The Aerodynamic cleverness

Honda’s development team was tasked to create a classleading drag coefficient (with a tucked-in rider under track conditions) and restrict lift under acceleration while improving braking stability.

The first part of the process was to lower the fuel tank cover by 45mm, decreasing the frontal area with the rider prone. At a 35° angle the screen channels airflow from the upper fairing over the rider and seat cowl, which itself presents the minimum possible drag resistance. The left and right upper fairing slits reduce yaw and roll resistance while turning.

To make steering easier a convex surface on each side of the front mudguard moves airflow away from the front wheel, smoothly directing it to the fairing sides. Cooling air for radiator and oil cooler has been optimised by aerodynamic management of both velocity and pressure of air flowing from the tyre.

The lower fairing has also been extended close to the rear tyre, and shaped to channel air downward. This has two effects: in dry conditions, less air hits the tyre, lowering drag; in the wet, less water hits the tyre, improving grip.

To let air flow around the rider’s feet with minimum resistance, the sides of the rear hugger are carefully shaped while its upper side is cut out to vent air that channels up from underneath either side of the swingarm, decreasing rear lift.

The net result of all this work, with the CBR1000RR-R in stock race trim, is a best-inclass drag coefficient value of 0.270.

To generate downforce at track speeds – and maintain the smallest possible frontal area – the CBR1000RR-R gets winglets at the front of the main fairing that generates the same downforce as the 2018 RC213V MotoGP machine.