2004 CBR1000RR: Gettin' it On
150 Prancing Ponies from Honda
By Mitch Boehm
Judging by this image (from Japan's Auto By magazine), Honda's replacement for the CBR954RR will indeed be a large-displacement-and far more powerful-version of the CBR600RR, just as we reported in our March 2003 issue (page 36).
This next-generation Honda open-classer (known as the RCB1000, but which will likely be called the CBR1000RR here in America) will form the basis of Big Red's re-energized efforts in Superbike racing beginning next year. Like the CBR600RR, the 1000RR uses a host of trickle-down GP technology, including RC211V-like bodywork/aerodynamics and Unit Pro Link rear suspension. An entirely new inline-four will provide motivation, and sources tell us the 1000RR's rear-wheel output will "at least" equal that of even the new Suzuki GSX-R1000, rumored to develop roughly 150 rear-wheel horsepower (vs. 145 hp for the '02 GSX-R).
This, of course, means goodbye to the venerable CBR900RR-spec machines that, when first introduced in late '91 (the first 900RR was an early release '93 model), dramatically redefined the sportbike landscape. We've written this before, but it's a fact that the CBR-RR concept was originally a 750-class machine, and was in late prototype stage when the decision was made to build an open-classer on the same platform-thus the 750-like bore dimension (and long stroke) of the CBR900RR engine.
150 Prancing Ponies from Honda
By Mitch Boehm
Judging by this image (from Japan's Auto By magazine), Honda's replacement for the CBR954RR will indeed be a large-displacement-and far more powerful-version of the CBR600RR, just as we reported in our March 2003 issue (page 36).
This next-generation Honda open-classer (known as the RCB1000, but which will likely be called the CBR1000RR here in America) will form the basis of Big Red's re-energized efforts in Superbike racing beginning next year. Like the CBR600RR, the 1000RR uses a host of trickle-down GP technology, including RC211V-like bodywork/aerodynamics and Unit Pro Link rear suspension. An entirely new inline-four will provide motivation, and sources tell us the 1000RR's rear-wheel output will "at least" equal that of even the new Suzuki GSX-R1000, rumored to develop roughly 150 rear-wheel horsepower (vs. 145 hp for the '02 GSX-R).
This, of course, means goodbye to the venerable CBR900RR-spec machines that, when first introduced in late '91 (the first 900RR was an early release '93 model), dramatically redefined the sportbike landscape. We've written this before, but it's a fact that the CBR-RR concept was originally a 750-class machine, and was in late prototype stage when the decision was made to build an open-classer on the same platform-thus the 750-like bore dimension (and long stroke) of the CBR900RR engine.
