HONDA CB1000R
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Loving it, loving it, loving it!”
Ihave finally got a few hundred miles under my belt on the CB1000R and am getting to grips with ownership of the big Honda. It is unlike anything I have ridden for some time or if indeed ever, and the more miles I do the more I recognise that what Honda have produced here is a bike that is difficult to categorise; it does not play to any other manufacturer’s tune.
Quite rightly we tested the CB1000R in last month’s Super Naked test, and on paper a 2006 Fireblade engine sounds like a good idea. However it did not fare well in this grouping for what I see is as a very good reason – it’s not the category that Honda designed the bike for. Style-wise, the bike’s retro-esque look could throw it into that grouping, but that doesn’t seem right either. No, I think you can safely say that this bike is in a class of its own; a brave move for Honda which I think has properly paid off.
It has taken me some time and miles to really appreciate the CB. Having spent an exhilarating 12 months on Yamaha’s R6 I am not sure I was ready for such a massive style and riding experience change. You don’t ride this like a sports bike, you kind of cruise along and take in the ride for what it is. If you have to get somewhere quick it has every capability with its long-stroke engine that achieves pace with an ease that hardly labours itself. If however you are just effortlessly cruising the Honda will munch the miles all day long with a comfort and ease that genuinely leaves you buzzing and wanting more.
Evidence of this is that I am happy riding in jacket, jeans and a short boots for most journeys, one-piece leathers don’t really fit the bike’s styling. I have also reversed one of the first modifications we all make at Fast Bikes with termers, by putting the pillion pegs back on. The previous keeper Martin had whipped these off which made sense as we were supplied the ‘Plus’ model complete with a beautifully crafted rear cowl. Honda have sent me the pillion seat because this is a bike I will happily take a passenger on. Yes I would have done the same on the R6, but I feel the Honda will give my ‘non-rider’ passengers a thrill while having a more comfortable and stable experience. I have been known to put people off a bit in the past.
So am I portraying Honda’s bike as a bit ‘pipe and slippers’? If I am I certainly don’t mean too because that is fundamentally not the case. It has some proper grunt and is properly torquey (especially after 6K) but the smooth delivery from the ride by wire throttle, seamless gear shifts and natural riding position means you hardly have to try. You do have to keep an eye on the dash though, because you will usually find yourself going far more swiftly than you thought you were.
So with the cowl removed there was room for a bit more bling and Barracuda sent through an aluminium chain guard cover, two screws see this guard cover the black plastic over the chain. This is one of the only obviously ‘plasticky’ parts on what is a beautifully designed and crafted machine, meaning the add-on from Barracuda is a fitting addition and I am pleased with what it adds to the bike. To be honest I am growing accustomed to having almost as much fun looking at the CB1000R as riding it. Barracuda quality is certainly not out of place.
Aside from that, more winter miles await. A fresh set of Michelin Pilot 5s have been fitted and I am braking them in as quickly as the roads allow. More on these next month as I fit in as many more miles as the weather and seasonal gatherings permit. This will be a great start toward me having ‘a happy New Year’, and I sign off this time wishing you all the best for 2019 – have a blast.