Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Both Honda's CBR600F (above) and the 1000 Hurricane will hit American shores sometime in April or May. Honda's top-of-the-line street bikf! for 1987 is the CBR1 OOOF Hurricane, an in-line four cylinder that produces a claimed 130 horsepower. 1987 Honda Street Bikes Hurricane force winds spearhead Honda lineup By Farren Williams TOKYO, JAPAN, NOV 8 American Honda's 1987 street bike lineup will be spearheaded by a pair of highperformance in-line four cylinder sport bikes - the CBR600F and CBR1000F. The new 22 in-line CBRs mark a strategic change in marketing direction for Honda, a change that most I likely will lead to the elimina- tion of the more expensive, V-four IntercepLOr series as Honda's premier pavement machines. Honda also will offer a pair of redesigned big-bore custom bikes in 1987. Leading the way will be the Shadow VTI 100C, a big V-twin that Honda officials descrilxxI as. "completely restyled from the g"round up," and the drastically restyled VF700C Magna, the only V-4 performance cuSLOm in its class. All four bikes were introduced LO the American press during a special press preview near Toyka, japan, in early November. CBR models were introduced in Europe earlier this year at a press preview in Frankfun, West Germany (see Cycle News, Number 35, September 10, 1986), fueling speculation that the japanese. company would make a major marketing change in the United States. -I'hat speculation was confirmed in japan when Honda introduced American CBR models almost identical to the bikes designed for the European market. Honda claims the CBRlOOOF and CBR600F are "the most advanced mOLOrcycle designs in the world," although neither bike has detailed styling - especially in the engine compartment - and neither mOLOrcycle spons an exotic aluminum frame; the CBRs' computer-designed, diamond-type frames are steel. Engines on both motorcycles are completely enclosed, and Honda claims the new windlUnnel-designed bod,ywork makes the CBR the most aerodynamically-engineered mOLOrcycles on the market. The reason for the switch from the V-four Interceptor series to the fullyenclosed, steel-framed, in-line fours can be summed up in one word money. !l's less expensive to produce an in-line four than a V-four. That means the CBRs will be sold at a lower retail price, allowing the bikes to more effectively compete with Suzuki's ,GSXRs and Yamaha's FZs - an area where the Interceptors had a few problems. The CBR600F will retail for $3698, and the 1000 Hurricane will go for $5398, The Interceptors, except for the 1981 VFR700F, are hisLOry. The VFR750 and VFR500, as well as the VFJOOOR, have been dropped from Honda's p'roduct line. The 700 Interceptor Will still be available to consumers, and factory riders Bl\bba Shobert and Wayne Rainey will compete on VFR700F-based superbikes during the 1987 utmel Pro Series, The 1000 Hurricane is powered by a 99~cc DOHC, liquid-cooled transverse four.cylinder engine, which prexluces a claimed 130 horsepower (SAE net at the crankshaft). A gearc!riven co-axial type engine balancer rotates at twice crankshaft speed, helping el iminate vibration. The eng"ine has specially Gu·burized. highpcrformance conneCting rods, straight inlet pons and four valves per cylinder, which reponedly maximize intake efficiency for increased power. The hydraulically actuated automatic cam chain lellsioner and the hvdraulic dutch nevI'" need adjnsunent: according LO Hand,!. The engine is Qlrburetcd by four 38mm constallt velocity carburcLOrs. The CBR I000 also has a closeratio. six-spl"t'd transmissio\l, and a hig-h-pcrformance four-into-two exhaust system with interconnecting pipe. A [orn'd air-cooled brushless g-enerator mounts behind the cylinders. The big-bore Hurrica.ne is suspended by massive 41 mm air-adjustable front forks, and Honda's Torque Reactive Anti-Dive Control (TRAC) helps nxIuce fork compres ion during" braking. A rigid box-section swingann and Pro-Link suspension with three-way adjustable rebound clamping- and hydraulically adjustable spring preload provide suspension in the rear. The bike's stopping power comes from drilled dual front disc brakes and a drilled rear disc br.tke, all with twin piston calipers ancl sintered metal pads. . The Hurricane spons new-design, S-spoke 17-inch aluminum wheels front and rear; a high-performance, heavy-duty sealed O-ring chain, ancl a large 5,5 gallon fuel tank which swings out of the way for easy engine maintenance, Aerodynamically designedancl fully enclosed bexlywork provides good rider wind protection ancl minimal drag, and the race-style rear fender is mpuntdl to the swingarm (an ide-a taken directly from Freddie Spencer's factory Grand Prix bike) to route he-at [rom the rear body section and increase rider comfort. Details include a 55/60-watt rectang"ular halog"en headlight; large,· easy-to-read electric tachom~ter; aerodynamically designed rear view mirrors; 12-volt, I4-AH battery; and 12month unlimited mileage warranty. The 600 Hurricane boasts a compact 598cc DOHC liquid-cooled transverse four cyl inder engine which produces a claimed 83 horsepower (SAE net at the crankshaft); the engine weighs only 140 pounds. The smaller Hurricane has what Honda calls an "ultra-efficient combustion chamber design" which allows an 11.0: I compression ratio for optimum power without the use of special fuel. The chamber hasa large val ve are-a and cyl inder angle is canted 35° (the cylinder angle is cdnted only 12" on the larger CBRIOOO). Other engine features include straight inJet ports, four valves per cylinder, lightweight silent-type cam chain that req uires no adj ustment, and c1oseratio six-speed transmission. The600iscdrbureted by four 32mm diaphragm-type high-performance constant velocity carburetors; has a four-into-one stainless steel exhaust system; and spans a high-efficiency, triple-layer aluminum oil cooler and a lightweight aluminum radiator. Engine temperatures/on both Hurricanes are controlled by a combination of water-, oil-, and air-cooling.

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