VOL. 55 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 P75
T
here's a particular feeling that every
Honda motorcycle has in common—the
perfect blend of performance and ride-
ability. They're fast, yet not quick enough to
intimidate. Agile, but not so much to be called
nervous. And they're aggressive, though
comfort is never compromised. It's a special
feeling, but maybe well-balanced is a better
descriptor. Throw a leg over any Honda and
you'll understand exactly what I mean.
The thing is, no matter what Honda throws
at its new models, that feeling is always pres-
ent. The boys in red can equip their bikes
with top-shelf components and even label
them bold terms like "a ground-up redesign,"
yet they all have the same Honda DNA. Case
in point, the all-new CB1000R.
Honda made a bold move in the rede-
sign of the CB1000R, most obviously in the
styling department. The CB's new looks
have a mix of classic and modern visual
cues, which Honda is referring to as its Neo
Sports Café design. With this new image,
the sport standard sheds the majority of
its plastic bodywork to show off an eye-
catching metal finish on parts such as the
radiator shroud, airbox cover, engine cases
and cylinder head. The front overhang has
also been shortened by 90 millimeters and
fitted with a round LED headlight as well as a
smooth-shaped seamless fuel tank, reminis-
cent of the café racer era.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't think Honda hit
the styling of the CB1000R right on the mark.
I've been itching to get a look at this bike
since it was first unveiled at the 2017 EICMA
show—and apparently others have, too. Honda
officials confirmed a strong initial reaction from
consumers, boosting confidence for strong
sales. Specifics aside, it's nice to see Honda
jump away from its usual styling cues and take
a more aggressive approach to visual design.
It could be exactly what Big Red needs to put
itself back in the naked-bike competition.
The all-new CB1000R is far from just a styl-
ing exercise, however. Engineers had serious
focus on cutting weight from the CB, which
resulted in an 18-pound total loss. The new
mono-backbone steel frame had something to
do with this—about 5.5 pounds to be exact—
though it also had the job of optimizing rigidity
for everyday riding. Changes were also made
to the single-sided swingarm, which shrunk
to 22.6 inches from 23.2 inches to further
complement the main-chassis development.
Firing power for the 2018 CB was also
upgraded, now coming in the form of the
previous generation (2008-2016) CBR1000RR
engine. Honda could have thrown this pow-
erplant into the CB chassis and been just
fine, but insisted in tailoring it for better street
performance. That said, valve lift has been
approach to naked-bike
proving to be the right one
all-new CB1000R
