I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since the Honda FireBlade – the capital B was dropped in 2002 when its creator, Tadao Baba retired – revolutionised the superbike scene. Up until then the focus was on superbikes to be as powerful as possible with little thought given to weight. So although the big bikes were fast, much of that power was sapped by all that bulk and lard which made handling similar to that of a bus.
And so came the FireBlade with its relatively small 893cc engine (it has since gone up to 999cc), but super-lightweight that enabled it to make the most of the power and made handling so much better. It changed forever the way manufacturers developed their superbikes, making weight and handling as important as all-out power.
And so it seems odd that 20 years on, while the manufacturers focus on maximum power, awesome handling and state-of-the-art electronics, Honda is making its Fireblade heavier without increasing power.
The 2012 model is actually heavier than the 2011 one by a kilo (200kg), while with the C-ABS – the Combined-Anti lock braking system introduced in 2009 – is a whole 12kg heavier at 211kg. In fact there’s no increase in power and torque from the same 999.8cc inline-four engine either – these remain at 178PS and 112Nm – and neither does it get the race-derived traction control technology that all the other superbikes are acquiring. This is because while all other manufacturers are focusing on turning their production bikes into uncompromising track machines, Honda has been focusing for the past few years on making its Fireblade the perfect sportsbike for the road.
Project leader of the CBR1000RR Fireblade, Hirofumi Fukunaga explains: “Fireblade customers in Europe consist of 15 per cent professional racer, 10 per cent road and track user, and 75 per cent pure road rider – so Honda strives to make the Fireblade the most usable.”
Not only that, but they’ve by-passed the general rule of updating a flagship superbike once every two years – the last time the Fireblade got a revamp was 2008. This it says is based on economic climate and customer feedback, meaning they’re helping their customers by giving models greater shelf life, which also means they retain stronger second-hand values.
The strategy’s obviously working as despite the lack of class-leading power or headline-grabbing electronics, the Fireblade is consistently a top seller, outstripping sales of its technology-laden rivals. And although everything has changed about the Fireblade since its 2012 launch – weight, shape, engine capacity – the one constant has been its selling power. The Fireblade has sold a fantastically successful 445,208 machines from its 1992 launch up until November 2011.
Honda Europe’s head of product and business development, Dave Hancock said: “The new Blade is designed to improve the road-bias that has always been built into the Fireblade. A little more weight in the right area can help the rider and the Fireblade proves this point. With its new suspension, the latest Blade has a superior ride quality. The Blade is one of the safest bikes to ride fast, and now it’s even safer.”
The new suspension consists of the latest Big Piston Forks as seen on the 2011 Kawasaki ZX10-R and Suzuki GSX-R1000, as well as a rear shock that uses similar technology. It’s a simple design that gives a bigger damping volume than the traditional shim-stacks. But how they actually feel in use is leagues apart. You don’t get instant dive the second you brush the front brake lever. Instead the front end dips in a controlled and progressive manner. The harder you brake, the more solid the forks feel, giving the rider the confidence to brake later and harder than ever. The Fireblade now joins the Kawasaki and the Suzuki in having the best front end in the business. And with the new Fireblade, that same confidence is now found in the rear too, making the Fireblade handle better than ever.
The new bike also gets new 12-spoke cast wheels that not only look gorgeous but also reduce flex, contributing to the bike’s improved road holding – although they are heavier and thus are to blame for the bike’s increased weight, although it’s unsprung weight it isn’t obtrusive.
Another valuable tweak is the revised fuel-injection to improve throttle response. Last year’s Blade had a slight hesitancy at small throttle openings and the changes to the fuel injection are designed to smooth this out. And this new Blade feels incredibly smooth and progressive the minute you crack the throttle all the way to redline and in all gears. On a racetrack this is especially noticeable on the slow corner exits where you crack the throttle from low speeds. There are no jerks – what you get is smooth drive propelling you down the straight or to the next corner. In the real world this makes for much smoother progress as you trickle through traffic and perform U-turns, or as you enjoy the twisty back roads on a Sunday ride-out.
If you opt for C-ABS on your Fireblade, then this electronic braking system has been tweaked too. Honda listened to its customers who do use the Fireblade on the racetrack and has reduced the braking force to the front caliper when the rear brake is applied. The old version tended to sit up and was difficult to turn into a corner when dragging the rear brake, which some racers do to help the bike squat and drop into a turn. So nothing that would affect the road riders, this bike is truly aimed at then!
Other changes for 2012 include a sharper look thanks to the restyled headlights and tail unit that give the Blade a sportier style. However even these changes are more than just a styling exercise; the revised upper fairing improves the airflow into the airbox, as well as overall aerodynamics.
Finally, let’s not forget the race-inspired, super-comprehensive instrument panel that finally includes a gear indicator and manual lap timer, long overdue on the Blade. Here in the UK, the new Fireblade will cost Rs 8.97 lakh for the standard model and Rs 9.53 lakh for the C-ABS version.
With Honda winning the MotoGP championship with rider Casey Stoner in 2012, you’d think they’d want to lavish their production bike with the groundbreaking electronics that no doubt brought them this success, especially in a model that celebrates the twentieth anniversary of a superbike that revolutionised its class. But no; Honda is keeping it real by giving its Blade limited, yet significant, updates and the technology Honda thinks will best serve the road rider.
It’s probably saving itself a load of money by doing so too, at a time of economic uncertainty, not to mention 2011’s Japanese earthquake and tsunami that struck at the heart of Honda, all the while still selling more bikes than its rivals. You simply can’t argue with that logic.
Honda has revealed that the 2012 Fireblade price in India will be Rs 13.4 lakh, ex-Delhi. For Rs 13.6 lakh you can get it in HRC colours
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