1995 Honda Cbr900rr
1995 HONDA CBR900RR
THE DOUBLE-R ROCKETS INTO ITS FOURTH YEAR
EVERY SO OFTEN A BIKE BLINDSIDES ITS COMPETITION. Honda's CBR900RR did just that in the spring of 1992. The CBR, weighing-in some 80 pounds under its nextleanest opponent in the Open superbike class, rewrote the rules on power-to-weight ratio for mass produced streetbikes, Honda's featherweight 900 delivered such a staggering blow the others are still catching their breath. Other 900s have been introduced, but only one, Ducati's impressive 916 (see Cycle World, July. 1994), has come close to matching the 900RR's combination of lightness, power and handling. With the confidence that springs from overwhelming success, the CBR900RR has gone unchanged since its introduction. Now entering its fourth year of production, the RR gets its first significant face-lift New for '95 are a revised fork and slicker-shifting gearbox, plus a host of styling and ergonomic-related updates, all working to give the sportiest Honda a fresh look and feel. The CBR's 893cc, liquid-cooled Four remains the lightest and most compact powerplant in its class. Honda accomplished this feat using a one-piece upper crankcase/cylinder assembly, right-side cam-drive design and a narrow, 32-degree valve angle. Weight of the pistons, valves, connecting rods, crankshaft, clutch and alternator have all been kept to a minimum, making for a very responsive, quick-revving motor. A quartet of 38mm Keihin flat-slide CV carburetors draws air from a large, 7.2-liter airbox beneath the fuel tank, delivering crisp throttle response throughout the rev range. improved shifting action highlights the '95 motor. Reshaped gears in the CBR's close-ratio six-speed transmission and a new linkage-type
shift lever-replacing the previous lever that attached directly to the shift shaft-make up the revisions. The old tranny was a bit of a rock crusher; shifting could be notchy and noisy. While
a touch of this trait still remains when shifting between first, second and third, clicking into fourth, fifth and sixth is now pure pleasure. The amount of effort required at the clutch lever still remains uncharacteristically high by Honda standards; it’s too bad that wasn’t addressed, as well.
Honda did, however, attend to the overly firm damping of CBR’s cartridge fork. The stout 45mm conventional unit has been revalved to offer better response, and is now fully adjustable with the addition of a compression-damping screw at the base of each fork leg. Standard suspension settings for spring preload, compression and rebound damping delivered a very solid and controlled ride, soaking up even the nastiest bumps, never bottoming, chattering or pogoing. High-speed stability is absolutely superb and the tendency for headshake accelerating out of bumpy comers-a characteristic of last year’s bike—has been greatly reduced.
For more general use about town or on the freeway, much softer damping rates in both directions of stroke, front and rear, are called for. No problem, 30 seconds with a flatblade screwdriver and the shock and fork can be dialed to deliver an acceptably plush ride. Likewise, adjusting spring preload on the shock is painless, thanks to its seven-step, ramp-type adjuster and the special wrench found in the bike’s tool pouch.
As with most repli-racers, riding the 900RR in the sporttour mode has its shortcomings. Any distance on the freeway becomes a test of rider perseverance rather than a source of enjoyment. With soft suspension settings, the broad, flat, firmly padded seat is tolerable. Placement of the footpegs, which provide ample leg room
by sportbike standards, is not a problem.
The trouble lies in the reach for the lowmounted clip-on bars. Wrist, shoulders and lower back all suffer from the sustained racer crouch. Riding with only your throttle hand on the bars allows a more upright posture, while a tall, softly stuffed tankbag makes for a welcome leaning post.
Honda has revised the CBR’s upper fairing, adding nearly 2 inches in width to the main section, along with a 1.5-inch-taller windscreen, for increased wind protection and better aerodynamics. The newly designed twin headlamps feature a cut-reflector design that produces a sharply defined light pattern. A hard-coated, flush-mount plastic lens offers improved aerodynamics and is easier to clean than the previous pair of recessed round headlights.
Engine vibration at freeway speeds is quite low, with an ultra-smooth band in the neighborhood of 4500 rpm-about 65-70 mph. When running at these revs, only the left handgrip passes vibration to the rider, another good reason to drone along onehanded.
When the road starts looking more like a rollercoaster ride than a runway, you best hold on with both hands. Here the CBR shines. In the hands of a talented rider, the 900RR works out the kinks in a road with digital precision.
