After a conspicuous absence from the 2008 Honda motorcycle preview earlier this month, the 2008 CBR1000RR has now been officially unveiled. Following the sportbike market standard 4-year product cycle, the 2008 1000RR is an all-new motorcycle and the second generation of the 1000 cc Fireblade (the name of the bike everywhere but the U.S.).

As always, mass centralization is a major theme with the bike, and it seems to have been taken even further than it was with the new-for-2007 CBR600RR. The most notable result of the theme are stubby tail and pulled-in nose that serve to take weight off the ends of the bike. This makes the bike look very small but overall the bike actually has a longer wheelbase at 1405 mm, 3 mm longer than before. The fuel tank has been relocated lower in the frame than before, a move that is similar to the idea behind the underseat fuel tank of the RC212V (Honda's current Moto GP bike). The short side exit exhaust takes advantage of trick packaging to meet emissions standards while also centralizing mass. It will be interesting to see the effect on handling all of these modifications will have in back-to-back tests with the outgoing model.

As would be expected for Honda's motorcycle performance flagship, there seems to be a couple of trick new pieces of technology on the bike. On Honda Italy's website it mentions that the bike has some form of Anti-Lock brakes, although there is no mention of it in the U.S. press materials. A more compact form of the HESD [Honda Electronic Steering Damper] makes a return, as does the IACV [Idle Air Control Valve] which now works in concert with a slipper clutch. There is also a mysterious "Ignition Interrupt Control" on the spec sheet that sounds a lot like a form of traction control but we'll have to wait for more information.

At this time there are no details on the horsepower and weight of the US model. But, on a flash brochure on Honda Italy's website it states that the bike generates 175 horsepower at 12000 rpm and 84 ft-lbs of torque at 8500 rpm. The kerb weight listed is 438 lbs, which is presumably the wet weight of the bike. It must be noted that the European model of the bike may make a bit less horsepower than the US model due to emissions regulations.

The color palette for the USDM CBR1000RR is...interesting. For some strange reason the powers that be decided that a black fuel tank would look good in contrast to the painted fairings on the rest of the bike for the Yellow and Silver colors. The deep red and silver color scheme also looks a bit odd, almost mismatched. Even stranger is that the rather handsome black and grey color scheme will be a limited edition scheme of less than 500 units at an extra cost of $200.

At any rate we are looking forward to sampling the 2008 CBR1000RR for ourselves whenever it goes on sale at dealerships. Unfortunately TOV does not carry enough weight in the Honda motorcycle sphere to be granted press demo rides but we hope to change that in the future. For now enjoy these press images and take a look at the complete press spec sheet below. Also check out the link to Honda Italy's flash brochure at the bottom.



















New for 2008

* All-new 999cc inline four-cylinder engine.
* Lightweight titanium intake valves.
* New thinner high-strength pistons featuring molybdenum coating.
* New removable cylinder block with Nikasil-coated cylinders.
* Idle-air control valve (IACV) and Ignition Interrupt Control for idle stability and smoother on/off throttle response.
* Unique slipper clutch features cam mechanism to reduce clutch lever pull.
* New mid-muffler exhaust system design incorporates exhaust valve and catalyst.
* New-generation Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) (see Technology Section).
* New lighter-weight front brake hoses with lighter front brake rotors.
* New monoblock front brake calipers with chromium-plated aluminum pistons.
* Lightweight aluminum sidestand.
* New four-piece Hollow Fine Die-Cast Frame (see Technology Section).
* New aluminum swingarm design.
* New twin-tunnel ram-air induction.
* New line-beam headlights.
* Front turn signals integrated into mirrors.
* New compact instrumentation.
* New lighter-weight wheels.
* New lightweight compact battery.
* New improved ergonomics.
* Iconic new Honda Wing tank badge.
* Exciting new colors include Red/Black, Black/Metallic Silver, Pearl Yellow/Black, Candy Dark Red/Metallic Silver.
* Black/Metallic Grey (2008 special color†).

Unique Features

* Exclusive, MotoGP-derived Unit Pro-Link® Rear Suspension (see Technology Section).
* Mid-muffler exhaust system design.
* Specially designed slipper clutch.
* Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI) system features two injectors per cylinder (see Technology Section).
* Centrally located fuel tank increases mass centralization and allows more compact frame design.
* Line-beam headlights feature two-piece reflector design.

