Honda CBR900RR FireBlade Evolution
By Alan Cathcart
Photos by Phil Masters
IJ
t's a bit of a mystery, this. I mean,
Honda goes and invents a new
kind of motorcycle by creating the
brilliant CBR900RR, deservedly tops the
sportbike sales charts with it around the
. world for half a decade while waiting
for the others to catch up, and then,
when Yamaha and Kawasaki finally do
so with the Rl and ZX-9R, Honda does nothing. Well, apart from a few detail
changes introduced for '98 to make
engine and handling more user-friendly.
Result? The bike that single-handedly created the hypersports category
increasingly looks like yesterday's
18
(Above) After creating - and ruling - a
whole new class of motorcycle, Honda's
CBR900RR suffered a blow with the
introduction of Yamaha's R1 and
Kawasaki's ZX-9R. The CBR900RR
FireBlade Evolution is the response.
(Right) The bike is full of trick hardware,
from the single-sided swingarm to the
Ohlins fork to Dymag wheels. The ilII-new
styling - by British styling guru and Cycle
News contributor John Keogh - keeps the
essential character of the CBR900RR
intact while improving the overall design,
not the least of which was the addition of
fresh-air intakes for the airbox.
