Honda Cbr900rr

HONDA CBR900RR

SHARPENING THE BLADE

BACK WITH A VENGEANCE-THAT'S the best way to describe the $9999 1998 Honda CBR900RR. Whereas the original 1993 Double-R was a track-bred repli-racer, and the revised 1996 model a softer-edged sporting streetbike, the '98 version combines the best of both.

Honda's engineers drew on lessons learned in building the "tuned-flex" chassis of the VTR1000F to give the '98 CBR's frame and swingarm

increased rigidity without reducing rider feedback. They also borrowed a page from Erion Racing's notes and devised new triple-clamps with less offset, thereby increasing trail for a more stable ride. And to keep the wheelbase the same as before, they lengthened the 900's frame behind the headstock.

Internally, many (in fact, most) engine parts were redesigned for lighter weight and reduced friction,

most notably the cylinders and pistons. The clutch was also redesigned so that it has two fewer plates, while the trans mission now incorporates slightly wider ratios.

Other changes revolve around improved aerodynamics and rider com fort. The fairing (in red, black/red or yellow) is subtly taller and wider, the handlebars are higher and the footpegs were moved up and in to get the rider's feet out of the airstream. Both front and rear suspension were recalibrated, with stiffer springs up front and a less progressive linkage in the rear. Lastly, there are new, larger front brake rotors grasped by new, stiction-free calipers. The result is a bike that CW Road Test Editor Don Canet found, "Very well balanced. Its chassis is more sta ble and forgiving than previous model years. This bike keeps getting better."

From the test notes: "The CBR may not be the innovator, but it sure is a nice wheel-rotator. Refined, not benign or behind the times."

The CBR, as with most Hondas, has a high level of refinement that makes it supremely rider-friendly. Everything about the bike-the seat ing position, control lay out and feel, even its linear power deliveryis comforting. There's no need to adapt to any thing unusual.

On the street, the CBR delivers a smooth, cornfortable ride that really does allow long days in the saddle. We wouldn't hesi tate to throw a set of soft saddlebags over the tailpiece and ride it to the World Superbike races at Laguna Seca or some such far-flung destination. Our only comfort complaint concerns the width of the fuel tank, which although fairly average by recent standards, feels fat in this group. The result is slight binding in the rider's hips that is best relieved by occasionally standing up on the pegs, or by stopping and stretching.

Used to be that the CBR had excellent midrange power, but the ZX-9R and YZF-R1 have set a new standard. As a result, the Double-R suddenly feels a bit peaky, though it still makes short work of passing slow-moving traffic.

The RR's rider-friendliness carries over to the racetrack, too. Though its increased trail has made steering slightly heavier than in the past, it's still a very light-handling motorcycle. It just doesn't feel as "lively" as before-a good thing when crossing over bumps with the power on. Helping in this regard is the excellent suspension, which is supple over small bumps yet stiff enough to absorb big hits. Further more, grabbing the brake lever doesn't

cause the front end to dive; it just hun kers down and prepares to rail through the upcoming bend.

Because the CBR has an odd-sized 16-inch front wheel, we were unable to mount a race-compound tire for our track test. Instead, we went with the standard BT56 in front, with a BT58 in the rear. Why Honda insists on using a 16 is beyond us. Certainly, that size was once the norm, but that time was the early 1980s, and it's the late-'90s now. The reason given is that by using a 16-inch-diameter tire with the same circumference as a 17, the sidewalls become taller, making for better bump absorption in high-speed corners. And while we wouldn't dispute Honda's claims, our testers didn't detect any advantage on the track or the street. The most cited difference is a tendency for the front tire to turn in slightly far ther than a 17-incher would, hinting at understeer. Yet even so, rear-tire grip was the limiting factor, as Canet dis covered during his timed laps around the Streets. The CBR's quickest lap took 59.49 seconds, ranking it second quickest in this group.~

Honda CBR900RR

Price . $9999

Dryweight 423 lb. Wheelbase 55.4 in. Seat height . 31.5 in. Fuel mileage . . . 40.8 mpg 0-60 mph 2.9 sec. 1/4-mile 10.67 sec. @ 130.34 mph Horsepower. . . 110.5 bhp @ 10,250 rpm Torque 62.0 ft.-lbs. @ 8500 rpm Top speed . . . . 165.1 mph

Feels like an old friend Chassis mods soothe nervousness better than Valium Typically excellent attention to detail

,owns

Odd-sized 16-inch front wheel limits tire selection Fat fuel tank ain't phat Kinda slow compared to the others