Honda 2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R review

2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R

We give the entry-level 2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R a thorough workout on UK roads to find out if it's worth saving the cash over the race-bred SP. Watch our review:

Few recent launches have generated as much interest and excitement as that of the 2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R, the machine that Honda is pinning its hopes on to re-establish it as the king of sportsbikes.

As far as motorcycles go in this modern age, arguably none have such an impressive and well-known lineage as the Honda CBR1000RR-R, which is why there has been such a buzz around the seventh-generation model that is available now.

Anyone who visits Visordown regularly will know the 2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP is already one of our favourite sports bikes on the market based on our first ride back in January when we were invited to the official international launch held at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. 

On that occasion we rode the ‘bells and whistles’ top of the range SP version, laden with electronics and clever tuning to make it a proper weapon on the Losail circuit’s fast sweeping turns and silky-smooth surface.

But is it worth saving some cash and opting for the standard model?

While the SP variant comes in at a cool £25,000, the ‘standard’ CBR1000RR-R Honda Fireblade – priced at £20,000 – will be a choice of machine for many… which is why we have been keen to get hold of this model to give it a thorough workout on the UK’s more rutted, twisting back roads to find out if you’d be better off pocketing those £5,000 and still get a cracking motorcycle.

We say ‘standard’ because with 214bhp at 14,500rpm, there is nothing particularly standard about the CBR1000RR-R but you will save £3,500 over the flagship SP model.

As such, we’ve spent a good couple of weeks riding the ‘blade across the UK and even to the Isle of Wight to sample the route of the upcoming 2021 Diamond Races, where the machine is likely to star as one of the major entries.

2020 Fireblade CBR1000RR-R specs

ENGINE

Type

Liquid-cooled 4-stroke 16-valve DOHC Inline-4

Engine Displacement (cm³)

999.9cc

No. of Valves per Cylinder

4

Bore × Stroke (mm)

81mm x 48.5mm

Compression Ratio

13.0 x 1

Max. Power Output

160kW @ 14,500

Max. Torque

113Nm @ 12,500

Oil Capacity

4.0L

FUEL SYSTEM

Carburation

PGM-DSFI

Fuel Tank Capacity

16.1L

Fuel Consumption

16.0km/litre 

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Starter

Electric

Battery Capacity

12-6 YTZ7S

DRIVETRAIN

Clutch Type

Wet, multiplate hydraulic clutch with assist slipper

Transmission Type

6-speed

Final Drive

Chain

FRAME

Type

Aluminium composite twin spar

CHASSIS

Dimensions (L x W x H)

2100 x 745 x 1140mm

Wheelbase

1455mm

Caster Angle

24o

Trail

102mm

Seat Height

830mm

Ground Clearance

115mm

Kerb Weight

201kg

SUSPENSION

Type Front

Showa Telescopic inverted fork with an inner tube diameter of 43 mm, and a Big Piston Front Fork with preload, compression and rebound adjustment, 120mm stroke

 

SP: Telescopic inverted fork with inner

diameter of 43mm and Ohlins NPX Smart-

EC with preload, compression and

rebound adjustments. 125mm stroke.

Type Rear

Unit Pro-Link with gas-charged HMAS damper featuring 10-step preload and stepless compression and rebound damping adjustment, 137mm stroke. 

Showa Balance-Free Rear Cushion with preload, compression and rebound adjustment.

 

SP: Pro-Link with gas-charged Ohlins TTX36 Smart-EC damper featuring preload, compression and rebound damping. 143mm stroke.

WHEELS

Rim Size Front

17 inch x 3.5

Rim Size Rear

17 inch x 6.0

Tyres Front

120/70-ZR17

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP

Bridgestone RS11

Tyres Rear

200/55-ZR17

Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP

Bridgestone RS11

BRAKES

ABS System Type

2 Channel

Front

330mm disc with radial-mount 4-piston Nissin caliper

 

SP: 4-piston Brembo Stylema 330mm disc

Rear

220mm disc with 2-piston Brembo caliper

INSTRUMENTS & ELECTRICS

Instruments

TFT-LCD

Security System

HISS

Headlight

LED

Taillight

LED