2004 Honda CBR1000RR

The long-anticipated and much-rumored replacement for Honda's CBR954RR is finally here - the CBR1000RR. In what looks to be the year of the open-class sportbike - like 2003 was the year of the 600s - there are three brand new four-cylinder, 1000cc offerings from Japan this year (Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha). Honda created this new generation of open-class, ultra-lightweight weapons with the CBR900RR back in 1993. For the first time the company has finally gone all the way and created a true 1000cc iteration of the bike - and what they call their new Superbike platform.

The motor is an all-new 998cc inline four-cylinder, with 75 x 56.5mm bore and stroke dimensions. The cylinder head features four-valves per cylinder with 29mm intake and 24mm exhaust valves. The aluminum cylinders are impregnated with ceramic and graphite materials to reduce friction, while the pistons are new forged aluminum units attached to new nutless connecting rods. The fuel-injection system is Honda's Dual Stage Fuel Injection (DSFI) with two injectors per cylinder inside of 44mm throttle bodies.

The gearbox is a cassette-type, close-ratio six-speed designed for quick internal-ratio changes at the racetrack. The clutch features eight plates and is a hydraulically actuated unit with an adjustable lever on the clip-on handlebar.

As for the chassis, it's closely related to Honda's own MotoGP missile the RC211V, in the same way the new CBR600RR was last year. It has an all-new aluminum twin-spar frame joined to the Unit Pro-Link rear suspension, featuring what Honda claims to be the longest swingarm in the class. Braking is handled by new Tokico radial-mount four-piston calipers and 310mm floating rotors up front and a 220mm disc and single-piston caliper out back. Suspension is handled by a fully adjustable 43mm upside-down cartridge fork, while out back is the fully adjustable shock.

A cool feature on the CBR100RR is the new Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) that electronically modulates damping based on the bike's road speed. The ECU sends a signal to a solenoid that controls an oil pressure valve within the damper, and controls the amount of resistance. At low speeds a relief valve opens to make it steer lighter.

The bike's styling is completely new and includes an under-the-seat exhaust canister similar to the CBR600RR's. The CBR1000RR has twin Ram-air ducts that feed a new 8.35-liter airbox, just to the side of the new Line Beam Headlights.