RUN FOUR: CBR1000RR SP, VO2 slick tyres

The final session was 45 minutes instead of 20 – a chance to try different settings on the suspension in ‘Auto’ mode. Working with data from around the bike, the system can – based on your chosen settings – make the tiniest adjustments to the damping rates as you ride, all at 100Hz. Everything can still be finetuned, and this ability to tweak the automatic suspension is a first for motorcycling; yet in typical Honda fashion, you still couldn’t go so far with your adjustments as to make a dangerous-handling machine.

Öhlins claims that the interface means a rider doesn’t need to understand compression and rebound to get the best from the bike, with the three auto modes (A1 – track, A2 – winding roads and A3 – comfort) having four additional parameters, each with an adjustment range of plus and minus five – ‘General’ (overall firmness); ‘Brake’ (the nose dive character); ‘Corner’ (the feeling in turns); ‘Acceleration’ (the amount of pitching). This is a clever way of describing the objective of suspension changes, and one that does work impressively.

Either of these bikes would be absolutely awesome on any track; don’t for one second consider the RR as the ‘budget’ option. But with the electronic fork and shock, Öhlins has created a system that can be easily adjusted by anyone. For those with the money, this has to be the most accessible track tool ever built – for the first time in my life, I’ve started to want a litre-bike for track days, moving up from the 600 I used to feel so comfortable on, and finally feeling I could go into the intermediate, or even advanced groups.

Electronics have made me a faster rider. This bike has given me the confidence to consider doing the Nürburgring, able to concentrate on the world’s most complex and dangerous circuit, without worrying so much about the bike. And I’d be quite happy to ride the Honda to get there, too.