More 2004 Honda News
MORE 2004 HONDA NEWS
INFORMATION IS FLOWING —albeit slowly, and still with some degree of murkiness-about Honda’s four-cylinder CBR1000RR. For example, while not verbally admitting as much, Honda has confirmed the CBR will replace the championship-winning V-Twin RC51 in AMA and World Superbike competition for 2004.
A sure clue is the RR’s cassette-type, close-ratio tranny. Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 dominated AMA Superbike competition this past season, with Australian Mat Mladin wrapping up an unprecedented fourth title. But the Yoshimura squad was unable to vary gearbox ratios without splitting the big Gixxer’s engine cases-a time-consuming undertaking. This was also the case with the RC51 (now with a Nicky Hayden-signed gas tank and race-team sticker kit), which scored just three victories in ’03. The new CBR’s transmission will allow quick-and-easy mixing-and-matching of ratios.
How's this for Red tech? A Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD). Mounted atop
the triple-clamp, the rotary-style unit employs a built-in ECU that senses road speed, ^ and then sends a yEBfr?** signal to a solenoid, which /ƒ / Vag oil-pressure v within the lower speeds, the valve is wide-open, allowing for the free flow of oil and unrestricted damping force-and ease of steering. As speeds increase, the flow of oil is “ââL restricted.
enhancing stability.
At presstime, two major unknowns remained: the CBRIOOORR’s claimed dry weight and its MSRP.
Matthew Miles
