VOL. 54 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 22, 2017 P71
affects both ends of the motorcy-
cle. Dial up +5 in cornering and
the bike gets stiffer everywhere.
Dial in -3 on acceleration and
you'll likely squat the back-end
when you get on the gas. It's a
simplified version of playing with
clickers, maybe too much.
Is the ride on the SP better
than the base model? Unques-
tionably, yes. It better be con-
sidering the price. The Ohlins
system is a far better example
of the future (or should that be
present?) of suspension than the
first electronic iterations pro-
duced for something like an early
generation Ducati Panigale. It's
not like the overall ride is night
and day different between the
Showas and the Ohlins because
the cheaper Showas are very
good, it's just that the Ohlinst are
slightly better everywhere, and
it's something you expect for the
money you pay because, let's
face it, while a titanium gas tank
is a lovely touch, I didn't feel the
difference to the steel tank when
I rode it.
The ride was somewhat en-
hanced because we were riding
on slicks compared to the RS10s
the bike will come with. The chas-
sis would turn a little slower but
with the far superior grip of the
un-treaded rubber, the ride was
way more confidence inspiring,
and faster.
However, there is one char-
acteristic both bikes share: you
always know where you are on
the side of the tire with the 2017
CBR—that chassis feel infused
into its DNA—and when you get
on the gas, you'll find the new
engine is exactly as promised:
more revs and more power.
Honda is claiming 189 horse-
power at the crank for their new
babies but seat-of-the-pants for
me is somewhere around the 165
horsepower mark at the wheel.
That's nowhere near the 190-odd
rear wheel horsepower of the
BMW S 1000 RR, but the Honda
makes up for it in that the power
comes in such a smooth, linear
fashion.
Part of this is due to the fact
this is the first CBR to come with
a Throttle-By-Wire system, one
Honda has developed to mimic
the feel of a cable throttle thanks
to the return spring and various
other mechanisms in the new
Acceleration Position Senor.
With five different throttle pa-
rameters, you can tailor the twist
grip response exactly as you like
it: you can have the full engine
whack in Level 1; Level 2 will limit
throttle response in gears one to
three, Levels 3 and 4 limit throttle
response in gears one to four;
while Level 5 has the most neu-
tered throttle between gears one
and four, with fifth and sixth giving
you engine full response. Got it?
Initially, I rode on Level 2 but
quickly change to Level 1 be-
cause the more direct feel of the
throttle to the motor is far more
pleasant than having a computer
telling me what I can and can't
have.
There's still a touch of hesita-
tion from a full closed throttle on
The wheelie control
is welcome around
somewhere like
Portimao but its
action is too abrupt
for our liking.
