Cycle News

FIRST RIDE P66 2014 HONDA CBR1000RR SP sion didn't really have to work too hard. However, the one downside was that I noticed that now I was struggling more to trail-brake into bends – the Honda needed quite a bit more physical effort with the race rubber to force it to turn while still on the brakes, as by now I'd taught myself that the CBR's C-ABS brake package will allow you to do. "That's partly because of the stickier tires giving a bigger front contact patch, partly because the SC2 rear is a 190/55 against the 190/50 of the harder rubber – but anyhow, I've got a fix," said Ron Haslam, who'd found the same problem and resolved it by taking a massive eight clicks off the compression damping. This allowed greater weight transfer and thus more front end dive under heavy braking, effectively steepening the head angle and allowing the SP to steer more tightly into a turn, more easily. Thanks, Ron. That's the kind of setup expertise that winning TT races and world titles in between riding in 500cc GP races for Honda, Suzuki, ELF and Cagiva, will get you. But the thing I most kept wishing I had all the time I rode the SP was a wide-open quick-shifter, and Honda's refusal to equip at least the SP version with this on the grounds that "we didn't yet find a supplier producing such equipment to a satisfactory level" is highly specious. In that case, gents, make one. Anyone who can develop the CBR's PGM-DSFI engine management system can make something as simple as a power-shifter, which 90 percent of your track day customers will probably buy and fit anyway. Everything about riding the CBR feels so refined and precise except for upshifts, especially when you're cranked over accelerating hard out of turn 10 at Losail all the way round the long, curving turn 11, grabbing two and even three gears higher as you do so. Each time you shift up the Honda snatches and jolts slightly as you're leaned – however hard you try, it's difficult to be any smoother. On the other hand, coming down the gearbox while braking hard for a turn, like shift- (Top left) For the very first time, a Honda gets Ohlins suspension – a 43mm NIX30 fork. (Above) … and a TTX36 Ohlins shock at the rear. ing from sixth down to second at the end of the main straight, is smooth and easy thanks to the outstanding slipper clutch, which has just enough engine braking left dialed into it to help you stop without any instability as you back down the gear, without blipping the throttle. The SP's C-ABS anti-lock brake system has a computerized brake-by-wire operation, so you can stop Honda's latest and definitely greatest digitally, but you just can't accelerate electronically at the other side of the corner. I believe most riders, me included, are more likely to lose the rear exiting a turn than the front braking into it, especially with the so-effective C-ABS fitted, so Honda's digital priorities are hard to understand. Fitting the C-ABS BBW brake setup on the CBR entails a hefty 22-pound weight penalty, mean-

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