CBR1000RR Intro

Arrgh! And here I thought I had first post. You're probably faster than me on the track too...

I thought the same thing. Then, I saw that there is a list of highlights up at the top towards the right and clicking on each highlight on the list changes what is displayed in the center of the screen.

There are several other highlights, including engine, chassis, brakes. Look at the whole page.



Love my Hondas but on spec that new R1 looks to be the open bike to beat. Compared to 1000RR: Larger bore, shorter stroke, higher compression ratio, 1000rpm higher redline, narrower chassis. They don't seem to show any HP spec, but they'd be hard-pressed to beat Yamaha's 172 ponies. Honda may be the best handler of the new open class though, can't wait to find out.

Is it just me or does that exhaust can look like the one on the Mondial Piega? Thats an interesting development.



Otherwise, I agree with the poster above. The two tone job really flattens out what few lines this bike has and makes it looks really long in an awkward way. I love the lines of the new R1 and think it is an improvement on an already sexy bike. I cant say the same about Honda's new liter bike. Why is that? Suddenly I find myself lusting after the cbr954rr.

I remember that many people thought the same thing about the 600RR before side-by-side comparisons were made. While the 600RR was less powerful and heavier it was the decision of many publications (not all of them) that the 600RR was the best of the mid-weights. Honda seems to have a way of making their bikes work well in the real world and on the track. Besides, I don't think any of us MOrons know how to use 150hp to its potential anyway. It's a moot point. Go with the one that you're most comfortable on and you think looks the best. If the stylist of the bikes from Japan could only figure things out from an aesthetics point of view. What's wrong with a solid color? I agree with the above posts...at least get the lines right if two-toned is choice.

good point. I can smoke most kids on their r1s and gixxers with my 2000 vfr. That R1 is so sexy though....

I think the US versions look MUCH better than the Euro schemes.

http://powersports.honda.com/preview/prevCBR1000RR.html

Still waiting for official horsepower and weight, though.

the paint

Said before but i'll say it again:

it SUCKS.

Re: the paint (oops)

and the american model is quite good in comparison.

honda-fireblades.co.uk claims horsepower is [email protected] RPM

did anyone else notice that the swingarm on the honda is different on the left and right side. I would think it would throw the balance of, but who know. Anyway that hon, zuk, and kaw got nothin on the R1, too hot!

most bikes have asymmetrical swingarms. Need somewhere for the chain to go.

Yee-ha! Gonna be one helluva year for us bigbore aficianados. All three of Suzuki's liter bike competition look fantastic, especially the Honda and Yammie.



One glaring ommision in Honda's specs are the bikes weight. That could be a surprise in either direction, but the CBR600RR was a bit portly compared to the competition. Probably won't slow it down one iota.



At least my beloved Gixxer will HAVE some competition this year. So many toys, so little time. My guess is they all will be so good it'll be a matter of your favorite brand, dealer, color, etc. No matter what, the excess express will run rampant this year. Which one will ultimately rise to the top?? Hmmmm.....let the open class holocaust begin. Enjoy the ride. Cheers, Jack

That Pooch

Where does that expression come from anyway? "Screw the pooch", I mean.

I'm kind of a Honda guy, but I think the new R1 is the best looking of the new liter bikes; and the 02/03 R1 was a classic.

We MOfos have much to say about the way these bikes look...all the new liter bikes have such outrageous performance that maybe that's the best way to parse between them!

Fugly paint...

The problem is simply that painting the lower fairing different, with no crossing graphics, just screams "cheapness", especially since that fairing line doesn't match the other lines of the bike.

Wouldn't it look so much better if, say the red & black one was red all the way, with the honda wing over the WHOLE front rather than the top front?

Re: Fugly paint...

buy the black 1000RR, and buy a set of large silver/chrome Honda wings, and it should look like the 2004 600RR in black--pretty sharp.

Re: CBR1000RR is nice but...

What I can't figure out is they get the CBF250 and we get the Nighthawk 250. What's going on there?!? That's a nice looking little bike and it even has a real front brake for godsake.

I don't get the marketing strategy that thinks this is a good idea. At least with the CBF250 a young kid could ride it to school and still be proud of it.

I won't even go into the Transalp/Veradero thing. I know "they don't sell here". But the CBF250 hasn't even been given the chance at winning a place in the US.

(yawn) So the literbikes are all 0.001% better than last year(yawn). Just like last year... and the year before... and the year before. How excitingzzzzzzzzzz........



Y'all belly up and trade in yer '03s so you can have the latest and greatest.



PT Barnum was right.