Hard acceleration out of
low-gear comers or over a crested rise in the road often results in the front wheel leaving the pavement. With its strong brakes and ultra-short wheelbase, the CBR’s rear wheel lifts under hard braking with incredible ease. This is the closest thing to a GP bike mere mortals can buy, but it takes skill to plumb its capabilities.
Last year’s bike turned in a run of 10.84 seconds at 128.38 mph at the strip. Mild weather and a light tailwind at Carlsbad Raceway helped push the ’95 900RR through the lights in 10.67 seconds at 131.57 mph. Its 158-mph topspeed sprint past the radar gun is consistent with previously tested CBR900RRs, and lapping Willow Springs Raceway’s 2.5-mile, nine-turn road course gave the chassis, suspension and tires a good workout. Last year’s bike, fitted with sticky race-compound Bridgestone Battlax tires for a comparison test, circulated in 1:32.68. With the street-compound Battlax BT50 tires that come fitted from the factory, the ’95 CBR squirmed and slid its way to a best lap of 1:35 and change. Although the stock tires didn’t offer the level of grip needed to exploit the CBR’s full potential on the track, we were able to get a feel for the altered fork at race speeds. The new valving has indeed had a positive effect on front-end feedback and control, immediately evident cresting Willow’s Turn Six. Bumps in the pavement at the exit of this third-gear bend have always caused the CBR’s front end to dance in the past; now she boogies to a much mellower tune.
If you’re in the market for a bike that combines 600-class n d 1 i n g ith 1100class accele r at i on,
there are now two choices: Ducati’s sexy new $14,500 916 or Honda’s CBR900RR. Difficult choice indeed. Unless the minister of finance is casting a vote-in which case the Honda’s $9199 price tag makes the decision much easier. □
EDITORS' NOTES
THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING TO A racebike you can buy without applying for an AMA competition license. And its drawbacks in terms of rider comfort won’t bother the target audience one bit.
The CBR is light-make that incredibly light. Combine this with a crisp 900 cubic centimeters’ worth of armjerking power and you’ve got a bike
that demands track time. Late-braking antics, monster drives out of comers, Doohan-esque wheelies-all are contained within the RR’s book of tricks. But venture too far into its performance capabilities on the street, and you’ll be carted off to the slammer in short order.
Slow down to ride the Honda anywhere near the speed limit, and your butt will go numb, your shoulders, elbows and wrists will ache. By comparison, a Kawasaki ZX-9 feels like a Gold Wing. For the right people-racers, dedicated sport riders or posers-the CBR900 is a must-have. Others may want to do their shopping elsewhere.
-Jimmy Lewis, Off-Road Editor
LIFE IN THE ENDLESS URBAN SPRAWL known as Southern California sometimes gets to me. When that happens, the best known cure is a sporting road trip. A two-day excursion covering more than 1000 miles of mountain and coastal backroads aboard the CBR900RR provided a mixed bag of thoughts, impressions and sore muscles.
First of all, I think it’s the last time I’ll ride this bike that far in such a short time frame, no matter how thick the smog or how heavy the traffic gets around here. My rear has taken on the shape of the RR’s seat pad, and my upper body feels like I’ve just rowed out to Catalina and back.
But, you know, none of that really matters-the city, the rat race, not even a pain in the butt-when the road disappears around the next bend and I’m riding a CBR900RR.
It helps just knowing an escape from L.A. is merely a twist of the wrist away. -Don Canet, Road Test Editor
I’M EASILY SEDUCED BY LIGHTWEIGHT, high-performance sportbikes. Their incredible acceleration, responsive handling and sleek styling make my mouth water. For me, Honda’s feathery CBR900RR is the quintessential Openclass Japanese sportbike. It’s wonderfully agile, incredibly potent and downright wicked in appearance. And compared to Ducati’s 916, or an even
more exotic Bimota SB6, the CBR900RR is an absolute bargain in terms of thrills per dollar.
When the CBR was introduced three years ago, its weight, or lack thereof, separated it from the competition. Like its predecessors, the ’95 model is a rip-roaring, twowheeled rollercoaster. Wheelies are as easy as grabbing a handful of throttle and tugging on the clip-ons. And the revised front end has no trace of twitchiness. Even at high speeds, the CBR remains firmly planted and stable.
Once again, Honda has proven that less really is more.
-Matthew Miles, Managing Editor
HONDA CBR900RR
$9199