Engine/Drivetrain

* Liquid-cooled DOHC 16-valve 999cc four-stroke inline four-cylinder engine features bore and stroke dimensions of 76mm x 55.1mm.
* Sixteen-valve cylinder head features 30.5mm intake and 24mm exhaust valves with a 12.3:1 compression ratio for efficient combustion and high horsepower.
* Larger titanium intake valves create a lighter valve train for higher rpm.
* Intake valves feature double-spring design for optimum performance at high rpm.
* Intake ports use new shot-peening technology that improves power and torque characteristics.
* Cam-pulser location between the middle cylinders allows a narrower cylinder head and frame.
* Direct shim-under-bucket valve actuation system ensures high-rpm durability and allows 16,000-mile valve maintenance intervals.
* Forged-aluminum pistons with molybdenum coating for reduced friction.
* Lightweight nutless connecting rods.
* Iridium-tip spark plugs improve fuel combustion and performance.
* Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI) (see Technology Section).
* 46mm throttle bodies feature Denso injectors with lightweight valving for faster reaction time and 12 holes per injector to optimize mixture atomization, combustion efficiency and power.
* Auto-enriching system is integrated into programmed fuel injection (PGM-FI) module, eliminating the need for a manual choke.
* New idle-air control valve (IACV) minimizes torque reaction and smoothes response to small throttle changes through gradual reductions of air and fuel intake when the throttle is opened and closed.
* New Ignition Interrupt Control system works with IACV and FI mapping to enhance driveability.
* Smaller and lighter ECU provides two 3-D fuel-injection maps for each cylinder and two 3-D ignition maps for cylinder pairs, creating ideal fuel-mixture and spark-advance settings for superb rideability.
* MotoGP-derived twin ram-air system allows high volume of cooler air to the 9.7-liter airbox for linear power delivery and incredible engine performance.
* Butterfly valves inside the ram-air ducts open and close depending on throttle opening and engine rpm for optimum performance.
* High-capacity radiator incorporates twin cooling fans and allows a more compact cowl for reduced drag coefficient.
* Maintenance-free automatic cam-chain tensioner.
* Starter gears located on the right side to produce narrow engine and increased lean angle.
* Unique slipper-clutch design uses a center-cam-assist mechanism for easier actuation. Unlike an ordinary slipper clutch where the pressure plate moves side to side, the Honda clutch moves both the center cam assist and the pressure plate to provide additional slipper effect.
* Nine-plate clutch is compact and tough, featuring durable friction- plate material.
* New extremely compact exhaust system incorporates a catalyzer and control valve in mid-muffler design that reduces rear bodywork size and significantly improves mass centralization, reducing roll and yaw inertia.
* Durable #530 O-ring - sealed drive chain.

Chassis/Suspension

* Lightweight Hollow Fine Die-Cast twin-spar aluminum frame utilizes MotoGP technology (see Technology Section).
* New aluminum subframe is lightweight and easily removed for ease of maintenance.
* MotoGP-derived Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) (see Technology Section).
* 43mm inverted aluminum-slider Honda Multi-Action System (HMAS) cartridge front fork features spring preload and rebound and compression damping adjustability, and offers precise action and unparalleled rigidity (see Technology Section).
* Exclusive, MotoGP-derived Unit Pro-Link Rear Suspension (see Technology Section).
* Front brake system features radial-mounted four-piston calipers and 320mm floating discs, and rear brake system uses a 220mm disc with a single-piston caliper for exceptional stopping power.
* Front discs with 72 holes of four different diameters for lighter weight and improved feel.
* Super-light aluminum-alloy hollow-spoke wheels feature race-spec 3.5 x 17-inch front and 6.0 x 17-inch rear dimensions.
* Centrally mounted 4.7-gallon fuel tank is positioned low in the frame, increasing mass centralization and allowing a more compact design. This design positions the rider farther forward for optimum handling.

Additional Features

* New ergonomic triangle lets rider sit 10mm farther forward and 10mm lower than previous-generation CBR1000RR. Handlebars are 6.5mm higher and 2mm forward.
* High-capacity 400-watt AC generator.
* High-tech instrument display features tachometer, plus LCD readouts for speedometer, coolant temperature, odometer, two tripmeters and a clock, mpg and average fuel consumption. A low-fuel LED light and shift-indicator light are located above the LCD.
* Line-beam headlight features two-piece reflector design utilizing two H7 bulbs for optimum light distribution and unique compact design.
* LED taillights for lighter weight and improved appearance.
* Plastic tank shell cover protects tank and airbox.
* Convenient ignition switch/fork lock for added security.
* Folding aerodynamic mirrors.
* Convenient push-to-cancel turn-signal switch.
* New maintenance-free battery is 2.2 pounds lighter.
* Transferable one-year, unlimited-mileage limited warranty; extended coverage available with a Honda Protection Plan.

http://www.hondaitalia.com/moto/uff_stampa/pres_modelli/2008/cbr1000rr/CBR1000RR_Fireblade_ebrochure/index.html
ModelYear=2008ModelId=CBR10RRL8" target="_blank">http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/sport/model.asp?ModelName=CBR1000RR&ModelYear=2008&ModelId=CBR10RRL8

Last edited by JeffX on September 29, 2007 16:02