For those of you unfamiliar with our long-term 2008 Honda CBR1000RR, its attributes were many. Weighing just 413 pounds and making 155 rear-wheel horsepower made this a superior bike to ride on both road and track. So, we did.All new for 2008, the CBR-RR didn’t win the Open-class shootout that year at Miller Motorsports Park (mostly for lack of rear traction that chilly day) or take home a Ten Best award, but it seemed to have vast untapped potential (and proved it by winning MasterBike XI at Spain’s Circuito Albacete (September, 2008).
What better excuse to introduce a nice yellow CBR into the Cycle World long-term test fleet? Back to Miller we went in 2009, fork loaded with an Öhlins 25mm Cartridge Kit ($1762) and TTX36 ($1399) shock. Contrary to popular belief, sometimes throwing money at a problem really does help: The improved damping, tunability and feel provided by the Öhlins pieces enabled us to connect the CBR’s broad, linear power to a pair of Pirelli Diablo Corsa IIIs ($779). Actually, several pairs of Corsa IIIs: During an awesome July 4th weekend charity event (Racing to Save Lives), the CBR covered almost 400 track miles without missing an apex—not many, anyway. A set of Vesrah front brake pads ($159) helped remove 5 seconds from our previous test times in, admittedly, much warmer conditions.
CRG Roll-A-Click folding brake lever and clutch perch with folding lever ($129/$260) provided increased incident survival. CRG’s rearsets ($630) were time-consuming to install due to their minute adjustability, but the wide, knurled pegs improved control.
Willow Springs Raceway shreds medium-compound N-Tec Dunlop D211GPs ($419) like no other track; we recommend the hard compound. In any case, the TTX shock proved its worth again: The ability to dial back high-speed compression let the bike work with the stiff-sidewalled Dunlops as well as it had with the softer-walled Pirellis.
We waved goodbye to Willow and to the 6-pound FMF Apex Carbon slip-on muffler ($550) we tested. Along with a notable weight loss and decibel gain, the FMF pipe created a big bog below 4K. No big deal at Willow Springs; big deal in Newport Beach and at noise-restricted Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Back to the stock 14-lb. muffler before heading to Monterey for a Track Club event.
New OE brake pads ($70), Dunlop N-Tec D211GPs, mirrors off, lights unplugged and taped, the Honda made it through tech. We’d read about other CBRs burning oil and were keeping a close eye on ours—never a problem. The same medium-compound D211GP that had melted at Willow performed phenomenally for 200 miles worth of Laguna Seca.
On the drive home, we dropped in for a Let’s Ride Track Day at Buttonwillow, sampled a set of Dunlop’s new Q2s and usurped another 13 gallons of premium fuel.
After all that, we tipped over on a friend’s deceptively steep, water-soaked front yard and needed a new upper fairing ($265), mirror/turnsignal ($86) and $248 worth of labor; $40 of 20W-50 HP4 semi-synthetic and a filter ($13) brought the total to $651. Ouch.
Using a 55 (vs. 50) rear profile on all the tires we tested (including a set of Bridgestone BT-003 RS hoops; $356) raised the rear of the motorcycle, quickening the steering of the super-stable CBR-RR. For overall street use, we were most impressed by Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso ($440) due to its rough-road compliance and feel for grip over a wide temperature range.
An 8.5-pound titanium LeoVince SBK Factory EVOII exhaust with T-Carbon muffler ($1679) fit like a glove, was actually around-town livable and filled in a flat spot down low (possibly because it ditches the stock exhaust valve), which let us leave stops more stealthily. We didn’t gain more than a couple horses on top, though, and since the CBR came with titanium headers, the overall weight loss was only about 7 pounds. A deal if you can swing it.
And with that, the CBR1000RR was off to meet its maker. Godspeed, good friend!
SPECIFICATIONS |
|
|---|---|
| List price (2008): | $11,599 |
| Current Blue Book value: | $7260 (retail) |
| Warranty: | 1 yr. unlimited mileage |
| Engine: | liquid-cooled, four-stroke inline-Four |
| Bore & stroke: | 76.0 x 55.0mm |
| Displacement: | 999cc |
| Valve train: | dohc, four valves per cylinder, shim under bucket |
| Fuel injection: | 46mm throttle bodies |
| Weight Tank empty: | 413 lb. |
| Weight Tank full: | 443 lb. |
| Fuel capacity: | 4.7 gal. |
| Wheelbase: | 55.6 in. |
| Rake/trail: | 23.3°/3.8 in. |
| Total miles: | 9985 |
| Miles since last report: | 1941 |
| Average fuel mileage: | 36 mpg |
| Repair costs: | $1038 |
| Maintenance costs (incl. tires): | $3593 |
