Honda’s Sports Machines Savour All-Round Success

Honda’s class-leading sportsbikes, the CBR1000RR Fireblade and the CBR600RR have once again proved themselves the best machines for the roads by dominating this year’s Isle of Man TT races, while continuing to feature among the most popular sportsbikes with the road-going public. Last week, in the capable hands of John McGuinness, Honda’s CBR1000RR took wins in the Superbike and Senior races at the Centenary TT. In the Senior race, John and the Fireblade also netted the new lap record, setting a new best of 130.354mph! The CBR1000RR also filled the top six placings in the Superbike race and the top three in the Senior race, proving that the Fireblade is still the machine to beat on the roads.

McGuinness said:

"I’m so comfortable and familiar with this Fireblade now and that’s what has helped us to get these results. It’s so dependable and reliable – but also so very quick! It’s an amazing machine in race trim, but I’ve also ridden a few road CBRs around the Island and they’re very special too. What I like about them is that Honda seems to make a chassis, which allows you to use the power of the Fireblade. The whole bike is so very useable compared to the competition."

John’s Fireblade is based on the road-going CBR1000RR, which has become a legendary machine since its launch in 1992. When production racing began again at the TT in 1996, it was fitting that the FireBlade won and dominated for a number of years.

At the TT this year, the Fireblade’s success was mirrored by Honda’s CBR600RR where it proved itself to be the best road-going Supersport 600 machine. Ian Hutchinson claimed the Supersport spoils beating team-mate John McGuinness into second, with Guy Martin third, making it a CBR-blockout of the podium.

So far this year, both bikes have proved a hit with the bikers throughout the UK. Sales figures for April showed that almost 1000 people have already bought a ‘blade’ in the UK, making it one of the most popular sportsbikes of 2007, while around 600 people have bought the new RR-7 machine, making it one of the most sought-after bikes in the Supersport category.

And it’s not just on the roads where Honda’s sportsbikes are leading the way, they are also dominating proceedings on the short circuits. In the World Superbike series James Toseland is leading the championship on his Ten Kate CBR1000RR, while reigning British Superbike champion Ryuichi Kiyonari leads the British Superbike series on his Honda Racing Fireblade.

In the fiercely-competitive World Supersport championship the Ten Kate CBR600RR is dominating proceedings. Young Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu is leading the championship and is some 45 points ahead of his nearest rival. Amazingly, the CBR600 family has won the World Supersport title every year since 2002 with the Ten Kate team, and back home on British Tarmac the bike has won nine of the last 15 British Supersport titles, most recently with Cal Crutchlow last season.

This latest model of the CBR600 is the lightest and most powerful yet as the machine celebrates 20 years of production. The CBR600RR-7 is the latest in a long line of CBRs, stretching back to the first CBR600FH, which was launched way back in 1987.

Back then the CBR600 boasted around 80 brake horsepower and a top speed of around 140mph, it was a revolution in the class, immediately topping the sales charts and becoming a winner out on the track in 600cc production racing. Today, the latest CBR600RR-7 has an impressive 118bhp and a top speed approaching 170mph!

Estimates put the number of CBR600s sold since 1987 at more than half a million bikes, making it one of the most successful sportsbikes ever and the most successful middleweight sportsbike in the world! In the UK today, it’s thought that more than 45,000 new and used CBR600s are in use.

Source:- LondonBikers