17YM CBR1000RR Fireblade SP
If there is one thing Honda – via its racing arm Honda Racing Corporation, or HRC – hates doing is playing second fiddle to anyone, and its 2017 CBR1000RR SP and SP2 superbikes look to be doing just that. Taking careful aim at a certain black and green machine, Honda has shown it is deadly serious about taking the fight to the current World Superbike champions.
Honda has just released the complete specification sheet for the 2017 CBR1000RR, and the wait for the the update is well worth it. Taking a close, long look at the 999 cc DOHC inline-four that has been the cornerstone of Fireblades since 1992, the 2017 version puts out 189 hp at 13,000 rpm and 116 Nm of torque at 11,000 rpm.
What is even more impressive is the diet the CBR1000RR has undergone, and it now weighs in at 195 kg wet – 15kg less than the 2016 model. Part of the weight reduction goes to the use of aluminium in various areas, including a die-cast aluminium sub-frame, magnesium engine covers and a titanium exhaust that shaves 2.8 kg off from the previous version.
17YM CBR1000RR Fireblade SP
What is more astounding is the inclusion of a 16-litre titanium fuel tank, produced using a deep-drawing process that makes it 1.3 kg lighter than the equivalent steel unit. According to M. Sato, project leader for the 2017 CBR1000RR Fireblade, “All 1000 cc sportsbikes are extraordinary examples of high performance engineering. But for us, for our new Fireblade we want extraordinary to be the pleasure of handling and controlling such a machine. Its true purpose – wherever it’s ridden – is to enjoy something that is not normally experienced in everyday life, something that cannot be surpassed.”
The new CBR1000RR also comes with a full suite of electronic riding aids, including nine-level Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), Selectable Engine Brake (SEB) and Riding Mode Select System (RMSS). A quickshifter is standard, and three settings for the downshift assist that works in conjunction with the ride-by-wire auto-blipping.
Suspension for the Honda superbike is from Ohlins, and uses Ohlins Smart-Ec, or semi-active, suspension. The front fork is a 43 mm NIX30 Smart-EC fully-adjustable unit, while the rear is suspended by a TTX36 Smart-EC absorber, also fully-adjustable.
While the specification for the 2017 Honda CBR1000RR SP is impressive enough on its own, the SP2 version takes things up a notch with lighter Marchesini wheels and carbon-fibre patterns on the bodywork. The big difference lies inside the engine.
On the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, the cylinder head uses bigger valves, with narrower included valve angles but identical valve pitch to the SP1, ensuring that cylinder head breadth and width remains the same. The spark plugs are longer, with an optimised combustion chamber shape derived from the RC213-V MotoGP race bike.
Designed as a homologation special, the SP2 will have not one, but two race kits available. One kit is designed for full-on racing use, while the other is for general circuit purposes.
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The black and green machine must be the Ninja. Well Honda likely to be serious in WSBK since Ducati and Yamaha are lagging behind Kawa.
Sorry Mohan, if you must make comparison, you should not use WSB as the benchmark. Honda is doing well in Moto GP & with rider no 93 Marc Marquez leading the pack, Honda should wrap up the Moto GP title as manufacturer with no 93 as the world champion again barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Mikey, actually he was referring to a good comparison. WSBK is the bike that you can see on the street whereas Motogp is purely prototype, maybe the tech applied onto street bikes but stillfar more superior from WSBK.
Mikey’s friend, Thanks for explaining. I can accept your analogy & your diplomatic way of replying. Thanks again.
The difference between motoGP and WSBK is motoGP using experimental prototype bikes with technology unknown to the real world. WSBK is using off the showroom. The zx10r, the r1 the ducatis, and aprilias are all originally road bikes.
What’s funny to note is – Honda has a separate company named HRC which is specialized to support all Honda racing activities. Kawasaki doesn’t have such luxury. There is only one small department handling racingwithin the bike division. And yet the ninja has proven hard to beat since the last several years.
alldisc. Thank Q for trying. Your argument on motoGP using “EXPERIMENTAL” prototype is flawed.
A Moto GP bike uses TESTED component B4 using it in their GP bike. The riders test it on off season B4 using it on actual race. The stakes is Too high for them to “Test” it on a GP bike.
Even subframe is die-cast nowadays, exotic metals here and there, in the quest of shedding those few precious grams.
It would be interesting to see next step in motorcycle development. I foresee majority of manufacturer will resort to force induction route real soon.downsizing engine might be on the card as well.
model yang amat dinanti2 oleh peminat motosikal. tak sabar nak tunggu honda keluarkan imej terbaru model CBR 1000 ni.
sekali bila dah keluar, amat amat amat mengecewakan.
design amat terkebelakang….celop model sana sini..depan amik ducati panigale, ekor tiru kawasaki zx10r, ekzos besar gedabak.
ingatkan ada la iras2 rc213v s skit..
kalau bagi skala 1-10 untuk kategori design terkini motor brand jepun;
1) kawasaki zx10r – 10
2) yamaha R1 – 8
3) Honda CBR – 3
4) Suzuki GSX – 1 (tak banyak berubah degn model 10 tahun lepas)
So many new 1L bikes. Great choice for those in the market. Europeans and Japanese!
“What is even more impressive is the diet the CBR1000RR has undergone, and it now weighs in at 195 kg wet – 15kg less than the 2016 model.”
May i ask…are you comparing it with a 2016 model or with the 2012 generation?