures in the tires, are 2.5 bar and before and 2.9 in the back. Known as, can one try again with the pressures tracks usual???
The afternoon, the motorcycles are regulated on the level suspension to adapt their new slippers: of Bridges tone R10 and there, it is the ecstasy.
TRANSFIGURED
It is a Honda CBR1000RR metamorphosed which we find for two filling in enthusiasm sessions. In condition tracks (electric blanket understood…), Honda CBR1000RR Fire blade 2012 becomes definitely more powerful and incisor.
The perfectly last power is boxed by the pneumatic tires racing, while the motorcycle seems to have gained in lightness and precision. Here thus the solution to draw the best from this part cycles is increasingly obvious. The footrests finally come to lick peacefully the bitumen (just like the side crutch), and I release myself.
Without reserve, it is more than 20 to 30 km/h which now separates the throughput speeds in curve or at the points from braking of the morning of those of the afternoon, especially in (the very) fast one. At the end of straight line (launched with more than 280 km/h), I preserve acceleration until semi descent, a long time after the moment when one slows down by practice.
Falling two or three reports, hardly crossing, slowing down at the point to feel the back to start to dance (completely transparent ABS and anti-dribbles at the very least effective!) before stabilizing itself whereas I plunge again and give (sometimes…) gas into large… Fire blade is flexible.
It would surely be necessary to still regulate the fork a little, but here which is too good: gas on all the levels, full angle, it is the hour of the release. Obvious to correct, Fire blade hardly widens the trajectory while one brings back it while engaging a little more.
The C-ABS only intervenes very little and rare are the moments when one feels ABS or coupled braking. And yet, it is well there which takes care of the grain and appears when on the one angle extremely presses the pedal in a breakable curve. One feels the motorcycle then to undulate temperately and before being slightly raised without one not being supposed to force to correct.
The progression is impressive, and I surprise myself to forget the technique, the analysis of the motorcycle to try to push it more and farther.
In first, to say as much that one takes off easily when one opens thoroughly… While speaking about the rims, these last are particularly beautiful, and moreover are supposed to bring rigidity more important than the models to three branches. The feedback is in any case is very pleasant, just as the feelings.
ALWAYS MORE HONDA…
The Honda CBR1000RR Fire blade of 12th generation does not change in-depth (even architecture, even driving), but brings its batch of important modifications to a motorcycle already extremely succeeded. Marking the 20 years of line CBR, the model 2012 catches up with the fashion and competition as suspensions regards and affirms its look and its personality.
If it does not advances over its time, except with its quite simply excellent braking C-ABS, one day in track, four enormous amounts of adrenalin coupled with the pleasure of controlling a safe motorcycle in any case convinced me of a thing: for 13,290 € until March 2012 (against 14,490 € “normal” price), the new Honda CBR1000RR could make many happy, especially in its free version
In France, 106 horses (instead of 178) of Honda CBR1000RR Fire blade 2012 will probably make forget the risks related to the absence of control of traction standardized today on the competitors. That being said, everyone is not follower of this assistance, sometimes considered to be intrusive by the high level pilots, surprising in any case under certain conditions (slipping road, rain, etc).
Here in any case a Honda CBR1000RR being appropriate for all the levels of piloting allied which will not fail to convince largely on road.
